Electrical wiring device

• US 8,526,146 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Finlay, David A., Packard, Thomas N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLOUGHBY, TERRENCE RONIQUE
• Application Number:
  US13/657,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/338 also responsive to wiring error, e.g. loss of neutral, break

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a circuit coupled to the line terminals and configured to conduct a predetermined current flow when the line terminals are connected to a source of AC power, the predetermined current flow does not simulate a fault condition. An interrupting contact assembly includes four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the line terminals, the load terminals and the at least one receptacle in a reset state and configured to interrupt the electrical continuity in tripped state. The interrupting contact assembly is energized to effect the tripped stated and substantially deenergized otherwise, the interrupting contact assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined current flow.

Claims

1. An electrical wiring device comprising:

line terminals and load terminals;

at least one detection circuit including a circuit segment coupled between the line terminals and configured to conduct a predetermined signal in response to detecting a proper wiring condition, the predetermined signal not simulating a fault condition, a proper wiring condition being effected when the line terminals are connected to a source of AC power;

an interrupting contact mechanism coupled to the at least one detection circuit, the interrupting contact assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the line terminals and the load terminals in a reset state and configured to interrupt the electrical continuity in a tripped state, the interrupting contact assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined signal being conducted by the at least one detection circuit, the interrupting contact assembly being configured to effect the reset state without the occurrence of a simulated fault condition and subsequent to the predetermined signal; and

a solenoid coil coupled to the interrupting contact mechanism, the solenoid coil configured to be substantially de-energized in the reset state and to be energized to effect the tripped state.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the four sets of interrupting contacts comprise a bridge structure.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein a line terminal, load terminal and an electrical path are shorted together by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein an indicator light is disposed in the electrical path.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one detection circuit includes a wiring state detection circuit configured to generate the predetermined signal.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the wiring state detection circuit is configured to permanently open circuit a predetermined time after AC power is coupled to the line terminals.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the wiring state detection circuit includes at least one fusible element configured to permanently open-circuit a predetermined time after the AC power is coupled to the line terminals.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the wiring state detection circuit is configured to drive the four sets of interrupting contacts into the tripped state if the load terminals are improperly wired to the source of AC power before the occurrence of the predetermined signal.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one detection circuit includes a fault detection circuit coupled to the line terminals, the fault detection circuit being configured to propagate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one detection circuit includes a miswire detection circuit configured to propagate a miswire fault detection signal.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the four sets of the interrupting contacts are configured to trip in response to the fault detection signal.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a rectifier element coupled to the fault detection circuit, the rectifier element being turned ON in response to the fault detection signal; and

the solenoid coil being disposed between the rectifier element and the four sets of interrupting contacts, the solenoid coil being configured to trip the four sets of interrupting contacts when the rectifier in the ON state.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the line terminals, a corresponding one of the load terminals and an electrically conductive path are electrically connected by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein an indicator light is disposed in the electrically conductive path.

15. A ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle comprising:

line terminals, load terminals and at least one receptacle;

at least one circuit coupled to the line terminals and configured to conduct a predetermined current flow if a proper wiring condition has been effected, a proper wiring condition being effected when the line terminals are connected to a source of AC power, the predetermined current flow not simulating a fault condition; and

an interrupting contact assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the line terminals, the load terminals and the at least one receptacle in a reset state and configured to interrupt the electrical continuity in tripped state, the interrupting contact assembly being energized to effect the tripped stated and substantially deenergized otherwise, the interrupting contact assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined current flow.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one circuit is configured to be open circuited after AC power is initially applied to the line terminals.

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising at least one first conductive path coupled to one of the plurality of line terminals, at least one second conductive path coupled to one of the load terminals, and at least one third conductive path, the four sets of interrupting contacts being configured to couple the at least one first conductive path, the at least one second conductive path and the at least one third conductive path in the reset state.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the reset state is effected by a user stimulus.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one circuit includes at least one switch element, the predetermined current flow being conducted if the at least one switch element is closed.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one circuit is opened after the predetermined current flow is conducted.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one switch element opens independently of an opening of the four sets of interrupting contacts and closes independently of a closing of the four sets of interrupting contacts.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one switch element includes at least one contact coupled to a printed circuit board.

23. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one circuit includes a circuit component that is open circuited in response to conduction of the predetermined current flow.

24. An electrical wiring device comprising:

line terminals and load terminals;

at least one detection circuit including a circuit segment coupled between the line terminals and configured to conduct a predetermined signal in response to detecting a proper wiring condition, the predetermined signal not simulating a fault condition, a proper wiring condition being effected when the line terminals are connected to a source of AC power; and

an interrupting contact assembly coupled to the at least one detection circuit, the interrupting contact assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the line terminals and the load terminals in a reset state, the interrupting contact assembly being configured to be momentarily energized to interrupt the electrical continuity to effect a tripped state, the interrupting contact assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined signal being conducted by the at least one detection circuit.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the four sets of interrupting contacts comprise a bridge structure.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein a line terminal, load terminal and an electrical path are shorted together by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein an indicator light is disposed in the electrical path.

28. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one detection circuit includes a wiring state detection circuit configured to generate the predetermined signal.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the wiring state detection circuit is configured to permanently open circuit a predetermined time after AC power is coupled to the line terminals.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the wiring state detection circuit includes at least one fusible element configured to permanently open-circuit a predetermined time after the AC power is coupled to the line terminals.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein the wiring state detection circuit is configured to drive the four sets of interrupting contacts into the tripped state if the load terminals are improperly wired to the source of AC power before the occurrence of the predetermined signal.

32. The device of claim 24, wherein the interrupting contact assembly further comprises:

a rectifier element coupled to the at least one detection circuit, the rectifier element being turned ON in response to the fault condition; and

a solenoid coil being disposed between the rectifier element and the four sets of interrupting contacts, the solenoid coil being configured to trip the four sets of interrupting contacts when the rectifier in the ON state.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the rectifier element is turned ON in response to the predetermined signal.

34. The device of claim 24, wherein one of the line terminals, a corresponding one of the load terminals and an electrically conductive path are electrically connected by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.

35. A ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle device comprising:

line terminals, load terminals and at least one receptacle terminal;

at least one circuit coupled to the line terminals, the at least one circuit being configured to conduct a predetermined signal if a proper wiring condition has been effected, the predetermined current signal not simulating a fault condition, a proper wiring condition being effected when the line terminals are connected to a source of AC power; and

an interrupting contact assembly configured to be substantially deenergized in a reset state, the interrupting contact assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the line terminals, the load terminals and the at least one receptacle in a reset state and configured to interrupt the electrical continuity in a tripped state, the interrupting contact assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined current signal, the interrupting contact assembly being configured to effect the reset state without the occurrence of a simulated fault condition and subsequent to the predetermined signal.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the interrupting contact assembly includes a solenoid coil coupled to the at least one circuit, the solenoid coil being substantially de-energized in the reset state and configured to be energized to effect the tripped state.

37. The device of claim 35, wherein the interrupting contact assembly further comprises:

a rectifier element coupled to the at least one circuit, the rectifier element being turned ON in response to the fault condition; and

a solenoid coil being disposed between the rectifier element and the four sets of interrupting contacts, the solenoid coil being configured to trip the four sets of interrupting contacts when the rectifier in the ON state.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the rectifier element is turned ON in response to the predetermined signal.

39. The device of claim 35, wherein the four sets of interrupting contacts comprise a bridge structure.

40. The device of claim 35, wherein one of the line terminals, a corresponding one of the load terminals and an electrically conductive path are electrically connected by the circuit interrupter when in the reset state and electrically disconnected from each other when in the tripped state.