×

Protective device with non-volatile memory miswire circuit

  • US 9,819,177 B2
  • Filed: 03/15/2013
  • Issued: 11/14/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An electrical wiring device for use in an electrical distribution system, the electrical distribution system including a plurality of line conductors coupled to an AC power source and a plurality of load conductors, the device comprising:

  • a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals configured to terminate the plurality of line conductors and the plurality of load conductors in a wiring state, the wiring state consisting of a properly wired condition when the plurality of line conductors are terminated to the plurality of line terminals and a miswired condition when the plurality of line conductors are terminated to the plurality of load terminals;

    a protective circuit assembly coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the protective circuit assembly including at least one fault detector configured to generate a fault detection signal based on electrical perturbations propagating on at least one of the plurality of line terminals or at least one of the plurality of load terminals;

    a circuit interrupter assembly coupled to the protective circuit assembly, the circuit interrupter assembly including a plurality of interrupting contacts configured to establish continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state in response to a reset stimulus and establish a discontinuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a tripped state in response to a trip stimulus including the fault detection signal or a miswiring state signal when in the miswired condition; and

    a processing circuit configured to determine the wiring state based on detecting a wiring state parameter at the plurality of line terminals during a predetermined period after the tripped state has been established, the wiring state parameter corresponding to a signal characteristic of the AC power source, the processing circuit being configured to store a wiring state indicator in a wiring state register based on a wiring state determination, the wiring state register being preset to trip the circuit interrupter when the AC power source is applied by an installer to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals for the first time.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×