GFCI that cannot be reset until wired correctly on line side and power is applied

• US 20040004801A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Bonilla, Nelson, DeBartolo, Joseph V. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/115
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/04 with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/338 also responsive to wiring error, e.g. loss of neutral, break

Abstract

An apparatus and method for preventing the misfiring of a protection device. The protection device includes line terminals and load terminals. The protection device further includes a latching mechanism, adapted to move between a closed state which establishes electrical contact between said line and load terminals, and an open state which prevents electrical contact between said line and load terminals; and an initial reset prevention mechanism, adapted to prevent said latching mechanism from being set in said closed state until power is applied to said line terminals.

Claims

1. A protection device having line and load terminals, the device comprising:

a latching mechanism, adapted to move between a closed state which establishes electrical contact between said line and load terminals, and an open state which prevents electrical contact between said line and load terminals; and

an initial reset prevention mechanism, adapted to prevent said latching mechanism from being set in said closed state until power is applied to said line terminals.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a reset pin; and

wherein said latching mechanism includes a latching plate, and said initial reset prevention mechanism prevents said latching plate from engaging said reset pin to said latching mechanism to said closed state when power is not applied to said line terminals.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said initial reset prevention mechanism comprises:

a solenoid, adapted to drive a plunger;

a contact arrangement; and

a locking plate, adapted to contact said contact arrangement to enable said contact arrangement to apply power to said solenoid when said power is applied to said line terminals, to energize said solenoid to drive said plunger from a first position to a second position to move said latching plate to a position at which said reset pin is engagable with said latching plate to said latching mechanism to said closed state.

4. A protection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein when said plunger is moved to said second position said locking plate is moved out of contact with said contact arrangement.

5. A protection device according to claim 4, wherein said initial reset prevention mechanism further comprises:

a spring, adapted to move said locking plate out of contact with said contact arrangement when said plunger is moved to said second position.

6. A protection device according to claim 3, wherein said locking plate has an aperture thereon for engaging with a projection on said plunger when said plunger is in said first position.

7. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein said protection device comprises:

an alarm indicator, adapted to provide an indication that said protection device is not providing ground fault protection.

8. A protection device according to claim 7, wherein said alarm indicator is a bicolor Light Emitting Diode (LED).

9. A protection device according to claim 8, wherein the LED flashes red to indicate the device is not providing ground fault protection.

11. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein said protection device is non-operational when powered from the load terminals prior to being powered from the line terminals.

10. A protection device according to claim 10, further comprising:

isolated face receptacles, configured such that when said latching mechanism is in said open state, said face terminals are electrically isolated from said line and load terminals and when said latching mechanism is in said closed state, said face terminals are in electrical contact with said line and load terminals.

12. A method of preventing miswiring of a protection device having line and load terminals, comprising:

providing a latching mechanism for moving between a closed state which establishes electrical contact between said line and load terminals, and an open state which prevents electrical contact between said line and load terminals; and

providing an initial reset prevention mechanism for preventing said latching mechanism from being set in said closed state until power is applied to said line terminals.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing a reset pin, wherein said latching mechanism includes a latching plate, and said initial reset prevention mechanism prevents said latching plate from engaging said reset pin with said latching mechanism to said closed state when power is not applied to said line terminals.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said initial reset prevention mechanism step further comprising:

providing a solenoid for driving a plunger;

providing a contact arrangement; and

providing a locking plate for contacting said contact arrangement to enable said contact arrangement to apply power to said solenoid when said power is applied to said line terminals, to energize said solenoid to drive said plunger from a first position to a second position to move said latching plate to a position at which said reset pin is engagable with said latching plate to said latching mechanism to said closed state.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein when said plunger is moved to said second position said locking plate is moved out of contact with said contact arrangement.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said initial reset prevention mechanism step further comprising:

providing a spring for moving said locking plate out of contact with said contact arrangement when said plunger is moved to said second position.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein said locking plate has an aperture thereon for engaging with a projection on said plunger when said plunger is in said first position.

18. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing an alarm indicator for indicating that said protection device is not providing ground fault protection.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said alarm indicator is a bicolor Light Emitting Diode (LED).

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the LED flashes red to indicate the device is not providing ground fault protection.

21. A protective device having source and load terminals between a conductive path and face terminals, the protective device comprising:

a latching mechanism, adapted to be operable between a first state in which said latching mechanism permits electrical contact between said source load terminals and said load terminals and a second state in which said contact is broken; and

a sensing circuit, adapted to selectively place the latching mechanism in said second state upon detection of a ground fault condition to electrically isolate said face terminals from said source and load terminals.

22. A protective device according to claim 21, wherein said protective device includes a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

23. A protective device according to claim 21, wherein said source terminals and load terminals are adapted to connect to a power source.

24. A protective device according to claim 21, wherein said latching mechanism comprises:

an electromechanical device, adapted to place said latching mechanism in one of said first and second states;

a first transformer, adapted to detect a current imbalance in said conductive path; and

a second transformer, adapted to detect an amount of the current imbalance in said conductive path.

25. A protective device according to claim 24, wherein said electromechanical device comprises a solenoid.

26. A protective device according to claim 21, wherein said first state comprises a closed condition and said second state comprises an open condition.

27. A protective device according to claim 23, wherein when said latching mechanism is in said second state said face terminals are isolated from said power source if said power source is connected to either said load terminals or said source terminals.

28. A protective device according to claim 21, wherein said face terminals include contacts separate from said conductive path and said source and load terminals.

29. A protective device according to claim 21, wherein said conductive path comprises:

a neutral conductor, adapted to connect said source and load terminals; and

a hot conductor, adapted to connect said source and load terminals.

30. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising:

face terminals, adapted to be electrically isolated from source and load terminals and a conductive path of said GFCI when said GFCI detects a ground fault condition.

31. A GFCI of claim 30, wherein said face terminals include contacts separate from said conductive path and said load terminals.

32. A GFCI of claim 30, wherein said GFCI is adapted to be powered at either said source terminals or said load terminals.

33. A method for protecting against powering face terminals of a protective device having source and load terminals connected between a conductive path, comprising:

providing separate contacts for each one of said face terminals, source and load terminals;

providing a latching mechanism operable to be in one of a first state which electrically connects said face, source load terminals and a second state which electrically isolates said face, source and load terminals; and

placing said latching mechanism in said second state when a sensing circuit detects a ground fault condition in said conductive path.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said protective device comprises a ground fault circuit interrupter.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein said first state comprises a closed condition and said second state comprises an open condition.

36. A method according to claim 33, further comprising:

connecting a power source to either said source terminals or said load terminals.