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

• US 20090262470A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: DeBartolo, Joseph V. JR., Bonilla, Nelson
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/42
• 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 miswiring 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;

a secondary contact arrangement in a conductive path between a solenoid of the protection device and one of the line terminals; and

an initial reset prevention mechanism configurable in a first position to establish electrical contact between at least two contacts of the secondary contact arrangement and prevent said latching mechanism from being set in said closed state, and configurable in a second position in which there is no electrical contact between the at least two contacts of said secondary contact arrangement and enabling said latching mechanism to be set in said closed state when power is applied to the line terminals.

2. 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.

3. A protection device according to claim 2, wherein said alarm indicator is a bicolor Light Emitting Diode (LED).

4. A protection device according to claim 3, wherein the LED flashes red to indicate the device is not providing ground fault protection.

6. 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.

27. A protection device according to claim 2, wherein said alarm indicator comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

28. A protection device according to claim 2, wherein said alarm indicator comprises an audible indicator.

5. 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;

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; and

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.

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

providing a latching mechanism that selectively moves 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;

providing a secondary contact arrangement in a conductive path between a solenoid of the protection device and one of the line terminals;

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;

configuring the initial reset prevention mechanism in a first position to establish electrical contact between at least two contacts of the secondary contact arrangement and prevent said latching mechanism from being set in said closed state until power is applied to said line terminals; and

configuring the initial reset prevention mechanism in a second position in which there is no electrical contact between the at least two contacts of said secondary contact arrangement and enabling said latching mechanism to be set in said closed state when power is applied to the line terminals.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

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

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

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

29. A method according to claim 8, wherein said alarm indicator comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

11. 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 and load terminals and said face 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.

12. A protective device according to claim 11, wherein said protective device includes a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

13. A protective device according to claim 11, wherein said source terminals and load terminals are adapted to connect to a power source.

14. A protective device according to claim 11, 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.

15. A protective device according to claim 14, wherein said electromechanical device comprises a solenoid.

16. A protective device according to claim 11, wherein said first state comprises a closed condition and said second state comprises an open condition.

17. A protective device according to claim 13, 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.

18. A protective device according to claim 11, wherein said face terminals include contacts separate from said conductive path and said source and load terminals.

19. A protective device according to claim 11, 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.

20. A ground fault circuit interrupter, comprising:

face terminals;

load terminals; and

source terminals;

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

21. A GFCI of claim 20, wherein said face terminals include contacts separate from said conductive path and said load terminals.

22. A GFCI of claim 20, wherein said GFCI is adapted to be powered at either said source terminals or said load terminals.

23. A method for protecting against powering face terminals of a protective device having source terminals 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 and 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.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said protective device comprises a ground fault circuit interrupter.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein said first state comprises a closed condition and said second state comprises an open condition.

26. A method according to claim 23, further comprising connecting a power-source to either said source terminals or said load terminals.

30. 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;

the latching mechanism including one or more of,

a first switch assembly comprising a first switch contact, a second switch contact, and third and fourth dual-switch contacts disposed between said first and second switch contacts for selectively opening or closing a first conductive path; and

a second switch assembly comprising a fifth switch contact, a sixth switch contact, and seventh and eighth dual-switch contacts disposed between said fifth and sixth switch contacts for selectively opening or closing a second conductive path.

31. A protection device as claimed in claim 30, further comprising an alarm indicator, adapted to provide an indication that said protection device is not providing ground fault protection.

32. A protection device as claimed in claim 31, wherein said alarm indicator is a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

33. A protection device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the LED flashes red to indicate the device is not providing ground fault protection.

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

a sensor electrically coupled to the line and load terminals via a plurality of current paths, said sensor being configurable to detect a difference in current flowing in the current paths and generate a current difference signal;

a fault detector electrically coupled to said sensor and operable to generate a fault signal based on the current difference signal;

a latching mechanism configured to electrically couple the line terminals and the load terminals in a reset state; and

a miswire prevention mechanism operable to prevent said latching mechanism from maintaining the reset state when AC power is supplied to the load terminals.

35. The protection device as claimed in claim 34, further comprising a reset device, said reset device operable to place said latching mechanism into the reset state when AC power is supplied to the line terminals.