Circuit breaker with independent trip and reset lockout

• US 6,288,882 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Ziegler, William R., Bradley, Roger M., Germain, Frantz, DiSalvo, Nicholas L., Herzfeld, David, Stewart, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Leja, Ronald W.
• Application Number:
  US09/379,140
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 361/42-50, 335/18, 335/21, 335/24, 335/25, 335/26, 335/202
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2083/045 Auxiliary switch opening testing circuit in synchronism with the main circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2083/201 the other abnormal electrical condition being an arc fault
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/524 the contact arm being pivoted on handle and mechanism spring acting between cradle and contact arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/62 with means for preventing resetting while abnormal condition persists, e.g. loose handle arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/04 with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7137 with thermal interrupter H01R13/7132 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0015 Using arc detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/338 also responsive to wiring error, e.g. loss of neutral, break
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/083 responsive to the entry or leakage of a liquid into an electrical appliance moisture alarm G08B21/20

Abstract

Resettable circuit breakers having an independent trip mechanism and a reset lockout are provided. The trip mechanism operates independently of the fault protection operations, and the reset lockout prevents the resetting of the circuit breaker if the fault protection is non-operational or if an open neutral condition exists.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker comprising:

housing means;

line and load connection means accessible from an exterior of said housing means for connecting to external wiring;

means for conducting electricity between said line and load connection means, said means for conducting electricity including switch means for opening and closing said means for conducting electricity;

circuit interrupting means disposed within said housing means for causing said switch means to open in response to the occurrence of a predefined condition;

reset lockout means responsive to activation of said circuit interrupting means for inhibiting closing of said switch means after said circuit interrupting means causes said switch means to open; and

reset means for activating said circuit interrupting means so that said reset lockout means does not inhibit closing of said switch means, and for closing said switch means.

2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1, wherein said predefined condition includes a fault or an over-current condition.

3. The circuit breaker according to claim 2, wherein said fault includes a ground fault, an arc fault, an immersion detection fault, an appliance leakage fault or an equipment leakage fault.

4. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 further comprising trip means for causing said switch means to open independently of the operation of said circuit interrupting means.

5. The circuit breaker according to claim 4, wherein said circuit interrupting means comprises sensing means for sensing ground faults associated with conducted electricity and means for causing said switch means to open said means for conducting electricity.

6. The circuit breaker according to claim 5, wherein said reset means comprises:

a manually operated actuator operatively coupled to said reset lockout means; and

reset enable switch means capable of being activated by operation of said actuator for simulating a ground fault in said sensing means so as to activate said circuit interrupting means.

7. The circuit breaker according to claim 6, wherein said reset enable switch means comprises a fixed contact that is energized by said operation of said actuator to simulate the ground fault.

8. The circuit breaker according to claim 6, wherein said reset enable switch means comprises a pair of momentary switches which when actuated switch power supplied to said sensing means from said load connection means to said line connection means, and simulate the ground fault.

9. The circuit breaker according to claim 6, wherein said reset enable switch means comprises a plurality of switch contacts that are sequentially activated to first switch power supplied to said sensing means from said load connection means to said line connection means, and second to simulate the ground fault.

10. A method for testing the operation of a circuit breaker having a housing with line and load phase connections accessible from an exterior surface of said housing, and a conductive path between said line and load phase connections, said method comprising:

manually activating a trip portion of the circuit breaker to open said conductive path and to enable a reset lockout portion that inhibits closing said conductive path; and

activating a reset portion to perform a reset operation, wherein during said reset operation a circuit interrupting portion is activated, and wherein if the circuit interrupting portion is operational, the circuit interrupting portion disables the reset lockout portion and facilitates closing of said conductive path, and wherein if the circuit interrupting portion is non-operational, the reset lockout portion remains enabled so that closing said conductive path is inhibited.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said circuit breaker is a GFCI circuit breaker.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein said circuit breaker is an AFCI circuit breaker.

13. A power distribution system comprising:

a source of electricity;

at least one load;

a circuit breaker regulating power from said source of electricity to said at least one load, said circuit breaker includes;

housing means;

line and load connection means accessible from an exterior of said housing means for connecting to external wiring;

means for conducting electricity between said line and load connection means, said means for conducting electricity including switch means for opening and closing said means for conducting electricity;

circuit interrupting means disposed within said housing means for causing said switch means to open in response to the occurrence of a fault;

reset lockout means responsive to activation of said circuit interrupting means for inhibiting closing of said switch means after said circuit interrupting means causes said switch means to open; and

reset means for activating said circuit interrupting means so that said reset lockout means does not inhibit closing of said switch means, and for closing said switch means.

14. The power distribution system according to claim 13, wherein said circuit breaker further comprises trip means for causing said switch means to open independently of the operation of said circuit interrupting means.

15. The power distribution system according to claim 13, wherein said fault is a ground fault.

16. The power distribution system according to claim 13 wherein said fault is an arc fault.