Circuit interrupting device with automatic end of life test

Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Safety and protection of systems and devices – Ground fault protection

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C335S018000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07317600

ABSTRACT:
The present invention provides to a circuit interrupting device, particularly a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), with a test circuit which is capable of automatically generating a simulated leakage current to detect whether the service life of the circuit interrupting device has ended, i.e., whether the main components of the device are working properly, when the device is properly connected to power input terminals and in a tripped state. The test circuit contains an end-of-service-life integrated circuit chip, which is connected to a switch that interacts with the reset button, thereby, by observing whether the device is capable of resetting, a user can determine whether the service life of the device has ended, i.e., if the device can be reset, the device is working properly; if the device cannot be reset, the service life of the device has ended. Optionally, the circuit interrupting device contains an indicating light on the face of the device, thereby, by observing whether a normal status indicating light or a problem status indicating light is turned on and displayed on the face of the device, the user can determine whether the service life of the device has ended. The circuit interrupting device also possesses a forcible tripping mechanism through the operation of the test button to interrupt the power output to the device. The present invention also provides methods for detecting the end of service life of the circuit interrupting device.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4315328 (1982-02-01), Schwab
patent: 4386338 (1983-05-01), Doyle et al.
patent: 4518945 (1985-05-01), Doyle et al.
patent: 4595894 (1986-06-01), Doyle et al.
patent: 4831496 (1989-05-01), Brant et al.
patent: 5202662 (1993-04-01), Bienwald et al.
patent: 5594398 (1997-01-01), Marcou et al.
patent: 5654857 (1997-08-01), Gershen
patent: 5680287 (1997-10-01), Gernhard et al.
patent: 5963408 (1999-10-01), Neiger et al.
patent: 6040967 (2000-03-01), DiSalvo
patent: 6052265 (2000-04-01), Zaretsky et al.
patent: 6111733 (2000-08-01), Neiger et al.
patent: 6226161 (2001-05-01), Neiger et al.
patent: 6246558 (2001-06-01), DiSalvo et al.
patent: 6252407 (2001-06-01), Gershen
patent: 6282070 (2001-08-01), Ziegler et al.
patent: 6288882 (2001-09-01), DiSalvo et al.
patent: 6309248 (2001-10-01), King
patent: 6381112 (2002-04-01), DiSalvo
patent: 6437953 (2002-08-01), DiSalvo et al.
patent: 6469881 (2002-10-01), Gershen et al.
patent: 6580344 (2003-06-01), Li
patent: 6671145 (2003-12-01), Germain et al.
patent: 6864766 (2005-03-01), DiSalvo et al.
patent: 6952150 (2005-10-01), Radosavljevic et al.
patent: 6958895 (2005-10-01), Radosavljevic et al.
patent: 6963260 (2005-11-01), Germain et al.
patent: 7019952 (2006-03-01), Huang et al.
patent: 7049910 (2006-05-01), Campolo et al.
patent: 7049911 (2006-05-01), Germain et al.
patent: 7068481 (2006-06-01), Radosavljevic et al.
patent: 7154718 (2006-12-01), Finlay, Sr. et al.
patent: 7212386 (2007-05-01), Finlay, Sr. et al.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Circuit interrupting device with automatic end of life test does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Circuit interrupting device with automatic end of life test, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Circuit interrupting device with automatic end of life test will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2783115

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.