GFCI receptacle having plug blocking means

Details GFCI receptacle having plug blocking means GFCI receptacle having plug blocking means

2006-04-11

2006-04-11

Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)

Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr

Electromagnetically actuated switches

Automatic circuit-interrupting devices

C361S042000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07026895

ABSTRACT:
A shaped member having at least one window is located within a GFCI protected receptacle and is operated by movement of the contact arm of the GFCI to assume a first position to block at least one plug receiving opening in the receptacle and a second position which locates the window to allow the prong of a plug to freely enter the face of the receptacle. In operation, when the circuit interrupting device goes into a tripped state, the contact arm moves down to open the circuit. The downward movement of the contact arm, acting through a connecting linkage causes the shaped member to move to the first position, that of blocking at least one opening in the face of the receptacle. Resetting the circuit interrupting device by pressing in and then releasing the reset button of the GFCI causes the main contacts in the circuit interrupting device to close by the upward movement of the contact arm. As the contact arm moves up, it moves the connecting linkage to position the window of the shaped member to allow the prongs of a plug to freely enter the openings in the face of the receptacle. GFCI's normally have two separate sets of internally located contacts known as bridge contacts, one set for connecting a load to the source of electricity and a second set for connecting a user accessible load to the source of electricity. In the GFCI here disclosed the bridge contacts have been eliminated, thus reducing the cost of manufacture by coupling the conductors for both the load and the user accessible load to a single set of contacts.

REFERENCES:
patent: 6437953 (2002-08-01), DiSalvo et al.
patent: 6670870 (2003-12-01), Macbeth
patent: 6670872 (2003-12-01), Kurzmann
patent: 6734769 (2004-05-01), Germain et al.
patent: 2004/0125519 (2004-07-01), Germain et al.

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