Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Electromagnetically actuated switches – Automatic circuit-interrupting devices
Reexamination Certificate
2003-12-29
2004-12-07
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)
Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr
Electromagnetically actuated switches
Automatic circuit-interrupting devices
C361S042000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06828886
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field
The present application is directed to resettable circuit interrupting devices including without limitation ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI's), arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI's), immersion detection circuit interrupters (IDCI's), appliance leakage circuit interrupters (ALCI's), equipment leakage circuit interrupters (ELCI's), circuit breakers, contactors, latching relays and solenoid mechanisms. More particularly, the present application is directed to circuit interrupting devices that include a circuit interrupting portion that can isolate a power source connector from a load connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many electrical wiring devices have a line side, which is connectable to a source of electrical power, and at least one load side, which is connectable to one or more loads and at least one conductive path between the line and load sides. There are circuit breaking devices or systems such as Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) which are designed to interrupt power to various loads, such as household appliances, consumer electrical products and branch circuits. GFCI devices, such as the device described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,894, use an electrically activated trip mechanism to mechanically break an electrical connection between the line side and the load side. Such devices are resettable after they are tripped by, for example, the detection of a ground fault. In the device discussed in the '894 patent, the trip mechanism used to cause the mechanical breaking of the circuit (i.e., the conductive path between the line and load sides) includes a solenoid (or trip coil). A test button is used to test the trip mechanism and circuitry used to sense faults, and a reset button is used to reset the electrical connection between line and load sides.
However, instances may arise in which an abnormal occurrence, such as a lightning strike, may disable the trip mechanism used to break the circuit. Accordingly, a user may find a GFCI in a tripped state and not be aware that the internal trip mechanism is not functioning properly. The user may then press the reset button, which will cause the device with an inoperative trip mechanism to be reset. The GFCI will be in a dangerous condition because it will then provide power to a load without ground fault protection.
Further, an open neutral condition or reverse wiring condition may be present. Such conditions may be dangerous and it may be advantageous for a GFCI to disable a reset function if such conditions or other conditions exist.
The applications referenced above as related applications are commonly owned and incorporated herein by reference. The applications generally relate to locking out a reset function or otherwise disabling a circuit interrupting device on the occurrence of a condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,063 to Keung, et al., purports to describe a GFCI device and apparently utilizes a single center latch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,063 is hereby in its entirety be reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,398 to Marcou, et al., purports to describe a GFCI device and apparently utilizes a center latch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,398 is hereby in its entirety be reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,760 to Marcou, et al., purports to describe a GFCI device and apparently utilizes a center latch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,398 is hereby in its entirety be reference. A typical GFCI design that may benefit from a modification according to the present invention has been marketed under the designation Pass & Seymour Catalog No. 1591.
Another GFCI design that may benefit from a modification according to the present invention has been marketed under the designation Bryant Catalog Number GFR52FTW.
SUMMARY
The present application relates to a resettable circuit interrupting devices that lockout the reset function under certain conditions. In one embodiment, a test mechanism is utilized to test the circuit interrupter before allowing a reset. In an embodiment, a reset plunger is modified to exert force on a trip latch in order to close a test circuit that will allow the reset plunger to continue to a reset position only if the circuit interrupter is functioning.
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Bradley Roger M.
Chan David Y.
Disalvo Nichalas L.
Germain Frantz
Stewart Stephen
Donovan Lincoln
Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Sutton Paul J.
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