초록 ▼

Resettable circuit interrupting devices, such as GFCI devices, that include reverse wiring protection, and optionally an independent trip portions and/or a reset lockout portion are provided. The reverse wiring protection operates at both the line and load sides of the device so that in the event li

Resettable circuit interrupting devices, such as GFCI devices, that include reverse wiring protection, and optionally an independent trip portions and/or a reset lockout portion are provided. The reverse wiring protection operates at both the line and load sides of the device so that in the event line side wiring to the device is improperly connected to the load side, fault protection for the device remains. The trip portion operates independently of a circuit interrupting portion used to break the electrical continuity in one or more conductive paths in the device. The reset lockout portion prevents the reestablishing of electrical continuity in open conductive paths if the circuit interrupting portion is non-operational or if an open neutral condition exists.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A circuit interrupting device comprising: a housing with a mounting strap adapted to fasten the housing into an electrical wiring box; said housing having a front face with at least one user-accessible electrical load socket; at least one installer-accessible electrical

The invention claimed is: 1. A circuit interrupting device comprising: a housing with a mounting strap adapted to fasten the housing into an electrical wiring box; said housing having a front face with at least one user-accessible electrical load socket; at least one installer-accessible electrical line wiring terminal; at least one installer-accessible electrical load wiring terminal; a first electrical conductor disposed at least partially inside said housing and electrically connected to said installer-accessible electrical line wiring terminal; a second electrical conductor disposed at least partially inside said housing and electrically connected to said installer-accessible electrical load wiring terminal; a third electrical conductor disposed at least partially inside said housing and electrically connected to said at least one user-accessible electrical load socket; the first, second and third electrical conductors having a first spatial arrangement wherein said conductors are all electrically connected with each other and a second spatial arrangement where said first, second and third electrical conductors are all electrically isolated from each other, said first conductor comprises a movable bridge capable of electrically connecting said first, second and third conductors to each other; an electrical fault sensor and an electro-mechanical actuator connected and disposed to control a change in the spatial arrangement of said conductors from said first spatial arrangement to said second spatial arrangement upon the occurrence of an electrical fault; and an electrical reset switch coupled to a reset button accessible through said front face of said housing. 2. A circuit interrupting device as in claim 1 wherein said electro-mechanical actuator includes a movable plunger disposed to control a change in the spatial arrangement of said first, second and third conductors from said second arrangement to said first arrangement in response to said electrical reset switch completing an electrical circuit that causes activation of said electro-mechanical actuator only if electrical power is supplied to said installer-accessible electrical line wiring terminal. 3. A circuit interrupting device as in claim 1 wherein at least two of said conductors are electrically connected to respectively corresponding external electrical circuits and said electrical fault sensor is connected to sense an electrical fault in at least one of said external circuits. 4. A circuit interrupting device as in claim 1 further comprising: a latch disposed to prevent a change from said second arrangement; and wherein said reset button is a spring-loaded manually operable user-accessible circuit reset button which is mechanically coupled to said reset switch which is, in turn, electrically coupled to an electro-mechanical actuator having a movable plunger disposed to move the latch thereby allowing a return spring force of the spring-loaded button to change the spatial arrangement of said conductors to said first spatial arrangement upon manual user actuation and release of said spring-loaded reset button. 5. A method for insuring safe operation of a circuit interrupting device comprising a housing with a mounting strap adapted to fasten the housing into an electrical wiring box, a front face with at least one user-accessible electrical load terminal, at least one installer-accessible electrical line wiring terminal and at least one installer-accessible electrical load wiring terminal, said housing also having first, second and third electrical conductors disposed at least partially inside the housing and respectively connected electrically with the installer-accessible line, installer-accessible load and user-accessible load terminal, said method comprising: moving at least one of said first, second and third electrical conductors to place said first, second and third electrical conductors into a first spatial arrangement in which said conductors are all electrically connected with each other, said first conductor comprises a movable bridge capable of electrically connecting said first, second and third conductors to each other; detecting an electrical fault, upon the occurrence of said electrical fault, using an electromechanical actuator to automatically move at least one of said first, second and third conductors into a second spatial arrangement in which said conductors are all electrically isolated from one another; and prohibiting reset of said conductors back to said first spatial arrangement if electrical power is not present at said at least one installer-accessible line wiring terminal. 6. A method as in claim 5 further comprising: in response to user action including activation of said electromechanical actuator using electrical power supplied from said installer-accessible line wiring terminal, moving at least one of said conductors to reset said first, second and third conductors from said second spatial arrangement to said first spatial arrangement. 7. A method as in claim 5 further comprising: latching said at least one movable conductor in place to maintain said first spatial arrangement until occurrence of said fault condition whereupon said at least one conductor is unlatched and moved to establish said second spatial arrangement; and automatically maintaining said second spatial arrangement until occurrence of user action re-setting said at least one conductor to said first spatial arrangement. 8. A circuit interrupting device comprising: a first electrical conductor capable of being electrically connected to a source of electricity; a second electrical conductor capable of conducting electrical current to a load when electrically connected to said first electrical conductor; a third electrical conductor capable of being electrically connected to user accessible plugs and/or receptacles where the first, second and third electrical conductors are electrically isolated from each other; at least one movable bridge electrically connected to the first electrical conductor, said at least one movable bridge capable of electrically connecting the first, second and third electrical conductors to each other; a circuit interrupter configured to cause electrical discontinuity between said first, second and third electrical conductors upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition; and a reset portion, including a reset button, a spring which biases the button outwardly, and a plurality of contacts, configured to reestablish electrical continuity between the first, second and third electrical conductors after said predetermined condition occurs.