초록 ▼

The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a plurality of line terminals including a line hot terminal and a line neutral terminal, and a plurality of load terminals including a load hot terminal and a load neutral terminal. An interrupting contact assembly includ

The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a plurality of line terminals including a line hot terminal and a line neutral terminal, and a plurality of load terminals including a load hot terminal and a load neutral terminal. An interrupting contact assembly includes four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity at least between the line hot terminal and the load hot terminal and the line neutral terminal and the load neutral terminal in a reset state. The four sets of interrupting contacts are open in a tripped state. A miswire prevention arrangement is configured to prevent the interrupting contact assembly from maintaining the reset state when the load hot terminal and the load neutral terminal are connected to a source of AC power.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle comprising: a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and at least one receptacle;a ground fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals, the ground fault detection circuit including a power supply circuit conf

1. A ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle comprising: a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and at least one receptacle;a ground fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals, the ground fault detection circuit including a power supply circuit configured to provide a rectified power signal to the ground fault detection circuit, the rectified power signal being derived from a source AC power;a circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals and configured to provide a predetermined response if the plurality of line terminals are properly connected to the source of AC power, the circuit comprising a switch element including switch contacts;a solenoid coil coupled to the circuit; andan interrupting contact assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals, the plurality of load terminals and the at least one receptacle in a reset state and decouple the four sets of interrupting contacts in a tripped state, the switch contacts opening independently of an opening of the four sets of interrupting contacts and closing independently of a closing of the four sets of interrupting contacts, the interrupting contact assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state until an occurrence of the predetermined response. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the response includes an open circuit condition. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the response includes a predetermined current flow. 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined current flow does not simulate a fault condition. 5. The device of claim 3, wherein the interrupting contact assembly is substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined current flow. 6. The device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined current flow is conducted when the switch contacts are closed. 7. The device of claim 3, wherein the circuit is opened after the predetermined current flow is conducted. 8. The device of claim 3, wherein the current flow causes the solenoid coil to be energized. 9. The device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined current flow causes a simulated fault condition. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the reset state is effected by a user stimulus. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the line terminals, a corresponding one of the load terminals and the receptacle are electrically connected when in the reset state and electrically disconnected when in the tripped state. 12. An electrical wiring device comprising: a plurality of line wire terminals, a plurality of load wire terminals and at least one receptacle load terminal, the device being properly wired when the plurality of line wire terminals are connected to electrical wires coupled to a source of AC power, the device being miswired when the plurality of load wire terminals are connected to electrical wires coupled to the source of AC power;a fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line wire terminals, the fault detection circuit including a power supply circuit configured to provide a rectified power signal to the fault detection circuit, the rectified power signal being derived from the source of AC power, the fault detection circuit being and configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting a fault condition or a simulated fault condition;at least one circuit including at least one switch element, the at least one circuit being configured to conduct a predetermined signal derived from the source of AC power when the at least one switch element is closed, the predetermined signal being indicative of a proper wiring condition; anda circuit interrupter assembly coupled to the at least one circuit, the circuit interrupter assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the plurality of line wire terminals, the plurality of load wire terminals and the at least one receptacle load terminal in a reset state, the electrical continuity being interrupted in tripped state, the at least one switch element opening independently of an opening of the four sets of interrupting contacts and closes independently of a closing of the four sets of interrupting contacts, the circuit interrupter assembly being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state absent the predetermined signal. 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the reset state is effected by a user stimulus. 14. The device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined signal is conducted through the at least one switch element. 15. The device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined signal causes the simulated fault condition. 16. The device of claim 12, further comprising an electronic switch coupled to a solenoid. 17. The device of claim 16, wherein the predetermined signal turns the electronic switch ON to thereby energize the solenoid. 18. The device of claim 16, wherein the solenoid is a trip solenoid. 19. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one switch is open during a time interval before the predetermined signal is conducted and the at least one circuit is opened after the predetermined signal is conducted. 20. The device of claim 12, further comprising including at least one first conductive path coupled to one of the plurality of line wire terminals, at least one second conductive path coupled to one of the load wire terminals, and at least one third conductive path, the four sets of interrupting contacts being closed to connect the at least one first conductive path, the at least one second conductive path and the at least one third conductive path in the reset state. 21. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one switch element includes a contact disposed on a printed circuit board. 22. The device of claim 12, wherein the at least one circuit includes a circuit component that is open circuited in response to conduction of the predetermined signal. 23. The device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined signal does not simulate a fault condition. 24. An electrical wiring device comprising: a plurality of line wire terminals, a plurality of load wire terminals and at least one receptacle load terminal, the device being properly wired when the plurality of line wire terminals are connected to electrical wires coupled to a source of AC power, the device being miswired when the plurality of load wire terminals are connected to the electrical wires coupled to the source of AC power;a ground fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line wire terminals or the plurality of load wire terminals, the ground fault detection circuit including a power supply circuit configured to provide a rectified power signal to the ground fault detection circuit, the rectified power signal being derived from a source AC power;a wiring state circuit coupled to the plurality of line wire terminals, the wiring state circuit including at least one switch element, the wiring state circuit being configured to effectuate a predetermined response when the plurality of line wire terminals are properly connected to the source of AC power and the at least one switch element is closed, the wiring state circuit being open circuited after the predetermined response;a solenoid coil coupled to the wiring state detection circuit; anda circuit interrupter including four sets of interrupting contacts configured to provide electrical continuity between the plurality of line wire terminals, the plurality of load wire terminals and the at least one receptacle load terminal in a reset state and decoupling the four sets of interrupting contacts in a tripped state, the at least one switch element opening independently of an opening of the four sets of interrupting contacts and closes independently of a closing of the four sets of interrupting contacts, the circuit interrupter being substantially prevented from effecting the reset state until an occurrence of the predetermined response. 25. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one switch is open during a time interval before the predetermined response is effectuated and the at least one circuit is opened after the predetermined response is effectuated. 26. The device of claim 24, wherein the solenoid coil is energized in response to the predetermined response. 27. The device of claim 26, wherein the solenoid coil is a trip solenoid coil. 28. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one switch element includes at least one contact coupled to a printed circuit board. 29. The device of claim 24, wherein the predetermined response includes a predetermined current flow. 30. The device of claim 29, wherein the predetermined current flow does not simulate a fault condition. 31. The device of claim 29, wherein the predetermined current flow is conducted when the at least one switch element is closed. 32. The device of claim 29, wherein the circuit is opened after the predetermined current flow is conducted. 33. The device of claim 29, wherein the current flow causes the solenoid coil to be energized.