US 11,456,138 B2Granted

Fault circuit interrupter device

AssigneeLeviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.

InventorsMichael Kamor, James Porter, Kurt Dykema

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Abstract

In one embodiment, there is a fault interrupter device comprising at least one sensor comprising at least one first transformer having at least one outer region forming an outer periphery and at least one inner hollow region. There is also at least one second transformer that is disposed in the inner hollow region of the at least one first transformer. The transformers can be substantially circular in configuration, and more particularly, ring shaped. In another embodiment there is a rotatable latch which is used to selectively connect and disconnect a set of separable contacts to selectively disconnect power from the line side to the load side. The rotatable latch is in one embodiment coupled to a reset button. In at least one embodiment there is a slider which is configured to selectively prevent the manual tripping of the device.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A circuit interrupting device comprising:

a single-gang housing, the single-gang housing comprising a strap, wherein the strap has mounting holes to facilitate fastening of the circuit interrupting device to an electrical box;
a first electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the single-gang housing;
a second electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the single-gang housing;
a third electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the single-gang housing, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third electrical conductors is movable between a first position wherein the conductors are electrically isolated from each other and a second position wherein the conductors are electrically connected to each other;
and
a fault detection circuit including a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor having an outer region forming an outer periphery and an inner hollow region, and the second sensor disposed at least partially in the inner hollow region of the first sensor, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to detect at least one fault, wherein the single-gang housing further comprises a front face, wherein the first, second and third electrical conductors are positioned at different distances with respect to the front face when in the first position, and wherein at least two of the first, second, and third electrical conductors are positioned at a substantially same distance with respect to the front face when in the second position.

3 more elements

A circuit interrupting device comprising:

a housing;
a first electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the housing;
a second electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein the first and second conductors are capable of being electrically isolated from each other;
a third electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third electrical conductors is movable between a first position wherein the conductors are electrically isolated from each other and a second position wherein the conductors are electrically connected to each other;
a fault detection circuit including a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor having an outer region forming an outer periphery and an inner hollow region, and the second sensor disposed at least partially in the inner hollow region of the first sensor, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to detect at least one fault;
a test button;
and
a trip slider disposed in the housing, wherein the trip slider is configured to be movable to a trip position from a reset position upon actuation by the test button,
wherein the housing further comprises a front face, wherein the first, second and third electrical conductors are positioned at different distances with respect to the front face when in the first position, and wherein at least two of the first, second, and third electrical conductors are positioned at a substantially same distance with respect to the front face when in the second position.

6 more elements

A circuit interrupting device comprising:

a housing;
a first electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the housing;
a second electrical conductor at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein the first and second conductors are capable of being electrically isolated from each other;
a fault detection circuit including a first sensor and a second sensor, each of the first and second sensors having a top surface and a bottom surface, the first sensor having an outer region forming an outer periphery and an inner hollow region, and the second sensor disposed at least partially in the inner hollow region of the first sensor, wherein magnetic shielding is absent from at least one of the top or bottom surfaces of each of the first and the second sensors, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to detect at least one fault.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/596,098Filed 8 Oct 2019 · continuation
Priority: 7 Jul 2008
Published: US 2020/0035435 A130 Jan 2020
Granted: 27 Sep 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H01H 71/10
Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00: operating or release mechanisms
H01H 71/02
Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00: housings; Casings; Bases; Mountings
H01H 71/04
Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00: means for indicating condition of the switching device
H01H 71/125
Using a solid-state trip unit: characterised by sensing elements, e.g. current transformers

Family

Application61/078,753Us provisional application · filed 7 Jul 2008
Application61/080,205Us provisional application · filed 11 Jul 2008
PCT/US2009/049840Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Jul 2009
Application12/986,016Parent of this division · filed 6 Jan 2011
Application14/031,756Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Sep 2013
US 8,587,914 B2Parent of this division · filed 19 Nov 2013
Application14/666,628Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Mar 2015
US 9,053,886 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jun 2015
Application15/618,381Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jun 2017
US 9,679,731 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Jun 2017
US 2020/0035435 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 Jan 2020
US 10,483,066 B2Parent of this continuation
Application14/031,756Parent of this division
Application12/986,016Parent of this continuation
US 2011/0149453 A1Published application
US 2014/0055904 A1Published application
US 2015/0200070 A1Published application
US 2017/0323752 A1Published application
US 11,456,138 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.