Circuit interrupting device with reset lockout and reverse wiring protection and method of manufacture

A resettable circuit interrupting device comprising:

• an input electrical hot-line connection terminal;
• an input electrical neutral-line connection terminal;
• an output electrical hot-line connection terminal;
• an output electrical neutral-line connection terminal;
• a resettable circuit interrupter providing (a) a first interruptible connection along a first electrically conductive path between said input and output hot-line connection terminals and (b) a second interruptible connection along a second electrically conductive path between said input and output neutral-line connection terminals;
• a fault-sensing circuit configured and connected (a) to an detect abnormal current condition of current flowing along said first and/or second conductive paths and (b) to change said first and second interruptible connections from closed to open electrical circuit conditions if abnormal current condition is detected;
• and
• a reset-lockout circuit connected to said resettable circuit interrupter and to said fault-sensing circuit, said reset-lockout circuit being configured to prevent resetting of said first and second interruptible connections from open to closed electrical circuit conditions unless said fault-sensing circuit is successfully tested and found operable to detect said abnormal current condition during an attempted resetting operation.

A method for insuring continued safe operation of a resettable circuit interrupting device having an input electrical hot-line connection terminal, an input electrical neutral-line connection terminal, an output electrical hot-line connection terminal, an output electrical neutral-line connection terminal, a first interruptible connection along a first electrically conductive path between said input and output hot-line connection terminals and a second interruptible connection along a second electrically conductive path between said input and output neutral-line connection terminals, said circuit interrupting device having:

• (i) a first state in which said interruptible connections present a closed electrical circuit condition along each of said first and second electrically conductive paths, (ii) a second state in which said interruptible connections present an open electrical circuit condition along each of said first and second electrically conductive paths, (iii) an electrically operable circuit which causes transition from said first state to said second state when triggered, and (iv) a manually operable mechanism for resetting from said second state to said first state, said method comprising:
• monitoring currents flowing along said first and second conductive paths and automatically triggering said circuit interrupting device from said first state to said second state if unequal currents are detected flowing along said first and second conductive paths;
• and
• when said manually operable mechanism is used, preventing resetting from said second state to said first state unless said predetermined conditions are satisfied, said predetermined conditions including at least:
• (a) the fault-sensing circuit remains operative, (b) the electrically operable circuit remains operative and (c) electrical power is being supplied to said input connection terminals thereby not permitting resetting to said first state unless the resettable circuit interrupting device is still in working condition.