Resettable immersion detecting circuit interrupter (IDCI)

In combination with an electrical load operatively connected to an AC source by an electrical cord set including a first and second electrical conductor, each having a source end and a load end, respectively, and a plug compatible with said AC source, a shock hazard preventing circuit comprising:

• a) a third electrical conductor having a source end and a load end;
• b) a first and a second shock hazard detection conductor each having a connected end and an unconnected end, respectively, positioned in a non-contacting relationship and contained within a load, the connected end of said first shock hazard detection conductor being connected to the load end of said first electrical conductor, the connected end of said second shock hazard detection conductor being connected to the load end of said third electrical conductor, and the unconnected ends of said first and second shock hazard detection conductors being maintained in a spaced-apart relationship;
• c) an interrupting circuit contained within said plug and including an actuator coil and a first and second switch responsive to the flow of current through said actuator coil, said first switch being operable between a normally closed position and a shock hazard condition open position and connected in-line with said first electrical conductor, said second switch being operable between a normally closed position and a shock hazard condition open position and connected in-line with said second electrical conductor;
• d) a switching control circuit contained within said plug and including a silicon controlled rectifier operable between a normally non-conducting state and a shock hazard condition conducting state, a first resistor connected in series between a gate of said silicon controlled rectifier and the source end of said third electrical conductor, and network means comprising a second resistor, a diode and a capacitor connected in parallel with each other coupled between said gate and a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier for providing noise immunity and damage protection to said silicon controlled rectifier;
• e) reset means contained within said plug to return said first and second switches to said normally closed position from said shock hazard condition open position, said reset means including a depressible button having a first end and a second end and a body therebetween, said first end adapted to be pushed by a digit of the hand to depress said depressible button and said second end coupled to a resilient member opposing the depression of said button and a slot across said body of said depressible button;
• f) operating means contained within said plug for moving said first and second switches to said normally closed position;
• g) latch means contained within said plug coupling said depressible button to said operating means and controlled by said actuator coil to move said latch means between a latched position where said depressible button is coupled to said operating means and an unlatched position where said depressible button is uncoupled from said operating means whereby said resilient member causes said operating means to move said first and second switches to said normally closed position;
• and
• h) the immersion in an electrically conductive medium of the unconnected ends of said first and second shock hazard detection conductors provides an electrically conductive path between said first and second shock hazard detection conductors causing a signal on said third electrical conductor to be operatively connected to said gate of said silicon controlled rectifier resulting in the switching of said silicon controlled rectifier from the normally non-conducting state to the shock hazard condition conducting state thereby providing a path for current flow through said actuator coil and moving said latch means to said unlatched position causing said first and second switches to switch from the normally closed position to the shock hazard condition open position and thus operatively disconnecting said AC source from said electrical load.