Loading patent…
AssigneePass & Seymour, Inc.
InventorsJean-Claude Marcou, Thomas N. Packard, James K. Findley, David A. Finlay, Patrick J. Murphy
Estimating the term…
A gfi wiring device is disclosed in the form of a duplex receptacle for receiving the blades of a plug connecting an electrical appliance or other load to the circuit wherein the gfi device is connected. The housing sections and components of the gfi are so configured and relatively arranged that the device may be automatically assembled by downward, vertical movement of the components and the front housing section in a predetermined sequence relative to the rear housing section as the latter is positioned on a horizontal support. The device is operationally tested after assembly is complete and, upon successful testing, the housing sections are permanently connected by heat deformation of portions of one section to form a rivet-like connection. Reliability of testing is improved by breaking the usual traces on a printed circuit board extending between terminals to which jumper cables are connected to provide a fail-safe indication of circuit continuity through the jumper cables. A deformable member movable to produce a fault condition for test purposes, as well as electrical leads of a condition-indicating lamp are connected in the circuitry by solderless means, being engaged between edge portions of terminal members and a separator member of dielectric material.
The method of fully automatically assembling a ground fault interrupter (gfi) receptacle including front and rear, matable housing sections having respective, front and rear walls, said front wall including a plurality of through openings for receiving the blades of an electrical plug, said housing sections when in mated relation defining an enclosed space containing a plurality of first components which are fixed with respect to said housing sections and a plurality of second components which are moveable relative to said first components to interrupt an electrical circuit to which said device is connected in response to a circuit fault condition, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.