Circuit breaker with common test button for separate testing of ground fault and ACR fault function
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsJeffrey Scott Gibson, Michael Jerome Whipple
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A miniature circuit breaker providing arc fault protection and ground fault protection has a common rocker button that selectively deflects orthogonally oriented flat electrically conductive test switch spring contacts of an arc fault test circuit and a ground fault test circuit into engagement with a common contact to test each of these protection functions independently. The pivot axis of the rocker button is parallel to the planes of each of the test switch spring contacts and the button has opposed fingers which preload both of the spring contacts to bias the rocker button to a neutral position.
Claims10
A circuit breaker comprising:
- a housing;
- separable contacts mounted in said housing;
- an operating mechanism for opening said separable contacts when actuated;
- trip means for actuating said operating mechanism in response to predetermined current conditions and including electronic trip means incorporating a first test circuit, a first test switch including a first switch contact, a second test circuit with a second test switch including a second switch contact, and a common contact, said first switch contact and said second switch contact comprising cantilevered electrically conductive springs selectively deflectable in generally orthogonal planes into engagement with said common contact;
- and
- a common actuator moveable to a first position to deflect only said first switch contact into engagement with said common contact to actuate only said first test switch, and moveable to a second position to deflect only said second switch contact into engagement with said common contact to actuate only said second test switch, and a neutral position in which neither test switch is actuated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.