Arc-fault detecting circuit-breaker system with status indicator structure

An arc-fault detecting circuit-breaker system used in conjunction with a protected electrical circuit whose current flow is to be interrupted upon the occurrence of an overcurrent fault or an arc fault, the arc-fault detecting circuit breaker system comprising:

• a normally closed circuit breaker electrically connected to the protected electrical circuit, wherein the circuit breaker comprises a movable element that moves between a first position when the circuit breaker is closed and a second position when the circuit breaker is open;
• an arc-fault detector of the occurrence of an arc fault in the protected electrical circuit;
• a circuit-breaker activating element operable responsive to the detector, wherein the circuit-breaker activating element creates an overcurrent fault and opens the circuit breaker, in the event that the detector detects an arc fault in the protected electrical circuit;
• and
• a status indicator structure comprising:
• a first status indicator element which indicates the opening of the circuit breaker due to the overcurrent fault, wherein the first status indicator element is a first-status indicator pop-up button movable responsive to the movement of the movable element of the circuit breaker, and
• a second status indicator element which indicates the opening of the circuit breaker due to the arc fault, wherein the second status indicator element is a second-status indicator pop-up button integral with the first-status indicator pop-up button and operable responsive to the circuit-breaker activating element, wherein the second status indicator pop-up button comprises:
• a status indicator shaft movable relative to the first-status indicator pop-up button,
• a shaft retainer that normally retains the status indicator shaft in a first shaft position, and
• a shaft activator that moves the status indicator shaft to a second shaft position responsive to the circuit-breaker activating element.