US 7,403,086 B2Granted

Ground fault circuit interrupter with reverse wiring protection

AssigneeGeneral Protecht Group U.S., Inc.

InventorsZhixin Wu, Yinxian Wang, Kuidong Zhang

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Abstract

A new type of switching mechanism for a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) with reverse wiring protection preferably includes two pairs of fixed contact holders, each member of each pair having at least one fixed contact at one end; a pair of movable contact holders, each having an end having one or more of movable contacts, each movable contact being arranged for contacting one of the fixed contacts; and a movable assembly that moves between first and second positions, wherein the first position is a position in which each of the contacts of the fixed contact holders makes contact with one of the contacts of the movable end of one of the movable contact holders, and wherein the second position is a position in which the contacts of the fixed contact holders are separated from the contacts of the movable contact holders.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), comprising a switching mechanism, wherein the switching mechanism comprises:

two pairs of fixed contact holders, each member of each pair having at least one fixed contact at one end;
a pair of movable contact holders, each having an end having two or more movable contacts, each movable contact being arranged for contacting a respective one of the fixed contacts;
and
a movable assembly that moves from a first position in which each fixed contact is in contact with the respective movable contact to a second position in which each fixed contact is separated from the respective movable contact, and from the second position to the first position, the movable assembly causing movement of the pair of movable contact holders when it moves from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position;
and
an electromagnetic mechanism comprising an electromagnetic tripping component configured such that when energized, the electromagnetic tripping component generates a first electromagnetic force that causes the movable assembly to be in the second position, and an electromagnetic resetting component configured such that when energized, the electromagnetic resetting component generates a second electromagnetic force that causes the movable assembly to be in the first position, wherein the electromagnetic tripping component and electromagnetic resetting component are different from one another.

3 more elements

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) comprising:

a housing;
a phase conductive path and a neutral conductive path, each disposed at least partially within the housing, between a line side and a load side, wherein each of the phase conductive path and the neutral conductive path comprises:
a pair of movable contact holders;
and
at least one flexible conductor electrically coupled to the pair of movable contact holders and electrically coupled to an external electrical connection;
wherein the phase conductive path terminates at a first connection capable of being electrically connected to a source of electricity, a second connection capable of conducting electricity to at least one load, and a third connection capable of conducting electricity to at least one user accessible load, and wherein the neutral conductive path terminates at a first external connection capable of being electrically connected to a source of electricity, a second connection capable of conducting electricity to at least one load, and a third connection capable of conducting electricity to at least one user accessible load;
two pairs of fixed contact holders, each fixed contact holder having at least one fixed contact through which the fixed contact holder is capable of being electrically connected to a corresponding movable contact holder;
a movable assembly on which the movable contact holders are mounted;
four contact springs, each mounted at least partially within the movable assembly and abutting against one of the movable contact holders to provide a contact force to aid contact between a movable contact mounted on a movable contact holder and a corresponding fixed contact;
and
an electromagnetic mechanism comprising:
a circuit interrupting portion disposed within the housing and configured to generate a first electromagnetic force that causes each movable contact of the pair of movable contact holders to be apart from a corresponding fixed contact of the two pairs of fixed contact holders, thereby causing electrical discontinuity between the line side and the load side upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition;
and
a reset portion disposed at least partially within the housing and configured to generate a second electromagnetic force that causes each movable contact of the pair of movable contact holders to be in contact with a corresponding fixed contact of the two pairs of fixed contact holders, thereby reestablishing electrical continuity between the line side and the load side.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/184,649Filed 19 Jul 2005 · division
Priority: CN 02 1 311089 Oct 2002
Published: US 2006/0018062 A126 Jan 2006
Granted: 22 Jul 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H01H 83/04
Operated by earth fault currents: with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly
H02H 3/338
Using summation current transformers: also responsive to wiring error, e.g. loss of neutral, break
H01H
Electric switches
H02H
Emergency protective circuit arrangements

Family

Application10/294,714Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Nov 2002
Application10/386,488Parent of this division · filed 13 Mar 2003
US 2006/0018062 A1Pre-grant publication · published 26 Jan 2006
US 6,954,125 B2Parent of this division
US 6,946,935 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application10/386,488Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2004/0070474 A1Published application
US 2004/0070897 A1Published application
US 7,403,086 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.