1132 results about "Reset button" patented technology

A new and improved type of ground fault interruption receptacle is mainly consists of an upper housing, a middle supporter and a lower holder. Two sets of female power-output socket 5, 6, a simulation test button (i.e. test button for fault detecting) and a reset button are disposed on the upper housing. A metal mounting plate is disposed between the upper housing and the middle supporter. At the two sides of the middle supporter is disposed a pair of metal conductors. Between the middle supporter and the lower holder is disposed a printed circuit board, and thereon a differential transformer within which an iron core is inserted, a reset guide member and a flat spring type of resilient off locking switch are arranged. Using the differential transformer and the resilient off locking switch, the receptacle of the present invention may detect whether the fault current exists and whether the damage of a certain element or member for power transmission occurs. If so, the receptacle of the present invention can electrically disconnect the power-out connectors with the relevant power-input connectors so as to accomplish the ground fault interruption.

Resettable circuit interrupting devices, such as GFCI devices that include a reset lockout mechanism, are provided. The reset lockout comprises a member coupled to swing from a pivot which moves with a reset button to permit the resetting of electrical connections between input and output conductors if the circuit interrupting mechanism used to break the connection is non-operational or if an open condition exists.

Located within a GFCI device having receptacle openings in its face is a movable contact bearing arm held in either a closed or open position by a latching member connected to a spring loaded reset button. The reset button assumes a first depressed position when the GFCI is in a conducting state, and a second extended position when the GFCI is in a non conducting state. A blocking member located within the body of the GFCI is adapted to be moved to a first position to blocks at least one opening of each receptacle, or to a second position to allow the prongs of a plug to enter the receptacle openings. When the GFCI is in the conducting state, the reset button is in its first position and holds the blocking member in its first position to permit the prongs of a plug to be inserted into the receptacle openings. When the GFCI is in a non-conducting state or is defective, the reset button and the blocking member are in their second positions and the prongs of a plug are prevented from entering the receptacle.

The present invention provides a GFCI that not only has ground fault protection, but also is capable of providing reverse wiring protection as well as detection of end of the service life of the GFCI by way of utilizing an end of life detection control circuit in connection with the reset button. In addition, the GFCI of the present invention provides a forcible mechanical tripping assembly by way of utilizing the test button. Finally, the present invention provides method for detecting whether the service life of the GFCI has ended.

A receptacle device for protection against arc faults and leakage currents, including an arc fault test button, a leakage test button, and a reset button. Test resistors are arranged below the arc fault test button and the leakage test button wherein the test resistors are coupled to an electrical circuit board. The electrical circuit board includes an arc sampling resistor to detect arc faults and a leakage detection differential transformer to detect leakage currents. In order to provide good contacts between mobile and stationary electrical contacts of the receptacle device, a reset button bias member having mobile contact bridges at its two arms is provided. Each of the mobile contact bridges has three triangularly spaced electrical contacts, corresponding to stationary electrical contacts of flexible input fingers, output conductors and electrical output leads of the receptacle device. In order to balance the mobile contact bridges and provide better contacts, the receptacle device of the present invention can utilize a unique system of dual directional locks, i.e., below the reset button, there are two axially symmetrical directional locks provided within a reset button bias member of the receptacle device.

The present invention provides a set of circuits which is capable of performing an automatic check on main components of a circuit interrupting device when the circuit interrupting device is properly powered and the device is at a tripped state to determine whether these main components function normally. The results of the automatic check can be detected by depressing a reset button in the circuit interrupting device. If the reset button can be depressed, the main components function normally. Alternatively, the results can be automatically displayed by a showing on the face lid of the circuit interrupting device of either a green light, which means that the main components function normally, or a red or yellow light or no light, which means that at least one of the main components in the circuit interrupting device does not function properly. The present invention also provides an end-of-service-life detection integrated circuit chip capable of receiving and transmitting an automatic check signal and determining whether or not the circuit interrupting device can be reset. The preferred circuit interrupting device is a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

The present invention provides to a circuit interrupting device, particularly a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), with a test circuit which is capable of automatically generating a simulated leakage current to detect whether the service life of the circuit interrupting device has ended, i.e., whether the main components of the device are working properly, when the device is properly connected to power input terminals and in a tripped state. The test circuit contains an end-of-service-life integrated circuit chip, which is connected to a switch that interacts with the reset button, thereby, by observing whether the device is capable of resetting, a user can determine whether the service life of the device has ended, i.e., if the device can be reset, the device is working properly; if the device cannot be reset, the service life of the device has ended. Optionally, the circuit interrupting device contains an indicating light on the face of the device, thereby, by observing whether a normal status indicating light or a problem status indicating light is turned on and displayed on the face of the device, the user can determine whether the service life of the device has ended. The circuit interrupting device also possesses a forcible tripping mechanism through the operation of the test button to interrupt the power output to the device. The present invention also provides methods for detecting the end of service life of the circuit interrupting device.

Located within a GFCI device having a receptacle is a movable contact bearing arm which is held in either a closed or open position with a fixed contact by a latching member that is connected to the spring loaded reset button. The reset button assumes a first or a second position which is determined by the conductive state of the GFCI. When the GFC is in a conducting state, the reset button is substantially fully depressed within the housing of the GFCI. When the GFCI is in a non-conductive state, the reset button projects outward beyond the top surface of the housing of the GCFI. Thus, the movable contact bearing arm, acting through a latching member, determines the position of the reset button. A blocking member located within the body of the GFCI is positioned by the reset button to allow free access of the prongs of a plug into the openings of the receptacle when the reset button is depressed or to block at least one opening of the receptacle to prevent a plug from entering the openings of the receptacle when the reset button projects out beyond the surface of the housing. Thus, when the GFCI is in a conducting state, the reset button is recessed within the GFCI housing and positions the blocking member to the first position to allow the prongs of a plug to be inserted into the receptacle openings. When the GFCI is in a non-conducting state, the reset button protrudes outward from the housing of the GFCI to position the blocking member to the second position to block at least one opening of the receptacle to prevent the prongs of a plug from entering the receptacle. GFCI's normally have two separate sets of internally located contacts known as bridge contacts where one set is used to connect a load to the source of electricity and the second set is used to connect a user accessible load to the source of electricity. The bridge contacts provide isolation between the conductors to the load and the conductors to the contacts of the GFCI receptacle when the GFCI is in a fault state. In the GFCI here disclosed, the blocking member prevents the prongs of a plug from entering the receptacle when the GFCI is in a fault state and, therefore, can eliminate the need for the bridge contacts.

A ground fault circuit interrupter device having a single actuator for sequentially activating a circuit interrupting portion when the device is in a reset condition and a reset portion when the device is in a tripped condition. The circuit interrupting portion breaks a conductive path between a line terminal and load terminal upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition thereby placing the device in the tripped condition and the reset portion reestablishes the conductive path between the line terminal and the load terminal thereby placing the device in the reset condition.

A receptacle includes an insulated outer case, first and second trip switches formed on an inner bottom of the insulated case, a reset switch formed on the inner bottom of the insulated outer case, a cover disposed on a top of the outer case, first and second test buttons disposed in the insulated outer case to be movable in a vertical direction, each of the first and second test buttons having a bottom adjacent to the corresponding trip switch and a top exposed through the cover, a first spring for biasing the first and second test buttons to an initial position, a reset button disposed in the insulated outer case to be movable in a vertical direction, the reset button having a bottom adjacent to the reset switch and a top exposed through the cover, and a locking portion for selectively locking the reset button in response to the vertical motion of the first and second test button.