Patent ID: 8125228
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: G01R,H01H,H02H

Abstract:
1. An electrical wiring device comprising: a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals; at least one sensor coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the at least one sensor providing a sensor output signal corresponding to electrical perturbations propagating on the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals; a protective circuit assembly coupled to the at least one sensor, the protective circuit assembly being configured to detect a fault condition when the sensor output signal substantially corresponds to at least one predetermined fault criterion and generate a trip actuation signal in response thereto; a solenoid coil configured to generate a trip actuation force in response to the trip actuation signal; a circuit interrupter assembly coupled to the protective circuit assembly, the circuit interrupter including movable contacts, the movable contacts being configured to be latched into a reset state in response to a reset stimulus, the movable contacts being configured to be driven into a tripped state in response to the trip actuation force; an automatic fault simulation circuit configured to generate a self-test signal such that it is sensed by the at least one sensor if the at least one sensor is operational; and an end-of-life detection circuit coupled to the protective circuit assembly and the actuator assembly, the end-of-life detection circuit being configured to substantially inhibit the trip actuation force upon the occurrence of a successful test result, the successful test result occurring when the protective circuit assembly generates the trip actuation signal in response to the self-test signal, the end-of-life detection circuit being configured to generate an end-of-life response upon the occurrence of an unsuccessful test result, the unsuccessful test result occurring when the protective circuit assembly does not respond to the self-test signal within a predetermined period of time.