Patent ID: 6111733
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
An intelligent circuit interrupt system electrically disconnecting a load from a source of AC power upon detection of any interrupt condition, comprising:a. circuit interrupt means including line and load side phase and neutral ports, wherein said line side phase and neutral ports are electrically connection, respectively, to phase and neutral terminals of said AC power source and said circuit interrupt means generates an interrupt signal for interrupting said AC power flow upon the detection of said interrupt condition;b. a relay switch including a relay tripping coil and phase and neutral contacts, wherein line and load ends of said phase contact are electrically connected, respectively, between said interrupt means load side phase port and a phase terminal of said load and the line and load ends of said neutral contact are electrically connected, respectively, between said interrupt means load side neutral port and a neutral terminal of said load and said relay tripping coil is electrically coupled between said load ends of said phase and neutral contacts for controlling said contacts in response to said interrupt signal;c. an open-contact miswiring detector (OCMD) electrically connected to said line and load ends of one of said phase and neutral contacts for detecting a miswiring condition when said contacts are in an open state;d. a closed-contact miswiring detector (CCMD) electrically connected to said load end of said phase contact and to said line and load ends of one of said phase and neutral contacts for detecting a miswiring condition when said contacts are in a closed state;e. a timing signal generator electrically connected to said open and closed contact miswiring detectors for generating system timing signals;f. a test circuit electrically couple to said interrupt means and responsive to said timing signal generator for regularly testing said interrupt means operability;g. an alarm circuit electrically responsive to each of said test circuit, said timing signal generator, said open-contact miswiring detector and said closed-contact miswiring detector for producing an alarm signal communicating at lease one of an open-contact miswiring condition, a closed-contact miswiring condition, an operational failure condition and a need for external testing condition;h. a power supply electrically connected between said load ends of said phase and neutral contacts and to said timing signal generator;i. control means coupled to said circuit interrupt means to receive said interrupt signal and coupled to said relay tripping coil to provide operating current to said relay tripping coil when said control means is conducting current;j. alternative control means coupled to said alarm circuit to receive said alarm signal and to said relay tripping coil to provide operating current to said relay tripping coil in the event that said control means fails to operate.