Patent ID: 8477466
Filing Date: 2013-07-02
Classification: G01R,H01H,H02H

Abstract:
1. A protective wiring device for use in an electrical distribution system, the device comprising: a plurality of line terminals including a line hot terminal and a line neutral terminal; a plurality of load terminals including a plurality of feed-through load terminals and a plurality of receptacle load terminals; a fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals, the fault detection circuit being configured to provide a fault detection signal in response to detecting a fault condition or a simulated fault condition; at least one user accessible button coupled to the plurality of line terminals; a second circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals and the at least one user-accessible button, the second circuit being configured to conduct a second signal in response to a user actuation of the at least one user-accessible button if the plurality of line terminals are coupled to a source of AC power, the second signal not simulating the fault condition; an actuator assembly responsive to the fault detection circuit and the second circuit; a circuit interrupter assembly coupled between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals and responsive to the actuator assembly, the circuit interrupter assembly including four sets of interrupting contacts that are configured to provide electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and to interrupt the electrical continuity in a tripped state; and an automatic test circuit configured to periodically effect the simulated fault condition and to determine whether the fault detection circuit provides the fault detection signal in response to the periodically effected simulated fault condition within a predetermined period of time, the automatic test circuit being further configured to provide an electronics test failure signal if the fault detection circuit fails to provide the fault detection signal in response to the periodically effected simulated fault condition.