Patent ID: 6525541
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A fault circuit interrupter device for stopping current flow through a first circuit when a fault has been detected in the first circuit, the fault circuit interrupter device comprising:a housing; a fault detector located in said housing and capable of detecting whether a fault has occurred in the first circuit; a current path structure located in said housing; a pair of contact points located in said current path structure and displaceable from each other to open said current path structure and cause current to stop flowing in the first circuit when said fault detector detects that a fault has occurred; a latch block located adjacent said pair of contact points and moveable such that the latch block can contact a portion of the current path structure to displace said pair of contact points from each other and open said current path structure; a latch located adjacent said latch block and configured to restrain said latch block from moving relative to said current path structure when said latch is in a first latch position and to permit said latch block to move relative to said current path structure when said latch is in a different latch position; and a test mechanism that determines whether the fault circuit interrupter device is capable of detecting a fault, said test mechanism configured to bias said latch to locate in said first latch position when said test mechanism determines that the fault circuit interrupter is capable of detecting a fault.