Patent ID: 6262871
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: G01R,H01H,H02H

Abstract:
A self-testing fault interrupt apparatus comprising:a fault sensing component that detects an electrically unsafe operating condition;a primary electrical current interrupting component for preventing power delivery upon the detection of an electrically unsafe operating condition;a fault sense testing component that periodically and automatically disables the primary electrical current interrupting component, applies a simulated fault, verifies that the fault sensing component correctly detects this simulated fault, removes the simulated fault, and reenables the primary electrical current interrupting component if the fault sensing component correctly detected the simulated fault;a circuit breaker testing component that, when the fault sensing component detects an electrically unsafe operating condition, automatically checks that the primary electrical current interrupting component has satisfactorily interrupted power delivery; anda secondary electrical current interrupting component that permanently removes power from the self-testing fault interrupt apparatus if the fault sense testing component does not correctly detect a simulated fault or if the circuit breaker testing component determines that the primary electrical current interrupting component has not satisfactorily interrupted power delivery.