Patent ID: 6850394
Filing Date: 2005-02-01
Classification: H01R,H02H

Abstract:
1. A ground fault circuit interrupter for an AC electrical receptacle, comprising first and second input terminals for conductive coupling to the hot and neutral sides, respectively, of an AC Line; first and second output terminals for conductive coupling to the hot and neutral sides, respectively, of at an AC load; first and second conductive paths electrically connecting, respectively, the first input terminal to the first output terminal, and the second input terminal to the second output terminal; first and second sets of electrical contacts interposed, respectively, between the first input terminal and the first output terminal on the first conductive path, and between the second input terminal and the second output terminal on the second conductive path, the first and second sets of electrical contacts having an open position that inhibits current flow and a closed position that permits current flow; a circuit interrupter configured to cause the first and second sets of electrical contacts to open upon receiving an interrupt signal: a ground fault detection circuit configured to detect an imbalance in current flow between the first and second conductive path that is indicative of a ground fault condition and, when a ground fault condition is detected, to output an interrupt signal to the circuit interrupter; a mis-wiring detection circuit configured to output an interrupt signal to the circuit interrupter when the hot and neutral sides of the AC line are conductively coupled to the first and second output terminals, even if there is no imbalance in current flow through the first and second conductive paths, and wherein the mis-wiring detection circuit outputs the interrupt signal to the circuit interrupter when the hot and neutral sides of the AC line are conductively coupled to the first and second output terminals for a first time interval; and a suppression circuit configured to suppress operation of the mis-wiring detection circuit when the hot and neutral sides of the AC line are conductively coupled to the first and second input terminals for a second time interval, wherein the second time interval is less than the first time interval.