Patent ID: 7408432

Claim:
A receptacle type ground-fault circuit interrupter device adapted for connecting to input lines, comprising: a pair of input terminals for connecting to the input lines; a pair of receptacle outlets; a ground-fault current detector for detecting a ground fault condition on the input lines; a reset and trip device including: a reset button assembly; an electromagnetic coil; an electromagnetic coil control circuit for controlling the electromagnetic coil, the electromagnetic coil control circuit being connected to the input terminals and being closed by the reset button assembly and opened by the ground-fault current detector; a moveable iron core disposed within the electromagnetic coil; a pair of static contact tips electrically connected to the receptacle outlets; a pair of elastic moveable contact sheets mechanically coupled to the moveable iron core and correspondingly disposed adjacent the pair of static contact tips, the pair of elastic moveable contact sheets being electrically connected to the pair of input terminals, respectively, via the ground-fault cuffent detector; and a pair of moveable contact tips disposed on the pair of elastic moveable contact sheets and moveable to make and break contact with the pair of static contact tips; and a self detecting and testing structure including: a test button assembly; a light emitting diode; a ganged switch being controlled to close by the test button assembly and to open by the reset button assembly; an end-of-life indicator, wherein the light emitting diode, the ganged switch and end-of-life indicator are connected in series to form a simulated ground-fault loop; and a fault self-detecting control circuit including a photosensitive resistor optically coupled to the light emitting diode, the fault self-detecting control circuit being operable to open the electromagnetic coil control circuit.