Electrical wiring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10079484-B2
Application number	US-201514922871-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A circuit interrupting device includes an input conductor for electrically connecting to an external power supply, a load conductor for electrically connecting to a downstream load, a face conductor for electrically connecting to an external load, and a brush conductor in electrical communication with the input conductor and movable between a closed position and an open position. The brush conductor includes a second portion offset from a first portion such that a first terminal and a second terminal are positioned on separate planes. When the brush conductor is in the closed position, the first terminal contacts the load terminal and the second terminal contacts the face terminal to provide electrical communication between the input conductor, the load conductor, and the face conductor. When the brush conductor is in the open position, the first terminal is spaced apart from the load terminal and the second terminal is spaced apart from the face terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit interrupting device comprising:
an input conductor for electrically connecting to an external power supply;
a load conductor for electrically connecting to a downstream load, the load conductor including a load terminal;
a face conductor for electrically connecting to an external load, the face conductor including a face terminal; and
a brush conductor in electrical communication with the input conductor and movable between a closed position and an open position, the brush conductor including a first portion supporting a first terminal and a second portion supporting a second terminal, the second portion offset from the first portion such that the first terminal and the second terminal are positioned on separate planes,
wherein, when the brush conductor is in the closed position, the first terminal contacts the load terminal and the second terminal contacts the face terminal to provide electrical communication between the input conductor, the load conductor, and the face conductor,
wherein, when the brush conductor is in the open position, the first terminal is spaced apart from the load terminal and the second terminal is spaced apart from the face terminal to inhibit electrical communication between the input conductor, the load conductor, and the face conductor.

2. The circuit interrupting device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the brush conductor extends in a first plane and the second portion of the brush conductor extends in a second plane parallel to and offset from the first plane, the brush conductor further including a bridge portion extending between the first portion and the second portion, the bridge portion forming an angle relative to the first plane.

3. The circuit interrupting device of claim 1 , further comprising a latch assembly including a housing having an arm engaging the brush conductor, the housing movable between a first position and a second position,
wherein when the housing is in the first position, the arm biases the brush conductor toward the closed position,
wherein when the housing is in the second position, the brush conductor moves toward the open position.

4. The circuit interrupting device of claim 3 , wherein the housing arm urges one of the first terminal and the second terminal into contact with the load terminal and the face terminal, respectively, before the other of the first terminal and the second terminal contacts the load terminal and the face terminal, respectively.

5. The circuit interrupting device of claim 3 , wherein the brush conductor includes a first end connected to the input conductor and a second end opposite the first end, the first terminal positioned proximate the second end, the second portion extending away from the second end such that the second terminal is positioned between the first end and the second end of the brush conductor,
wherein when the housing is in the first position the housing arm pivots the brush conductor about the first end.

6. The circuit interrupting device of claim 5 , wherein a pivoting movement of the brush conductor about the first end causes the second terminal to contact the face terminal before the first terminal contacts the load terminal.

7. The circuit interrupting device of claim 5 , wherein as the housing moves toward the first position, the housing arm deflects the first portion to pivot about the first end and drives the second terminal into contact with the face terminal, and
wherein continued movement of the housing toward the first position causes the second portion to deflect about the second end of the brush conductor, the continued movement of the housing driving the first terminal into contact with the load terminal.

8. The circuit interrupting device of claim 3 , further comprising a circuit board positioned proximate an end of the housing, wherein the latch assembly further includes a contact member coupled to the end of the housing and selectively engaging the circuit board to complete a circuit.

9. The circuit interrupting device of claim 7 , wherein the contact member includes a central portion coupled to the end of the housing and a pair of flanges, the flanges extending away from the flat portion at an angle to provide a resiliency in the flanges relative to the central portion, each flange including an end for contacting a predetermined area on the circuit board.

10. The circuit interrupting device of claim 7 , further comprising a solenoid movable in a first direction, wherein the latch housing further includes a latch plate supported in the housing and movable relative to the housing in the first direction, wherein actuation of the solenoid moves the latch plate in the first direction, thereby allowing the housing to move to the second position.

11. The circuit interrupting device of claim 1 , wherein the input conductor is a neutral line conductor.

12. The circuit interrupting device of claim 1 , wherein the input conductor is a phase line conductor.

13. The circuit interrupting device of claim 12 , wherein the load conductor is a first load conductor, the face conductor is a first face conductor, and the brush conductor is a first brush conductor, and further comprising:
a neutral line conductor for electrically connecting to the external power supply
a second load conductor for electrically connecting to a downstream load, the second load conductor including a second load terminal;
a second face conductor for electrically connecting to the external load, the second face conductor including a second face terminal; and
a second brush conductor in electrical communication with the neutral line conductor and movable between a closed position and an open position, the second brush conductor including a first portion supporting a first terminal and a second portion supporting a second terminal, the second portion offset from the first portion such that the first terminal and the second terminal are positioned on separate planes,
wherein, when the second brush conductor is in the closed position, the first terminal contacts the second load terminal and the second terminal contacts the second face terminal to provide electrical communication between the neutral line conductor, the second load conductor, and the second face conductor,
wherein, when the second brush conductor is in the open position, the first terminal is spaced apart from the second load terminal and the second terminal is spaced apart from the second face terminal to inhibit electrical communication between the neutral line conductor, the second load conductor, and the second face conductor.

14. A circuit interrupting device comprising:
a circuit board;
a line conductor for electrically connecting to an external power supply;
a load conductor for electrically connecting to an external load, the load conductor including a load terminal;
a face conductor for electrically connecting to another external load, the face conductor including a face terminal;
a brush conductor in electrical communication with the line conductor and movable between a closed position and an open position, the brush conductor including a first terminal selectively contacting the face terminal and a second terminal selectively contacting the load terminal; and
a latch assembly including,
a housing movable between along an axis, the housing including an arm for biasing the brush conductor toward the closed position, the housing further including an end positioned proximate the circuit board, and
a switch member including a main portion coupled to the end of the housing, and a pair of flanges resiliently connected to the mai

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• He Zhouxiang

Classifications

• H02H3/162 Primary

  for AC systems · CPC title

• H01H83/04 Primary

  with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly · CPC title

• H01H2083/045

  Auxiliary switch opening testing circuit in synchronism with the main circuit · CPC title

• H01H2071/044

  Monitoring, detection or measuring systems to establish the end of life of the switching device, can also contain other on-line monitoring systems, e.g. for detecting mechanical failures · CPC title