Three-phase receptacle electrical tester

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016097802-A1
Application number	US-201414508852-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 7, 2014
Priority date	Oct 7, 2014
Publication date	Apr 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A receptacle testing device for testing the wiring condition of three phase receptacles is disclosed. The receptacle testing device may be used for performing a quick check of the wiring of three phase receptacles to assess that power is present at the correct terminals within the receptacle, and that the neutral and ground wires are properly wired.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A receptacle testing device for testing the wiring condition of live three phase receptacles, comprising:
a housing; an electrical connection assembly positioned at least partially within the housing and including a plurality of prongs extending at least partially from the housing and configured for insertion into a three phase receptacle; and a testing assembly connected to the housing and electrically coupled to the plurality of prongs such that when the prongs are inserted into a live three phase receptacle the testing assembly is capable of testing at least one electrical condition relative to the receptacle wiring and provide an indication of the condition detected, wherein the at least one electrical condition includes a normal condition, an open neutral condition, and open ground condition, and a reverse wiring condition.

2 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 1 , wherein the testing assembly comprises a test circuit having a plurality of terminal ends wherein each terminal end is electrically connected to one of the plurality of prongs, and an indicator assembly for providing the indication of the condition detected.

3 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 2 , wherein the test circuit is on a printed circuit board.

4 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 2 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes and at least one illumination window.

5 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 2 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes and a plurality of illumination windows, wherein each illumination window corresponds to one of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

6 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 2 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises a display device.

7 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 6 , wherein the display device comprises an LCD display.

8 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 2 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises an audible device.

9 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 6 , wherein the audible device comprises a speaker.

10 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be hand-held.

11 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of prongs comprises five prongs, wherein a first prong corresponds to a line 1 phase, a second prong corresponds to a line 2 phase, a third prong corresponds to a line 3 phase, a fourth prong corresponds to a neutral, a fifth prong corresponds to a ground.

12 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 11 , wherein the reverse wiring condition comprises at least one of a line 1 phase and ground reverse wiring condition, a line 2 phase and ground reverse wiring condition, a line 3 phase and ground reverse wiring condition, a line 1 phase and neutral reverse wiring condition, a line 2 phase and neutral reverse wiring condition, and a line 3 phase and neutral reverse wiring condition.

13 . A receptacle testing device for testing the wiring condition of live three phase receptacles, comprising:
a housing; an electrical connection assembly positioned at least partially within the housing and including a plurality of prongs extending at least partially from the housing and configured for insertion into a three phase receptacle; and a testing assembly connected to the housing and electrically coupled to the plurality of prongs such that when the prongs are inserted into a live three phase receptacle the testing assembly tests for a plurality of electrical conditions relative to the receptacle wiring and provide a visual indication of the condition detected, wherein the plurality of electrical conditions tested include a normal condition, an open neutral condition, an open ground condition, and a reverse wiring condition.

14 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 13 , wherein the testing assembly comprises a test circuit having a plurality of terminal ends wherein each terminal end is electrically connected to one of the plurality of prongs, and an indicator assembly for providing the visual indication of the condition detected.

15 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 14 , wherein the test circuit is on a printed circuit board.

16 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 14 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes and at least one illumination window.

17 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 14 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes and a plurality of illumination windows, wherein each illumination window corresponds to one of the plurality of light emitting diodes.

18 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 14 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises a display device.

19 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 18 , wherein the display device comprises a LCD display.

20 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 14 , wherein the indicator assembly comprises an audible device.

21 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 20 , wherein the audible device comprises a speaker.

22 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 13 , wherein the housing is configured to be hand-held.

23 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 13 , wherein the plurality of prongs comprises five prongs, wherein a first prong corresponds to a line 1 phase, a second prong corresponds to a line 2 phase, a third prong corresponds to a line 3 phase, a fourth prong corresponds to a neutral, a fifth prong corresponds to a ground.

24 . The receptacle testing device according to claim 23 , wherein the reverse wiring condition comprises at least one of a line 1 phase and ground reverse wiring condition, a line 2 phase and ground reverse wiring condition, a line 3 phase and ground reverse wiring condition, a line 1 phase and neutral reverse wiring condition, a line 2 phase and neutral reverse wiring condition, and a line 3 phase and neutral reverse wiring condition.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Suica Samuel Thomas
• Liscinsky Iii Stephen Michael

Classifications

• G01R31/52

  Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults · CPC title

• G01R31/67

  Testing the correctness of wire connections in electric apparatus or circuits · CPC title

• G01R19/145 Primary

  Indicating the presence of current or voltage · CPC title

• G01R31/041 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01R31/54

  Testing for continuity · CPC title