| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090032278 | Protective Electrical Wiring Device with a Center Nightlight - The present invention is directed to a electrical wiring device that includes a housing having a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals, the plurality of load terminals including a plurality of receptacle terminals. A cover assembly is coupled to the housing. The cover assembly includes at least one set of receptacle openings disposed on either side of a central portion of the cover assembly. Each of the at least one set of receptacle openings is in communication with a portion of the plurality of receptacle terminals. A fault detection assembly is coupled to the plurality of line terminals. The fault detection circuit is configured to provide a fault detection output in response to detecting a fault condition. A circuit interrupter is coupled between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The circuit interrupter includes a first set of contacts configured to provide at least one electrically continuous path between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state. The first set of contacts is configured to disconnect the at least one electrically continuous path in response to the fault detection output to thereby enter a tripped state. A light assembly is coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. The light assembly has a light transmission region disposed in the central portion and occupying a substantial portion of a width of the cover assembly. The light assembly is selectively driven from a deenergized state to a light emitting state in response to a predetermined stimulus. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090033247 | Electrical Wiring Device with a Center Nightlight Having Automatic and Manual Control Features - The present invention is directed to a electrical wiring device that includes a housing having a plurality of line terminals. A cover assembly is coupled to the housing, the cover assembly including at least one set of receptacle openings disposed on either side of a central portion of the cover assembly. A plurality of receptacle terminals are disposed in the housing, each of the plurality of receptacle terminals being coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of load terminal structures. Each of the plurality of receptacle terminals is in communication with a corresponding one of the at least one set of receptacle openings. A light assembly is disposed in the central portion of the cover assembly and coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. The light assembly has a light transmission region disposed in the central portion. The light transmissive region occupies a substantial portion of a width of the cover assembly. An automatic control mechanism is coupled to the light assembly and configured to selectively drive the light assembly from a deenergized state to a light emitting state in response to a predetermined stimulus. A manual control mechanism is coupled to the light assembly and configured to selectively regulate the amount of light transmitted by the light assembly when in the light emitting state. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090035967 | Electrical wiring device with a center nightlight and a plurality of safety features - The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a housing having a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals. A cover assembly is coupled to the housing. The cover assembly includes a first set of receptacle openings and a second set of receptacle openings. A plurality of receptacle terminals are disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of load terminals. The plurality of receptacle terminals include a first set of receptacle terminals in communication with the first set of receptacle openings and a second set of receptacle terminals in communication with the second set of receptacle openings. A first protective shutter assembly is disposed in the cover assembly between the first set of receptacle openings and the first set of receptacle terminals and a second protective shutter assembly disposed in the cover assembly between the second set of receptacle openings and the second set of receptacle terminals. Each protective shutter assembly is configured to move from a closed position to an open position in response to engaging a set of plug blades to thereby establish electrical continuity between the corresponding set of receptacle terminals and the set of plug blades. A light assembly is disposed in a central portion of the cover assembly between the first set of receptacle openings and the second set of receptacle openings. The light assembly is coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. The light assembly has a light transmission region occupying a substantial portion of a width of the cover assembly. The light assembly is selectively driven from a deenergized state to a light emitting state in response to a predetermined stimulus. The light assembly directs emitted light into a spatial volume proximate the device via the light transmissive region in the light emitting state. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090184787 | Protective Device Having a Thin Construction - The present invention is directed to a wiring device that includes a front cover assembly. The front cover assembly includes a front cover having at least one plug receptacle opening disposed therein. A ground strap is coupled to the cover assembly. A device assembly includes a plurality of line terminals configured to be connected to an AC power source, a plurality of load terminals configured to be connected to a downstream load, and at least one set of receptacle load terminals in communication with the at least one receptacle opening. The device assembly also includes a fault response circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals. A back cover is coupled to the front cover assembly to accommodate the device assembly therein. The ground strap element is disposed between the front cover assembly and the back cover. The back cover extending beyond the ground strap a distance substantially less than or equal to one inch. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20100123982 | PROTECTIVE DEVICE HAVING A THIN CONSTRUCTION - The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a front cover member having a front major surface and a back cover member having a back major surface substantially in parallel with the front major surface. The housing further includes an electrically isolating member disposed between the front cover member and the back cover member such that a front interior region is formed between the front cover member and the electrically isolating member and a rear interior region is formed between the back cover member and the electrically isolating member. The user accessible reset button assembly establishes a plane normal to the major front surface and subdividing the rear interior region into a first rear interior region portion and a second rear interior region portion. The interrupting contact assembly is configured to provide electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals, the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle terminals in a reset state. The plurality of line terminals, the plurality of load terminals and the plurality of receptacle terminals are decoupled in a tripped state. A protective electrical assembly includes a sensor assembly coupled to the plurality of line terminals and a solenoid assembly coupled to the interrupting contact assembly. The sensor assembly and the solenoid assembly are substantially disposed in the first rear interior region portion. The sensor assembly includes at least one toroidal transformer having a toroidal axis and the solenoid assembly including a solenoid coil having a solenoid coil axis. The toroidal axis and the solenoid coil axis are substantially parallel to one another. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20110115511 | ELECTRICAL DEVICE WITH MISWIRE PROTECTION AND AUTOMATED TESTING - The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes an actuator assembly that is responsive to the fault detection signal. The actuator assembly includes a breaker coil configured to generate an actuation force in response to being energized. A circuit interrupter includes four sets of movable contacts configured to be driven into a reset state in response to a reset stimulus, the four sets of movable contacts being configured to be driven into a tripped state in response to the actuation force. A self-test circuit is coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the at least one sensor. The self-test circuit is configured to automatically generate a test signal from time to time during a predetermined portion of an AC power line cycle. The self-test circuit is configured such that the test signal is sensed by the at least one sensor when the at least one sensor is operational, the sensor output signal being a function of the test signal. A monitor circuit is configured to monitor the fault detection circuit or the actuator assembly; the mechanical actuation force is substantially inhibited when the fault detection circuit or at least a portion of the actuator assembly properly respond to the test signal. The monitor circuit generates an end-of-life response if the fault detection circuit or the actuator assembly do not respond to the test signal within a predetermined period of time. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110148423 | PROTECTIVE DEVICE WITH AUTOMATED SELF-TEST - The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes at least one sensor that provides a sensor output signal corresponding to electrical perturbations propagating on the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. A protective circuit assembly configured to detect a fault condition when the sensor output signal substantially corresponds to at least one predetermined fault criterion and generate a trip actuation signal in response thereto. A solenoid coil is configured to generate a trip actuation force in response to the trip actuation signal. A circuit interrupter assembly includes movable contacts configured to be driven into a tripped state in response to the trip actuation force. An automatic fault simulation circuit is configured to generate a self-test signal without execution of software code. The self-test signal is generated such that it is sensed by the at least one sensor if the at least one sensor is operational. An end-of-life detection circuit is coupled to the protective circuit assembly. The end-of-life detection circuit is configured to monitor the protective circuit assembly without execution of software code. The end-of-life detection circuit is configured to substantially inhibit the trip actuation force when the protective circuit assembly detects the fault condition and generates the trip actuation signal in response to the self-test signal. The end-of-life detection circuit is configured to generate an end-of-life response if the protective circuit assembly does not respond to the self-test signal within a predetermined period of time. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110156920 | PROTECTIVE ELECTRICAL WIRING DEVICE WITH A CENTER NIGHTLIGHT - The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a cover assembly is coupled to the housing. The cover assembly includes at least one set of receptacle openings disposed on either side of a central portion of the cover assembly in communication with a portion of the plurality of receptacle terminals. A fault detection circuit is configured to provide a fault detection output in response to detecting a fault condition. A circuit interrupter is coupled between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. A light assembly is coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. The light assembly has a light transmission region disposed in the central portion and occupying a substantial portion of a width of the cover assembly. The light assembly is selectively driven from a deenergized state to a light emitting state in response to a predetermined stimulus. | 06-30-2011 |
