Patent · US Expired

Conducting spring for a circuit interrupter test circuit

US5481235A · kind A · utility

43Cited by
3References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 1994
Grant dateJan 2, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H1/245
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A conducting spring is provided for exerting a biasing force against a test button to open a circuit interrupter test circuit. The spring includes a one-piece, elongated cantilever having a first and second end. The cantilever is formed from an electrically conducting material. One of the cantilever ends is adapted to directly secure to a first terminal of the test circuit. The other cantilever end is adapted to directly and reversibly contact a second terminal of the test circuit. The spring also includes means for resiliently flexing the second end of the cantilever in relation to the first end. The flexing means is integrally formed with the cantilever. Also provided is a ground fault circuit interrupter and a ground fault circuit module for protecting a circuit interrupter with a push-to-test feature.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.