The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 04, 2000
Filed:
Jan. 22, 1999
Thomas M Doring, Wexford, PA (US);
Ralph Mason Ennis, Imperial, PA (US);
Joseph Charles Engel, Monroeville, PA (US);
Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
A tester for an arc fault circuit breaker plugs into a socket in the protected branch circuit. An actuator includes a first spring biasing a moveable contact carried by a pivoted contact arm away from a fixed contact and a momentary closer for momentarily closing the contacts. The momentary closer includes a push button and a second spring coupling the push button to the pivoted contact arm to close the contacts when actuated. Closing of the contacts completes a circuit across the branch circuit resulting in a current producing a magnetic repulsion force which blows the contacts open thereby striking an arc. The arc, which should trip the arc fault circuit breaker is visible through a translucent or transparent section of the molded tester housing. A fuse interrupts any overcurrent and a test light verifies initial energization of the protected circuit and operation of the arc fault circuit breaker.