US 12,451,683 B1
High frequency resistant nuisance tripping GFCI and with self-test and end of life (STEOL) circuits
Victor V Aromin, West Warwick, RI (US)
Assigned to Tower Manufacturing Corp., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Tower Manufacturing Corp., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Feb. 26, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/063,815.
Application 19/063,815 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/760,562, filed on Jul. 1, 2024, granted, now 12,292,475.
Int. Cl. H02H 3/16 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01); H02H 1/06 (2006.01); H02H 3/04 (2006.01); H05B 45/42 (2020.01)
CPC H02H 3/162 (2013.01) [H02H 1/0007 (2013.01); H02H 1/0038 (2013.01); H02H 1/06 (2013.01); H02H 3/044 (2013.01); H05B 45/42 (2020.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A high frequency (HF) ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) with end-of-life self-testing for interrupting the flow of current through a pair of lines, wherein one of the pair of lines extends between a line input and a line output and the other line extends between a neutral input and a neutral output, the HF GFCI comprising:
a first switch having a first input terminal and a first contact terminal;
a second switch having a second input terminal and a second contact terminal;
at least one relay circuit for controlling the first and/or second switch, wherein each switch comprises a first non-energized position and a second energized position and wherein the first switch is connected between the line input and the line output and the second switch is connected between the neural input and the neutral output;
a fault detection circuit for detecting a ground fault in the line output, wherein the fault detection circuit comprises:
a sense transformer for sensing the ground fault in the line output and wherein the fault detection circuit does not comprise a second sense transformer;
a first bi-stable electronic latch circuit for deenergizing the at least one relay circuit when a fault is detected;
a test module integrated with the HF GFCI, the test module comprising:
a simulated ground fault generator for simulating a ground fault;
an auto-monitoring logic module;
a relay synchronized switch;
an end-of-life switch for disabling the at least one relay circuit;
a first capacitor for preventing transient high-frequency signals from falsely triggering the first bi-stable electronic latch circuit;
a second capacitor connected to the at least one relay circuit for shunting high frequency noise to the neutral input; and
a dual function LED circuit, wherein the dual function LED circuit provides LED power status and neutral to ground detection.
 
10. A high frequency resistant GFCI circuit for interrupting the flow of current through a pair of lines, wherein one of the pair of lines extends between a line input and a line output and the other line extends between a neutral input and a neutral output, the high frequency resistant GFCI circuit comprising:
a test module for detecting an end-of-life condition, the test module comprising:
a simulated ground fault generator for simulating a ground fault signal;
an auto-monitoring logic module;
a relay synchronized switch; and
an end-of-life switch for disabling the high frequency resistant GFCI circuit;
a first capacitor for preventing transient high-frequency signals from falsely triggering a first bi-stable electronic latch circuit;
a second capacitor connected to a relay circuit for shunting high frequency noise to the neutral input; and
a dual function LED circuit, wherein the dual function LED circuit provides LED power status and neutral to ground detection.