US007196885B2

(12)

(54)

(75)

United States Patent

(10) Patent N0.:

Pierce et a].

(45) Date of Patent:

US 7,196,885 B2 Mar. 27, 2007

APPLIANCE LEAKAGE CURRENT

5,642,248 A

INTERRUPTER AND NIGHTLIGHT

5,661,623 A *

8/1997 McDonald et al. ......... .. 361/42

COMBINATION

D391,922 S 5,757,598 A

3/1998 Aromin 5/1998 Aromin

Inventors: Michael M. Pierce, Richmond, VA _

.

.

.

(US), Brian R. Sullivan, Rlchmond, _ VA(US)’ Roy B- Bates> G1enA11en> VA

6/1997 Campolo et al.

D400’l72 S

10/1998 Ammln

D400,174

10/1998

S

Shatkln

5 , 841617 A * “H998 Watklns . et al. ........... .. 361/106 , 5,943,199 A * 8/1999 Aromin ..................... .. 361/42

(Us)

D414,747 s

_

(73) Asslgnee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex, Inc.,

10/1999 Aromin

6,026,590 A

2/2000 PicoZZa et a1.

6,052,266 A

4/2000 Ammin

Glen Allen, VA (US)

(Continued) (*)

Notice:

Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(1)) by 307 days.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS “RV4145A Low Power Ground Fault Interrupter,” Technical Speci ?cation/Data Sheet for RV4145A Integrated Circuit, Fairchild

(21) Appl. N0.: 10/421,606

(22) Filed:

Apr. 23, 2003 _

(65)

_

(Continued) _

Primary ExamineriRonald W. Leja

Pnor Pubhcatlon Data Us 2004/0212935 A1 Oct. 28, 2004

(51) Int. Cl. H02H 3/00 (52) (58)

Semiconductor, Rev. 1.0.3, pp. 1-11 (Mar. 6, 2002).

(74)Allorney, Agent, or FirmiAkin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP

(57)

ABSTRACT

(2006.01)

us. Cl. ...................................................... .. 361/42 Field of Classi?cation Search ................ .. 361/42,

Anapplianceleakage cul'remimemlpter(ALCDCOYdSeIfOI Powering an appliance includes an ALCI Plug having a

361/45 78. 335/18 See application ?le for Complete Search history'

housing, an ALCI circuit disposed Within the housing and tWo partially exposed contact blades coupled to an input of

(56)

the ALCI circuit. The contact blades are con?gured to connect to an electrical receptacle. The ALCI cord set also includes a poWer cord and a nightlight. The poWer cord has

References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,550,358 A 4,797,772 A 13325380 5

a generally insulative jacket and tWo electrical conductors each having a ?rst end electrically coupled to an output of the ALCI circuit and a second end electrically coupled to the appliance. The nightlight is mounted on an exterior of the

10/ 1985 Crowley et al. 1/ 1989 Kaplanis 4/1992 R110 et a1~

5,148,344 A *

9/1992 Raf) et a1~

housing of the ALCI plug. The nightlight is electrically

5,198,955 A D356’066 S

3/1993 Wlllner ..................... .. 361/42 3/1995 Rao et 31'

Coupled to the Output of the ALCI Circuit and is illuminated When the ALCI circuit is not tri ed

5,434,509 A

7/1995 Blades

D363,463 S

10/1995 Rao et al.

5,465,198 A

11/1995 Kellogg

pp

'

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets

50

45

\

E _______________

43

40 j/ 42 l_

25

30

US 7,196,885 B2 Page 2 US. PATENT DOCUMENTS

6,057,996 6,088,205 6,122,155 D446,350 D451,481 D454,546 6,390,647 6,804,094

2002/0008950 A1 2002/0149464 A1

1/2002 Kim et al. 10/2002 Santa Cruz et a1.

10/2002 Leopold et al.

A

5/2000 Kim

2002/0154488 A1

A *

7/2000 Neiger et al. ............... .. 361/42

2004/0070895 A1 *

A S S S

9/2000 Aromin et a1. 8/2001 PicoZZa 12/2001 MacKay 3/2002 MacKay

B1 * B2 *

5/2002 Shaefer .................... .. 362/276 10/2004 Kampmeyer . 361/42

2001/0046815 A1

11/2001 Luu

4/2004

Gershen et al. ............. .. 361/42

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Remich, Jr., Norman C. “Built-In Fire Protection,” AM-Appliance Manufacturer, 1 p. (Apr. 1997). * cited by examiner

U.S. Patent

Mar. 27, 2007

US 7,196,885 B2

Sheet 1 0f 3

4e -\

10

\

_5_Q

45 E

43

4o

f 42

Fig. 2

f 92

N

'

/ 253

° \ 20 21

US 7,196,885 B2 1

2

APPLIANCE LEAKAGE CURRENT INTERRUPTER AND NIGHTLIGHT COMBINATION

partially exposed contact blades coupled to an input of the fault interrupter circuit. The contact blades are con?gured to connect to an electrical receptacle. The poWer cord has a

generally insulative jacket and tWo electrical conductors each having a ?rst end electrically coupled to an output of the fault interrupter circuit and a second end electrically

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a circuit fault

coupled to a load. The nightlight is mounted on an exterior

detector and nightlight combination, and more speci?cally, to an appliance leakage current interrupter and nightlight

of the housing of the fault interrupter plug. The nightlight is electrically coupled to the output of the fault interrupter

combination.

circuit and is illuminated When the fault interrupter circuit is not tripped.

An appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) is an electrical fault device that is intended to interrupt the elec

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

trical circuit to a load When a fault current to ground exceeds

some predetermined value that is less than the current

required to operate an overcurrent protection device protect

The foregoing summary, as Well as the folloWing detailed

ing the supply circuit. ALCI devices are typically provided in an integral assembly as part of an appliance cord set. For example, an appliance such as a hairdryer has a permanently attached cord With a plug on the end and the plug includes an integrally mounted ALCI or GFI circuit for the user’s

description of preferred embodiments of the invention, Will be better understood When read in conjunction With the

appended draWings. For the purpose of illustrating the 20

protection. One basic, integrally mounted ALCI circuit is Other integrally mounted fault detector circuits provided

In the draWings:

in cord sets also include an indicator lamp or light emitting 25

occurred and the circuit has been tripped by the fault detector circuit. US. Pat. No. 5,198,955 ofWiliner discloses a miniature circuit interrupter formed Within a plug and having an LED Which lights to indicate a ground fault condition. A nightlight is a small lamp or other illumination device that is left on overnight to provide loW level illumination for children or people not familiar With the area for example. Some nightlights are formed as a single, self-supporting unit that can be plugged directly into a conventional Wall recep

FIG. 2 is a side elevational vieW of the ALCI cord set of

FIG. 1; 30

35

40

detector plug and nightlight combination. Further, What is needed but not provided by the prior art is an ALCI plug set for an appliance and integrally mounted nightlight combi nation. 45

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Brie?y stated, the present invention comprises an appli

illuminated When the ALCI circuit is not tripped. The present invention also comprises a fault interrupter cord set for poWering a load. The fault interrupter cord set includes a fault interrupter plug, a poWer cord, and a nightlight. The fault interrupter plug has a housing, a fault

interrupter circuit disposed Within the housing and tWo

Certain terminology is used in the folloWing description for convenience only and is not limiting. The Words “right”, “left”, “loWer”, and “upper” designate directions in the draWings to Which reference is made. The Words “inWardly” and “outWardly” refer to directions toWard and aWay from, respectively, the geometric center of the object discussed and designated parts thereof. The terminology includes the Words above speci?cally mentioned, derivatives thereof and

In the draWings, like numerals are used to indicate like 50

elements throughout. Referring to the draWings in detail, there is shoWn in FIGS. 142 an appliance leakage current

interrupter (ALCI) cord set 10 for poWering an appliance (not shoWn) in accordance With the present invention. The

an input of the ALCI circuit. The contact blades are con

exterior of the housing of the ALCI plug. The nightlight is electrically coupled to the output of the ALCI circuit and is

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

speci?cation, means “one or more than one.”

plug having a housing, an ALCI circuit disposed Within the housing and tWo partially exposed contact blades coupled to ?gured to connect to an electrical receptacle. The ALCI cord set also includes a poWer cord and a nightlight. The poWer cord has a generally insulative jacket and tWo electrical conductors each having a ?rst end electrically coupled to an output of the ALCI circuit and a second end electrically coupled to the appliance. The nightlight is mounted on an

FIG. 3A is a schematic circuit diagram of anALCI control circuit for use With the ALCI cord set of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3B is a schematic circuit diagram of an alternate ALCI control circuit for use With the ALCI cord set of FIG. 1.

Words of similar import. Additionally, the Word “a” as used in the claims and in the corresponding portions of the

ance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) cord set for poW ering an appliance. The ALCI cord set includes an ALCI

FIG. 1 is a perspective vieW of an appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) cord set for poWering an appli ance in accordance With the present invention;

tacle Without a cord or the need to place the nightlight on a

surface. One such nightlight is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 6,390,647 B1 of Shaefer Which also discloses additional features of such a self-supporting nightlight. What is needed but not provided by the prior art is an fault

Which is presently preferred. It should be understood, hoW ever, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrange ments and instrumentalities shoWn.

disclosed in US. Pat. No. 5,943,199 of Aromin.

diode (LED) Which turns on When a fault condition has

invention, there is shoWn in the draWings an embodiment

ALCI cord set 10 includes an ALCI plug 20, a poWer cord 55

40 and a nightlight 45. The ALCI plug 20 has a housing 25, an ALCI circuit 60 (FIG. 3A) disposed Within the housing 25 and tWo partially exposed contact blades 21 coupled to an input IN of the ALCI circuit 60. The contact blades 21 are con?gured to connect to a conventional electrical receptacle

60

as is knoWn in the art. The poWer cord 40 has a generally

insulative jacket and tWo electrical conductors 42, 43 each having a ?rst end electrically coupled to an output OUT of the ALCI circuit 60 and a second end electrically coupled to the appliance. The ALCI plug 20 also includes a test button 65

35 and a reset button 30 for testing the ALCI circuit 60 and resetting the ALCI circuit 60 from a tripped, faulted or tested

condition, respectively.

US 7,196,885 B2 3

4

The nightlight 45 is mounted on an exterior of the housing 25 of the ALCI plug 20 and includes a lamp 46 and a lens cover 50. The lamp 46 may be a light bulb, a light emitting diode (LED), an LED array or any other structure capable of

and has a slightly modi?ed input ?ltering scheme. But, it should be noted that ALCI circuits 60, 60' are generally Well knoWn in the art. Any ALCI circuit 60, 60' may be utiliZed in combination With a nightlight 45 disposed on the exterior

of the housing 25 of the fault interrupter plug 20 Without departing from the spirit of the invention as Would be

illuminating by the application of electrical poWer as is knoWn in the art. The lens cover 50 is preferably a translu

cent polymeric material, but may be clear, tinted and/ or glass Without departing from the present invention. The lamp 46 of the nightlight 45 is electrically coupled to the output OUT

obvious to one skilled in the art.

While described herein as an ALCI circuit 60, 60', the

ALCI circuit 60, 60' may be other types of fault detection

of the ALCI circuit 60 and is illuminated When the ALCI circuit 60 is not tripped (i.e., When there is no detected fault condition and the ALCI circuit 60 has been reset). The ALCI cord set 10 is preferably used in combination With an

circuits used in combination With a nightlight 45 mounted on

the exterior of the housing 25 of the fault interrupter plug 20, such as a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFI) (not shoWn) and an arc fault detector circuit interrupter (not shoWn) as are knoWn in the art. Furthermore, the ALCI cord set 10 may include combinations of different fault detection circuits in combination With the nightlight 45, such as a combination of an ALCI circuit 60, 60' and a GFI circuit, Without departing

appliance like a hair dryer (not shoWn) Which may be left plugged into a Wall receptacle (not shoWn) such that the nightlight 45 provides illumination to the area surrounding the ALCI cord set 10. The ALCI cord set 10 may optionally include an on/olf

sWitch SW47 electrically coupled betWeen the output OUT of the ALCI circuit 25 and the lamp 46 of the nightlight 45. The on/olf sWitch SW47 has a ?rst position to block poWer ?oW from the output OUT of the ALCI circuit 60 to the lamp 46 of the nightlight 45 and a second position to alloW poWer ?oW from the output OUT of the ALCI circuit 60 to the lamp 46 of the nightlight 45. Of course, other combinations of

20

25

sWitches having other functionality may be utiliZed Without departing from the invention. Further, it is contemplated that the on/olf sWitch SW47 is actuated by an automatic sensor such as an ambient light (or lack of light) sensor, a motion sensor, a sound sensor and the like.

30

appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above Without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modi? cations Within the spirit and scope of the present invention as de?ned by the appended claims. We claim:

1. An appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) cord set for poWering an appliance, the ALCI cord set compris 1ng: an ALCI plug having a housing, an ALCI circuit disposed

Referring to FIG. 3A, the ALCI circuit 60 includes a

current sensing coil CTI, an interrupting relay K1 and a fault detection circuit 62. The fault detection circuit 62 includes

a fault detector integrated circuit (IC) U1 Which is con?g ured to respond to detected current differentials by energiZ ing/de-energiZing a control output. The relay K1 includes a solenoid S1 Which is coupled to the control output of the fault detector IC U1 by a silicon controlled recti?er (SCR),

from the broad inventive scope of the present invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention comprises an ALCI poWer cord set having a nightlight disposed on an exterior of the housing. It Will be

Within the housing and only tWo partially exposed contact blades coupled to an input of the ALCI circuit, the only tWo contact blades being con?gured to connect

35

to an electrical receptacle;

a poWer cord having a generally insulative jacket and only

as shoWn. The ALCI circuit 60 includes other suitable

biasing components such as metal oxide varistor (MOV) M10, resistors R1*R4, capacitors C1*C3 and diodes

a line electrical conductor and a neutral electrical

an output of the ALCI circuit and a second end elec

trically coupled to the appliance; and

D1*D4. The current sensing coil CT1 is con?gured to sense electrical current ?oWing out of the ALCI circuit 60 and to sense current ?oWing back into the output OUT of the ALCI

circuit 60. The interrupting relay K1 has contacts SW1, SW2

conductor each having a ?rst end electrically coupled to

40

a nightlight including a lens cover and a lamp, the

nightlight being mounted on and protruding from a surface of the housing, the lens cover being smaller in Width and length than the surface of the housing the

45

electrically coupled betWeen the input IN and the output OUT of the ALCI circuit 60. The contacts SW1, SW2 have a closed position to alloW poWer ?oW from the input IN of the ALCI circuit to the output OUT of the ALCI circuit and a tripped or open position to block poWer ?oW from the input IN of the ALCI circuit 60 to the output OUT of the ALCI circuit 60. The fault detection circuit 62 is responsive to the current sensing coil CT1 and is con?gured to actuate the

lens cover is mounted on, the lens cover protruding

from the surface of the housing and de?ning a holloW

interior, 50

the lamp being electrically coupled to the output of the ALCI circuit and being illuminated When the ALCI

circuit is not tripped, the lamp protruding into the holloW interior de?ned by the lens cover beyond the

interrupting relay K1 from the closed position to the tripped position upon detection of a fault leakage current. The fault

surface of the housing to thereby illuminate an area 55

leakage current Which causes the ALCI circuit 60 to actuate

the interrupting relay is betWeen about 2 milliamps and about 8 milliamps, but preferably, the fault leakage current Which causes the ALCI circuit 60 to trip is about 6 milli amps. Of course, this is but one possible implementation of

3. An appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) cord set for poWering an appliance, the ALCI cord set compris 60

the ALCI circuit 60 and other designs may be implemented using the same or other components Without departing from the present invention.

1ng:

an ALCI plug having a housing, an ALCI circuit disposed

Within the housing and only tWo partially exposed contact blades coupled to an input of the ALCI circuit, the only tWo contact blades being con?gured to connect

For example, FIG. 3B is a different implementation of an

ALCI circuit 60', Which varies slightly from FIG. 3A. The ALCI circuit 60' is a simpli?ed design Which does not include a diode recti?er bridge (D1*D4 of ALCI circuit 60)

surrounding the ALCI cord set. 2. The ALCI cord set according to claim 1, Wherein the appliance is a hair dryer.

65

to an electrical receptacle;

a poWer cord having a generally insulative jacket and only a line electrical conductor and a neutral electrical

US 7,196,885 B2 5

6

conductor each having a ?rst end electrically coupled to an output of the ALCI circuit and a second end electrically coupled to the appliance;

4. The ALCI cord set according to claim 1, Wherein the ALCI circuit comprises: a current sensing coil con?gured to sense electrical cur

a nightlight including a lens cover and a lamp, the

rent ?oWing out of the ALCI circuit and to sense current

nightlight being mounted on and protruding from a 5 surface of the housing, the lens cover being smaller in Width and length than the surface of the housing the lens cover is mounted on, the lens cover protruding

from the surface of the housing and de?ning a holloW

interior, the lamp being electrically coupled to the output of the ALCI circuit and being illuminated When the ALCI circuit is not tripped, the lamp protruding into the holloW interior de?ned by the lens cover beyond the surface of the housing to thereby illuminate an area surrounding the ALCI cord set; and 15

an on/olf sWitch electrically coupled betWeen the output of the ALCI circuit and the nightlight, the on/olf sWitch having a ?rst position to block poWer ?oW from the

?oWing back into the output of the ALCI circuit; an interrupting relay having contacts electrically coupled betWeen the input and the output of the ALCI circuit, the contacts having a closed position to alloW poWer ?oW from the input of the ALCI circuit to the output of the ALCI circuit and a tripped position to block poWer ?oW from the input of the ALCI circuit to the output of

the ALCI circuit; and a fault detection circuit responsive to the current sensing

coil and being con?gured to actuate the interrupting relay from the closed position to the tripped position upon detection of a fault leakage current. 5. The ALCI cord set according to claim 4, Wherein the fault leakage current is betWeen about 2 milliamps and about

output of the ALCI circuit to the nightlight and a second 8 milliamps. position to alloW poWer ?oW from the output of the 20 ALCI circuit to the nightlight.

*

*

*

*

*

Appliance leakage current interrupter and nightlight combination

Apr 23, 2003 - ?cation/Data Sheet for RV4145A Integrated Circuit, Fairchild. (21) Appl. ... Powering an appliance includes an ALCI Plug having a. 361/45 78.

527KB Sizes 1 Downloads 239 Views

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