GFCI receptacle having plug blocking means

Abstract

A shaped member having at least one window is located within a GFCI protected receptacle and is operated by movement of the contact arm of the GFCI to assume a first position to block at least one plug receiving opening in the receptacle and a second position which locates the window to allow the prong of a plug to freely enter the face of the receptacle. In operation, when the circuit interrupting device goes into a tripped state, the contact arm moves down to open the circuit. The downward movement of the contact arm, acting through a connecting linkage causes the shaped member to move to the first position, that of blocking at least one opening in the face of the receptacle. Resetting the circuit interrupting device by pressing in and then releasing the reset button of the GFCI causes the main contacts in the circuit interrupting device to close by the upward movement of the contact arm. As the contact arm moves up, it moves the connecting linkage to position the window of the shaped member to allow the prongs of a plug to freely enter the openings in the face of the receptacle. GFCI's normally have two separate sets of internally located contacts known as bridge contacts, one set for connecting a load to the source of electricity and a second set for connecting a user accessible load to the source of electricity. In the GFCI here disclosed the bridge contacts have been eliminated, thus reducing the cost of manufacture by coupling the conductors for both the load and the user accessible load to a single set of contacts.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A circuit interrupting device comprising: 
 a housing;    a first electrical conductive path disposed at least partially within said housing and terminating at a first connection, said first connection capable of being electrically connected to a source of electricity,    a second electrical conductive path disposed at least partially within said housing and terminating at a second connection, said second connection capable of being electrically connected to at least one load when electrical continuity between said first and second electrical conductive paths is made:    a third electrical conductive path disposed at least partially within said housing and terminating at a third connection, said third connection being electrically connected to the second electrical conductive path and capable of being electrically connected via prongs of a plug inserted into receiving openings in the face of the housing to at least one user accessible load when electrical continuity between said first and second electrical conductive paths is made;    a circuit interrupting portion disposed within said housing and configured to break electrical continuity from said first to said second and third conductive paths upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition;    a reset portion disposed at least partially within said housing and configured to make electrical continuity from said first to said second and/or third conductive paths;    said circuit interrupting device further comprising a reset lockout portion that prevents the making of electrical continuity from said first to said second and third conductive paths, if said circuit interrupting portion is non-operational;    wherein said reset portion comprises:    a reset button;    at least one reset contact which when depressed is capable of contacting at least a portion of one of said first, second or third conductive paths to cause said predetermined condition, wherein if said circuit interrupting portion is operational, said circuit interrupting portion is activated to disable said reset lockout portion and facilitate making of electrical continuity from said first to said second and third conductive paths, and wherein if said circuit interrupting portion is non-operational, said reset lockout portion remains enabled so that making of electrical continuity from said first to said second and third conductive paths is prevented; and,    shaped member coupled to the circuit interrupting device adapted to assume a first position to block the prongs of a plug from being inserted into the receiving openings in the face of the housing to prevent the third connection from being connected to the user accessible load while the circuit interrupting portion is non-operational and a second position to allow the prongs of a plug to be inserted into the receiving openings in the face of the housing to allow the third connection to be connected to the user accessible load while the circuit interrupting portion is operational, wherein the shaped member comprises a blocking member and a window and is urge against a spring by the circuit interrupting portion to position the blocking member to block the receiving openings to prevent the prongs from being inserted into the receiving openings and is urged by the spring to position the window to allow the prongs to be inserted into the receiving openings.