Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Locking Arm Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) can reconnect conducting contacts if an external force is applied after a ground fault, leading to potential safety hazards such as personal electric shocks or equipment damage.
Innovation Solution
An improved GFCI structure featuring a leakage protection action mechanism with a sleeve, permanent magnet, soft magnet, elastic mechanism, action coil, and a reset button, along with a locking arm and torsion beam to prevent uncontrolled reconnection of contacts, and a safety door design to prevent accidental electric shocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conducting contacts are disconnected by the magnetic force of the electromagnetic coil when a ground fault occurs, then the safety hazard is prevented, but the conducting contacts may be re-connected if an external force is applied, causing secondary occurrence of accidents
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arm is preliminarily positioned to block the stop surface, creating a preventive barrier against unwanted reconnection before it can occur. This preliminary anti-action ensures that even if external forces are applied, the contacts cannot accidentally reconnect, thus maintaining safety reliability while preventing the instability of contact connection state
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism performs a preliminary action by automatically engaging the locking arm with the stop surface immediately after contact disconnection. This preliminary locking action secures the disconnected state before any external forces can cause reconnection, resolving the contradiction between maintaining safe disconnection and preventing unstable reconnection
2Reliability
If a locking arm with stop surface is added to prevent uncontrolled reconnection, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arm is merged with the existing elastic mechanism and integrated into the sleeve structure. The locking arm utilizes the same elastic element that already exists in the GFCI mechanism, combining the locking function with the existing elastic recovery system rather than adding a completely separate mechanism, thus improving safety while minimizing the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The locking arm serves multiple functions: it acts as both a safety lock to prevent unwanted reconnection and as part of the overall contact control mechanism. By making the locking arm multi-functional and integrating it with existing components, the patent improves reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents secondary damage by ensuring the soft magnet remains locked in place even with external forces, and the safety door design prevents accidental electric shocks from conductive objects, enhancing safety and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
can disconnect the conducting contacts by means of the magnetic force of an electromagnetic coil
Implementation Method 2
The locking arm is also connected to an elastic element which in a normal state moves downward the stop surface of the locking arm
Data Source
AI summary
A structure of a ground fault circuit interrupter includes a locking arm, which is provided with a stop surface, disposed inside the ground fault circuit interrupter, and a support body fixedly connected to a soft magnet is provided with a stop portion which can interfere with the stop surface that is moving downward. The locking arm is also connected to an elastic element, and under a normal state, the elastic element moves downward the stop surface of the locking arm to interfere with the stop portion of the support body, so that the soft magnet is prevented from moving toward a permanent magnet The locking arm can also be pushed down and driven by a reset button to move upward the stop surface, so that the stop portion and the stop surface no longer interfere with each other.