Ground fault receptacle with arrangement for protecting internal electronics

Claim 1

A ground fault receptacle comprising: first and second pairs of cooperable contacts, each of said pairs of contacts being operable between an open position and a closed position with one of said contacts of each of said pairs of contacts being stationary and the other of said contacts of each of said pairs of contacts being movable, said first pair of contacts being connectable in series with a hot line conductor (L) of the electrical distribution system and said second pair of contacts being connectable in series with a neutral conductor (N) of the electrical distribution system; ground fault sensing and interrupting means associated with conductors L and N for causing opening of said first and second pairs of contacts upon a ground fault, said ground fault sensing means comprising an electronic circuit responsive to a sensed ground fault to energize a solenoid trip coil whose plunger causes release of a latch member holding said pairs of contacts in the closed position and resulting in movement of said movable contacts of said pairs of contacts to the open position; means for suppling operating power to said electronic circuit comprising conductive connections from said conductors L and N wherein said conductive connection from one of said conductors N comprises said latch member which has a closed position in contact with said one conductor and an open position spaced therefrom, and said latch member moves from said closed position to said open position upon a trip prior to the opening of either of said first and second pairs of contacts.