Annunciator apparatus for monitoring electrical connections

Claim 2

In an apparatus for detecting the unauthorized removal of an electrical plug with male contacts wherein said apparatus includes receptacle means with power, neutral and ground terminal means for connection to power, neutral and ground conductors and for receiving the male contacts of the plug and neutral switching means connected to said neutral terminal means for responding to the insertion of the plug into said receptacle means by closing and wherein said apparatus includes annunciator circuit means for indicating the unauthorized removal of the electrical plug from said receptacle meant including input circuit means for producing a transition sensed signal in response to the opening of said neutral switching means when said plug is removed and indicating circuit means for continuously announcing removal of the electrical plug in response to the transition sensed signal, the improvement comprising: A. first power supply means connected to the power and neutral conductors for producing a neutral-reference supply voltage for energizing said input circuit means, B. second power supply means connected to the power, neutral and ground conductors for producing a ground-reference supply voltage for energizing said indicating circuit means, and C. isolating signal transfer means for energizing said indicating circuit means in response to the transition sensed signal.

Claim 3

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said input circuit means includes signal processing means for generating the transition sensed signal and said indicating circuit means includes alarm generator means for producing a continuous announcement and signal processing means for energizing the alarm generator means and wherein each of said first and second power supply means includes corresponding generating means for generating a power supply voltage for energizing the signal processing means in the input circuit means and indicating means respectively.

Claim 4

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein each of first and second power supply means includes battery means in parallel with said corresponding generating means for providing backup power in the absence of electrical power from the power, neutral and ground conductors.

Claim 5

Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said battery means is removable and each of said first and second power supply means includes battery monitoring means connected to the corresponding battery means and signal processing means in said input circuit means and said indicating circuit means, respectively, for energizing said respective signal processing means when said battery means is removed thereby to energize said alarm generator means.

Claim 6

Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein each of said battery means in said first and second power supply means includes a rechargeable battery and means for connecting to said battery thereby to enable said respective power supply means to charge said battery when the power, neutral and ground conductors are energized.

Claim 7

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 additionally comprising plug connection means for interconnecting said first and second power supply means to corresponding ones of the power, neutral and ground conductors and unidirectional conducting means connected between said ground reference power supply and said neutral reference power supply and connected to said signal processing means in said indicating circuit means for energizing said alarm generator means when said plug connection means disconnects from the power, neutral and ground conductors.

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein each of said first and second power supply means includes battery means in parallel with said corresponding generating means for providing backup power in the absence of electrical power from the corresponding ones of the power, neutral and ground conductors, each said battery means including a rechargeable battery and means for connecting to said battery thereby to enable said respective power supply means to charge said battery when the power, neutral and ground conductors are energized.

Claim 9

Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said battery means is removable and each of said first and second power supply means includes battery monitoring means connected to the corresponding battery means and signal processing means in said input circuit means and said indicating circuit means, respectively, for energizing said respective signal processing means when said battery means is removed thereby to energize said alarm generator means.

Claim 10

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 additionally including reset switching means connected to second power supply means and said signal processing means in said indicating means operable for deenergizing said alarm generator means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said isolating signal transfer means comprises electro-optical isolating means including a light generator means and light-responsive switching means and wherein said signal processing means in said input circuit means includes transition sensed signal switching means in series with said light generator means for controlling the operation of said light generator means in response to the transition sensed signal and said signal processing means in said indicating circuit means includes latching means for energizing said alarm generator means and means connecting said light-responsive switching means to said latching means for causing said latching means to energize said alarm generator means in response to the transition sensed signal.

Claim 12

Apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein light generator means and said transition sensed signal switching means connect across said first power supply means and said transition sensed signal switching means comprises transistor switching circuit means for interconnecting said light generator and said neutral conductor.

Claim 13

Apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said input circuit means includes signal processing means for generating the transition sensed signal and said indicating circuit means includes alarm generator means for producing a continuous announcement and signal processing means for energizing the alarm generator means and wherein each of said first and second power supply means includes corresponding generating means for generating a power supply voltage for energizing the signal processing means in the input circuit means and indicating circuit means respectively.

Claim 14

Apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein each of first and second power supply means includes battery means in parallel with said corresponding generating means for providing backup power in the absence of electrical power from the power, neutral and ground conductors.

Claim 15

Apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein said battery means is removable and each of said first and second power supply means includes battery monitoring means connected to the corresponding battery means and signal processing means in said input circuit means and said indicating circuit means, respectively, for energizing said respective signal processing means when said battery means is removed thereby to energize said alarm generator means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as recited in claim 13 wherein each of said battery means in said first and second power supply means includes a rechargeable battery and means for connecting to said battery thereby to enable said respective power supply means to charge said battery when the power, neutral and ground conductors are energized.

Claim 17

Apparatus as recited in claim 12 additionally comprising plug connection means for interconnecting said first and second power supply means to the corresponding ones of the power, neutral and ground conductors and unidirectional conducting means connected between said ground reference power supply and said neutral reference power supply and connected to said signal processing means in said indicating circuit means for energizing said alarm generator means when said plug connection means disconnects from the power, neutral and ground conductors.

Claim 18

Apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein each of said first and second power supply means includes battery means in parallel with said corresponding generating means for providing backup power in the absence of electrical power from the corresponding ones of the power, neutral and ground conductors, each said battery means including a rechargeable battery and means for connecting to said battery thereby to enable said respective power supply means to charge said battery when the power, neutral and ground conductors are energized.

Claim 19

Apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said battery means is removable and each of said first and second power supply means includes battery monitoring means connected to the corresponding battery means and signal processing means in said input circuit means and said indicating circuit means, respectively, for energizing said respective signal processing means when said battery means is removed thereby to energize said alarm generator means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as recited in claim 12 additionally including reset switching means connected to said second power supply means and said signal processing means in said indicating means operable for deenergizing said alarm generator means.

Claim 21

In an apparatus for detecting the unauthorized removal of an electrical plug wherein said apparatus includes receptacle means with power, neutral and ground terminal means for connection to power, neutral and ground conductors and for receiving the male contacts of the plug and neutral switching means connected to said neutral terminal means for responding to the insertion of the plug into said receptacle means by closing and wherein said apparatus includes annunciator circuit means for indicating the unauthorized removal of the electrical plug from said receptacle means including input circuit means for producing a transition sensed signal in response to the opening of said neutral switching means when a plug is removed and indicating circuit means for continuously announcing removal of the electrical plug in response to the transition sensed signal, the improvement comprising: A. first power supply means connectible to the power, and neutral conductors for producing a neutral-reference supply voltage for energizing said input circuit means, B. second power supply means connectible to said power, neutral and ground conductors for producing a ground-reference supply voltage for energizing said indicating circuit means, C. plug connection means for releasably connecting said first and second power supply means to the respective ones of the power, neutral and ground conductors, and D. unidirectional conducting means connected between said ground reference power supply and said neutral reference power supply and connected to said indicating circuit means thereby to initiate a continuous announcing by the indicating circuit means when said plug connection means disconnects from the power, neutral and ground conductors.

Claim 22

In an apparatus for detecting the unauthorized removal of an electrical plug wherein said apparatus includes receptacle means with power, neutral and ground terminal means for connection to power, neutral and ground conductors and for receiving the male contacts of the plug and neutral switching means connected to said neutral terminal means for responding to the insertion of the plug into said receptacle means by closing and wherein said apparatus includes annunciator circuit means for indicating the unauthorized removal of the electrical plug from said receptacle means including input circuit means for producing a transition sensed signal in response to the opening of said neutral switching means when a plug is removed and indicating circuit means for continuously announcing removal of the electrical plug in response to the transition sensed signal, the improvement comprising: A. first power supply means connectible to the power, and neutral conductors for producing a neutral-reference supply voltage for energizing said input circuit means, B. second power supply means connectible to said power, neutral and ground conductors for producing a ground-reference supply voltage for energizing said indicating circuit means, C. plug connection means for releasably connecting said first and second power supply means to the respective ones of the power, neutral and ground conductors, and D. unidirectional conducting means connected between said ground reference power supply and said neutral reference power supply and connected to said indicating circuit means thereby to initiate a continuous announcing by the indicating circuit means when said plug connection means disconnects from the power, neutral and ground conductors.

Claim 23

Apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein said unidirectional conducting means includes a diode and resistor connected to conduct current to the neutral conductor in said first power supply means and connected to said signal processing circuit in said indicating circuit means and to said second power supply for causing said signal processing circuit to energize said alarm generator means when said plug connection means disconnects from the neutral and ground conductors.

Claim 24

Apparatus as recited in claim 20 additionally including reset switching means connected to said signal processing means in said indicating means operable for deenergizing said alarm generator.

Claim 25

In an apparatus for detecting the unauthorized removal of an electrical plug wherein said apparatus includes receptacle means with power, neutral and ground terminal means for connection to power, neutral and ground conductors and for receiving the male contacts of the plug and neutral switching means connected to said neutral terminal means for responding to the insertion of the plug into said receptacle means by closing and wherein said apparatus includes annunciator circuit means for indicating the unauthorized removal of the electrical plug from said receptacle means including input circuit means for producing a transition sensed signal in response to the opening of said neutral switching means when a plug is removed and indicating circuit means for continuously announcing removal of the electrical plug in response to the transition sensed signal, the improvement comprising: A. first power supply means connected to said power and neutral conductors for producing a neutral-reference supply voltage for energizing said input circuit means, B. second power supply means connected to said power, neutral and ground conductors for producing a ground-reference supply voltage for energizing said indicating circuit means, and C. independent battery backup means in each of said first and second power supply means for energizing said input circuit means and said indicating circuit means when the power, neutral and ground conductors are deenergized whereby said backup battery means in said first and second power supplies produce voltages with respect to the neutral conductor and the ground conductor respectively.

Claim 26

In an apparatus for detecting the unauthorized removal of an electrical plug wherein said apparatus includes receptacle means with power, neutral and ground terminal means for connection to power, neutral and ground conductors and for receiving the male contacts of the plug and neutral switching means connected to said neutral terminal means for responding to the insertion of the plug into said receptacle means by closing and wherein said apparatus includes annunciator circuit means for indicating the unauthorized removal of the electrical plug from said receptacle means including input circuit means for producing a transition sensed signal in response to the opening of said neutral switching means when a plug is removed and indicating circuit means for continuously announcing removal of the electrical plug in response to the transition sensed signal, the improvement comprising: A. first power supply means connected to said power and neutral conductors for producing a neutral-reference supply voltage for energizing said input circuit means, B. second power supply means connected to said power, neutral and ground conductors for producing a ground-reference supply voltage for energizing said indicating circuit means, and C. independent battery backup means in each of said first and second power supply means for energizing said input circuit means and said indicating circuit means when the power, neutral and ground conductors are deenergized whereby said backup battery means in said first and second power supplies produce voltages with respect to the neutral conductor and the ground conductor respectively.

Claim 27

Apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein said battery means is removable and each of said first and second power supply means includes battery monitoring means connected to the corresponding battery means and signal processing means in said input circuit means and said indicating circuit means, respectively, for energizing said respective signal processing means when said battery means is removed thereby to energize said alarm generator means.

Claim 28

Apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein each of said battery means in said first and second power supply means includes a rechargeable battery and means for connecting to said battery thereby to enable said respective power supply means to charge said battery when the corresponding ones of the power, neutral and ground conductors are energized.

Claim 29

Apparatus as recited in claim 24 additionally including reset switching means connected to said second power supply means and said signal processing means in said indicating means operable for deenergizing said alarm generator.