Safety outlet module

• US 20050272305A1
• Filed: 05/14/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexandra Block, ANDREW KALANI NIHEU & JAY DEEP CHITNIS, Andrew M. Jenkins, Anne M. Mahoney, Baker Ken, Baum Family Trust, Binkley Family Trust, Bonnie Austin, Brandon Dinoto, Brandon Moore Utma, BRIAN DRISCOLL AND/OR DRISCOLL INVESTMENTS INC., Bruce Johnson, BRUCE & LORENE BOWERS, BRUCE & SANDY BRANDENBURG, CARL A LARSON, TRUSTEE LARSON 1995 REVOCABLE TRUST DTD 11/17/1995, CARL KOBAYASHI & MISHELLE NISHIDA, Chea Chung, CHRISTOPHER MOORE INDIVIDUALLY & AS TRUSTEE MOORE FAMILY TRUST DTD 10/3/2006, Christy L. Hendrickson Trust, CLAUDE KORDUS TRUSTEE KORDUS FAMILY TRUST, CLIFF & MAKOTO MCQUEEN, Court Wilson, Craig Hillegas, Daniel Allen, Daniel C. Serpe, DANIEL & KIMBERLY DOTSON, Daniel White, Dan Way, DAVID & BONNIC AUSTIN INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEES AUSTIN FAMILY TRUST DTD 10/1/1999, David Caldwell, David L. Lyon, Dominique Pandolfi, DONALD D. LEARNED, TRUSTEE DONALD LEARNED TRUST C/O SCOTT LEARNED, DONALD & MARY SPENCER, Don Farris Inc Retirement Trust, Doug Cox, Elizabeth Willis, Eric Rawa, Estate Of Gary W. Dixon, GARY & BARBARA A. GENTZKOW AND/OR BARBARA GENTZKOW'S IRA, GARY & LINDSEY BLOCK, George Block, Glenn Frieder, Gloria Marie Gammill, GREG A. JIRAK & LORI HUBBART, GREG BLOCK, TRUSTEE, BLOCK FAMILY TRUST DTD 6/22/1990, Greg MacDonald, Gregory A. Block, Gregory Bernett, HARDEY, JULIE E. AKA JULIE HELLUM FBO BREE DIXON, Hardie David, Howard Brian Malloy, Ian Nausner, IVAN & LORI MENDELSON, James Clifford, James Gammill, JAMES GEVARGES & DOMINIQUE BEITKANOUN, JAMES & KIM WEINBERGER, JAMES & ROBYN CARBAUGH, JANELL SKOMER AKA JANELL SOHMER-BLOCK C/O GREGORY BLOCK, Jeffrey Lubin, Jeffrey Teza, Jeff Schott, Jerry E. Jageman, John Chu, John F. Zolezzi, JOHN & LAUARIE DEWITT AND/OR THIEIR IRAS, JOHN & LYNN BOWEN, TRUSTEES BOWN FAMILY TRUST DTD 11/21/1985, Jon Hillegas, JULIUS & MARRIETTA ZOLEZZI, KASHAN PIRACHA (KPN, LLC), Katherine Williams, KENNETH & JANET SHANER, Ken Rubin, Kevin Thomas Dinoto, Kristopher Dinoto, Laura Lewis, Laurence Balter, LINDA MOORE INDIVIDUALLY & AS TRUSTEE LINDA B. MOORE PERSONAL TRUST, Lisa Odenweller, Lori Shook, MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS LIMITED C/O SMC MULTI-MEDIA, Man-Ling Lai, Marc Cahal, Marc Odenweller, MARION J. BAUER ROSIDUARY TRUST C/O BLOCK, GAUNCE & ASSOCIATES, MARK & DIANA KENNEY, TRUSTEES KENNEY FAMILY TRUST DTD 11/29/1996, Mark McDonald, Marview Holdings, Inc., Maui Preparatory Academy, Megan Molloy, Melody Kitchens, MICHAEL & ANASTASIA FARRELL AND/OR STERLING TRUST CO. FBO MICHAEL FARRELL, Michael Bosworth, Michael Dewitt, MICHAEL MCLOUGHLIN, TRUSTEE MCLOUGHLIN FAMILY TRUST DTD 3/22/1994, Milton F. Damerow, NGUYEN, PETER (KPN, LLC), Nicholas Block, Nicole Cox, Norman M. Estin Trust, Parvis Nabavi, Paul Block, Persis Hataria, PHILIP BURKHARDT, TRUSTEE BURKHARDT 2005 FAMILY TRUST AND/OR THEIR IRAS, Phillip Moore, PHYLLIS ORNDORFF, TRUSTEE PHYLLIS ORNDORFF TRUST DTD 12-30-2010, RANDY & LONA KENT, R/Com Retail Services, LLC, Richard Babcock, RICHARD & DEBRA MYTKO, RICHARD & JACQUELINE SMITH, Robert C. Albrow, Robert M. Skomer, Robert W. Dudley Trust, Ronald S. Chapman, RYAN & SUSAN BOWERS, Ryota Komaru, Samantha Carroll, Scot Hall, Sean Mundy, Shaochong Yan, SMC Multi-Media Products Company Limited (SMC Multi-Media Limited), S Steven Podstreleny, Steve Benshoof, Steve Marlette, Steven Purves, Steven Sreb, STUART & KAREN SHAFER, Sydney Block, TERRENCE E. LEE, TRUSTEE TERRENCE E. LEE TRUST, Terrill Stewart, Terry Davis, THOMAS DINOTO, TRUSTEE DINOTO FAMILY TRUST DTD 1/11/1993, Thomas Goergen, Thomas H. Zolezzi, Timothy Karis Sirak LLC, TIM WALKER, TRUSTEE WALKER FAMILY TRUST DTD 7/21//2009, Valeo Partners LLC, Vincent Guzzetta Vascular Associates Co., WALTER & REBECCA HICKEL C/O CALWEST PROPERTIES, WARREN & ROBIN COHEN, Wendy Frieder, William Orndorff
• Original Assignee: Michael P. Gorman
• Inventors: Gorman, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,060,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/536
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/655 with earth brace
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/713 the switch being a safety switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts

Abstract

An outlet module has a housing with a functional side and a plug-in side. A covered receptacle is located on the functional side. Conductors are retained at least partially within the housing and extend from the plug-in side. The conductors are adapted to removably insert into a wiring module mounted within an electrical box so as to connect to an electrical power source. The covered receptacle is adapted to accept a corresponding plug so as to transfer power from the electrical power source to an electrical load.

Claims

1. An outlet module comprising:

a housing having a functional side and a plug-in side;

a covered receptacle disposed on said functional side; and

a plurality of conductors retained at least partially within said housing and extending from said plug-in side, said conductors adapted to removably insert into a wiring module mounted within an electrical box so as to connect to an electrical power source,

said covered receptacle adapted to accept a corresponding plug so as to transfer power from said electrical power source to an electrical load.

2. An outlet module method comprising the steps of:

mounting a wiring module within an electrical box;

wiring said wiring module to an electrical power source routed to said electrical box;

removably plugging a functional module into said wiring module;

disposing a covered receptacle on said functional module so that a buss housed within said functional module provides a path between said electrical power source and said covered receptacle;

inserting a plug wired to an electrical load into said covered receptacle so as to uncover said covered receptacle and expose a contact to said buss;

locking said plug within said covered receptacle so as to connect said electrical load to said electrical power source.

3. An outlet module comprising:

a housing means for retaining a plurality of conductive elements;

a plug means disposed on a plug-in side of said housing means for mechanically and electrically connecting said conductive elements to an electrical power source;

a receptacle means disposed on a functional side of said housing means for transmitting power from said electrical power source to an electrical load;

a recessed contact means disposed within said housing means and outside said receptacle means for providing an electrical connection to a plug inserted into said receptacle means;

an aperture means defined within said receptacle means for providing access to a prong portion of said plug to said contact means and for retaining said plug within said receptacle means; and

a cover means disposed within said receptacle means for blocking said aperture means and said recessed contact means in a closed position and for providing access to said contact means by said prong portion of said plug in an open position.