MODULAR WIRING SYSTEM WITH LOCKING ELEMENTS

• US 20100227484A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: EDER, John, ARENAS, Alfredo, Endres, Paul, Ganta, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 7,955,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/514 composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2491 Terminal blocks structurally associated with plugs or sockets

Abstract

A wiring system includes a wiring module and a functional module. The wiring module in at least one embodiment includes elongated holes or openings which are configured to engage or lock with prongs on a functional module to create a lockable connection. The wiring module and the functional module form both a physical and an electrical connection. In another embodiment, the wiring module has at least three elongated openings or holes, and wherein one of the openings or holes is for receiving a ground prong, while the other openings or holes are for receiving prongs which conduct electricity or communicate information. In another embodiment there is a wiring module that has four elongated openings or holes with all four of these connections associated with the four elongated openings or holes configured to conduct electricity.

Claims

1. A wiring module comprising:

a body comprising a at least one face having at least three elongated openings therein, wherein the wiring module is configured to be rotatably coupled to a functional module wherein at least one of said at least three openings has a first section for removably receiving a prong therein, and a second section for engaging a prong therein once the wiring module has been rotated.

2. The wiring module as in claim 1, wherein said at least one face of said body further comprises at least one fourth opening, with at least three of said at least four openings having a first section for receiving a prong therein, and at least a second section for engaging a prong once the wiring module has been rotated.

3. The wiring module as in claim 2, wherein said at least one face of said body further comprises at least one fifth opening, wherein at least four of said at least five openings have a first section for receiving a prong therein and a second section for engaging a prong therein once the wiring module is moved in a rotated position.

4. The wiring module as in claim 1, further comprising at least three wires, wherein said body further comprises at least one additional face extending transverse to said front face, wherein said at least three wires extend out from said at least one additional face.

5. The wiring module as in claim 1, further comprising at least one second additional face, extending transverse to said front face, wherein the wiring module further comprises at least one flange extending out from said at least one second additional face, wherein said at least one flange is configured to lock the wiring module to the functional module.

6. The wiring module as in claim 1, wherein said wiring module further comprises a plurality of contacts, wherein at least one contact has a first section configured to receive a prong, and at least one second section configured to lock a prong therein when said wiring module is rotated relative to a functional module.

7. The wiring module as in claim 1, wherein said at least one face of said body further comprises at least one substantially round opening, positioned substantially in a center region of said front face of said wiring module.

8. The wiring module as in claim 1, further comprising at least one ground contact, wherein said ground contact extends outside of said body.

9. The wiring module as in claim 4, wherein said at least three wires further comprises at least two additional wires, such that the wiring module comprises at least five wires, wherein at least two of said at least five wires are configured to connect to a downstream load.

10. The wiring module as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of contacts, wherein said plurality of contacts comprise at least one phase line contact for connecting to power from a phase line, at least one neutral line contact for connecting to power from a neutral line, at least one phase load contact for connecting power to a phase line of a load, at least one neutral load contact configured for connecting power to a neutral line of a load.

11. The wiring module as in claim 1, further comprising at least one contact, having a first end coupled to a wire and a second end extending at an approximately right angle and formed as contact end section which is configured to connect with a functional module.

12. The wiring module as in claim 1, further comprising a user operable clamp comprising at least one of:

a screw, a clamp, a wrap, a cam, for selectively electrically coupling a wire to a contact.

13. The wiring module as in claim 1, wherein said wiring module is configured to connect to a three-way switch, and wherein said wiring module comprises at least four lines, comprising at least one phase line, at least one load line, at least one ground line, and at least one communication line for selectively controlling said three-way switch.

14. The wiring module as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of power input lines configured to couple to building wiring and to receive power from said building wiring, and a plurality of power output lines configured to output power to a load, wherein the wiring module body is configured to provide a single termination end to a functional module for both said plurality of power input lines and said plurality of power output lines.

15. The wiring module as in claim 14, wherein the wiring module body is configured to couple to a functional module comprising an in wall mounted fault circuit interrupter comprising at least one of:

a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI), an electrical leakage circuit interrupter (ELCI), an overvoltage circuit interrupter, an overcurrent circuit interrupter, or a remote controlled home automation module.

16. The wiring module as in claim 1, wherein said at least one face of said body further comprises at least one fourth opening comprising a ground contact opening, wherein said at least three openings are spaced substantially at equal distances around said ground contact opening.

17. The wiring module as in claim 16, wherein said ground contact opening is positioned in a substantially center region of the body of the wiring module, wherein the wiring module is configured such that when the wiring module is coupled to the functional module, the wiring module is rotatable about a ground prong on the functional module which is inserted into said ground contact opening.

18. A wiring module comprising:

a housing having a plurality of openings;

a plurality of contacts having at least one user operable clamping contact for selectively clamping onto a line which is connected inside of said housing.

19. The wiring module as in claim 18, further comprising a clamp body for allowing said clamping contact to clamp a line onto said clamp body.

20. The wiring module as in claim 18, further comprising at least one side cover, wherein said at least one side cover is coupled to said housing.

21. The wiring module as in claim 20, wherein said at least one side cover further comprises at least one hinge, wherein said at least one side cover is hingedly connected to said housing.

22. The wiring module as in claim 21, wherein said at least one side cover is positioned on said housing to selectively cover at least one of said plurality of contacts.

23. The wiring module as in claim 18, wherein the wiring module is configured to rotatably connect to a back surface of a functional module and wherein the functional module comprises an in wall mounted device comprising at least one of a:

switch, a receptacle, a combination device, a fault circuit interrupter, an occupancy sensor, a remote controlled home automation module.

24. A wiring system comprising:

a wiring module comprising at least one housing having a plurality of openings comprising at least four openings with at least three of said at least four openings being elongated openings;

a functional module comprising at least four prongs, including at least one ground prong, wherein said prongs of said functional module are configured to insert into said openings of said wiring module and to lock with said wiring module once said wiring module is rotated with respect to the said functional module.

25. The wiring system as in claim 24, further comprising a plurality of contacts, with at least one contact disposed in at least one of said plurality of openings, wherein said at least one contact is configured to electrically connect with at least one of said at least four prongs.

26. The wiring system as in claim 24, wherein said at least four prongs comprise at least five prongs, wherein at least one of said at least five prongs is a ground prong, at least two of said at least five prongs comprise line prongs and at least two of said at least five prongs comprise load prongs.

27. The wiring system as in claim 26, wherein said line prongs comprise a phase prong and a neutral prong, and said load prongs comprise a phase prong and a neutral prong, wherein said line prongs are configured to connect with contacts on said wiring module which are powered by a power line, and said load prongs are configured to connect with contacts on said wiring module which provide power to lines which are configured to couple to a load.

28. A wiring system for coupling to a power distribution line, the system comprising:

a) a plurality of wiring modules;

b) a plurality of wires, wherein each wiring module includes a plurality of wires;

c) a plurality of coupling elements configured to electrically couple said plurality of wiring modules together such that a single power distribution line provides power to at least two wiring modules.

29. The wiring system as in claim 28, wherein at least two wiring modules comprise a phase line, a neutral line and a ground line;

and wherein said plurality of coupling elements comprise a phase coupling element for coupling two phase lines of two different wiring modules together, and two ground lines of two different wiring modules together.

30. The wiring system as in claim 29, further comprising at least one additional coupling element comprising a neutral coupling element for coupling at least two neutral lines from two different wiring modules together.

31. The wiring system as in claim 29, wherein at least one of said wiring modules comprises a switch wiring module having a body and a flange forming a key for connecting to a functional module comprising a switch.

32. The wiring system as in claim 30, wherein at least one of said wiring modules comprises a receptacle wiring module having a body and a flange forming a key for connecting to a functional module comprising a receptacle.

33. A method for coupling multiple wiring modules together comprising:

electrically connecting at least two phase lines together of at least two different wiring modules;

electrically connecting at least two ground lines together of said at least two different wiring modules;

electrically connecting a phase line from a power distribution line to said at least two phase lines of said wiring modules;

electrically connecting a ground line from a power distribution line to said at least two ground lines of said wiring modules; and

electrically connecting a neutral line to at least one neutral line of said wiring modules.

34. The method as in claim 33, further comprising the step of electrically connecting at least two neutral lines together of said at least two different wiring modules.

35-66. -66. (canceled)