MODULAR WIRING SYSTEM WITH LOCKING ELEMENTS

• US 20110205698A1
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Arenas, Alfredo, Eder, John, Endres, Paul, Ganta, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• 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, there is an adapter which is configured to connect the wiring module and the functional module or unit together.

Claims

1. A functional unit configured to connect to a wiring unit, the functional unit comprising:

a) a housing having a front surface and a back surface;

b) at least three electrically conductive connection elements extending from said back surface of said housing, wherein each of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements has a connection region.

2. The functional unit as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements comprises a body section including said connection region, and a narrower region forming a catch on said body section.

3. The functional unit as in claim 2, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements comprise at least one power conducting element and at least one control element, wherein the functional unit comprises a switch.

4. The functional unit as in claim 2, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements comprise at least one phase element, at least one a neutral element, and at least one additional power conducting element, and wherein said phase element is configured to be coupled to a phase contact from the wiring unit, and wherein said at least one neutral element is configured to be coupled to a neutral contact from the wiring unit.

5. The functional unit as in claim 1, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are prongs, at least one of said prongs including a post section and at least one locking section.

6. The functional unit as in claim 5, wherein said at least one locking section is a bulb shaped region.

7. The functional unit as in claim 1, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are arcuate blades, at least one of said arcuate blades including at least one first extending portion which is narrower than a second extending portion, thereby forming a gap for which is configured to allow said arcuate blade to lock the functional unit to the wiring unit when the functional unit and wiring unit are coupled together and then rotated into a locking position.

8. The functional unit as in claim 7, further comprising a ground pin extending from the outer surface of said housing.

9. The functional unit as in claim 1, wherein said functional unit has a functional element that is selected from the group consisting of:

a switch, a receptacle, a ground fault circuit interrupter, a dimmer, an occupancy sensor, a remote control, a home security control, and a surge protector.

10. A functional unit configured to connect to a wiring unit, the functional unit comprising:

a) a housing including a front surface and a back surface;

b) at least three electrically conductive arcuate blades extending from the back surface of the housing, at least one of said arcuate blades including at least one first extending portion which is narrower than a second extending portion thereby forming a gap.

11. The functional unit of claim 10, further comprising a wiring unit including a body having at least one face including at least three elongated openings formed therein, the at least three electrically conductive arcuate blades interacting with at least three elongated openings when the functional unit and wiring unit are coupled together and then rotated into a locked position, the gap enabling said arcuate blade to lock the functional unit to the wiring unit when the functional unit and wiring unit are in the locked position.

12. The functional unit of claim 11, further comprising a ground pin extending from the back surface of the housing and an opening formed in the face of the wiring unit for receiving the ground pin when the functional unit and the wiring unit are in the locked position.

13. The system as in claim 11, further comprising:

at least one additional non-conductive connection bracket coupled to said functional unit and configured to couple said functional unit to said wiring unit.

14. A modular wiring system comprising:

a) a functional unit configured to be installed into a wall box, said functional unit having a front face and a back face;

b) a wiring unit; and

c) a system for disposed to coupling said functional unit to said wiring unit in a rotational manner, by coupling said back face of said functional unit to said wiring unit, said system comprising at least three electrically conductive connection elements coupled to said functional unit and at least three electrically conductive interfaces coupled to said wiring unit, such that when said functional unit and said wiring unit are positioned adjacent to each other, they are disposed to be rotated to form a locking connection between said at least one connection element on said functional unit and said at least one interface on said wiring unit.

15. The modular wiring system as in claim 14, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements of said functional unit comprise at least one of:

a phase element, a neutral element and an additional electrically conductive connection element comprising at least one of a control element or additional power conducting line.

16. The modular wiring system as in claim 15, wherein said at least three electrically conductive interfaces of said wiring unit comprise at least one of:

a phase element, a neutral element and a control line, wherein said functional unit is a switch.

17. The functional unit as in claim 14, wherein at least one electrically conductive connection element of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements comprises a prong comprising a first extending section and at least one locking section comprising a bulb.

18. The functional unit as in claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements of said functional unit is a curved arm having at least one narrower section configured as a catch.

19. The system as in claim 14, further comprising:

at least one additional non-conductive connection bracket coupled to said functional unit and configured to couple said functional unit to said wiring unit.

20. A wiring system comprising:

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

a functional module comprising at least four electrically conductive connection elements, wherein said electrically conductive connection elements of said functional module are configured to insert into said openings of said wiring module and to lock said wiring module once said wiring module and said functional module are rotated with respect to each other.