ELECTRICAL DEVICE WITH REMOVABLE COVER

• US 20110261511A1
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Alderson, R. David, Shah, Nehal P., Kevelos, Adam, Jansen, Ronald H., Tee, Kang Pin, Hoffman, Jerry R., Williams, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,592,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/046 convertible
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/042 Snap coupling; Snap mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2233/074 Snap coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes an electrical device and a removable cover, where the electrical device and the removable cover are adapted to enable the removable cover to pivot into an installed position on the electrical device. In another embodiment, a system includes an electrical device having a pushbutton, and a cover adapted to be removably attached to the electrical device, where the cover includes an opening for accessing the pushbutton, and where the pushbutton includes a sub button and a cosmetic cap adapted to be removably attached to the sub button.

Claims

1. An interchangeable cover for an electrical device, the cover comprising:

one or more retention features adapted to pivotally engage one or more corresponding retention features on the electrical device; and

one or more fastening features adapted to engage one or more corresponding fastening features on the electrical device to maintain the cover in an installed position.

2. The cover of claim 1 where the one or more retention features includes a hinge feature adapted to engage a pivot point on the electrical device.

3. The cover of claim 1 where the one or more fastening features includes a resilient fastening feature.

4. The cover of claim 3 where the resilient fastening feature comprises a snap adapted to engage an opening on the electrical device.

5. The cover of claim 1 where the one or more retention features and the one or more fastening features are located at opposite peripheries of the cover.

6. The cover of claim 5 where:

the cover has two ends and two sides;

the distance between the two ends is greater than the distance between the two sides; and

the one or more retention features and the one or more fastening features are located at ends of the cover.

7. The cover of claim 5 where:

the cover has two ends and two sides;

the distance between the two ends is greater than the distance between the two sides; and

the one or more retention features and the one or more fastening features are located at sides of the cover.

8. The cover of claim 1 where:

the cover has a long dimension and a short dimension; and

the cover is adapted to pivot in the long dimension.

9. The cover of claim 1 where:

the cover has a long dimension and a short dimension; and

the cover is adapted to pivot in the short dimension.

10. The cover of claim 1 where:

the cover has a long dimension and a short dimension; and

the one or more retention features and the one or more fastening features are spaced apart from each other in the long dimension.

11. The cover of claim 1 where:

the cover has a long dimension and a short dimension; and

the one or more retention features and the one or more fastening features are spaced apart from each other in the short dimension.

12. The cover of claim 1 further comprising a retaining feature to prevent removal of the cover from the electrical device while a wall plate is installed over the electrical device.

13. The cover of claim 1 having one or more openings positioned to align with one or more corresponding features of the electrical device.

14. The cover of claim 1 where:

the cover includes a top plate to cover a portion of the electrical device and two sides depending downwardly from the top plate at opposite peripheries of the top plate; and

the cover is constructed so the top plate flexes downward in response to outward flexing of one or both of the two sides.

15. An electrical device comprising:

one or more retention features adapted to pivotally engage one or more corresponding retention features on a removable cover; and

one or more fastening features adapted to engage one or more corresponding fastening features on the removable cover to maintain the cover in an installed position.

16. The electrical device of claim 15 where the electrical device comprises:

a plane on which the one or more retention features and one or more fastening features are located; and

a raised portion projecting from the plane.

17. The electrical device of claim 16 where the raised portion includes one or more flexing features arranged to flex one or more sides of the removable cover as the removable cover is pivoted into the installed position.

18. The electrical device of claim 17 where the one or more flexing features includes a rib projecting outward from the raised portion.

19. The electrical device of claim 18 where the rib includes a ramp to engage one of the sides of the removable cover as the removable cover is pivoted into the installed position.

20. The electrical device of claim 17 where the one or more flexing features includes two ribs projecting outward in opposite directions on opposite sides of the raised portion to force two sides of the removable cover to flex outward in opposite directions.

21. The electrical device of claim 15 where the one or more retention features includes an opening having a beveled side.

22. The electrical device of claim 15 where the one or more fastening features includes an opening to receive a resilient fastening feature on the removable cover.

23. A system comprising:

an electrical device; and

a removable cover;

where the electrical device and the removable cover are adapted to enable the removable cover to pivot into an installed position on the electrical device.

24. The system of claim 23 where:

the electrical device comprises a raised portion; and

the removable cover comprises a rim arranged to overlap the raised portion when the removable cover is in the installed position.

25. The system of claim 24 where the rim includes one or more cutouts for clearance around one or more features of the electrical device.

26. The system of claim 23 where:

the removable cover comprises a first hinge feature; and

the electrical device comprises a second hinge feature to pivotally engage the first hinge feature.

27. The system of claim 26 where:

the first and second hinge features adapted so the first hinge feature may be engaged with the second hinge feature when the cover is at an angle to the electrical device; and

the first and second hinge features are adapted so the first hinge feature is retained by the second hinge feature when the cover is in the installed position.

28. The system of claim 23 where

the removable cover comprises a first resilient fastening feature;

and

the electrical device comprises a second resilient fastening feature adapted to engage the first resilient fastening feature to secure the removable cover in the installed position.

29. An interchangeable cover for an electrical device, the cover comprising:

one or more attachment features adapted to removably attach the cover to the electrical device; and

an opening arranged to access a pushbutton on the electrical device.

30. The cover of claim 29 further comprising a guide adapted to guide the pushbutton in the opening.

31. The cover of claim 30 where the guide comprises one or more guide walls projecting from a back surface of the cover.

32. The cover of claim 29 where the cover further comprises one or more receptacle openings arranged to align with one or more receptacle openings on the electrical device.

33. The cover of claim 29 where the cover further comprises a light guide opening arranged to receive a light guide attached to the electrical device.

34. The cover of claim 33 where the light guide opening comprises a bevel arranged to guide the light guide into the light guide opening when the cover is attached to the electrical device.

35. The cover of claim 29 where the one or more attachment features comprise a retention feature to pivotally attach the cover to the electrical device.

36. The cover of claim 29 further comprising one or more retainer features adapted to prevent removal of the cover while a wall plate is installed over the electrical device.

37. An electrical device comprising:

one or more attachment features adapted to removably receive a cover for the electrical device; and

a sub button having an attachment feature adapted to removably attach a cosmetic cap to the sub button;

where the sub button is arranged to function as a pushbutton with or without the cosmetic cap attached to the sub button.

38. The electrical device of claim 37 where the attachment feature of the sub button comprises a snap feature.

39. The electrical device of claim 38 where the snap feature comprises a recess.

40. The electrical device of claim 37 where the sub button comprises a removal feature to assist removal of the cosmetic cap from the sub button.

41. The electrical device of claim 40 where the removal feature comprises a pry cut.

42. The electrical device of claim 37 further comprising a guide arranged to guide the sub button as the sub button is actuated.

43. The electrical device of claim 42 where the guide comprises a rail arranged to engage a slot on the sub button.

44. The electrical device of claim 42 further comprising a stop arranged to limit the motion of the sub button.

45. The electrical device of claim 44 where the stop comprises a ledge arranged to engage a ledge on the sub button.

46. The electrical device of claim 37 further comprising a sub face having an opening arranged to align with the sub button.

47. The electrical device of claim 46 where sub face includes a removal feature to assist removal of the cosmetic cap from the sub button.

48. The electrical device of claim 47 where the removal feature comprises a pry ramp.

49. The electrical device of claim 47 where the sub face includes one or more guide walls arranged to guide the sub button as it moves inward and outward.

50. The electrical device of claim 47 further comprising a light guide arranged to engage an opening in the cover.

51. The electrical device of claim 37 where:

the electrical device comprises a fault circuit interrupter; and

the sub button is arranged as a test or reset button for the fault circuit interrupter.

52. The electrical device of claim 37 where:

the electrical device further comprises a second sub button having an attachment feature adapted to removably attach a second cosmetic cap to the second sub button; and

the second sub button is arranged to function as a pushbutton with or without the second cosmetic cap attached to the second sub button.

53. The electrical device of claim 52 where:

the electrical device comprises a fault circuit interrupter;

the first sub button is arranged as a test button for the fault circuit interrupter; and

the second sub button is arranged as a reset button for the fault circuit interrupter.

54. An interchange kit comprising:

a cover adapted to be removably attached to an electrical device and including an opening arranged to access a sub button on an electrical device; and

a cosmetic cap adapted to be removably attached to the sub button and to pass through the opening of the cover.

55. The interchange kit of claim 54 where the cosmetic cap includes a retainer feature to prevent removal of the cosmetic cap while the cover is attached to the electrical device.

56. The interchange kit of claim 55 where the retainer feature comprises a flange on the cosmetic cap arranged to engage the cover as the cosmetic cap moves through the opening of the cover.

57. The interchange kit of claim 55 where:

the opening is a first opening, the sub button is a first sub button, and the cosmetic cap is a first cosmetic cap;

the cover comprises a second opening arranged to access a second sub button on the electrical device; and

the interchange kit further comprises a second cosmetic cap adapted to be removably attached to the second sub button and to pass through the second opening of the cover.

58. The interchange kit of claim 57 where:

the first cosmetic cap is labeled reset; and

the second cosmetic cap is labeled test.

59. The interchange kit of claim 58 where:

the first and second openings are arranged to align with reset and test buttons, respectively, on a fault circuit interrupter device.

60. A system comprising:

an electrical device having a pushbutton; and

a cover adapted to be removably attached to the electrical device;

where the cover includes an opening for accessing the pushbutton; and

where the pushbutton includes a sub button and a cosmetic cap adapted to be removably attached to the sub button.

61. The system of claim 60 further comprising a guide arranged to guide the pushbutton in the opening of the cover.

62. The system of claim 61 where the guide is integral with the cover.

63. The system of claim 61 where the guide includes:

a first portion that is integral with the cover; and

a second portion that is integral with the electrical device.

64. The system of claim 60 where:

the pushbutton, opening, sub button and cosmetic cap are a first pushbutton, a first opening, a first sub button and a first cosmetic cap, respectively;

the electrical device includes a second pushbutton;

the cover includes a second opening for accessing the second pushbutton; and

the second pushbutton includes a second sub button and a second cosmetic cap adapted to be removably attached to the second sub button.

65. The system of claim 64 where:

the electrical device comprises a fault circuit interrupter;

the first pushbutton is arranged to operate as a reset button for the fault circuit interrupter; and

the second pushbutton is arranged to operate as a test button for the fault circuit interrupter.

66. A method comprising:

engaging a retention feature on a cover with a retention feature on an electrical device;

pivoting the cover to an installed position on the electrical device; and

fastening the cover in the installed position.

67. The method of claim 66 where engaging a retention feature on a cover with a retention feature on an electrical device comprises inserting a hinge foot into an opening on the electrical device.

68. The method of claim 66 where fastening the cover comprises inserting a snap into an opening.

69. The method of claim 66 further comprising flexing the cover to force a front of the cover against a face of the electrical device.

70. The method of claim 69 where:

the cover includes two sides arranged on opposite sides of the cover;

the face of the electrical device is arranged on a raised portion of the electrical device; and

flexing the cover includes flexing the sides in opposite directions to fit over the raised portion.

71. The method of claim 70 where flexing the sides in opposite directions comprises engaging at least one of the sides of the cover with at least one rib on a side of the raised portion.

72. A method comprising:

attaching a removable cap to a sub button on the electrical device; and

attaching a removable cover to an electrical device, wherein the cap is guided through an opening in the cover.

73. The method of claim 72 where the cap is guided through the opening by a guide projecting from a back of the cover.

74. The method of claim 72 further comprising preventing the cap from being removed from the sub button while the cover is attached to the electrical device.

75. The method of claim 72 where the sub button is arranged to operate regardless of the presence or absence of the cap and/or cover.