Snap On Screwless Wallplate Wiring Devices

• US 20140246218A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Shotey, Marcus J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,698,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/741 using snap fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

A wall cover plate is provided for connecting directly to an electrical wiring device without the use of the base plate or adapter plate. The wall plate can have a connector such as a hook and/or prong that engages the housing for the mounting strap of the electrical wiring device. The electrical wiring device can include a removable connector attached to the mounting strap where the connector has at least one edge or coupling member for coupling with a faceplate. The faceplate can have an inner edge with a rib or series of teeth for connecting with the mounting strap or the removable connector by an interference fit.

Claims

1. A electrical assembly, said assembly comprising:

an electrical wiring device having a housing with a front face, a first longitudinal end with a mounting strap extending therefrom, and a second longitudinal end with a mounting strap extending therefrom for attaching said electrical wiring device to an open end of an electrical box; and

a wall plate having a central opening with a dimension to receive said front face of said electrical wiring device, a front face and a rear face, and a plurality of coupling members extending from said rear face and coupled directly to said housing of said electrical wiring device.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said coupling members further comprise

a plurality of projections extending from said rear face, each of said projections having a distal end with a hook engaging said housing of said electrical wiring device.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein

said housing of said electrical wiring device has a first wall at said first end and a second wall at a second end opposite said first wall, each of said walls extending substantially perpendicular to said front face and having a shoulder defining an undercut, and where said hook of said projections hook onto a respective shoulder to couple said wall plate to said housing of said electrical wiring device.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein

said hooks face inwardly toward said central opening of said wall plate.

5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein

said first end is a first longitudinal end of said electrical wiring device, and said second end is a said second longitudinal end of said electrical wiring device.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein

said projections are oriented adjacent said central opening of said wall plate and positioned on opposite sides of said central opening for engaging said housing of said electrical wiring device.

7. The assembly of claim 3, wherein

said mounting straps have an aperture,

said wall plate has two spaced apart prongs extending from said rear face and aligned with said aperture in said mounting straps, said prongs having a dimension to provide a friction fit with a respective aperture for coupling said wall plate to said mounting strap.

8. An electrical assembly comprising:

an electrical wiring device having a housing with a front face, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall having a mounting strap extending therefrom, and a second end wall having a mounting strap extending their from for attaching said electrical wiring device to an electrical box;

a wall plate having a front face, a rear face with a dimension to cover said electrical wiring device and the electrical box, said wall plate having a central opening with a dimension for receiving the front face of the electrical wiring device;

a plurality of projections extending from said rear face of said wall plate, said projections having a distal end with a hook engaging at least one of said walls of said electrical wiring device; and

two spaced apart prongs extending from said rear face of said wall plate and being spaced radially outward from said projections, said prongs having a dimension for frictionally engaging an aperture in said electrical wiring device.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein

said projections engage said end walls of said electrical wiring device.

10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein

said walls of said electrical wiring device engaging said projections have a shoulder defining an undercut spaced from said front face, wherein said hooks engage said shoulder to attach said wall plate to said electrical wiring device.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein

said projections are positioned adjacent said central opening.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein

said hooks of said projections extend inwardly with respect to said central opening of said wall plate.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein

said central opening has a shape corresponding to a shape of said front face of said electrical wiring device, and where said projections are positioned on an inner edge of said wall plate defined by said central opening.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein

said mounting straps include a threaded aperture, and where said prongs of said wall plate are positioned to align with said threaded apertures and said prongs are received in said threaded apertures to form a friction fit or interference fit with said aperture of said mounting strap.

15. An electrical assembly comprising:

an electrical wiring device having a housing with a front face, a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall having a mounting strap extending therefrom, and a second end wall having a mounting strap extending therefrom for attaching said electrical wiring device to an electrical box;

two spaced apart coupling tabs extending from said mounting strap at said first end of said housing, and two spaced apart coupling tabs extending from said mounting strap at said second end of said housing;

a wall plate having a front face, a rear face, a dimension to cover said electrical wiring device, and a central opening with a dimension for receiving the front face of the electrical wiring device and defining a central axis of said wall plate, said wall plate further having an outer edge with a lip extending substantially perpendicular to said front face and having an inner surface facing said central axis and having a plurality of teeth for engaging said coupling tabs to couple said wall plate to said coupling tabs of said mounting strap.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein

each of said coupling tabs are substantially parallel to each other and extend outwardly from said first longitudinal end of said electrical wiring device and said second longitudinal end of said electrical wiring device.

17. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising

an adapter member removably coupled to said ends of said mounting straps, said coupling tabs being integrally formed with said adapter.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein

said adapter has a body, a clip member for coupling said adapter to said mounting strap, and a flange extending at an incline from said body and outwardly with respect to the electrical wiring device, and where said coupling tabs extend outwardly from said inclined flange.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein

said body has a first side edge with a U-shaped guide channel and a second side edge with a U-shaped guide channel, each said channels being configured for mating with side edges of the respective mounting strap, and

where said clip member has a leg coupled to said body by a substantially U-shaped connecting portion for clipping said adapter to said respective mounting strap.

20. The assembly of claim 16, wherein

said adapter has a body coupled to said mounting strap by a fastener, a first arm and a second arm extending outwardly in opposite directions from said body, each of said arm is having a coupling flange integrally formed there with for engaging a side edge of said lip of said wall plate, and where said arms have a length to contact a front edge of an electrical box.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein

said mounting flanges of said electrical wiring device have a screw aperture for receiving a mounting screw for attaching said electrical wiring device to an electrical box, and where said body of said adapter has a screw hole receiving said mounting screw for coupling said adapter to said mounting flange.