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Modular electrical system

  • US 6,156,971 A
  • Filed: 02/24/1998
  • Issued: 12/05/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A modular electrical system comprising:

  • a plurality of electrical circuits extending throughout a building structure, each of said circuits being electrically coupled to a power source, and including at least one electrical cable for supplying current throughout that circuit, each electrical cable including two or more current-carrying wire conductors;

    a power source for supplying power to said electrical circuits via at least one of said electrical cables;

    a plurality of electrical devices wherein each electrical device is electrically connected to one of said circuits for controlling current flow through that circuit, and each of said electrical devices is selected from the group consisting of a receptacle module, a ganging module, a two-way switch module, a three-way switch module, a four-way switch module, a dimmer switch module, a fan-control switch module, a timer switch module, a ground fault circuit interrupt receptacle module and a 240 volt receptacle module;

    a plurality of wall boxes wherein each wall box is adapted to receive any one of said electrical devices, each wall box including one or more cable ports sized to receive at least one of said cables, and a wiring module including a plurality of electrical conductors for electrically connecting any one of said electrical devices disposed in said wall box to said cables disposed in each cable port of said wall box; and

    at least one electrical box, each electrical box being adapted to receive a lighting fixture, each electrical box including one or more cable ports sized to receive at least one of said cables, and a wiring module for electrically connecting said lighting fixture to said cables disposed in each cable port of said electrical box;

    said modular electrical system configuring all electrical circuits associated with said electrical devices and each lighting fixture upon insertion of said electrical devices into said wall boxes and said cables into said one or more cable ports of said wall boxes and each electrical box;

    each of said electrical cables having a predefined exterior profile extending the length of said cable and said cable ports associated with each wall box having dimensions corresponding to the exterior profile of said electrical cables, said cable ports being shaped to allow for insertion of any one of said electrical cables into said cable ports in only one orientation, thereby restricting connection of each wire conductor of each cable inserted in each cable port to a preselected one of said electrical conductors of said wall box.

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