Alignment plate for wiring device

• US 7,176,380 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Tufano, Anthony, Endres, Paul, Oddsen, Dennis A., Zacharevitz, Steve, Lindenstraus, Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Dhiru R.
• Application Number:
  US11/385,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20060157265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.92, 335/28, D13/177, D83/53
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

There is disclosed structure which overcomes the difficulties encountered with respect to mounting wiring devices such as a receptacle and/or a switch to a box and then attaching a wall plate. Some of the difficulties encountered are positioning the wiring devices to be in alignment with each other, locating the wiring devices to be parallel to each other, adjusting the spacing between the different devices to be equal and uniform and fixing all of the devices to be flat against the wall. These deficiencies are overcome by an alignment plate having a single centrally located opening sized to receive one of more wiring devices and a set of alignment pins for each wiring device. Each set of alignment pins on the alignment plate is located on a vertical axis which defines the center for a wiring device and each wiring device has openings for frictionally receiving and holding captive a set of alignment pins. The alignment pins accurately position, align and locate all of the wiring devices relative to each other. Thereafter the alignment plate and wiring devices can be attached to a box by means of mounting screws and a wall plate can then be positioned around the wiring devices without further adjustment.

Claims

1. An alignment plate for a wall box mountable wiring device comprising:

a frame having a horizontal axis and a first vertical axis to define a center for a first wiring device,

said first wiring device having a mounting strap with first and second outwardly projecting ends,

each outwardly projecting end is coupled to a clip having first and second apertures located in tandem along a center line of the projecting end and back from an end of the outwardly projecting end, each first aperture having inwardly projecting yieldable members to form openings for receiving alignment pins and each second aperture is a clearance opening for receiving a treaded fastener for attaching the mounting strap to the wall box,

the frame further having a front surface and a back surface, a centrally located aperture for receiving said first wiring device and clearance apertures located along the first vertical axis for receiving the threaded fasteners for coupling the wiring device to the wall box, and

first and second alignment pins projecting outward from the front surface of the frame for insertion into said openings formed by the ends of the inwardly projecting yieldable members, the diameter of each alignment pin being greater than the opening formed by the ends of said inwardly projecting yieldable members in each first aperture wherein said alignment pins, when inserted into said openings, engage and hold captive said mounting strap and withdrawal of said alignment pins from said openings is resisted by said inwardly projecting yieldable members.

2. The alignment plate of claim 1 wherein the first and second alignment pins are located along the first vertical axis.

3. The alignment plate of claim 2 wherein the centrally located opening is sized to receive a single wiring device.

4. The alignment plate of claim 3 wherein the clearance apertures located along the first vertical axis in the frame are outside of the centrally located opening.

5. The alignment plate of claim 4 further comprising:

a tab extending from an edge of the frame to facilitate removal of a wall plate.

6. The alignment plate of claim 5 wherein the tab is centered on said first vertical axis.

7. The alignment plate of claim 2 wherein the centrally located opening is sized to receive a second wiring device having a mounting strap with first and second outwardly projecting ends,

each outwardly projecting end of the mounting strap of said second wiring device is coupled to a clip having first and second apertures located in tandem along a center line of the projecting end and back from an end of the outwardly projecting end, each first aperture having inwardly projecting yieldable members to form openings for receiving alignment pins and each second aperture is a clearance opening for receiving a threaded fastener for attaching the mounting strap to the wall box,

and further comprises:

third and fourth alignment pins located along a second vertical axis which defines a center for the second wiring device each third and fourth alignment pin having a second diameter for insertion into said opening having a first diameter, said second diameter of said alignment pins being greater than said first diameter, and

said third and fourth alignment pins project outward from the front surface of the frame for insertion into said openings formed by the ends of the inwardly projecting yieldable members, the diameter of each third and fourth alignment pin being greater than the opening formed by the ends of said inwardly projecting yieldable members in each first aperture wherein said alignment pins, when inserted into said openings, engage and hold captive said mounting strap and withdrawal of said alignment pins from said openings is resisted by said inwardly projecting yieldable members.

8. The alignment plate of claim 7 further comprising:

third and fourth openings located along the second vertical axis for receiving threaded fasteners for coupling the second wiring device to the wall box.

9. The alignment plate of claim 8 further comprising:

a first tab projecting outward from an edge of the frame and centered on the first vertical axis, and

a second tab projecting outward from an edge of the frame and centered on the second vertical axis, said tabs being provided to facilitate the removal of a wall plate.