Modular electrical receptacle

• US 7,255,596 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chrestos T. Pyrros
• Original Assignee: Chrestos T. Pyrros
• Inventors: Pyrros, Chrestos T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarroli; Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US11/584,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20070099491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 439214-216, 439535-539, 439650-652
• US Class Current: 439/535
• 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 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

A multiplex electrical outlet receptacle comprises a housing containing four or more receptacle outlets. The housing contains at least one tab extending from the top of the housing and at least one tab extending from the bottom of the housing to permanently secure the housing to an in-wall electrical box. A single electrical cable connection on the housing connects each of the four or more electrical receptacle outlets to a power source. The housing of the multiplex electrical outlet receptacle includes internal wiring and/or buses to connect each of the outlets in common to the electrical cable.

Claims

1. A quadplex electrical outlet receptacle comprising:

a single housing configured for mounting in a permanently secured in-wall electrical outlet box, the housing containing a first non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to a positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to a neutral line, a second non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, a third non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, and a fourth non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line;

a first tab extending from a first side of the housing and a second tab extending from a second side of the housing, the first and second tabs configured for connecting the housing to the electrical box;

a single electrical cable connection on the housing, the single electrical cable connection providing a power supply for each of the first, second, third and fourth non-removable electrical receptacle outlets; and

,

a quadplex wall plate having a first outlet opening positioned to provide access to both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the first electrical receptacle outlet, a second opening positioned to provide access to both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the second electrical receptacle outlet, a third opening positioned to provide access to both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the third electrical receptacle outlet, and a fourth opening positioned to provide access to both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the fourth electrical receptacle outlet.

2. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 1 further comprising:

the first electrical receptacle outlet having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to a ground, the second electrical receptacle outlet having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground, the third electrical receptacle outlet having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground, and the fourth electrical receptacle having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground.

3. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 2 wherein the first outlet opening in the wall plate provides a plug access to the ground opening in the first electrical receptacle, the second outlet opening in the wall plate provides a plug access to the ground opening in the second electrical receptacle, the third outlet opening in the wall plate provides a plug access to the ground opening in the third electrical receptacle, and the fourth outlet opening in the wall plate provides a plug access to the ground opening in the fourth electrical receptacle.

4. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 1 wherein the single electrical cable connection on the housing includes a first terminal for connecting to a hot wire of a single phase cable, a second terminal for connecting to a neutral wire of the single phase cable, and a third terminal for connecting to a ground wire of the single phase cable.

5. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 1 wherein the single electrical cable connection on the housing is configured to connect to a two phase cable.

6. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 1 wherein the single electrical cable connection on the housing is configured to connect to a three phase cable.

7. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 1 wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth non-removable electrical outlets have a common positive line bus and a common neutral line bus within the housing.

8. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 7 wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth non-removable electrical outlets have a common ground bus within the housing.

9. The quadplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 1 further comprising output terminals on the housing for connecting the quadplex electrical outlet receptacle to another device.

10. A multiplex electrical outlet receptacle comprising:

a single housing configured for mounting in a permanently secured in-wall electrical outlet box, the housing containing a first non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to a positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to a neutral line, a second non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, a third non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, and a fourth non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, a fifth non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, and a sixth non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, the first, second and third electrical receptacle outlets being arranged in a first row, and the fourth, fifth and sixth electrical receptacle outlets being arranged in a second row and aligned with respective ones of the first, second and third receptacle outlets to form three columns of receptacle outlets, each column having two receptacle outlets;

a first tab extending from a first side of the housing and a second tab extending from a second side of the housing, the first and second tabs configured for connecting the housing to the electrical box; and

a single electrical cable connection on the housing, the single electrical cable connection providing a power supply for each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth non-removable electrical receptacle outlets.

11. The multiplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 10 further comprising:

a seventh non-removable electrical receptacle outlet in the housing having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line.

12. The multiplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 11 further comprising:

an eighth non-removable electrical receptacle outlet in the housing having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line.

13. The multiplex electrical receptacle outlet of claim 10 further comprising:

the first electrical receptacle outlet having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to a ground, the second electrical receptacle outlet having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground, the third electrical receptacle outlet having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground, the fourth electrical receptacle having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground, the fifth electrical receptacle having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground, and the sixth electrical receptacle having a ground opening for connecting a plug ground prong to the ground.

14. The multiplex receptacle outlet of claim 10 wherein the single electrical cable connection on the housing is configured to connect to a single phase cable.

15. The multiplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 10 wherein the single electrical cable connection on the housing is configured to connect to a two phase cable.

16. The multiplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 10 wherein the single electrical cable connection on the housing is configured to connect to a three phase cable.

17. The multiplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 10 wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth non-removable electrical outlets have a common positive line bus and a common neutral line bus within the housing.

18. The multiplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 13 wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth non-removable electrical outlets have a common ground bus within the housing.

19. The multiplex electrical outlet receptacle of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of additional non-removable outlets in the housing, each outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line.

20. A quadplex electrical outlet receptacle comprising:

a single housing configured for mounting in a permanently secured in-wall electrical outlet box, the housing containing a first non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to a positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to a neutral line, a second non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, a third non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line, and a fourth non-removable electrical receptacle outlet having a first blade slot for connecting a first plug blade to the positive line and a second blade slot for connecting a second plug blade to the neutral line;

a first tab extending from a first side of the housing and a second tab extending from a second side of the housing, the first and second tabs configured for connecting the housing to the electrical box;

a single electrical cable connection on the housing, the single electrical cable connection providing a power supply for each of the first, second, third and fourth non-removable electrical receptacle outlets; and

,

a quadplex wall plate having a first outlet opening positioned to provide access to both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the first electrical receptacle outlet and both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the second electrical receptacle outlet, a second opening positioned to provide access to both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the third electrical receptacle outlet and both the first blade slot and the second blade slot on the fourth electrical receptacle outlet.