Opening adapter

• US 7,456,358 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Swiencicki, Stanley R., Lindenstraus, Leslie, Kadar, Paul, Chan-Richter, Denise
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada; Angel R
• Application Number:
  US11/127,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 177/66, 177/67, 177/53, 177/58, 177/57, 177/17.CT, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.7, 220/3.8, D13/156, D13/177, D13/152, D83/53, 439/536, 439/535, 200/239
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

An adapter having a front face with a flange portion and a centrally located opening. The opening has an inner dimension sized to accept at least a front face of a wiring device and the flange has an outer dimension sized to fit at least within an opening of a front face of a wall plate. The flange portion has a vertical surface contour along a vertical direction of the flange and a horizontal surface contour along a horizontal direction of the flange such that, when the adapter is installed, the contours of the flange result in a smooth transition from the wiring device to the wall plate.

Claims

1. An adapter having a flange portion substantially formed on a front face, an inner perimeter of said front face defining an inner edge of said adapter and an outer perimeter of said front face defining an outer edge of said adapter, said adapter further having a centrally located opening defined by said inner edge wherein the opening has dimensions that are sized to accept at least a front face of a first wiring device and the flange portion has an overall dimension defined by the inner and outer edges that is sized to fit at least within and extend through an opening of a wall plate, the flange portion having an outer lateral dimension defined by the outer edge and being not greater than an inner lateral dimension of the opening of the wall plate, said opening of said wall plate being sized to accept a front face of a second wiring device and wherein said front face of said second wiring device is larger than said front face of said first wiring device.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the flange portion has a vertical surface contour along a vertical direction of the flange and a horizontal surface contour along a horizontal direction of the flange, and wherein, when the adapter is installed, the vertical and horizontal contours of the flange portion are arranged to result in a smooth transition from the wiring device to the wall plate.

3. The adapter of claim 2 having a mounting ear comprising:

an alignment pin retainer to receive an alignment pin wherein said alignment pin, when received, is frictionally captivated by the alignment pin retainer; and

a wall plate retainer to receive and fasten a wall plate to the adapter.

4. The adapter of claim 3, wherein the mounting ear has a metallized portion.

5. The adapter of claim 4, wherein the mounting ear has a screw opening for a mounting screw and wherein the metallized portion extends into the screw opening such that when the mounting screw is inserted through the screw opening, the metallized portion resists removal of the mounting screw and makes electrical contact with the mounting screw.

6. The adapter of claim 2, wherein the flange portion has a flat contour along a horizontal direction of the front surface and has a convex contour along a vertical direction of the front face surface.

7. The adapter of claim 6, wherein the convex surface along the vertical direction of the front surface of the flange portion has a constant radius.

8. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the constant radius is substantially thirty inches.

9. An adapter comprising:

a flange portion formed on a front face and having a centrally located opening wherein the opening has dimensions that are sized to accept at least a front face of a first wiring device and the flange portion has an overall dimension that is sized to fit at least within and extend through an opening of a wall plate, the flange portion having an outer lateral dimension not greater than an inner lateral dimension of the opening of the wall plate, said opening of said wall plate being sized to accept a front face of a second wiring device and wherein said front face of said second wiring device is larger than said front face of said first wiring device, wherein the flange portion has a vertical surface contour along a vertical direction of the flange and a horizontal surface contour along a horizontal direction of the flange, wherein, when the adapter is installed, the vertical and horizontal contours of the flange portion are arranged to result in a smooth transition from the wiring device to the wall plate;

a mounting ear comprising;

an alignment pin retainer to receive an alignment pin wherein said alignment pin, when received, is frictionally captivated by the alignment pin retainer; and

a wall plate retainer to receive and fasten a wall plate to the adapter.

10. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the mounting ear has a metallized portion.

11. The adapter of claim 10, wherein the mounting ear has a screw opening for a mounting screw and wherein the metallized portion extends into the screw opening such that when the mounting screw is inserted through the screw opening, the metallized portion resists removal of the mounting screw and makes electrical contact with the mounting screw.

12. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the flange portion has a flat contour along a horizontal direction of the front surface and has a convex contour along a vertical direction of the front face surface.

13. The adapter of claim 12, wherein the convex surface along the vertical direction of the front surface of the flange portion has a constant radius.

14. The adapter of claim 13, wherein the constant radius is substantially thirty inches.