Compact electrical wiring system

• US 7,470,145 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2007
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Savicki, Gerald R. Jr., Benoit, John
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US11/691,116
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 439/535, 439/536, 439/650, 174/48, 174 66- 68, 174/50, 174/53, 220/241
• US Class Current: 439/535
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a electrical wiring system that includes a plug connector having a plurality of plug contacts configured to terminate a plurality of wires. The system also includes an electrical wiring device having a cover member, a body member, a ground strap assembly disposed between the cover member and the body member, and a receptacle formed in a rear portion of the body member, the receptacle being configured to accept the plug connector. The ground strap assembly is configured to conform to at least one body member feature such that a distance from the ground strap assembly to a major rear surface of the body member is less than a predetermined distance. The receptacle includes a plurality of receptacle contacts configured to mate with the plurality of plug contacts when the plug connector is inserted into the receptacle.

Claims

1. An electrical wiring system for use in an AC electric power distribution system, the AC electric power distribution system including a plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires disposed between an AC power distribution point and a device box, the system comprising:

a connector comprising a connector housing, a plurality of first contacts disposed in a predetermined pattern within the connector housing, and a termination arrangement connected to the plurality of first contacts, the termination arrangement being configured to terminate the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires, the connector and the termination arrangement being arranged in a detached relationship relative to the device box and accessible via a front open face of the device box after the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires are terminated by the termination arrangement; and

an electrical wiring device including

a device housing including a face portion and rear portion, the face portion including a first set of receptacle blade openings disposed at one end of the device housing and a second set of receptacle blade openings disposed at an opposite end of the device housing, the rear portion including a connection arrangement disposed between the one end and the opposite end,

a mounting structure coupled to the device housing, the mounting structure being configured to couple the electrical wiring device to the device box,

a hot contact structure disposed in the housing and including a first hot face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the first set of receptacle blade openings, a second hot face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the second set of receptacle blade openings, and a hot contact accessible via the connection arrangement,

a neutral contact structure disposed in the housing and including a first neutral face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the first set of receptacle blade openings, a second neutral face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the second set of receptacle blade openings, and a neutral contact accessible via the connection arrangement,

the connection arrangement being configured to latch the connector in a mating relationship such that the plurality of first contacts mate with the hot contact and the neutral contact to establish electrical continuity therebetween.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection arrangement is configured to prevent the connector from being removed from the electrical wiring device when a pulling force of up to at least twenty (20) pounds is applied to the connector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the pulling force is applied for at least one minute.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the connection arrangement is manually moveable to unlatch the connector from the mating relationship.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection arrangement and the connector form a latching interface, the latching interface preventing the connector from being removed from the electrical wiring device in a latched state when a pulling force of up to at least twenty (20) pounds is applied to the connector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the latching interface includes a latching release arrangement configured to unlatch the connector from the electrical wiring device to thereby enable a decoupling of the mating relationship.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the latching release arrangement is manually moveable between an unlatched state and the latched state.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the latching interface provides an audible or visual indication signaling entry into the latched state.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires includes a phase conductor, a neutral conductor and a ground conductor, and wherein the plurality of first contacts include a first phase contact, a first neutral contact, and a first ground contact.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrical wiring device further comprises a ground contact structure disposed in the housing having a first ground face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the first set of receptacle blade openings, a second ground face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the second set of receptacle blade openings, and a ground contact accessible via the connection arrangement.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mounting structure is configured as a ground strap having the ground contact structure incorporated therein.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the mounting structure further comprises:

a first mounting yoke;

a second mounting yoke; and

a ground plate structure coupled between the first mounting yoke and the second mounting yoke.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the ground plate structure includes the ground contact structure incorporated therein.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the ground plate structure is electrically isolated from the first mounting yoke and the second mounting yoke.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the ground plate structure includes an EMI attenuation element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the EMI attenuation element electrically isolates the ground plate structure from the first mounting yoke and the second mounting yoke.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a first lateral support structure disposed between the first mounting yoke and the second mounting yoke; and

a second lateral support structure disposed between the first mounting yoke and the second mounting yoke.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance from the back edge of the mounting structure to a back major surface of the electrical wiring device is substantially less than 1.0 inch.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the distance from a rear major surface of the mating connector to a back major surface of the rear body member is substantially less than or equal to 0.5 inches.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the termination arrangement includes a plurality of pig-tailed wires, each of the plurality of pig tailed wires having a first end connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of first contacts and a second end connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires by a twist-on connector.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the termination arrangement includes an insulation displacement connector.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the termination arrangement includes a push-in spring terminal.

23. A method for installing an electrical wiring assembly in an AC electric power distribution system, the AC electric power distribution system including a plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires disposed between an AC power distribution point and a device box, the method comprising:

a.) pulling the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires from an exterior space into an interior portion of the device box through a wiring ingress aperture;

b.) providing a connector comprising a connector housing, a plurality of connector contacts disposed in a predetermined pattern within the connector housing, and a termination arrangement connected to the plurality of connector contacts,

c.) terminating the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires using the termination arrangement, the connector and the termination arrangement being arranged in a detached relationship relative to the device box after termination;

d.) providing an electrical wiring device including,

a device housing including a face portion and rear portion, the face portion including a first set of receptacle blade openings disposed at a first end of the device housing and a second set of receptacle blade openings disposed at a second end of the device housing, and a connection arrangement disposed in the rear portion between the first end and the second end,

a mounting structure coupled to the device housing, the mounting structure being configured to couple the electrical wiring device to the device box,

a hot contact structure disposed in the housing and including a first hot face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the first set of receptacle blade openings, a second hot face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the second set of receptacle blade openings, and a hot contact accessible via the connection arrangement,

a neutral contact structure disposed in the housing and including a first neutral face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the first set of receptacle blade openings, a second neutral face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the second set of receptacle blade openings, and a neutral contact accessible via the connection arrangement,

e.) coupling the connector to the connection arrangement disposed in the rear portion such that the plurality of connector contacts mate with corresponding ones of the hot contact and the neutral contact to establish electrical continuity therebetween; and

f.) latching the connector and the connection arrangement to prevent the connector from being removed from the electrical wiring device in the latched position when a pulling force is applied to either the connector or the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of latching is performed by a locking interface formed by the connection arrangement and the connector, the locking interface preventing the connector from being removed from the electrical wiring device when a pulling force of up to at least twenty (20) pounds is applied to the connector.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the locking interface includes a locking release arrangement configured to unlock the connector from the electrical wiring device to thereby enable a decoupling of the mating relationship.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the locking release arrangement is manually moveable between an unlocked state and a locked state.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of AC electric power transmitting wires includes a hot conductor, a neutral conductor and a ground conductor, and wherein the plurality of first contacts include a connector hot contact, a connector neutral contact, and a connector ground contact.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the electrical wiring device further comprises a ground contact structure disposed in the housing having a first ground face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the first set of receptacle blade openings, a second ground face receptacle contact structure in communication with a corresponding one of the second set of receptacle blade openings, and a ground contact accessible via the connection arrangement.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the mounting structure is configured as a ground strap having the ground contact structure incorporated therein.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the mounting structure further comprises:

a first mounting yoke;

a second mounting yoke; and

a ground plate structure coupled between the first mounting yoke and the second mounting yoke, the ground plate structure including the ground contact structure incorporated therein, the ground plate structure being electrically isolated from the first mounting yoke and the second mounting yoke.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the ground plate structure includes an EMI attenuation element.