Electrical wiring system with slide-in connector
First Claim
1. An electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of electric power transmitting wires disposed between an electric power source interface and at least one electrical device location, the system comprising:
- an electrical wiring device disposed at the at least one electrical device location, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein; and
a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein, the connector assembly being configured to be directly connected to the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts, the connector assembly also being configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit. The at least one electric circuit includes a plurality of electric power transmitting wires disposed between an electric power source interface and at least one electrical device location. The system includes an electrical wiring device disposed at the at least one electrical device location. The electrical wiring device includes a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein. A connector assembly includes a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein. The connector assembly is configured to be directly connected to the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts. The connector assembly is also configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts.
53 Citations
60 Claims
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1. An electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of electric power transmitting wires disposed between an electric power source interface and at least one electrical device location, the system comprising:
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an electrical wiring device disposed at the at least one electrical device location, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein; and a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein, the connector assembly being configured to be directly connected to the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts, the connector assembly also being configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for installing an electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of electric power transmitting wires disposed between an electric power source interface and at least one electrical device location, the method comprising:
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disposing an electrical wiring device at the at least one electrical device location, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein; providing a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein; directly connecting the connector assembly to the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts; and positioning the connector assembly in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device to thereby establish electrical continuity between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of electric power transmitting wires having a first end portion connected to an electric power source interface and a second end portion disposed at least one electrical device location, a device box having a wiring egress aperture and an interior volume being disposed at the at least one electrical device location, the system comprising:
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an electrical wiring device configured to be mounted on the device box, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein; and a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein, the connector assembly being configured to be connected to the second end portion of the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts, the connector assembly also being configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts, the second end portion extending through the wiring egress aperture into the interior volume and not connected to the device box. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. An electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of premise wires disposed between an electric power source interface and at least one electrical device location, the system comprising:
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an electrical wiring device disposed at the at least one electrical device location, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein; and a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein, the connector assembly being configured to be directly connected to each of the plurality of premise wires at corresponding connection points such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of premise wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts, the connector assembly also being configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of electric power transmitting wires having a first end portion connected to an electric power source interface and a second end portion disposed at least one electrical device location, a device box having a wiring egress aperture and an interior volume being disposed at the at least one electrical device location, the system comprising:
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an electrical wiring device configured to be mounted on the device box, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein; and a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein, the connector assembly being configured to be directly connected to the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts within the interior volume, the connector assembly also being configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. An electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of electric power transmitting wires disposed between an electric power source interface and at least one electrical device location, the system comprising:
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an electrical wiring device disposed at the at least one electrical device location, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein; and a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed in an interior portion of the assembly and a plurality of wire leads connected to the plurality of electrical connector contacts and extending to an exterior portion of the connector assembly, the plurality of wire leads disposed at the exterior portion being configured to be connected to corresponding wires of the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires at corresponding connection points such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts, the connector assembly also being configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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60. An electrical wiring system for use in an electrical distribution system including at least one electric circuit, the at least one electric circuit including a plurality of electric power transmitting wires disposed between an electric power source interface and at least one electrical device location, the system comprising:
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an electrical wiring device disposed at the at least one electrical device location, the electrical wiring device including a predefined coupling area having a plurality of electrical wiring device contacts disposed therein being disposed on a major rear surface of the electrical wiring device; and a connector assembly including a plurality of electrical connector contacts disposed therein, the connector assembly being configured to be directly connected to the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical power transmitting wires and the plurality of electrical connector contacts, the connector assembly also being configured to be disposed in a contacting relationship with the predefined coupling area of the electrical wiring device such that electrical continuity is established between the plurality of electrical connector contacts and the plurality of electrical wiring device contacts.
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Specification