Adjustable plaster ring cover

• US 7,718,893 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alexandra Block, ANDREW KALANI NIHEU & JAY DEEP CHITNIS, Andrew M. Jenkins, Anne M. Mahoney, Baker Ken, Baum Family Trust, Binkley Family Trust, Bonnie Austin, Brandon Dinoto, Brandon Moore Utma, BRIAN DRISCOLL AND/OR DRISCOLL INVESTMENTS INC., Bruce Johnson, BRUCE & LORENE BOWERS, BRUCE & SANDY BRANDENBURG, CARL A LARSON, TRUSTEE LARSON 1995 REVOCABLE TRUST DTD 11/17/1995, CARL KOBAYASHI & MISHELLE NISHIDA, Chea Chung, CHRISTOPHER MOORE INDIVIDUALLY & AS TRUSTEE MOORE FAMILY TRUST DTD 10/3/2006, Christy L. Hendrickson Trust, CLAUDE KORDUS TRUSTEE KORDUS FAMILY TRUST, CLIFF & MAKOTO MCQUEEN, Court Wilson, Craig Hillegas, Daniel Allen, Daniel C. Serpe, DANIEL & KIMBERLY DOTSON, Daniel White, Dan Way, DAVID & BONNIC AUSTIN INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEES AUSTIN FAMILY TRUST DTD 10/1/1999, David Caldwell, David L. Lyon, Dominique Pandolfi, DONALD D. LEARNED, TRUSTEE DONALD LEARNED TRUST C/O SCOTT LEARNED, DONALD & MARY SPENCER, Don Farris Inc Retirement Trust, Doug Cox, Elizabeth Willis, Eric Rawa, Estate Of Gary W. Dixon, GARY & BARBARA A. GENTZKOW AND/OR BARBARA GENTZKOW'S IRA, GARY & LINDSEY BLOCK, George Block, Glenn Frieder, Gloria Marie Gammill, GREG A. JIRAK & LORI HUBBART, GREG BLOCK, TRUSTEE, BLOCK FAMILY TRUST DTD 6/22/1990, Greg MacDonald, Gregory A. Block, Gregory Bernett, HARDEY, JULIE E. AKA JULIE HELLUM FBO BREE DIXON, Hardie David, Howard Brian Malloy, Ian Nausner, IVAN & LORI MENDELSON, James Clifford, James Gammill, JAMES GEVARGES & DOMINIQUE BEITKANOUN, JAMES & KIM WEINBERGER, JAMES & ROBYN CARBAUGH, JANELL SKOMER AKA JANELL SOHMER-BLOCK C/O GREGORY BLOCK, Jeffrey Lubin, Jeffrey Teza, Jeff Schott, Jerry E. Jageman, John Chu, John F. Zolezzi, JOHN & LAUARIE DEWITT AND/OR THIEIR IRAS, JOHN & LYNN BOWEN, TRUSTEES BOWN FAMILY TRUST DTD 11/21/1985, Jon Hillegas, JULIUS & MARRIETTA ZOLEZZI, KASHAN PIRACHA (KPN, LLC), Katherine Williams, KENNETH & JANET SHANER, Ken Rubin, Kevin Thomas Dinoto, Kristopher Dinoto, Laura Lewis, Laurence Balter, LINDA MOORE INDIVIDUALLY & AS TRUSTEE LINDA B. MOORE PERSONAL TRUST, Lisa Odenweller, Lori Shook, MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS LIMITED C/O SMC MULTI-MEDIA, Man-Ling Lai, Marc Cahal, Marc Odenweller, MARION J. BAUER ROSIDUARY TRUST C/O BLOCK, GAUNCE & ASSOCIATES, MARK & DIANA KENNEY, TRUSTEES KENNEY FAMILY TRUST DTD 11/29/1996, Mark McDonald, Marview Holdings, Inc., Maui Preparatory Academy, Megan Molloy, Melody Kitchens, MICHAEL & ANASTASIA FARRELL AND/OR STERLING TRUST CO. FBO MICHAEL FARRELL, Michael Bosworth, Michael Dewitt, MICHAEL MCLOUGHLIN, TRUSTEE MCLOUGHLIN FAMILY TRUST DTD 3/22/1994, Milton F. Damerow, NGUYEN, PETER (KPN, LLC), Nicholas Block, Nicole Cox, Norman M. Estin Trust, Parvis Nabavi, Paul Block, Persis Hataria, PHILIP BURKHARDT, TRUSTEE BURKHARDT 2005 FAMILY TRUST AND/OR THEIR IRAS, Phillip Moore, PHYLLIS ORNDORFF, TRUSTEE PHYLLIS ORNDORFF TRUST DTD 12-30-2010, RANDY & LONA KENT, R/Com Retail Services, LLC, Richard Babcock, RICHARD & DEBRA MYTKO, RICHARD & JACQUELINE SMITH, Robert C. Albrow, Robert M. Skomer, Robert W. Dudley Trust, Ronald S. Chapman, RYAN & SUSAN BOWERS, Ryota Komaru, Samantha Carroll, Scot Hall, Sean Mundy, Shaochong Yan, SMC Multi-Media Products Company Limited (SMC Multi-Media Limited), S Steven Podstreleny, Steve Benshoof, Steve Marlette, Steven Purves, Steven Sreb, STUART & KAREN SHAFER, Sydney Block, TERRENCE E. LEE, TRUSTEE TERRENCE E. LEE TRUST, Terrill Stewart, Terry Davis, THOMAS DINOTO, TRUSTEE DINOTO FAMILY TRUST DTD 1/11/1993, Thomas Goergen, Thomas H. Zolezzi, Timothy Karis Sirak LLC, TIM WALKER, TRUSTEE WALKER FAMILY TRUST DTD 7/21//2009, Valeo Partners LLC, Vincent Guzzetta Vascular Associates Co., WALTER & REBECCA HICKEL C/O CALWEST PROPERTIES, WARREN & ROBIN COHEN, Wendy Frieder, William Orndorff
• Original Assignee: Protectconnect Incorporated
• Inventors: Grudt, Dennis L., Karns, John, Purves, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada; Angel R
• Application Number:
  US12/176,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20090020306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 174/480, 174/481, 174/50, 174/53, 174/57, 174/58, 174/503, 174/66, 174/67, 220 32- 39, 220/4.02, 220/241, 220/242, 248/906
• US Class Current: 174/53
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/24 Terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/083 Inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/12 for flush mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/16 structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0008 assembled by screws
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/532 Conductor

Abstract

A power distribution system has an electrical box configured to attach a power cable, a plaster ring releasably mounted to the box and one or more electrical devices installed into the ring. A pre-wired ground extends from a first end physically and electrically connected to a ground terminal on the electrical device. The plaster ring is movable between a closed position proximate the box and an open position distal the box. The pre-wired ground is configured as a lanyard so as to support the plaster ring as a wiring platform in the open position for connecting wires between the power cable and the electrical device or devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in an electrical distribution system, the apparatus comprising:

an adjustable ring configured to be mounted to an electrical box, wherein the adjustable ring comprises an open front face that provides access to the interior of the electrical box;

an electrical wiring module within the interior of the electrical box, the electrical wiring module comprising one or more conductors that couple the electrical wiring module to one or more power cables, the electrical wiring module further comprising one or more connectors disposed thereon that are configured to electrically couple to a functional module;

an adjustment device configured to vary the depth of at least a portion of the adjustable ring with respect to the electrical box, such that the functional module will be in alignment with the wall surface when the functional module is installed in the electric box and is connected to the electrical wiring module; and

a protective cover configured to substantially cover the open front face of the adjustable ring, wherein the protective cover comprises at least two apertures aligned with the adjustment device, the apertures being configured to permit access to the adjustment device without removal of the protective cover.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustment device comprises a screw.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustable ring comprises a mounting portion for mechanically coupling to an electrical device to be mounted within the electrical box.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the adjustable ring is configured to provide an adjustable distance between the electrical device and the electrical box.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protective cover comprises a plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the protective cover is generally rectangular.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the two apertures are located at opposite corners of the generally rectangular protective cover.

8. An electrical wiring method comprising:

placing an electrical wiring module within the interior of the electrical box, the electrical wiring module comprising one or more conductors that couple the electrical wiring module to one or more power cables, the electrical wiring module further comprising one or more connectors disposed thereon that are configured to electrically couple to a functional module;

mounting an adjustable ring to an electrical box, wherein the adjustable ring comprises;

an open front face that provides access to the interior of the electrical box; and

an adjustment device configured to vary the depth of at least a portion of the adjustable ring with respect to the electrical box, such that the functional module will be in alignment with the wall surface when the functional module is installed in the electric box and is connected to the electrical wiring module;

covering the open front face of the adjustable ring with a protective cover having at least two apertures formed therein;

accessing the adjustment device through the apertures formed in the protective cover; and

adjusting the depth of at least a portion of the adjustable ring without removing the protective cover.

9. The electrical wiring method of claim 8, wherein accessing the adjustment device comprises inserting a tool through the apertures formed in the protective cover.

10. The electrical wiring method of claim 8, wherein the adjustment devices comprises a screw.

11. The electrical wiring method of claim 8, wherein the apertures formed in the protective cover are aligned with the adjustment device.

12. The electrical wiring method claim 8, further comprising coupling an electrical device to the adjustable ring.

13. The electrical wiring method of claim 8, further comprising removing the protective cover after having adjusted the depth of at least a portion of the adjustable ring.

14. An item of hardware for use with an electrical distribution system, comprising:

a protective cover configured to substantially cover an open front face of an adjustable ring mounted to an electrical box, wherein an electrical wiring module is positioned within the interior of the electrical box, the electrical wiring module comprising one or more conductors that couple the electrical wiring module to one or more power cables, the electrical wiring module further comprising one or more connectors disposed thereon that are configured to electrically couple to a functional module, wherein the protective cover comprises at least two apertures aligned with an adjustment device for adjusting the depth of the adjustable ring relative to the electrical box, such that the functional module will be in alignment with the wall surface when the functional module is installed in the electric box and is connected to the electrical wiring module, and wherein the apertures are configured to permit access to the adjustment device without removal of the protective cover.

15. The item of hardware of claim 14, wherein the protective cover comprises a generally rectangular plate.

16. The item of hardware of claim 15, wherein the two apertures are located near opposite corners of the generally rectangular protective cover.