Safety module electrical distribution system

• US 7,762,838 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2008
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• 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: Gorman, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen; Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US12/106,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20080190640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 439/535, 439/107, 439/135, 439/536, 439/537, 174/53, 174/66, 174/67, 200/51.09
• US Class Current: 439/536
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/0006 for converting electric switches H01H13/564 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 15/00 Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for actuation in opposite directions, e.g. slide switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 15/10 Operating parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/08 Arrangements to facilitate replacement of a switch, e.g. cartridge housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/055 co-operating with sockets having a rectangular transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/115 U-shaped sockets having inwardly bent legs, e.g. spade type
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/424 Securing in base or case composed of a plurality of insulating parts having at least one resilient insulating part
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/44 Means for preventing access to live contacts making use of a switch actuated by engagement of counterpart H01R13/7036
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/512 assembled by screw or screws
• 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 13/5213 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6395 for wall or panel outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/701 the switch being actuated by an accessory, e.g. cover, locking member
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/22 : with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 : with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 : the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 : Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 : with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/30 : utilising a screw or nut clamping member H01R4/50 takes precedence; utilising a clamping member acted on by screw or nut H01R4/38; for coaxial cables H01R9/0521
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/44 : Clamping areas on both sides of screw
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/66 : Connections with the terrestrial mass, e.g. earth plate, earth pin
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/24 : Terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2433 : with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 : Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/08 : by shifting phase of trigger voltage applied to gas-filled controlling tubes also in controlled semiconductor devices in converters H02M5/00; with regulation G05F1/44
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 : Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49176 : with molding of electrically insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49181 : by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49185 : of terminal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 : by assembling plural parts

Abstract

A wiring module that can be installed in an electrical junction box and can receive a removable electrical outlet module, a removable electrical switch module, or other types of electrical functional modules. The wiring module and the removable electrical outlet and switch modules may include connectors having a mechanical portion and an electrical portion. The electrical connector portions may be configured so as not to be exposed to user contact when the mechanical connector portions are at least partially engaged.

Claims

1. An electrical wiring module comprising:

a non-electrically conductive housing sized to fit within an electrical box, the housing having one or more electrical contacts associated therewith, the contacts being configured to electrically couple to an electrical outlet module;

one or more fixed wires extending from the housing, the one or more fixed wires configured to couple to one or more power cables routed to the electrical box;

wherein the one or more fixed wires are in communication with the electrical contacts so as to electrically couple the electrical outlet module to the one or more power cables when the electrical wiring module and the electrical outlet module are installed within the box; and

a removable protective cover that covers the electrical contacts of the electrical wiring module when the electrical outlet module is not coupled to the electrical wiring module, the removable protective cover is configured to occlude the electrical contacts of the electrical wiring module from foreign materials wherein the removable cover is removed to allow insertion of the electrical outlet module.

2. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, wherein the fixed wires are configured for wire connectors.

3. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, further comprising one or more wire apertures that are configured to provide a seal around the one or more fixed wires where they extend from the housing.

4. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are arranged on a front side of the electrical wiring module and the one or more fixed wires extend from a back side of the electrical wiring module opposite the front side.

5. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, wherein the electrical outlet module is at least partially housed within the electrical box when coupled to the electrical wiring module.

6. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are located in one or more recessed portions configured to receive one or more prongs extending from the electrical outlet module.

7. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are configured to removably couple with the electrical outlet module without the use of tools.

8. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are keyed to prevent improper installation of the electrical outlet module.

9. The electrical wiring module of claim 1, wherein the wiring module is configured to be secured within the electrical box.

10. The electrical wiring module of claim 9, wherein the wiring module is configured to be fixed directly to the electrical box.

11. An electrical wiring module comprising:

a non-electrically conductive housing sized to fit within an electrical box;

one or more electrical power cable contacts configured to electrically couple with one or more power cables routed to the electrical box;

one or more connectors disposed on a front face of the electrical wiring module, the connectors having one or more electrical contacts configured to electrically couple to a functional module;

one or more conductors within the housing to electrically couple the one or more electrical power cable contacts with corresponding electrical contacts of the connectors so as to electrically couple the functional module to the one or more power cables when the functional module is coupled to the electrical wiring module; and

a removable protective cover that covers the electrical contacts of the electrical wiring module when the functional module is not coupled to the electrical wiring module, the removable protective cover is configured to occlude the electrical contacts of the electrical wiring module from foreign materials wherein the removable cover is removed to allow insertion of the functional module.

12. The electrical wiring module of claim 11, wherein the removable protective cover prevents coupling of the functional module to the electrical wiring module without prior removal of the protective cover.

13. The electrical wiring module of claim 12, wherein the removable protective cover is generally planar.

14. The electrical wiring module of claim 12, wherein the removable protective cover is configured to mount to the electrical box.

15. The electrical wiring module of claim 12, wherein the connectors comprise plug-in connectors.

16. The electrical wiring module of claim 15, wherein the connectors are configured to provide positive tactile feedback when a mechanical and electrical connection is made between the connectors and the functional module.

17. The electrical wiring module of claim 11, wherein the one or more electrical power cable contacts comprise one or more fixed wires extending from the housing.

18. The electrical wiring module of claim 17, wherein the one or more fixed wires extend from a side of the housing opposite or adjacent the front side.

19. The electrical wiring module of claim 17, wherein the functional module is an electric outlet module.