Modular wiring system with locking elements

• US 8,613,624 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Arenas, Alfredo, Endres, Paul, Eder, John, Ganta, Sunil
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/099,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 439/107, 439/135, 439/337, 439/535, 439/656, 439/864
• US Class Current: 439/107
• 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 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• 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 9/2491 Terminal blocks structurally associated with plugs or sockets

Abstract

A wiring system includes a wiring module and a functional module. The wiring module in at least one embodiment includes elongated holes or openings which are configured to engage or lock with prongs on a functional module to create a lockable connection. The wiring module and the functional module form both a physical and an electrical connection. In another embodiment, there is an adapter which is configured to connect the wiring module and the functional module or unit together.

Claims

1. An electrical device configured to connect to a wiring unit, the electrical device comprising:

a) a housing having a front surface and a back surface, said housing configured to engage a wall box;

b) a three-way switch disposed in said housing;

c) at least three electrically conductive connection elements and a ground pin extending from said back surface of said housing, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are spaced equidistant from said ground pin;

wherein each of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements has a connection region and at least one of said at least three connection elements is a traveler connection element;

wherein, when the electrical device is coupled to the wiring unit, at least one of said at least three conductive elements is coupled to load, at least one of said at least three conductive interfaces is coupled to line and at least one of said at least three conductive elements is coupled to a traveler line; and

the ground pin is coupled to ground wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are configured to allow for rotation of the electrical device with respect to the wiring unit.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements comprises a body section including said connection region, and a narrower region forming a catch on said body section.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are prongs, at least one of said prongs including a post section and at least one locking section.

4. The device as in claim 3, wherein said at least one locking section is a bulb shaped region.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are arcuate blades, at least one of said arcuate blades including at least one first extending portion which is narrower than a second extending portion, thereby forming a gap for which is configured to allow said arcuate blade to lock the three way switch to the wiring unit when the three way switch and wiring unit are coupled together and then rotated into a locking position.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein the traveler line is adapted and configured to couple the three way switch to a second three way switch.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are aligned on a circle having a radius from the ground pin.

8. The system as in claim 7, wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are not spaced equidistant from each other as measured along a circumference of the circle.

9. A modular wiring system comprising:

a) a functional unit configured to be installed into a wall box, said functional unit having a front face and a back face;

b) a wiring unit; and

c) a system for coupling said functional unit to said wiring unit in a rotational manner, by coupling said back face of said functional unit to said wiring unit, said system comprising at least three electrically conductive connection elements and a ground pin extending from the back face of said functional unit wherein said at least three electrically conductive connection elements are spaced equidistant from said ground pin; and

at least three electrically conductive interfaces and a ground pin opening formed in said wiring unit, said at least three electrically conductive interfaces being adapted and configured to receive said at least three electrically conductive connection elements, such that when said at least three electrically conductive connection elements and said ground pin are inserted into said at least three electrically conductive interfaces and said ground pin opening, respectively, the functional unit is rotatable with respect to the wiring unit to form a locking connection and wherein at least one of said at least three conductive interfaces is coupled to load, at least one of said at least three conductive interfaces is coupled to line and at least one of said at least three conductive interfaces is coupled to a traveler line.

10. The modular wiring system as in claim 9, wherein said functional unit is a switch comprising a three way switch.

11. The modular wiring system as in claim 9, wherein at least one electrically conductive connection element of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements comprises a prong comprising a first extending section and at least one locking section comprising a bulb.

12. The modular wiring system as in claim 9, wherein at least one of said at least three electrically conductive connection elements of said functional unit is a curved arm having at least one narrower section configured as a catch.

13. The modular wiring system as in claim 9, further comprising:

at least one additional nonconductive connection bracket coupled to said functional unit and configured to couple said functional unit to said wiring unit.

14. The system as in claim 9, wherein the functional unit is a three-way switch and the traveler line is adapted and configured to couple the three way switch to a second three way switch.

15. A wiring system comprising:

a wiring module comprising a housing having at least five openings with at least four of said at least five openings being elongated openings;

a functional module configured to engage a wall box, said functional module comprising a housing having at least four electrically conductive connection elements extending from said housing, said electrically conductive connection elements of said functional module being configured to insert into said openings of said wiring module and to lock said wiring module once said wiring module and said functional module are rotated with respect to each other; and

a ground pin extending out from the outer surface of said functional housing.

16. The system as in claim 15, further comprising at least one additional nonconductive connection bracket coupled to said functional unit and configured to couple said functional unit to said wiring unit.

17. The system as in claim 15, wherein said wiring module comprises at least four power carrying lines and at least a fifth line comprising a ground line.

18. The system as in claim 17, wherein said at least four power carrying lines are configured to be coupled to at least four different connection interfaces, wherein said at least four connecting interfaces being configured to be coupled to said at least four electrically conductive connection elements of said functional module.

19. The system as in claim 17, wherein at least two of said at least four power carrying lines are load lines, which are configured to provide power to a downstream load, and wherein at least two electrically conductive connection elements of said at least four electrically conductive connection elements of said functional module are configured as load connection elements.

20. The system as in claim 19, wherein the functional module further comprises a fault circuit configured to disconnect said at least two load connection elements from at least one other of said electrically conductive connection elements of said functional module.