Providing additional electrical functionality to a node

• US 8,797,723 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Efacto, LLC
• Original Assignee: Outsmart Power Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Hilton, Paul C. M., Johnson, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Datskovskiy, Michail V
• Application Number:
  US13/011,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20110182012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361627-632, 361/636, 361/641, 361/643, 200/64, 200/35.R, 200/1.R, 200/329, 200/33.B, 200/296, 200/297, 200330-333, 200/339, 200/293, 200/315, 200/42.01, 307110-115, 307 64- 66, 307/126, 307/139, 307/125, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.8, 174 49- 57, 174/66, 174/67, 174/58, 174/549, 174/520, 174/48, 174/135, 439/535, 439/107, 439/344, 439/676, 439/76.1, 439/188, 439/441, 455/66.1, 455/67.7, 455/68
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system, which may include a faceplate and an electrical receptacle or switch. The faceplate may include a panel having a first surface, a second surface, and an opening defined in the panel providing communication between the first and second surfaces. The faceplate may also include an interrupter extending from the first surface of the panel having at least two interrupter contacts thereon and a first electrical circuit operatively coupled to the interrupter contacts. The electrical receptacle or switch may include a housing and a second electrical circuit, wherein the second electrical circuit is in communication with the first electrical circuit when the faceplate is mounted on the electrical receptacle or switch and the interrupter is configured to interrupt the second electrical circuit.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a faceplate including a panel having a first surface, a second surface, an opening defined in said faceplate providing communication between said first and second surfaces, an interrupter extending from a first surface of said panel having at least two interrupter contacts thereon and a first electrical circuit operatively coupled to said interrupter contacts;

a switching device in electrical communication with said first electrical circuit; and

an electrical receptacle or switch including a housing and a second electrical circuit, wherein said second electrical circuit is in communication with said first electrical circuit when said faceplate is mounted on said electrical receptacle or switch and said interrupter is configured to interrupt said second electrical circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said second circuit includes at least one hot contact.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said second electrical circuit further comprises a hot spade contact in separable electrical communication with said hot contact;

wherein said faceplate is mounted on said electrical switch and said interrupter extends between said hot contact and said hot spade contact.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said second electrical circuit comprises a first set of electrically separable hot contacts and a second set of electrically separable hot contacts, wherein when said faceplate is mounted on said switch, said interrupter extends between said second set of hot contacts.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said faceplate further comprises a tab extending from said first surface of said panel and a first auxiliary contacts mounted on said tab, and said electrical receptacle or switch includes a second auxiliary contacts mounted on said housing in electrical communication with said first auxiliary contacts and said second electrical circuit, when said faceplate is mounted on said electrical receptacle or switch.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first auxiliary contacts are in electrical communication with said first electrical circuit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first electrical circuit is in series with said second electrical circuit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said switching device is in communication with an electromagnetic communication device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said electromagnetic communication device is selected from the group consisting of an optical receiver, an optical transceiver, a radio frequency receiver, a radio frequency transceiver or a wireline transceiver.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising node electronics.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said electronics include a microcontroller, a communications function, a switchable micro-load and a coupler.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a switching device in electrical communication with said node electronics.

13. A faceplate, comprising:

a panel having a first surface, a second surface and an opening;

an interrupter extending from a first surface of said panel having at least two interrupter contacts thereon;

an electrical circuit mounted on said face plate, wherein said circuit is coupled to said interrupter contacts; and

a switching device in electrical communication with said electrical circuit.

14. The faceplate of claim 13, wherein said switching device is in electrical communication with an electromagnetic communication device.

15. The faceplate of claim 14, wherein said electromagnetic communication device is selected from the group consisting of an optical receiver, an optical transceiver, a radio frequency receiver, a radio frequency transceiver or a wireline transceiver.

16. The faceplate of claim 13, further comprising a tab extending from said first surface of said panel and at least one or more auxiliary contacts mounted on said tab.

17. The faceplate of claim 16, further comprising a switching device in electrical communication with said at least one or more auxiliary contacts.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said interrupter is formed of an insulating material.

19. The faceplate of claim 13, wherein said interrupter is formed of an insulating material.