Wiring device having a housing with multiple portions and low voltage ports

• US 9,368,982 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Jansen, Ronald, Kamor, Michael, Frid, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US14/278,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 439/535, 174/53, 200/297
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/516 Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing , hoods
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6666 with built-in overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits

Abstract

A wiring device for fastening in an electrical box is presented including a strap having first and second mounting holes to facilitate fastening of the wiring device to the electrical box, the first and second mounting holes lying on an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis and a housing having a face, the face having an area which is divided into first and second regions by a lateral axis, the lateral axis being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The wiring device further includes a first low voltage port being accessible through a first low voltage port aperture, a second low voltage port being accessible through a second low voltage port aperture, a third low voltage port being accessible through a third low voltage port aperture, and a fourth low voltage port being accessible through a fourth low voltage port aperture.

Claims

1. A wiring device for fastening in an electrical box, the wiring device comprising:

a strap having first and second mounting holes to facilitate fastening of the wiring device to the electrical box, a center of the first and second mounting holes lying on an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the wiring device;

a housing having a substantially rectangular face, the face being user-accessible once the wiring device is fastened to the electrical box, the face having an area which is divided into first and second regions by a lateral axis, the lateral axis being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

a first low voltage port being accessible through a first low voltage port aperture on the first region of the substantially rectangular face;

a second low voltage port being accessible through a second low voltage port aperture on the first region of the substantially rectangular face;

a third low voltage port being accessible through a third low voltage port aperture on the second region of the substantially rectangular face; and

a fourth low voltage port being accessible through a fourth low voltage port aperture on the second region of the substantially rectangular face;

wherein a longitudinal dimension of each of the first, second, third, and fourth low voltage port apertures is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wiring device.

2. The wiring device of claim 1, wherein the lateral axis substantially bisects the area of the face.

3. The wiring device of claim 1, wherein the first and third low voltage port apertures are substantially aligned with each other.

4. The wiring device of claim 1, wherein the second and fourth low voltage port apertures are substantially aligned with each other.

5. The wiring device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth low voltage ports is a USB charging port.

6. A wiring device for installation into an electrical box in a surface of a building, the wiring device having internal components, the wiring device comprising:

a strap adapted and configured to fasten the wiring device to the electrical box;

a housing configured to substantially enclose the internal components of the wiring device, wherein the housing further comprises;

a first housing portion; and

a second housing portion;

wherein the first and second housing portions are adapted and configured to be assembled together, such that the first and second housing portions mate along a plane perpendicular to the surface of the building.

7. The wiring device of claim 6, further comprising:

a face structure which is user-accessible once the wiring device is installed into the electrical box, the face structure having first and second face portions;

wherein the first face portion overlies the first housing portion and the second face portion overlies the second housing portion; and

wherein the strap further comprises a strap tab which projects towards the face structure, the strap tab being sized and configured to absorb an impact to the face structure.

8. The wiring device of claim 6, further comprising:

a first printed circuit board (PCB) ledge on the first housing portion; and

a second PCB ledge on the second housing portion;

wherein when the first and second housing portions are assembled together, the first and second PCB ledges cooperate to form a channel to accommodate a PCB therebetween.

9. The wiring device of claim 6, further comprising:

a first printed circuit board (PCB); and

a second printed circuit board (PCB);

wherein the first and second PCB'"'"'s are soldered directly together at a right angle therebetween.

10. The wiring device of claim 9, further comprising:

a USB port coupled to the first PCB; and

voltage transforming circuitry coupled to the second PCB;

wherein the voltage transforming circuitry converts line voltage to low voltage.

11. The wiring device of claim 6, further comprising:

a fastener; and

a leg extending from the strap, the leg having a support aperture;

wherein when the first and second housing portions are assembled together, the fastener passes through the first housing portion, the support aperture of the leg of the strap, and the second housing portion to at least partially restrict displacement of the strap with respect to at least one of the first and second housing portions.

12. The wiring device of claim 6, further comprising:

a strap projection extending from the strap; and

a recess on at least one of the first and second housing portions;

wherein when the first and second housing portions are assembled together, the strap projection extends into the recess to at least partially restrict displacement of the strap with respect to at least one of the first and second housing portions.

13. The wiring device of claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises:

a wire channel having first and second ends, the wire channel accessible from an exterior of the wiring device;

a wire aperture in the housing proximate to the first end of the wire channel; and

a strain relief projection proximate to the second end of the wire channel;

wherein the wire channel, wire aperture, and strain relief projection cooperate to support and route a wire between the exterior and an interior of the housing.

14. The wiring device of claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of strap support projections extending from the first or second housing portions;

wherein when the first and second housing portions are assembled, the strap is positioned between two of the plurality of strap support projections.

15. The wiring device of claim 6, further comprising:

a face structure configured to be selectively added to or removed from the housing, the face structure further comprising;

a retention feature adapted to pivotally engage a corresponding retention feature on the wiring device; and

a fastening feature adapted to engage a corresponding fastening feature on the wiring device to maintain the face structure in an installed position.

16. The wiring device of claim 15, wherein:

the retention feature includes a first arm; and

the fastening feature includes a second arm;

wherein a stiffness of the first arm is substantially greater than a stiffness of the second arm.

17. A wiring device comprising:

a housing configured to substantially enclose internal components of the wiring device, wherein the housing further comprises;

a face having an area divided into first and second regions by a lateral axis, the lateral axis being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis; and

a first housing portion and a second housing portion, where the first and second housing portions are configured to be assembled together; and

a first printed circuit board (PCB) and a second printed circuit board (PCB), where the first and second PCB'"'"'s are disposed within the housing and are configured to be connected together in a perpendicular manner, and where at least one of the PCB'"'"'s comprises circuitry for a low voltage port.

18. The wiring device of claim 17, wherein the first PCB is a logic PCB and the second PCB is a power PCB.

19. The wiring device of claim 17, wherein the first PCB has a first plating and the second PCB has a second plating, such that the first and second PCB'"'"'s are electrically connected to each other.

20. The wiring device of claim 17, wherein the first and second housing portions form a single housing when assembled together.

21. The wiring device of claim 17, wherein the first region includes two low voltage ports, whereas the second region includes a single electrical outlet.

22. The wiring device of claim 21, wherein the two low voltage ports are offset from the longitudinal axis by a predetermined distance.

23. The wiring device of claim 17, wherein the first region includes a first set of low voltage ports and the second region includes a second set of low voltage ports.

24. The wiring device of claim 23, wherein the first set of low voltage ports of the first region and the second set of low voltage ports of the second region are offset from the longitudinal axis by a predetermined distance.

25. The wiring device of claim 17, wherein the first region includes a first electrical outlet, the second region includes a second electrical outlet, and two low voltage ports occupy at least a portion of both the first and second regions.

26. The wiring device according to claim 25, wherein the low voltage ports are parallel to the longitudinal axis.

27. The wiring device according to claim 25, wherein the low voltage ports are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

28. The wiring device according to claim 17, wherein the first region includes a first pair of low voltage ports, the second region includes a single electrical outlet, and a second pair of low voltage ports occupy at least a portion of both the first and second regions.

29. The wiring device of claim 28, wherein the pair of first and second low voltage ports are offset from the longitudinal axis by a predetermined distance.