Carbon monoxide detector and method of installation

• US 20070290870A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Normand
• Original Assignee: William Normand
• Inventors: Normand, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/632
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/113 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A carbon monoxide detector and method for installing a carbon monoxide detector. The carbon monoxide detector is capable of being hardwired into an installed wall electrical outlet box without reduction of the number of available electrical receptacles.

Claims

1. A carbon monoxide detector, the carbon monoxide detector comprising:

a controller;

a notification device, said notification device being coupled to said controller;

a carbon monoxide sensor, said carbon monoxide sensor being coupled to said controller; and

two or more electrical terminals;

wherein said controller is a source of a signal capable of being received by said notification device upon receipt of another signal from said carbon monoxide sensor, said another signal being indicative of presence of carbon monoxide, and

wherein the carbon monoxide detector is configured to fit within a wall electrical outlet box.

2. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1, wherein said notification device is a visual notification device.

3. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1, wherein said notification device is an audible notification device.

4. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1, the carbon monoxide detector further comprising:

a sensing device, said sensing device being coupled to said controller and being responsive to a further signal different from said controller signal and said another signal, said further signal being emitted by another notification device of another carbon monoxide detector.

5. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1, wherein said sensing device is a wireless sensing device.

6. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1, the carbon monoxide detector further comprising:

a wireless transmitter.

7. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1, the carbon monoxide detector further comprising:

at least one electrical receptacle.

8. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 7, the carbon monoxide detector further comprising:

at least one duplex receptacle.

9. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 7, wherein said at least one electrical receptacle is integral with said carbon monoxide detector.

10. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1 in combination with said wall electrical outlet box, said wall electrical outlet box comprising electrical wires,

said electrical wires of said wall electrical outlet box being connected to said two or more electrical terminals of said carbon monoxide detector, and

said wall electrical outlet box being installed within a structure.

11. The combination carbon monoxide detector and wall electrical outlet box of claim 10, wherein said structure comprises a wall.

12. The combination carbon monoxide detector and wall electrical outlet box of claim 11, wherein the carbon monoxide detector, when mounted within said wall electrical outlet box, is substantially flush with said wall.

13. The combination carbon monoxide detector and wall electrical outlet box of claim 10, wherein said two or more electrical terminals are two or more electrical wires.

14. The carbon monoxide detector of claim 1, the carbon monoxide detector further comprising:

a battery.

15. A method for retrofitting an installed wall electrical outlet box with a carbon monoxide detector, the method comprising:

removing a source of electrical power from the wall electrical outlet box;

removing a cover plate from the installed wall electrical outlet box, the installed wall electrical outlet box containing at least one electrical wire;

removing an at least one duplex receptacle from the installed wall electrical outlet box;

installing the carbon monoxide detector in the installed wall electrical outlet box; and

reinstating the source of electrical power to the wall electrical outlet box.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said removing the at least one duplex receptacle includes:

disconnecting the at least one duplex receptacle from at least one electrical wire of the installed wall electrical outlet box.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said installing the carbon monoxide detector includes:

coupling at least one electrical terminal of the carbon monoxide detector to the at least one electrical wire of the installed wall electrical outlet box.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the coupling the carbon monoxide detector to the at least one electrical wire of the installed wall electrical outlet box includes:

coupling at least one electrical receptacle of the carbon monoxide detector to the at least one electrical wire of the installed wall electrical outlet box.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one electrical receptacle is integral with the carbon monoxide detector.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one electrical terminal is an at least one electrical wire.