Electrical wiring system

• US 6,994,585 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pass & Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Pass & Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Savicki, Gerald R. Jr., Benoit, John
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US10/680,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20050075007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 439/536, 439/535, 439/650, 174/48, 174/66, 174/67, 174/50, 174/53, 174/58, 174/68, 220/241
• US Class Current: 439/535
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring system. The system includes a plug connector device that is configured to terminate a plurality of wires. A portion of the plurality of wires are configured to transmit electrical power provided by an electrical power distribution system. An electrical wiring device is configured to provide the electrical power to a load. The electrical wiring device includes a receptacle disposed therein. The receptacle is configured to receive the plug device, such that electrical continuity is established between the electrical wiring device and the plurality of wires when the plug device is inserted into the receptacle.

Claims

1. An electrical wiring system comprising:

a plug connector device configured to terminate a plurality of wires, the plurality of wires being configured to transmit electrical power provided by an electrical power distribution system; and

an electrical wiring device configured to provide the electrical power to a load, the electrical wiring device being substantially disposed between a user accessible cover member and a body member, the electrical wiring device including a receptacle disposed in the body member, the receptacle being configured to receive the plug device, whereby electrical continuity is established between the electrical wiring device and the plurality of wires when the plug device is inserted into the receptacle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plug device includes female electrical contacts and the receptacle includes male electrical contacts.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plug device includes male electrical contacts an the receptacle includes female electrical contacts.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wires includes an AC power conductor and a neutral conductor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wires are configured to carry three-phase power.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wires includes a ground wire.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes an electrical receptacle configured to accept a power plug coupled to an electrical load.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes an electrical switch.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes a GFCI device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes a lighting fixture.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes a sensor device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes a transient voltage surge suppressor.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes an environmental regulation device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes a timer device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the plug device includes a plurality of self-locking contacts, each self-locking contact accommodating one of the plurality of wires, such that electrical continuity is established between each wire and each plug contact, and wherein each plug contact corresponds to a contact disposed in the receptacle.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the plug device includes a plurality of threaded twist-on wire connectors, each threaded twist-on wire connector being coupled to a plug contact and configured to accommodate one of the plurality of wires, such that electrical continuity is established between each wire an each plug contact, and wherein each plug contact corresponds to a contact disposed in the receptacle.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plug device further comprises:

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion configured to mate with the first housing portion to thereby form the plug device housing; and

a plurality of contacts including blade elements, the plurality of contacts being disposed in either the first plug connector housing or the second plug connector housing or both, the blade elements being configured to displace insulation disposed on the plurality of wires when the second plug connector housing is coupled to the first plug connector housing, whereby electrical continuity is established between each wire and a corresponding one of the plurality of contacts.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical wiring device includes a communications device configured to transmit a system status.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the communications device is configured to transmit the system status via a communications wire, the plug connector being configured to accommodate the communications wire.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the communications device is configured to transmit the system status optically.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the communications device is configured to transmit the system status acoustically.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the communications device is configured to transmit the system status by way of an electromagnetic transmission.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the electromagnetic transmission includes an RF signal.

24. The system of claim 1, further including a second plurality of wires configured to transmit electric power to a feed-through device, wherein the plug device is configured to terminate the second plurality of wires to thereby electrically couple the electric power source to the second plurality of wires.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the electrical wiring device includes an electrical receptacle configured to accept a power plug coupled to an electrical load.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a second plug connector device configured to terminate the second plurality of wires, the second plurality of wires being configured to transmit electrical power provided by an electrical power distribution system to the feed-through device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the electrical wiring device includes an electrical receptacle configured to accept a power plug coupled to an electrical load.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising a latching mechanism configured to prevent the plug connector device from being removed from the receptacle to thereby ensure that electrical continuity is maintained between the electrical wiring device and the plurality of wires.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the latching mechanism is manually moveable to permit removal of the plug connector device from the receptacle.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the latching mechanism provides an indication that the plug connector is locked in the inserted position.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the indication is an audible indication.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the indication is an visual indication.

33. A method for installing electrical wiring, the method comprising:

installing a plurality of wires from a first location to an electrical device location, at least a portion of the plurality of wires being configure to transmit electrical power;

terminating the plurality or wires with a plug connector;

providing an electrical wiring device configured to provide electrical power to a load, the electrical wiring device being substantially disposed between a user accessible cover member and a body member, the electrical wiring device including a receptacle disposed in the body member, the receptacle being configured to receive the plug device; and

inserting the plug connector into the receptacle, whereby electrical continuity is established between the electrical wiring device and the plurality of wires.

34. The method of claim 33, and wherein the step of terminating includes the step of inserting each of the plurality or wires into a self-locking contact element within the plug connector, such that there is electrical continuity between each wire and each plug contact.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of terminating further comprises the steps of:

inserting each wire into a corresponding one of a plurality of threaded twist-on wire connectors coupled to the plug connector, each threaded twist-on wire connector being coupled to a plug contact and configured to accommodate one of the plurality of wires, and

twisting each twist-on wire connector such that the wire is secure within the twist-on wire connector and electrical continuity is established between each wire and each plug contact.

36. The method of claim 33, and wherein the step of terminating further comprises:

inserting the plurality of wires into a first plug connector housing; and

coupling a second plug connector housing to the first plug connector housing to thereby terminate the plurality of wires in the plug connector, either the first plug connector housing or the second plug connector housing, or both, including contacts having blade elements, the blade element being configured to displace insulation disposed on the plurality of wires when the second plug connector housing is coupled to the first plug connector housing, whereby electrical continuity is established between each wire and a corresponding contact.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the plug device includes female electrical contacts and the receptacle includes male electrical contacts.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the plug device includes male electrical contacts and the receptacle includes female electrical contacts.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the steps of installing further comprises:

disposing conduit between the first location and the second location; and

pulling the plurality of wires through the conduit.

40. A method for installing an electrical wiring device, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a connector device that is adapted to be operably received by the electrical wiring device and that includes a first plurality of electrical contacts disposed therein;

b. terminating the connector device to a plurality of wires, the plurality of wires being in electrical communication with said first plurality of electrical contacts;

c. providing an electrical wiring device substantially disposed between a user accessible cover member and a body member having a predetermined area in which a second plurality of electrical contacts are disposed, the electrical wiring device including at least one element configured to provide electrical power to a load; and

d. placing said connector device into electrical communication with the electrical device, wherein said first plurality of electrical contacts are in contacting relation with corresponding ones of said second plurality of electrical contacts.

41. The electrical wiring system according to claim 40, wherein said first plurality of electrical contacts comprises blades.

42. The method for interconnecting a plurality of wires according to claim 40, wherein said predetermined area is a receptacle adapted to receive said first plurality of contacts therein.

43. The electrical wiring system according to claim 42, wherein said second plurality of electrical contacts comprise female receptacles.

44. The electrical wiring system according to claim 40, wherein said second plurality of electrical contacts comprise female receptacles.

45. The electrical wiring system according to claim 44, wherein said first plurality of electrical contacts comprises blades.

46. An electrical wiring system comprising:

a an electrical wiring device substantially disposed between a user accessible cover member and a body member having a predefined area in which a first plurality of electrical contacts are positioned, the electrical wiring device including at least one element configured to provide electrical power to a load;

b. a connector device configured to be positioned in contacting relation with the electrical wiring device, the connector device including a plurality of termination elements configured to terminate a plurality of wires; and

c. a second plurality of electrical contacts disposed in said connector device and electrically coupled to said plurality of termination elements, the second plurality of electrical contacts being configured to be placed in electrical contact with said first plurality of electrical contacts when said connector device is positioned in contacting relation with said electrical wiring device.

47. The electrical wiring system according to claim 46, wherein said second plurality of electrical contacts comprises blades.

48. The electrical wiring system according to claim 46, wherein said predefined area is a receptacle adapted to receive said second plurality of contacts therein.

49. The electrical wiring system according to claim 48, wherein said first plurality of electrical contacts comprise female receptacles.

50. The electrical wiring system according to claim 46, wherein said first plurality of electrical contacts comprise female receptacles.

51. The electrical wiring system according to claim 50, wherein said second plurality of electrical contacts comprises blades.