Flush/recessable junction device

• US 7,837,483 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hautlet, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hautlet, LLC
• Inventors: Bogdanowicz, Mirek, Haut, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/454,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20090291585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 439/131, 439/170, 439/373, 174 53- 59
• US Class Current: 439/131
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62955 Pivoting lever comprising supplementary/additional locking means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6335 comprising a handle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts

Abstract

A recessable junction device includes a body having at least one track, the at least one track having a plurality of locking regions, and at least one receptacle configured to connect with a power source or signal source, or both a power and a signal source, the at least one receptacle slidably mounted within the body by engagement with the at least one track. The junction device further includes a locking lever having a first unlocked and extended position to allow grasping of the locking lever to move the at least one receptacle relative to the body and a second locked position that prevents movement of the at least one receptacle relative to the body in each of the plurality of locking regions.

Claims

1. A recessable junction device comprising:

a body having at least one track, the at least one track having a plurality of locking regions spaced apart from one another and including at least a first locking region and a second locking region;

at least one receptacle configured to connect with a power source or signal source, or both a power and a signal source, the at least one receptacle slidably mounted within the body by engagement with the at least one track; and

the at least one receptacle comprising a locking lever having an unlocked and extended position to allow grasping of the locking lever to move the at least one receptacle relative to the body to each of the locking regions, and a locked position that prevents movement of the at least one receptacle relative to the body at each of the plurality of locking regions, wherein the at least one receptacle is configured to move between at least the first and second locking regions and to lock in place at each locking region upon movement of the locking lever to the locked position.

2. The recessable junction device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle comprises a face and the body comprises a front face, and wherein at least two of the plurality of locking regions correspond to:

a first locked position wherein the face of the at least one receptacle is substantially aligned with the front face of the body; and

a second locked position wherein the face of the at least one receptacle is remote from the front face of the body and substantially recessed within the body.

3. The recessable junction device of claim 1, wherein movement of the locking lever to the second locked position locks the at least one receptacle at two opposing locking regions.

4. The recessable junction device of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is connectable to a power source and/or signal source by one or more wires, and the recessable junction device further comprises one or more wire guides comprising one or more channels for retaining at least portions of the wires within the channels when the at least one receptacle is moved between the locking regions.

5. The recessable junction of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises at least one contact terminal, at least one wire guide, and at least one terminal protector, wherein the at least one receptacle is connected to at least one wire, and wherein the at least one terminal protector is positioned at an angle towards the at least one wire guide and between the at least one contact terminal and the at least one receptacle to assist the guidance of the at least one wire into the at least one wire guide and provide at least a partial barrier between the at least one wire and the at least one contact terminal.

6. A recessable junction device comprising:

a body comprising at least one contact terminal, the body further defining an opening having a receptacle disposed therein, wherein the receptacle is moveable within the opening between a plurality of positions relative to the body;

at least one wire connecting the receptacle and the at least one contact terminal, wherein the at least one wire remains connected to the receptacle and the at least one contact terminal at all of the plurality of positions of the receptacle relative to the body; and

at least one wire guide formed within the receptacle, the at least one wire guide comprising one or more channels for retaining at least portions of the at least one wire connected to the receptacle within the channels when the receptacle is moved between positions.

7. The recessable junction device of claim 6, wherein the receptacle has at least one receptacle surface and the body has at least one external surface, and wherein the receptacle surface is substantially flush with the external surface of the body when the receptacle is in at least one of the plurality of positions and the receptacle surface is substantially recessed from the external surface of the body when the receptacle is in at least another one of the plurality of positions.

8. The recessable junction device of claim 6, wherein the body further comprises at least one contact terminal and at least one terminal protector, and wherein the at least one terminal protector is positioned at an angle towards the at least one wire guide and between the at least one contact terminal and the at least one receptacle to assist the guidance of the at least one wire into the wire retaining channel and provide at least a partial barrier between the at least one wire and the at least one contact terminal.

9. A recessable junction device comprising:

a body comprising one or more contact terminals and defining an opening, the opening having a receptacle disposed therein, wherein the receptacle is moveable between a plurality of positions relative to the body; and

the body further comprising one or more terminal protector walls positioned at an angle between the contact terminals and bendable wiring connected to the receptacle to assist guiding at least a portion of the wiring away from the contact terminals during movement of the receptacle within the opening.

10. The recessable junction device of claim 9, wherein the receptacle has at least one receptacle surface and the body has at least one external surface, and wherein the receptacle surface is substantially flush with the external surface of the body when the receptacle is in at least one of the plurality of positions and the receptacle surface is substantially recessed from the external surface of the body when the receptacle is in at least another one of the plurality of positions.

11. The recessable junction device of claim 9, wherein the receptacle comprises a locking lever having a first unlocked position to allow grasping of the locking lever to move the receptacle within the body and a second locked position wherein a locking movement of the locking lever causes the receptacle to lock at a desired one of the plurality of positions.

12. A recessable junction device comprising:

a housing having a body, the body having a first locking region and at least a second locking region spaced from each other;

at least one receptacle connectable to a power source and/or signal source, the at least one receptacle being movable within the housing between at least the first locking region and the at least one second locking region and configured to lock in place at each locking region; and

a locking lever connected to the at least one receptacle and having one or more locking elements, the locking lever being movable between (i) a first open position for grasping by a user to allow the user to move the at least one receptacle between the first and the at least one second locking regions and (ii) a second closed position by which movement of the locking lever from the first open position to the second closed position causes the one or more locking elements to engage and lock the receptacle against the housing to prevent movement of the receptacle within the housing at each locking region.

13. The recessable junction device of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises slots, and the locking lever comprises rails that change position as the locking lever is moved from the first open to the second closed position to engage the slots of the housing.

14. The recessable junction device of claim 12, wherein the locking lever is movable to a position flush with the face of the receptacle when the receptacle is in a locked position with respect to the housing and movable to a position outwardly extending from the face of the receptacle when the receptacle is moveable with respect to the housing.

15. The recessable junction device of claim 12, wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of outlets, each outlet being connectable to a power source and/or a signal source, and wherein the locking lever is arranged between at least two of the plurality of outlets.

16. A method of moving and locking at least one movable receptacle in a recessable junction device comprising:

providing a recessable junction device comprising a body having at least one track, the at least one track having a plurality of locking regions spaced apart from one another and including at least a first locking region and a second locking region, the recessable junction device having at least one receptacle configured to connect with a power source or signal source, or both a power source and a signal source, the at least one receptacle being slidably mounted within the body by engagement with the at least one track, the receptacle junction device comprising a locking lever having an unlocked position and extended position to allow grasping of the locking lever to move the at least one receptacle relative to the body to each of the locking regions, and a locked position that prevents movement of the at least one receptacle relative to the body at each of the plurality of locking regions, wherein the at least one receptacle is configured to move between the at least first and second locking regions and to lock in place at each locking region upon movement of the locking lever to the locked position;

moving the locking lever to the unlocked position;

grasping the locking lever while in the unlocked position to move the at least one receptacle to the first locking region;

moving the locking lever to the locked position to lock the at least one receptacle in the first locking region;

moving the locking lever to the unlocked position to unlock the at least one receptacle from the first locking region;

grasping the locking lever while in the unlocked position to move the at least one receptacle to the second locking region; and

moving the locking lever to the locked position to lock the at least one receptacle at the second locking region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the locking lever includes one or more rails slidable within the at least one track, and further comprising rotating the locking lever to change the position of the rail to lock the at least one receptacle.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the steps of moving the locking lever to the unlocked position, grasping the locking lever while in the unlocked position to move the receptacle to the first locking region or the second locking region, and moving the locking lever to the locked position, are carried out with one fluid motion.