Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Leslie Lindenstraus

Dennis A Oddsen

Anthony C Tufano

Gerd Schmieta

James J Sherman

Michael Meyer

Steve Zacharevitz

Tim Langfitt

Alfredo Arenas

Denise Chan-Richter

Edward Bazayev

Paul Endres

Tim Langfit

John Michael Eder

Paul Kadar

Stanley R Swiencicki

Christopher Rafferty

Anthony Tufano

Kenneth J Brown

Pieter Loftus

Mehmet K Tanacan

Eusebio Brinas

The instant invention discloses a receptacle where the surface of the face along its width is flat in one plane and along its length has a constant radius. The shape of the face of the receptacle allows for the proper seating of an inserted plug. The receptacle is adapter to be located in a wall plate having a vertical axis of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane and zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. The receptacle can be placed next to a switch, the front face of which follows the shape of the wall plate.

Receptacle with shaped surface

A wiring system includes a wiring module and a functional module. The wiring module in at least one embodiment includes elongated holes or openings which are configured to engage or lock with prongs on a functional module to create a lockable connection. The wiring module and the functional module form both a physical and an electrical connection. In another embodiment, there is an adapter which is configured to connect the wiring module and the functional module or unit together.

Modular wiring system with locking elements

Quick connect receptacle

The instant invention overcomes the difficulties encountered with respect to mounting electrical wiring devices to a common box and then positioning the devices relative to each other prior to attaching a wall plate. Some of the difficulties encountered are positioning the wiring devices to be in alignment with each other, locating the wiring devices to be parallel to each other, adjusting the spacing between the different devices to be equal and uniform and fixing all of the devices to be flat against the wall. The alignment pins, when engaged by the close clearance locating openings, accurately positions the wiring devices to allow a wall plate to be placed around the wiring devices without requiring any initial or subsequent adjustment. Each set of alignment pins on the alignment plate can be located on a vertical axis which accurately defines the center for the wiring device. The opening in the wiring device receives and holds captive a set of alignment pins. The alignment pins accurately position, align and locate all of the wiring devices mounted to the alignment plate, and the plate allows the wiring devices to be positioned against a flat surface.

Multifunction clips and ground/mounting strap for wiring device

Modular connector

A modular wiring system comprising a functional unit and a wiring unit. There is also a system for coupling the functional unit to the wiring unit in a rotational manner. This system can be formed from at least one locking prong comprised of electrically conductive material. When the functional unit is coupled to the wiring unit, the locking prong is both electrically and physically coupled to the functional unit at a first end and to the wiring unit at a second end. Alternatively, or in addition, the system for coupling the functional unit to the wiring unit in a rotational manner can include at least one flange coupled to the functional unit and at least one flange coupled to the wiring unit. These flanges operate such that when the functional unit and the wiring unit are coupled together, they are rotated to form a locking connection between the flange on the functional unit and the flange on the wiring unit.

There is disclosed a wall plate for a wiring device. The wall plate has a single opening for receiving one or a gang of two or more wiring devices within the single opening. The wall plate has along its vertical axis, a surface of positive first differential and zero second differential, including a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane. The surface has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. The wall plate, when composed of non-conducting material, has a conductive coating on its front surface, on its back surface or on both its front and back surfaces. When the wiring device is a switch, the surface of the switch face follows that of the wall plate. When the wiring device is a receptacle, the surface along the receptacle face is flat in one plane to allow for the proper seating of an inserted plug.

Electrical receptacle assembly having a clip

An adapter having a front face with a flange portion and a centrally located opening. The opening has an inner dimension sized to accept at least a front face of a wiring device and the flange has an outer dimension sized to fit at least within an opening of a front face of a wall plate. The flange portion has a vertical surface contour along a vertical direction of the flange and a horizontal surface contour along a horizontal direction of the flange such that, when the adapter is installed, the contours of the flange result in a smooth transition from the wiring device to the wall plate.

Opening adapter

The instant invention discloses a receptacle having a shape along the width of its face that is flat in one plane and along its length that has a constant radius. The shape of the face of the receptacle allows for the proper seating of an inserted plug. The shape of a wall plate around the receptacle along a section which runs along its vertical axis defines a surface of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane. The surface has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. When ganged with a switch, the front surface of the switch follows the shape of the cover plate.

Wall plate with one opening for one of more wiring devices

The instant invention discloses a receptacle having a shape along the width of its face that is flat in one plane and along its length that has a constant radius. The shape of the face of the receptacle allows for the proper seating of an inserted plug. The shape of a wall plate around the receptacle along a section which runs along its vertical axis defines a surface of positive first differential and zero second differential, includes a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane. The surface has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. When ganged with a switch, the front surface of the switch follows the shape of the cover plate.

There is disclosed a wall plate for a wiring device. The wall plate has a single opening for receiving one or a gang of two or more wiring devices within the single opening. The wall plate has along its vertical axis, a surface of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane. The surface has zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. The wall plate, when composed of non-conducting material, has a conductive coating on its front surface, on its back surface or on both its front and back surfaces. When the wiring device is a switch, the surface of the switch face follows that of the wall plate. When the wiring device is a receptacle, the surface along the receptacle face is flat in one plane to allow for the proper seating of an inserted plug.

Shaped wall plate for wiring device

The instant invention overcomes the difficulties encountered with respect to mounting electrical wiring devices to a common box and then positioning the devices relative to each other prior to attaching a wall plate. Some of the difficulties encountered are positioning the wiring devices to be in alignment with each other, locating the wiring devices to be parallel to each other, adjusting the spacing between the different devices to be equal and uniform and fixing all of the devices to be flat against the wall. In the prior art, the wiring devices are first loosely attached to a box and then moved back and forth, and up and down to fit within cut outs in a wall plate which is then attached to the wiring devices with screws. A time consuming and tedious job. This invention overcomes these deficiencies by providing wiring devices that have locating openings for engaging alignment pins located on a plate that is subsequently attached to a box. The alignment pins, when engaged by the close clearance locating openings, accurately positions the wiring devices to allow a wall plate to be placed around the wiring devices without requiring any initial or subsequent adjustment. Each set of alignment pins on the alignment plate can be located on a vertical axis which accurately defines the center for the wiring device. The opening in the wiring device receives and holds captive a set of alignment pins. The alignment pins accurately position, align and locate all of the wiring devices mounted to the alignment plate, and the plate allows the wiring devices to be positioned against a flat surface. Thereafter, a wall plate can be positioned around the wiring devices without requiring any adjustment.

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New York, NY, United States of America

Leslie Lindenstraus