Compact electrical wiring system

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US007736175B1

(12) United States Patent

Savicki, Jr. et al.

(io) Patent No.: (45) Date of Patent:

US 7,736,175 Bl *Jun. 15, 2010

(54) COMPACT ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM

(75) Inventors: Gerald R. Savicki, Jr., Canastota, NY (US); John Benoit, Montpelier, VT (US)

(73) Assignee: Pass & Seymour, Inc., Syracuse, NY (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(21) Appl.No.: 12/396,214

(22) Filed: Mar. 2, 2009

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 11/933,943, filed on Nov. 1,2007, now Pat. No. 7,497,725, which is a continuation of application No. 11/691,116, filed on Mar. 26, 2007, now Pat. No. 7,470,145, which is a continuation of application No. 11/357,563, filed on Feb. 17, 2006, now Pat. No. 7,195,517, which is a continuation of application No. 11/032,420, filed on Jan. 10, 2005, now Pat. No. 7,189,110, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 10/680,797, filed on Oct. 7, 2003, now Pat. No. 6,994,585.

(51) Int. CI.

H01R 13/60 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. CI 439/535; 439/536; 174/58

(58) Field of Classification Search 439/535,

439/536, 650, 107; 174/58 See application file for complete search history.

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,433,917 A 1/1948 McCartney
2,895,119 A 7/1959 Montgomery, Jr.
3,156,761 A 11/1964 Schinske

The present invention is directed to a electrical wiring system that includes a plug connector having a plurality of plug contacts configured to terminate a plurality of wires. The system also includes an electrical wiring device having a cover member, a body member, a ground strap assembly disposed between the cover member and the body member, and a receptacle formed in a rear portion of the body member, the receptacle being configured to accept the plug connector. The ground strap assembly is configured to conform to at least one body member feature such that a distance from the ground strap assembly to a major rear surface of the body member is less than a predetermined distance. The receptacle includes a plurality of receptacle contacts configured to mate with the plurality of plug contacts when the plug connector is inserted into the receptacle.

44 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets

Page 2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Bryant Wiring Device Catalog BDB-1506, May 1994, pp. C12, D12, D16, F2 and F5.

Leviton Wiring Device Catalog, D-200, 1978, Little Neck, NY, pp. C1,T9, T12.

Pass & Seymour Plug Tail Wiring Devices Brochure; Apr. 2004. First Alert, User's Manual for Smoke and Fire Alarms, Jul. 2004; Mexico, pp. 1-6.

Earley et al., NEC 1999 National Electrical Code Handbook, NFPA,

8th ed. (1999) pp. v-vii, 2, 69-70 and 98.

BRK Electronics, User's Manual—Smoke Alarms Jun. 2000.

T. Engdahl, Telephone Ringing Circuits, 1997, www.tkk.fi/misc/

electronics/circuits/telephone_ringer.html.

P&S PlugTail Installation—Speed Comparison Video, Pass & Seymour website (www.passandseymour.com/plugtail/video.cfm, Jun. 2007.

BRK Electronics (First Alert), Model SC6120B—User's Manual for AC Powered Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Batter Backup and Silence Feature, 2001.

NEC 2005 Handbook, 2005, Article 314-17, Conductors Entering Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings, National Fire Protection Association, Inc., p. 327.

UL Standard 514A, Metallic Outlet Boxes, Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Tenth Edition, 2004, p. 39.

* cited by examiner