IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0674452
(2007-02-13)
|
등록번호 |
US-7576285
(2009-08-31)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
23 인용 특허 :
5 |
초록
▼
The present invention is directed to a modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices within a wall box. N is an integer greater than or equal to one (1). The system includes a left-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a left most wiring device of the N-wiring devices
The present invention is directed to a modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices within a wall box. N is an integer greater than or equal to one (1). The system includes a left-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a left most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the left-end cap including a left-end cap finish surface. A right-end cap is configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a right most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the right-end cap including a right-end cap finish surface. N-1 alignment couplers are disposed between each of the N-wiring devices. The N-1 alignment couplers are configured to align adjacent ones of the N-wiring devices at least in two-dimensions. Each of the N-1 alignment couplers includes a coupler finish surface. N-wall plates are configured to cover each of the N-wiring devices. Each of the N-wall plates includes a wall plate finish surface.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices within a wall box, N being an integer greater than or equal to one (1), the system comprising: a left-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a left most wiring device of the N-wiring devices dispos
What is claimed is: 1. A modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices within a wall box, N being an integer greater than or equal to one (1), the system comprising: a left-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a left most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the left-end cap including a left-end cap finish surface; a right-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a right most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the right-end cap including a right-end cap finish surface; N-1 alignment couplers disposed between each of the N-wiring devices, the N-1 alignment couplers being configured to align adjacent ones of the N-wiring devices at least in two-dimensions, each of the N-1 alignment couplers including a coupler finish surface; and N-wall plates configured to cover each of the N-wiring devices, each of the N-wall plates including a wall plate finish surface. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the left-end cap finish surface and the right-end cap finish surface are substantially co-planar after the N-wiring devices is installed within the wall box. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the coupler finish surface(s) are substantially co-planar with the left-end cap finish surface after the N-wiring devices is installed within the wall box. 4. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the N-wall plate finish surface(s) is substantially co-planar with the left-end cap finish surface after the modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices is installed within the wall box. 5. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the N-wall plate finish surface(s) is at a predetermined spaced relationship with respect to the left-end cap finish surface after the modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices is installed within the wall box. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the N-wiring devices are substantially aligned in three-dimensional space after the modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices is installed within the wall box. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the N wall plates are configured to mate to two (2) of a group selected from the left-end cap, the right-end cap, and the N-1 alignment couplers. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein one of the N-wall plates is configured to snap into the left-end cap mounted to the left-most wiring device and snap into an alignment coupler mounted to a right-edge of the left most wiring device. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein one of the N-wall plates is configured to snap into the right-end cap mounted to the right-most wiring device and snap into an alignment coupler mounted to a left-edge of the right most wiring device. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the N-wall plates is configured to secure to a corresponding wiring device by way of a fastening structure. 11. The system of claim 7, wherein selected ones of the N-wall plates are configured to snap into adjacent ones of the N-1 alignment couplers. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein a wall plate of the N-wall plates is characterized by a horizontal dimension corresponding to a size of the corresponding wiring device. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the size is selected from a group of wiring device sizes selected from a group that includes single gang, one-and one-half gang, two-gang, and two and one-half gang sizes. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the wiring devices include a dimmer, fan speed control, switch, sensor, light, receptacle, protective device, transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS), ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), or some combination thereof. 15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one of the wiring devices includes a dimmer and a fan speed control. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the N-wall plates includes a label window configured to hold a placard therein. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the label window is accessible from an underside of the wall plate. 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the N-1 alignment couplers may be selected from a group of alignment couplers including a relatively narrow coupler configured to be mounted to a dimmer wiring device having a heat sink fin removed. 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the N-1 alignment couplers may be selected from a group of alignment couplers including a relatively wide coupler configured to be mounted to a dimmer wiring device having a heat sink fin intact. 20. The system of claim 1, wherein the N-1 alignment couplers are selected from a family of alignment couplers provided in at least two widths. 21. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the N-1 couplers includes at least one pair of fastener structures disposed on either side of the coupler finish surface, each pair of the fastener structures being configured to mount and align the edges of two wiring devices with respect to each other. 22. The system of claim 1, wherein the left-end cap includes a pair of recessed fastener holes disposed on a right side portion, the pair of the recessed fastener holes being configured to mount and align an edge of a wiring device thereto. 23. The system of claim 1, wherein the right-end cap includes a pair of recessed fastener holes disposed on a left side portion, the pair of the recessed fastener holes being configured to mount and align an edge of a wiring device thereto. 24. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the N-wall plates includes a series of vent holes disposed therein, the series of vent holes being configured to vent thermal energy generated by a dimmer heat sink. 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the series of vent holes are disposed in at least one outer edge of the at least one face plate. 26. The system of claim 1, wherein each pair of adjacent wall plates of the N-wall plates includes one of the N-1 couplers disposed therebetween such that there is substantially no air gap disposed between the adjacent wall plates. 27. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the N-wall plates includes an opening corresponding to a user-accessible wiring device control feature. 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the user-accessible wiring device control feature is selected from a group of control feature openings that includes a slide-dimmer switch opening, a preset switch opening, a toggle switch opening, a rocker switch opening, at least one receptacle opening, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) opening, an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) opening, a lamp opening, a sensor opening, or a duplex receptacle opening. 29. A method for installing N-wiring devices within a wall box, N being an integer greater than or equal to one (1), the method comprising: providing a left most wiring device of the N-wiring devices and mounting a left-end cap to an exterior portion of a left most wiring device, the left-end cap including a left-end cap finish surface; providing a right most wiring device of the N-wiring devices and mounting a right-end cap to an exterior portion of a right most wiring device, the right-end cap including a right-end cap finish surface; loosely mounting the remaining N-2 wiring devices to the wall box; inserting N-1 alignment couplers between each of the N-wiring devices, each of the N-1 alignment couplers including a coupler finish surface, each of the N-1 alignment couplers including at least one fastening device disposed on either side of the coupler finish surface; mounting each of the at least one fastening devices to an adjacent one of the N-wiring devices to thereby form a system of coupled and aligned wiring devices; connecting the system of coupled and aligned wiring devices to the wall box; and covering each of the N-wiring devices with a wall plate. 30. The method of claim 29, each of the N-wall plates including a wall plate finish surface, the left-end cap finish surface, the right-end cap finish surface, the coupler finish surface(s), if any, and the wall plate finish surface(s) being substantially co-planar. 31. The method of claim 29, wherein N is an integer equal to one (1), and wherein the step of inserting N-1 alignment couplers is omitted. 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the N-wiring devices are substantially aligned in at least two-dimensional space. 33. The method of claim 29, wherein step of inserting further comprises: removing a heat sink fin from a wiring device; selecting an alignment coupler having a relatively narrow horizontal dimension, the relatively narrow horizontal dimension corresponding to an edge of a dimmer wiring device having a heat sink fin removed. 34. The method of claim 29, wherein step of inserting further comprises: removing a heat sink fin from a wiring device; selecting an alignment coupler having a relatively narrow horizontal dimension, the relatively wide horizontal dimension corresponding to an edge of a dimmer wiring device having a heat sink fin intact. 35. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of inserting an alignment coupler includes selecting an alignment coupler from a family of alignment couplers provided in at least two different widths. 36. The method of claim 29, wherein each of the N-wall plates includes a label window configured to hold a placard therein, and wherein the step of covering includes disposing a placard within the label window, the placard identifying the corresponding wiring device. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the label window is accessible from an underside of the wall plate. 38. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one fastening device includes at least one pair of fastener holes. 39. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of selecting a sequence of wiring devices within the wall box. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the wiring devices includes a dimmer, fan speed control device, receptacle, switch, light, protective device, ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI), transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS), sensor or some combination thereof. 41. A modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices within a wall box, N being an integer greater than or equal to one (1), the system comprising: a left-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a left most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the left-end cap including a left-end cap finish surface; a right-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a right most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the right-end cap including a right-end cap finish surface; N-1 alignment couplers disposed between each of the N-wiring devices, the N-1 alignment couplers being configured to align adjacent ones of the N-wiring devices in at least two-dimensions, each of the N-1 alignment couplers including a coupler finish surface; and N-wall plates configured to cover each of the N-wiring devices, each of the N-wall plates including a wall plate finish surface and at least one series of venting slits disposed therein, the left-end cap finish surface, the right-end cap finish surface, the coupler finish surface(s), if any, and the wall plate finish surface(s) being substantially co-planar after the modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices is installed within the wall box. 42. The system of claim 41, wherein the N-wall plates further comprise: a plate member having the wall plate finish surface and configured to cover a wiring device, the plate member including a first aperture configured to provide a user with access to the wiring device; and a label window disposed in the plate member, the label window including a second aperture disposed in the plate member and a lens element disposed in the second aperture on a finish side of the plate member, the label window further comprising a placard retention element disposed on an underside of the plate member, the retention element and the lens member forming a pocket configured to hold the placard for viewing through the lens element. 43. A modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices within a wall box, N being an integer greater than or equal to one (1), the system comprising: a left-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a left most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the left-end cap including a left-end cap finish surface; a right-end cap configured to be mounted to an exterior portion of a right most wiring device of the N-wiring devices disposed in the wall box, the right-end cap including a right-end cap finish surface; N-1 alignment couplers disposed between each of the N-wiring devices, the N-1 alignment couplers being configured to align adjacent ones of the N-wiring devices in at least two-dimensions, each of the N-1 alignment couplers including a coupler finish surface; and N-wall plates configured to cover each of the N-wiring devices, each of the N-wall plates including a wall plate finish surface and a label window configured to hold a placard therein, the left-end cap finish surface, the right-end cap finish surface, the coupler finish surface(s), if any, and the wall plate finish surface(s) being substantially co-planar after the modular wall plate system accommodating N-wiring devices is installed within the wall box. 44. A modular wall plate system for mounting N-wiring devices in a multi-gang junction box, N being an integer greater than or equal to two (2), the system including: N-1 alignment couplers disposed between each of the N-wiring devices, the N-1 alignment couplers being configured to align adjacent ones of the N-wiring devices in three orthogonal dimensions, each of the N-1 alignment couplers including a coupler finish surface; and N-wall plates configured to cover each of the N-wiring devices, each of the N-wall plates being configured to mate with an adjacent alignment coupler and includes a wall plate finish surface, each coupler finish surface and wall plate finish surface being substantially co-planar, such that the modular wall plate system accommodates N-wiring devices installed within the wall box. 45. The system according to claim 44, wherein each of the N-1 alignment couplers is chosen from a family of alignment couplers having a width that is a function of a characteristic width of a wiring device. 46. The system according to claim 44, wherein at least two of the N-wiring devices have different characteristic widths. 47. The system of claim 46, wherein one wiring device has a one gang characteristic width and a second wiring device has a characteristic width greater than or equal to a one-and-a-half characteristic width.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.