Safety electrical outlet and switch system
View Patent ↗An electrical box is mounted on a wall stud, and a wiring panel is installed within the electrical box so as to partition the interior of the electrical box into a user inaccessible wiring compartment and a user accessible module compartment. A protective cover is attached to the wiring panel so as to protect the wiring panel during a makeup phase of wall panel installation and painting. After the makeup phase, the protective cover is removed from the wiring panel and a module having a user operable electrical function is mounted to the wiring panel within the user accessible module compartment.
1. An electrical wiring module comprising:
a wiring panel sized to fit within an electrical box, the wiring panel comprising:
a first plurality of electrical contacts on a first side that are configured to electrically couple to an installable module having an electrical function; and
a plurality of wires attached to a second side;
a plurality of internal connectors that electrically couple the first plurality of electrical contacts on the first side with a second plurality of electrical contacts that interface with the plurality of wires attached to the second side;
a protective cover, wherein the protective cover is removably secured to at least a portion of the wiring panel before the wiring panel is installed in the electrical box, wherein the protective cover comprises at least one sleeve that is placed around a second portion of the wiring panel such that the portion of the wiring panel fits within the sleeve to encompass one or more of the first plurality of electrical contacts on the wiring panel, and wherein the protective cover prevents fouling of the electrical contacts on the wiring panel before the wiring panel is installed in the electrical box, and wherein the protective cover is not directly fastened to the electrical box, and wherein the protective cover is configured to be removed before electrically coupling the first plurality of electrical contacts on the wiring panel with the installable module having an electrical function.
2. The electrical wiring module of claim 1 , wherein the one or more module connectors are configured to removably couple with the electrical outlet module without the use of tools.
3. The electrical wiring module of claim 2 , wherein the one or more module connectors comprise plug-in connectors.
4. The electrical wiring module of claim 3 , wherein the one or more module connectors are configured to provide positive tactile feedback when a mechanical and electrical connection is made between the one or more module connectors and the electrical outlet module.
5. The electrical wiring module of claim 1 , wherein the one or more module connectors are configured to couple with the electrical outlet module without requiring a user to access exposed portions of wires.
6. The electrical wiring module of claim 1 , wherein the one or more module connectors have a keyed shape to prevent improper installation of the installable module.
7. The electrical wiring module of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover at least partially encompasses the second portion of the wiring panel.
8. The electrical wiring module of claim 7 , wherein the protective cover is configured to be attached directly to the wiring panel.
9. The electrical wiring module of claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is secured to the electrical box.
10. The electrical wiring module of claim 9 , wherein the protective cover prevents installation of the installable module without prior removal of the protective cover.
11. The electrical wiring module of claim 10 , wherein the protective cover is attached to the wiring panel by affixing the protective cover to the wiring panel.
12. The electrical wiring module of claim 11 , wherein the protective cover is generally planar and rigid.
13. An electrical distribution method comprising:
placing a wiring module within an electrical box configured to route an electrical power cable inside a building, wherein the wiring module comprises a first plurality of electrical contacts on a first side that are configured to electrically couple to an installable module having an electrical function, and wherein the wiring module further comprises a second plurality of electrical contacts on a second side that electrically connect to a plurality of wires that provide power to the wiring module, and a plurality of internal connectors that electrically couple the first plurality of electrical contacts on the first side with the second plurality of electrical contacts on the second side;
removably securing a protective cover to at least a portion of the wiring module before the wiring module is installed into the electrical box, wherein the protective cover comprises at least one sleeve that is placed around at least a second portion of the wiring module such that the portion of the wiring module fits within the sleeve to encompass at least one of the first plurality of electrical contacts so that the protective cover must be removed from the wiring module before the installable module can be installed, wherein the protective cover is not directly fastened to the electrical box, and wherein the protective cover is configured to be removed before electrically coupling the first plurality of electrical contacts on the wiring module with the installable module.
14. The electrical distribution method of claim 13 , wherein the installable module comprises an electrical outlet module or an electrical switch module.
15. The electrical distribution method of claim 13 , wherein connecting the installable module to the wiring module does not require a user to access exposed portions of the plurality of wires and does not require the use of tools.
16. The electrical distribution method of claim 15 , wherein connecting the installable module to the wiring module comprises plugging the installable module into the wiring module.
17. The electrical distribution method of claim 16 , wherein plugging the installable module into the wiring module comprises snapping the installable module into the wiring module.
18. The electrical distribution method of claim 13 , further comprising mounting the installable module to the electrical box.
19. The electrical distribution method of claim 13 , wherein the protective cover at least partially encompasses at least the second portion of the wiring module.
20. The electrical distribution method of claim 13 , wherein attaching to the wiring panel comprising affixing the protective cover to the wiring panel.