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 system comprising:
an assembled wiring panel comprising a nonconductive housing sized to fit within an electrical box, wherein the electrical box is designed to house a power cable, the electrical box is further configured to attach to a construction framing stud, wherein the assembled wiring panel comprises:
a first side of the nonconductive housing comprising a first nonconductive surface and one or more openings that expose a plurality of electrical panel contacts associated therewith;
a conductive panel key structure;
a nonconductive panel key structure comprising at least a portion of the nonconductive housing; and
a second side of the nonconductive housing, wherein the second side has a plurality of external power wire connection points extending therefrom that interface with the power cable such that the external power wire connection points interface with the power cable at a location external to the assembled wiring panel;
whereas the first side and second side are fastened together to create said assembled wiring panel that internally contains at least a hot bus, neutral bus and ground bus;
said assembled wiring panel comprising said plurality of external power wire connection points that are configured to connect the electrical panel contacts on the first side with the power cable using at least an internal hot bus, a neutral bus and a ground bus;
wherein said assembled wiring panel with said external power wire connection points is assembled prior to insertion in said electrical box; and
a removable module having an electrical function, the removable module comprising a plurality of module electrical contacts associated therewith that are configured to connect to the plurality of panel electrical contacts on the first side of the assembled wiring panel, wherein the removable module further comprises a nonconductive module key structure that is configured to engage the nonconductive panel key structure and a conductive module key structure configured to engage the conductive panel key structure, wherein the removable module and the assembled wiring panel are configured to engage in only one proper orientation that comprises maintaining proper connection with the hot and neutral busses using at least one of: the nonconductive module key structure, or the conductive module key structure;
wherein a portion of the nonconductive panel key structure partially shields the one or more electrical panel contacts of the conductive panel key structure from user contact; and
wherein the removable module and the assembled wiring panel are further configured to removably latch together without tools.
2. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the latching together of the removable module and the assembled wiring panel comprises spring contacts.
3. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the latching together of the removable module and the assembled wiring panel with the nonconductive key structure comprises at least one latch.
4. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , further comprising the electrical box, the electrical box comprising at least one of the group comprising: a single wide configuration, a double wide configuration, a triple wide configuration, or quadruple wide configuration.
5. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the power cable is routed through a side of the electrical box.
6. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the assembled wiring panel is further configured to provide positive tactile feedback when the nonconductive module key structure fully engages the nonconductive panel key structure.
7. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the assembled wiring panel is assembled outside the electrical box.
8. The electrical wiring system of claim 7 , wherein the assembled wiring panel is placed in the electrical box prior to insertion of the removable module.
9. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the nonconductive module key structure is configured to engage the nonconductive panel key structure without the use of tools.
10. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the module electrical contacts are configured to couple with the panel electrical contacts without requiring a user to access exposed portions of wires.
11. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the nonconductive module key structure is configured to engage the nonconductive panel key structure without the use of tools.
12. The electrical wiring system of claim 1 , wherein the module electrical contacts are configured to couple with the panel electrical contacts without requiring a user to access exposed portions of wires.
13. An electrical wiring system comprising:
an assembled wiring panel comprising a nonconductive housing sized to fit within an electrical box, wherein the electrical box is designed to house a power cable, the electrical box is further configured to attach to a construction framing stud, wherein the assembled wiring panel comprises:
a first side of the nonconductive housing comprising a first nonconductive surface and one or more openings that expose a plurality of electrical panel contacts associated therewith;
a conductive panel key structure;
a nonconductive panel key structure comprising at least a portion of the nonconductive housing; and
a nonconductive second side that interfaces with the power cable, wherein the nonconductive second side has a plurality of external power wire connection points extending therefrom that interface with the power cable such that the external power wire connection points interface with the power cable at a location external to the assembled wiring panel;
whereas the first side and second side are fastened together to create the assembled wiring panel that internally contains a plurality of isolated power busses;
said assembled wiring panel comprising said plurality of isolated external power wire connection points that are configured to connect the electrical panel contacts on the first side with the power cable;
wherein said assembled wiring panel with said external power wire connection points is assembled prior to insertion in said electrical box; and
a removable module having an electrical switch function, the removable module comprising a plurality of module electrical contacts associated therewith that are configured to connect to the plurality of panel electrical contacts on the first side of the assembled wiring panel, wherein the removable module further comprises a nonconductive module key structure that is configured to engage the nonconductive panel key structure and a conductive module key structure configured to engage the conductive panel key structure, wherein the removable module and the assembled wiring panel are configured to engage in only one proper orientation that comprises maintaining proper connection with the hot and neutral busses using at least one of: the nonconductive module key structure or the conductive module key structure, and
wherein a portion of the nonconductive panel key structure partially shields the one or more electrical panel contacts of the conductive panel key structure from user contact; and
wherein the removable module and the assembled wiring panel are further configured to removably latch together without the use of tools.
14. The electrical wiring system of claim 13 , wherein the latching together of the removable module and the assembled wiring panel comprises spring contacts.
15. The electrical wiring system of claim 13 , wherein the latching together of the removable module and the assembled wiring panel comprises at least one latch.
16. The electrical wiring system of claim 13 , further comprising the electrical box, the electrical box comprising at least one of the group comprising: a single wide configuration, a double wide configuration, a triple wide configuration, or quadruple wide configuration.
17. The electrical wiring system of claim 13 , wherein the power cable is routed through a side of the electrical box.
18. The electrical wiring system of claim 13 , wherein the assembled wiring panel is further configured to provide positive tactile feedback when the nonconductive module key structure fully engages the nonconductive panel key structure.
19. The electrical wiring system of claim 13 , wherein the assembled wiring panel is assembled outside the electrical box.
20. The electrical wiring system of claim 19 , wherein the assembled wiring panel is placed in the electrical box prior to insertion of the removable module.