Patent ID: 6297450
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: H02G

Abstract:
A wall plate apparatus having a wall plate portion and a replaceable portion, said wall plate apparatus comprising:the wall plate portion including a hot prong aperture, a neutral prong aperture and a ground prong aperture for receiving a hot prong, a neutral prong and a ground prong, respectively, of a plug for an electrical device, said wall plate portion further including a hot conductor, a neutral conductor and a ground conductor each having one end leading toward an attachment side of the wall plate portion in the rear side of the wall plate portion and having another end leading to the hot prong aperture, the neutral prong aperture and the ground prong aperture, respectively, whereby making electrical contact with the prongs of the plug, the wall plate portion further including at least one prong extending out in a side way direction from the attachment side of the wall plate portion; andthe replaceable portion including built-in electronics and recesses disposed near a side of the replaceable portion, said recesses being configured to receive said at least one prong of the wall plate portion whereby removably coupling together the wall plate portion and the replaceable portion, said replaceable portion further including H, N and G lines being configured as conducting strips such that as a result of the coupling of the two portions, electrical contact being made, respectively, between the H, N and G lines of the replaceable portion and the hot, neutral and ground conductors of the wall plate portion.