Patent ID: 7736175
Filing Date: 2010-06-15
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
1. An electrical wiring system for use in an AC electrical circuit disposed between an AC distribution point and a terminus point, the AC electrical circuit including a hot AC power transmitting wire and a neutral AC power transmitting wire extending from the AC power distribution point to at least one wiring box, the AC distribution point being in an upstream direction relative to the at least one wiring box and the terminus point being in a downstream direction relative to the at least one wiring box, the at least one wiring box having at least one aperture and an open side, the AC hot power transmitting wire and the AC neutral power transmitting wire being routed into the at least one aperture and accessible at the open side after a rough-in phase of installation, the system comprising: a connector including a housing having a connector hot contact assembly and a connector neutral contact assembly disposed therein, the housing including at least one first connector power interface and a second connector power interface, the at least one first connector power interface including a first hot contact portion of the connector hot contact assembly and a first neutral contact of the connector neutral contact assembly, the first hot contact portion being configured to terminate the hot AC power transmitting wire such that a first portion of the hot AC power transmitting wire extends in the upstream direction and a second portion of the hot AC power transmitting wire extends in the downstream direction, the first neutral contact portion being configured to terminate the neutral AC power transmitting wire such that a first portion of the neutral AC power transmitting wire extends in the upstream direction and a second portion of the neutral AC power transmitting wire extends in the downstream direction, the second connector power interface including a second hot contact portion of the connector hot contact assembly and a second neutral contact portion of the connector neutral contact assembly, the connector not being configured to connect to the wiring box; and an electrical wiring device including a device housing having a cover portion and rear portion, the cover portion including at least one user-accessible interface element connected to an AC electric circuit disposed in the device housing, the electrical wiring device also including mounting structure coupled to the device housing, the mounting structure being configured to couple the electrical wiring device to the device box, the electrical wiring device further including a wiring device power interface including a hot AC electric contact and a neutral AC electric contact, the wiring device power interface being configured to mate with the second connector power interface to establish electrical connectivity between the hot AC electric contact and the second hot contact portion, and the neutral AC electric contact and the second neutral contact portion.