Abstract:
A surface mounted receptacle assembly for use in a motor vehicle having a cabin includes a cover, a mounting plate adapted to be mounted to the vehicle, a wire harness and a backing plate removably secured to the cover to conceal at least a portion of the wire harness wherein the cover is selectively attachable to the mounting plate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/255,545, filed Dec. 13, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a 120 volt alternating current (AC) surface mounted receptacle for a motor vehicle. 
     2. Discussion 
     Operators of cargo carrying vehicles such as Class 7 and Class 8 tractor-trailers find themselves far away from home a large portion of the time. As such, many of these vehicles are equipped with sleeper cabs to allow the operator to rest within the vehicle during a stationary period. Accordingly, it is desirable to equip such vehicles with wiring systems to allow use of common household electrical devices such as lap top computers, microwaves, televisions and the like. A similar need exists for access to a telephone while traveling. Accordingly, a wiring system for providing 120 volts AC and a telephone line may be beneficial to an operator. 
     Some manufacturers have attempted to fulfill the need for on board 120 volt AC wiring, but these early designs may be improved upon. For example, one system includes wiring internal to the truck walls with receptacle boxes mounted within the wall. This method of wiring is very similar to residential construction. Unfortunately, due to the small space provided between the vehicle cabin inner panels and outer panels, it is impractical to mount the large receptacle boxes inside of the wall. 
     Other attempts to route 120 volt wiring are found in commercial buildings. Surface mounted receptacles are used in compliance with raceways to conceal the wires. The raceways are externally mounted structures having a channel to route the wires. However, raceway systems are not feasible for use with truck interiors due to the many curved surfaces of the interior. In addition, many of the raceway systems utilize standard duplex receptacles. Assembly personnel may require special training if these type of receptacles are to be implemented. 
     Yet another commercially available device includes a duplex receptacle along with a television jack or a telephone jack. The wires may either be routed through the wall on which the receptacle box is mounted or out of the bottom of the box into the vehicle cabin. This device is supplied pre-wired with five to ten feet of wire extending from the receptacle. The assembly of such a device requires the installer to feed the entire length of wire through a small hole behind the receptacle box before routing through the remainder of the cab. Additionally, the back of the box is open providing a potential for installers to contact live wires during the installation process. Another shock hazard exists when the wires are run through the wall out of the back of the receptacle box. The existing product leaves an open hole at the bottom of the receptacle box and provides unwarranted access to live wires inside the box. This hazard exists after the box is mounted. 
     Furthermore, some competitive devices require an installer to machine geometrical shapes such as square apertures or keyhole slots. Costly, non-standard tools may be required to properly install these devices. Also, some existing products require a first installer to access one side of a panel and a second installer to access the opposing surface of the panel at the same time. Therefore, improvements in the field of surface mounted receptacles may be made. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention includes a surface mounted receptacle assembly for use in a motor vehicle having a cabin. The receptacle assembly includes a cover, a mounting plate adapted to be mounted to the vehicle, a wire harness and a backing plate removably secured to the cover to conceal at least a portion of the wire harness. The cover is selectively attachable to the mounting plate. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a surface mounted receptacle assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mounting plate of the preferred surface mounted receptacle assembly; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the mounting plate of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the wire harness of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cover constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view depicting the cover, and a telephone jack of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of an interior surface of the cover of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial assembly view of the wire harness to cover interconnection; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a backing plate of the surface mounted receptacle of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the cover of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 11 is a partial assembly view depicting the interconnection of the mounting plate and the cover of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view depicting two wiring harnesses of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a surface mounted receptacle assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is generally identified at reference numeral  10 . Receptacle assembly  10  includes a cover  12 , a backing plate  14 , a mounting plate  16  and a wire harness  18 . As will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter, cover  12 , backing plate  14  and wire harness  18  are interconnected to form a subassembly prior to installation on a vehicle. Accordingly, each of the wiring connections within receptacle assembly  10  are completed at the factory prior to shipment. It should be appreciated that each of cover  12 , backing plate  14  and mounting plate  16  are preferably constructed from a light weight moldable material such as polycarbonate ABS. 
     With reference to FIG. 2, mounting plate  16  includes a generally planar body  22  for a flush mount to an inner wall of a vehicle cabin (not shown). Body  22  includes a pair of fastener apertures  24  and a wire aperture  26 . If wire harness  18  is to be routed through the vehicle inner panel immediately behind receptacle assembly  10 , a one and one quarter inch diameter hole is drilled through the vehicle panel to align with wire aperture  26 . If wire harness  18  is to be routed within the cab for some initial distance, the one and one-quarter inch diameter hole is not machined. Regardless of the preferred wire routing, two small holes are drilled through the cabin wall at the locations of fastener apertures  24 . If the wall material is of such sufficient strength, standard sheet metal screws may be utilized to fix mounting plate  16  to the vehicle inner panel. Otherwise, hollow wall fasteners such as wellnuts may be implemented. 
     Mounting plate  16  also includes a pair of rails  28  extending substantially orthogonally from body  22 . As shown in FIG. 3, each of rails  28  includes a pair of detents  30  formed therein. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, detents  30  retain cover  12  to mounting plate  16  without the use of external fasteners. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, wire harness  18  has a first end  32  and a second end  34  interconnected by a first wire  36 , a second wire  38  and a third wire  40 . First end  32  includes an electrical connector  42  having male terminals mounted therein for simplified interconnection with another wiring harness  44  shown in FIG.  12 . Wire harness  44  is selectively electrically coupled to a power source (not shown). At second end  34 , first terminal  46  is electrically coupled to first wire  36 . A second terminal  48  is electrically coupled to second wire  38 . Finally, a third terminal  50  is electrically coupled to third wire  40 . 
     FIGS. 5-8 depict cover  12  as a molded component preferably constructed from light weight polycarbonate ABS. As such, cover  12  may be molded in a variety of colors. Cover  12  is formed in the shape of a hollow shell  52  having a front face  54 , two side walls  56 , a top wall  58  and a bottom wall  60 . If a telephone line interconnection is desired, a rectangular aperture  62  is formed in bottom wall  60  as cover  12  is molded. An optional telephone jack  63  is mounted to cover  12  to facilitate a standard telephone cord mounting. An arcuate aperture  64  is also formed within bottom wall  60  to provide a second possible routing path for wire harness  18  if so desired. Front face  54  includes a pair of bosses  66  extending outwardly therefrom to provide an appearance of a standard duplex receptacle. Each boss  66  includes three apertures  67  sized and positioned for receipt of a standard 120 volt AC male plug. 
     Cover  12  includes a plurality of ribs  68  extending inwardly from front face  54 . A first set of ribs  70  defines a first slot  72  for receipt of first terminal  46  (FIG.  8 ). A second set of ribs  76  defines a second slot  78  for receipt of second terminal  48 . First set of ribs  70  and second set of ribs  76  are spaced apart from one another to define a third slot  82 . Third slot  82  is configured to receive third terminal  50 . A high voltage barrier  86  extends from top wall  58  to bottom wall  60  to define a high voltage compartment to  88  and a low voltage compartment  90 . A pair of bosses  92  and a pair of ribs  94  form a strain relief section  96 . Wire harness  18  is displaced between bosses  92  such that external forces arising during handling or operation will not dislodge the terminals from their proper location or undesirably load the wire to terminal interconnection. 
     FIG. 9 depicts backing plate  14  as including a substantially planar plate  98  having a plurality of tabs  100  projecting substantially orthogonally therefrom. Tabs  100  engage cavities defined by the bosses and ribs of cover  12  previously described. Backing plate  14  also includes a plurality of fastener apertures  102  for receipt of fasteners (not shown) interconnecting backing plate  14  and cover  12 . Backing plate  14  has a lug  104  coupled to plate  98  via a web  106 . Lug  104  is positioned and shaped to substantially fill arcuate aperture  64  within bottom wall  60 . Lug  104  remains positioned within arcuate aperture  64  if wire harness  18  is to be routed along a first path through wire aperture  26  and the vehicle cabin wall. If wire harness  18  is to be routed through bottom wall  60  of cover  12 , web  106  is cut to remove lug  104  thereby opening arcuate aperture  64 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 7,  10  and  11 , cover  12  includes four inwardly protruding pegs  108  for engagement with detents  30  of mounting plate  16 . To couple cover  12  to mounting plate  16 , each of pegs  108  is displaced down through a slot  109  formed within rail  28 . Once pegs  108  are at the bottom slots  109 , cover  12  is translated in the direction of arrow  110  (FIG.  7 ). Each peg  108  includes a chamfered surface  101  to assist in guiding peg  108  within detents  30 . Peg  108  also includes a substantially square corner  112  for engagement with a cam  113  once peg  108  is entirely disposed within the detents  30 . Depending on the tolerances of the components previously described, cam  113  may act to biasedly retain peg  108  within the detents  30 . To disassemble cover  12  from mounting plate  16 , force is applied to bottom wall  60  to disengage peg  108  and cam  113 . Once peg  108  is displaced beyond detents  30 , cover  12  may simply be removed by guiding pegs  108  through slots  109 . 
     The foregoing discussion discloses and describes an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.