Abstract:
An apparatus for an electrical wiring hub is provided. The electrical wiring hub includes: a hub housing, configured to receive a plurality of wires; a plurality of conductor rings, configured to conduct electrical current from one of the plurality of wires to another of the plurality of wires; a conductor mount, configured to receive at least one conductor ring; a conductor retainer, configured engage the hub housing and the conductor mount and configured to maintain a position of the plurality of conductor rings.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority to copending U.S. provisional application entitled, “ELECTRICAL WIRING HUB,” having Ser. No. 60/593,635, filed Jan. 31, 2005, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present disclosure is generally related to electrical wiring devices and, more particularly, is related to an apparatus for providing an electrical wiring hub junction box. 
   BACKGROUND 
   An electrical circuit feeds electrical power from a main power line to every electrical outlet, switch, and fixture therewith. Concomitant to every electrical power system are electrical junction boxes configured to connect and distribute the electrical circuit to the various loads and controllers. Previous junction boxes have consisted of a metal or plastic box having a cover, romex connectors, and Wire-Nuts®. Once the wires were secured to the box, common wires were joined together within the box using a Wire-Nut®. Additionally, sometimes a piece of electrical tape was added to prevent the Wire-Nut® from coming loose. 
   One method of overcoming the limitations of the early methods has been achieved in the prior art by providing a junction box containing three circuit boards that correspond to, for example, the line, neutral, and ground wires. Each of the circuit boards included multiple terminals occupied by termination fasteners. Some of the prior art techniques included the use of circuit boards arranged in multiple rows to eliminate the need to cross the wires from different circuits within the junction box. These approaches to providing a junction box, however, do not typically include a desirable form factor that is consistent with present electrical practices. Further, the rows of terminals are time consuming to terminate. Additionally, the circumstance where the junction box is utilized to attach fixtures, receptacles, or switches remains unaddressed in an improved junction box. Thus, a heretofore-unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
   SUMMARY 
   Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus for providing an electrical wiring hub. Briefly described, one embodiment of an electrical wiring apparatus includes: a hub housing, configured to receive a plurality of wires; a plurality of conductor rings, configured to conduct electrical current from one of the plurality of wires to another of the plurality of wires; a conductor mount, configured to receive at least one conductor ring; a conductor retainer, configured engage the hub housing and the conductor mount, the conductor mount further configured to maintain a position of the plurality of conductor rings. 
   An embodiment of the present disclosure can also be viewed as an electrical wiring apparatus, including: a hub housing, having an opening with a first shape and having a first groove corresponding to the first shape, the hub housing configured to receive a plurality of wires from a plurality of directions; first conductor configured to be received by the first groove; a conductor mount, configured to be received by the opening and having a second groove configured to receive a second conductor and a third groove configured to receive a third conductor; and a conductor retainer, configured to engage the hub housing and retain the first conductor and further configured to engage the conductor mount and retain the second conductor and the third conductor. 
   Embodiments of the present disclosure can be further viewed as an electrical wiring apparatus including: means for receiving a plurality of wires within an enclosure having a first geometry; means for conducting electrical current along a path corresponding to the first geometry from one of the plurality of wires to another of the plurality of wires; means for mounting the conducting means within the enclosure; means for securing the mounting means relative to the conducting means and the receiving means; and means for fastening the plurality of wires to the conducting means. 
   Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
       FIG. 1  is perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for providing an electrical wiring hub as disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded side view illustrating exemplary components and exemplary internal structures of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are top and side views, respectively, illustrating an exemplary hub housing and corresponding internal structures as disclosed herein. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are top and side views, respectively, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a conductor mount and corresponding internal structures as disclosed herein. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are top and side views, respectively, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a conductor retainer and corresponding internal structures as disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating an embodiment of an apparatus and corresponding internal structures for providing an electrical wiring hub as disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view illustrating an embodiment of an apparatus and corresponding internal structures for providing an electrical wiring hub as disclosed herein. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Having summarized various aspects of the present disclosure, reference will now be made in detail to the description of the disclosure as illustrated in the drawings. While the disclosure will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. 
   Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which is a perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for providing an electrical wiring hub. The electrical wiring hub  100  includes a hub housing  116  consisting of, for example, a hub housing bottom wall  108  and a hub housing side wall  110 . Although an embodiment as illustrated includes only a single circular housing side wall  110 , the hub housing  116  could include multiple housing side walls forming a housing having a shape of, for example, some polygonal geometry. For example, the hub housing  116  could include four housing side walls resulting in a square, rectangular, or trapezoidal shape, among others. The hub housing  116  can be manufactured using a variety of structurally stable non-conductive materials including but not limited to injection molded plastic. Examples of materials include non-conductive materials including polymeric and ceramic, among others. Other materials or methods of manufacture are contemplated within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. 
   The electrical wiring hub  100  further includes at least one cavity  102  for receiving electrical wires. In this manner, electrical wires can enter the enclosure defined by the hub housing  116  for termination. Some embodiments can include multiple cavities  102  for receiving electrical wires through the side walls or the bottom wall of the hub housing  116 . The electrical wiring hub  100  also includes a conductor mount  112 , configured to receive the conductors that are utilized to define the circuits within the electrical wiring hub  100 . The electrical wiring hub  100  further includes a conductor retainer  114  that is configured to retain the conductors on the conductor mount  112 . Assembly fasteners  104  are configured to retain the relative position of the hub housing  116 , the conductor mount  112 , and the conductor retainer  114 . Termination fasteners  106  are configured to maintain conductive contact and thus an electrical connection between electrical wires (not shown) and the conductors (not shown) in the electrical wiring hub  100 . 
   Reference is now made to  FIG. 2 , which is an exploded side view illustrating exemplary components and exemplary internal structures of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  as discussed above, regarding  FIG. 1 . The electrical wiring hub  100  includes a hub housing  116 , a conductor retainer  114  and a conductor mount  112 . The conductor mount  112  receives a first conductor ring  130  into a first recessed area  128 . Although the first recessed area  128  is illustrated as a v-shaped groove, the v-shaped profile of the first recessed area  108  is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the spirit or scope of this disclosure in any way. For example, the recessed area  128  can be configured as a groove having a circular or square profile or cross section. The conductor mount  112  also includes a second recessed area  124  configured to receive a second conductive ring  126 . 
   The hub housing  116  includes a third recessed area  120  configured to receive a third conductor ring  122 . When the third conductor ring  122  is placed in the third recessed area  120  and a conductor mount  112  is positioned within the hub housing  116 , the conductor mount  112  maintains the position of the third conductor ring  122 . Similarly, when the first conductor ring  130  and the second conductor ring  126  are placed in the first recessed area  128  and the second recessed area  124  respectively, and the conductor retainer  114  is placed in the hub housing  116  in contact with the conductor mount  112 , the first and second conductor rings  126 ,  130  are retained. As illustrated, each of the conductor rings has a different diameter such that there is an inner, a middle, and an outer conductor ring. 
   The conductor retainer  114  also includes assembly fastener cavities  132  for receiving assembly fasteners (not shown). The assembly fasteners in some embodiments are inserted into the assembly fastener cavity  132  passed through a similar cavity in the conductor mount  112  and can threadably engage the hub housing  116  utilizing assembly fastening threads  134 . Assembly fasteners can include bolts, screws, nuts, and other threaded fasteners, among others. When installed, the assembly fasteners maintain the relative positions between the hub housing  116 , the conductor mount  112 , the conductor retainer  114 , and the first, second, and third conductor rings  130 ,  126 , and  122 . 
   The conductor retainer  114  further includes first circuit termination fastener cavities  136  configured to receive fasteners for maintaining the conductive engagement between wires (not shown) in a first circuit or branch and the first conductor ring  130 . Similarly, the conductor retainer  114  further includes second circuit termination fastener cavities  138  configured to create and maintain conductive engagement between wires (not shown) in a second circuit or branch and the second conductive ring  126 . The conductor retainer  114  also includes third circuit termination fastener cavities  140  configured to support the electrical termination of wires (not shown) to the third conductor ring  122 . 
   The conductor mount  112  also includes third circuit termination fastener cavities  141  for providing electrical terminations to the third conductor ring  122 , which is between the conductor mount  112  and the hub housing  116 . A third circuit wire channel  142  is formed in the conductor mount  112 , to receive wires for conductive engagement with the third conductor ring  122 . 
   Reference is now made to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , which are top and side views, respectively, illustrating an exemplary hub housing and exemplary internal structures. The hub housing  116  includes a housing bottom wall  108  and at least one housing side wall  110 . As discussed above, a circular configuration of embodiments herein are presented merely by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope or spirit of the disclosure. For example, the hub housing  116  can be configured as a square or other polygonal structure. The hub housing  116  includes the third recessed area  120  configured to receive the third conductor ring  122 . Additionally, cavities  102  for receiving electrical wires can be formed in the housing side wall  110 , the housing bottom wall  108 , or some combination thereof. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 3B , the housing bottom wall  108  can also include a mounting fastener cavity  160 , configured to receive fasteners for mounting the electrical wiring hub  100  to a surface or structure. Cover mounting fastener threads  164  can be configured to receive threaded fasteners utilized to secure a cover or fixture. Spacers  162  can also be included for maintaining a predetermined distance between the inside surface of the housing bottom wall  108  and a conductor mount  112 . 
   Reference is now made to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , which are top and side views, respectively, illustrating an exemplary conductor mount and exemplary internal structures therein. The conductor mount  112  includes an assembly fastener cavity  132  configured to accommodate the assembly fasteners that go from the conductor retainer  114  (not shown) through the conductor mount  112  to the hub housing  116  (not shown). The conductor mount  112  is configured to have a first surface  165  that engages the inside surface of the bottom wall of the hub housing when the electrical wiring hub is assembled. 
   The conductor mount  112  also includes a second surface  166  that is parallel to the first surface  165 . The second surface includes the second recessed area  124 , which is configured to receive the second conductor ring  126  (not shown). The outside boundaries of the second surface  166  generally correspond to the perimeter of the first surface  165 . An inner boundary of the second surface  166  is generally located just and proximate to the second recessed area  124 . 
   The conductor mount also includes a third surface  167  that is parallel to the first surface and is a greater distance from the first surface  165  than the second surface  166  is from the first surface  165 . The third surface  167  includes the first recessed area  128  configured to receive the first conductor ring  130 . The conductor mount  112  also includes third circuit termination fastener cavities  140  configured to receive the termination fasteners for generating and maintaining conductive engagement between third circuit wires and the third conductor ring  122 . The conductor mount  112  also includes second circuit wire channels  172  and third circuit wire channels  142  for receiving wires adjacent their respective conductor rings. The conductor mount  112  can be manufactured using a variety of structurally stable non-conductive materials including but not limited to injection molded plastic. Other materials or methods of manufacture are contemplated within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. 
   Reference is now made to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , which are top and side views, respectively, illustrating an exemplary conductor retainer and exemplary internal structures. The conductor retainer  114  includes assembly fastener cavities  132  configured to receive fasteners for assembly of the electrical wiring hub. The assembly fasteners serve to maintain the relative positions of the housing, the conductor mount, the conductor retainer, and the conductor rings. The conductor retainer  114  also includes circuit identifier markings configured to identify which conductor ring circuits a particular termination fastener corresponds to. A circuit identifier marking corresponds to the location of the adjacent cavity relative to the conductor rings. For example, a different circuit identifier marking can be utilized for each of a first circuit termination fastener cavity  136 (G), a second circuit termination fastener cavity  138 (W), and a third circuit termination fastener cavity  140 (B). 
   In addition to providing reliable access from the front of the electrical wiring hub, the termination fasteners are recessed or counter-sunk below the surface of the conductor retainer to reduce the likelihood of unintentional contact with energized circuits. Additionally, the accessibility of the termination fasteners through the termination fastener cavities  136 ,  138  and  140  provide easy and safe access for probes associated with voltage testing and other circuit analysis tasks. The conductor retainer  114  also includes a first circuit wire channel configured to receive wires corresponding to the first circuit for conductive engagement with the first conductor ring. 
   An assembly guide section  176  can be configured to receive collars located on the inside perimeter of the hub housing. Assembly is performed by aligning the assembly guide section  176  with a corresponding perimeter locking collar on the hub housing. The conductor retainer  114  is pushed into the hub housing until the outer surface of the conductor retainer  114  is beyond the perimeter locking collar. At this time, the conductor retainer  114  can be rotated to lock the assembly behind the perimeter locking collars. This assembly guide section and perimeter locking collar combination can be used in addition to or in lieu of assembly fasteners in some embodiments. Alternatively, the assembly fasteners can be used exclusively to maintain the relative positions of the electrical wiring hub components. The conductor retainer  114  also includes a recess  178  for receiving the third surface portion of the conductor mount. A first circuit upper engagement section  180  and a second circuit upper engagement section  182  engage the top surfaces of the first and second conductor rings, respectively, when the electrical wiring hub is assembled. The conductor retainer  114  can be manufactured using a variety of structurally stable non-conductive materials including but not limited to injection molded plastic. Other materials or methods of manufacture are contemplated within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. 
   Reference is now made to  FIG. 6 , which is a side view illustrating an embodiment of an apparatus and exemplary internal structures for providing an electrical wiring hub. As shown, the electrical wiring hub  100  is assembled with exemplary wire terminations. The assembly fasteners  198  engage the assembly fastening threads  134  to maintain the relative positions of the hub housing  116 , the conductor mount  112 , the conductor retainer  114 , and the conductor rings  122 , 126 , and  130 . A first circuit wire  190  enters the cavity  102  for receiving electrical wires through the appropriate wire channel and is conductively engaged by a termination fastener  200  against the first conductor ring  130 . 
   Similarly, a second circuit wire  192  enters the cavity for receiving electrical wires  102  and travels through a second circuit wire channel and is conductively engaged with a second conductor ring  126  utilizing a termination fastener  200 . A third circuit wire  194  is similarly engaged with the third conductor ring  122  utilizing a termination fastener  200 . The electrical wiring hub  100  also includes cover mounting fastener threads  164  for receiving a fastener utilized to mount a cover or a fixture to the electrical wiring hub  100 . Additionally, a perimeter locking collar  196  can be optionally utilized alone or in combination with the assembly fasteners  198  to maintain the assembly of the electrical wiring hub  100 . The conductors can be manufactured using a variety of conductive materials including but not limited to metallic or non-metallic conductors generated from a variety of processes including forming, stamping, and casting, among others. The conductors of alternative embodiments may be implemented in a non-circular configuration where, for example, the hub housing is non-circular. Similarly, the conductors may be configured in numerous different cross-sections including, but not limited to, round, rectangular, or triangular, among others. Other materials or methods of manufacture are contemplated within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. 
   Reference is now made to  FIG. 7 , which is a top view illustrating an embodiment of an apparatus and exemplary internal structures for providing an electrical wiring hub. The electrical wiring hub  100  includes a first conductor ring  130 , a second conductor ring  126 , and a third conductor ring  122 . The radial position of the first, second, and third circuit termination fastener cavities  140 ,  138 , and  136  correspond to the radii of the first, second, and third conductor rings  130 ,  126 , and  122 , respectively. For example, the first circuit termination fastener cavities  136  are arranged corresponding to the radius of the first conductor ring  130 . 
   The electrical wiring hub  100  also includes a first circuit wire channel  174 , a second circuit wire channel  172 , and a third circuit wire channel  142 . Each of the wire channels extends axially from the center of the hub at the angular position corresponding to the termination fastener cavities  140 ,  138 , and  136 . For example, the first circuit wire channels  174  are located at the same angular position as the first circuit termination fastener cavities  136 . In this manner, wires can be inserted into the channel corresponding to a specific circuit and the termination fastener at that location can be utilized to create and maintain a conductive engagement between the wires and the conductor ring. 
   The electrical wiring hub  100  also includes an assembly guide section  176 , which is a relief area for receiving a perimeter locking collar  196  during assembly. The combination of the perimeter locking collar  196  and the assembly guide section  176  can be used optionally and alternatively in combination with the assembly fasteners to maintain the relative positions of the nub housing, the conductor mount, the conductor retainer, and the conductor rings. Cover mounting fastener threads  164  are configured to receive fasteners that are utilized to secure a cover or a fixture. 
   It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly, any illustrated embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present disclosure and protected by the following claims.