Abstract:
A modular electronic device comprising a housing and at least one phase conductor, and at least one neutral conductor coupled to the housing. The housing has at least one receptacle for receiving a modular component when this modular component is inserted therein. The housing has at least one module release button coupled to the housing wherein when said module release button is pressed, the modular component is released from the housing. In at least one embodiment, the modular component is an electrical component, wherein the electrical component is electrically coupled to the at least one phase conductor and the at least one neutral conductor when the module is inserted into the housing. In at least one embodiment, the modular component has a power blade which connects the modular electrical component to the conductors of the housing. In at least one of these embodiments, the power blade is formed as a key which has at least one prong which uniquely identifies said modular component. In this way, the housing is adapted to have a complementary structure which accepts only modular components having this form of power blade.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates to fault circuit interrupter which is disposed inside a housing adapted to receive modular components. Once these modular components are received inside of this housing and electrically connected to a circuit inside the housing, they are then electrically coupled to this fault circuit interrupter. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a modular electronic device comprising a housing at least one phase conductor, and at least one neutral conductor coupled to the housing. The housing has at least one receptacle for receiving a modular component when this modular component is inserted therein. The housing has at least one module release button coupled to the housing wherein when the module release button is pressed, the modular component is released from the housing. In at least one embodiment, the modular component is an electrical component, wherein the electrical component is electrically coupled to the at least one phase conductor and the at least one neutral conductor when the module-component is inserted into the housing. 
         [0003]    In at least one embodiment, the modular component has a power blade which connects the modular electrical component to the conductors of the housing. In at least one of these embodiments, the power blade is formed as a key which has at least one prong which uniquely identifies the modular component. In this way, the housing is adapted to have a complementary structure which accepts only modular components having this form of power blade. 
         [0004]    In at least one embodiment, when the module is placed inside of the housing it is coupled to the fault circuit interrupter such that power to each module is controlled by the fault circuit interrupter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
           [0006]    In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the module is ejected from the housing; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front view of another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view of another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a modular component; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a back perspective view of an embodiment of a modular component; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top, cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a modular component; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a side cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a modular component; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9A  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a housing; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 9B  is a cross-sectional view of a receptacle; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9C  is a back view of another embodiment of an opening in a housing; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a top, cross sectional view of the device which shows a front cover disposed in front of an eject button. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment  10 , there is a housing  12  for an electronic component which is formed as a GFCI or ground fault circuit interrupter, having a test button  14 , and a reset button  16 , a LED indicator light  17 , a strap  18 , a receptacle interface  19 , and electrical contacts  20 . Test button  14  and reset button  16  are known in the art and are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,894 to Doyle et al issued on Jun. 17, 1986 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, however, the housing and the modular components can be used in a non-GFCI or non fault circuit type device. 
         [0020]    Electrical contacts  20  include line neutral contacts  22  which are formed as conductors and load neutral contacts  24  which are formed as conductors, as well as line phase contacts (not shown) and load phase contacts (not shown). On the front face of housing  12 , is a module release button or element  30 . When a module release button is pressed, it is designed to release a module  38  from housing  12  (See  FIG. 2 ). It should be noted that the module release button may be placed anywhere on the device as considerations may require. This button may alternately be located in a place that is inaccessible to the user once installed. Alternatively, the button may be accessible to the user once installed but only with the removal of a wallplate. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the module is ejected from the housing. In this view, module  38  has at least one power blade  50 , wherein when the modular component is inserted into housing  12 , the power blade is coupled to at least one of the phase conductors or neutral conductors (See  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a front view of another embodiment of the invention wherein in this embodiment there is shown a housing  12   a  which has at least two receptacles  60  and  70 . These receptacles can be in any known shape but are shown here as substantially rectangular shaped. Receptacle  60  has five sides or faces, including a first face  60   a , a second face  60   b , a third face  60   c , a fourth face  60   d , and a fifth face  60   e . First face  60   a  has no electrical contacts, second face  60   b  does not contain electrical contacts but it does contain a notch or opening  68  which is designed to receive a lock or latch (see FIGS.  5 , 6  and  7 ). Third face  60   c  includes a contact  66  which is a ground contact for coupling to an associated ground contact  42  (see  FIG. 5 ) on an associated module. Face  60   d  also does not contain electrical contacts, however face  60   e  which is the back face of this receptacle has two contacts or conductors, a neutral contact  62  in the form of a conductor and a phase contact  64  in the form of a conductor. When a module is inserted into receptacle  60 , it is electrically connected to these contacts. 
         [0023]    Receptacle  70  has five sides or faces, including a first face  70   a , a second face  70   b , a third face  70   c , a fourth face  70   d , and a fifth face  70   e . First face  70   a  has no electrical contacts, second face  70   b  does not contain electrical contacts but it does contain a notch or opening  78  which is designed to receive a lock or latch (see FIGS.  5 , 6  and  7 ). Third face  70   c  includes a contact  76  which is a ground contact for coupling to an associated ground contact  42  (see  FIG. 5 ) on an associated module. Face  70   d  also does not contain electrical contacts, however face  70   e  which is the back face of this receptacle has two contacts, a neutral contact  72  and a phase contact  74 . When an associated module  40  is inserted into receptacle  70 , it is electrically connected to these contacts. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a front view of another embodiment of the invention which shows a front view of a double gang modular housing  100  which has four receptacles  60 ,  61 ,  70 , and  71  for receiving associated modules. These receptacles are the same as the receptacles that were explained in greater detail in  FIG. 3 . Housing  100  includes a plurality of eject buttons  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  disposed adjacent to housings  60 ,  70 ,  61 , and  71  respectively. In addition, this housing also has a reset button  116  and a test button  117 . A series of associated LED lights are disposed around reset button  116  and test button  117  including LED indicator lights  120 ,  122 ,  124 ,  126  and  127 . LED indicator lights  120 ,  122 ,  124  and  126  are designed to indicate whether the associated module has been inserted into associated housings  60 ,  61 ,  70  and  71 . LED light  127  is a GFCI indicator light which indicates whether the GFCI is in a set or tripped state. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a modular component. In this case, modular component  40  can be of any shape but in this embodiment is formed as a block which has six sides. This block has a cross section that is substantially in the form of a rectangle. 
         [0026]    Modular component  40  includes a housing front face  40   a  which has, in this view, a functional component  44  which as shown in this embodiment are receptacle openings  44   a ,  44   b  and  44   c  comprising phase, neutral and ground openings respectively. A second face  40   b  includes a locking element  80  which is in the form of a spring loaded locking element (See  FIG. 7 ). In this case, locking element  80  has a hinge which in this embodiment is formed as a natural hinge. Face  40   c  which is shown as a top face has a ground contact  42 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a back perspective view of the embodiment of the modular component shown in  FIG. 5 . For example, with this design, there is shown a back face  40   d  which has phase and neutral contacts  46  and  48 , respectively which are formed as metal contacts formed in the housing, wherein modular component  40  can be inserted into an associated receptacle such as any one of receptacles  60 ,  61 ,  70 , or  71  and be electrically connected to contacts in the housing such as contacts  62 ,  64 ,  72 , and  74 . In this case, for example, when module  40  is inserted into receptacle  60 , phase contact  46  contacts the associated phase contact  64 , neutral contact  48  contacts the associated neutral contact  62  to form an electrical connection. In addition ground contact  42  contacts associated ground contact  66  to form a ground contact connection. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a top, cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a modular component  40  which shows locking element  80  which has a hinge in the form of a natural hinge  81 , a body section  82 , a spring  86  and a support shaft  88  coupled to body section  82  of locking element  80 . Spring  86  is formed so that it is stabilized on locking shaft  88 , but disposed inside of a housing section  89 . In this case, support shaft  83  locks the spring  86  as well opposite locking shaft  88 . This body section also has a recessed region  87  for storing a section of spring  86 . When modular element  40  is pressed into an associated receptacle, body section  82  is pressed into housing section  89  to collapse this locking element into the modular element. In this state, spring  86  is thereby compressed and body section  82  is pressed flush against wall  40   b  of modular component  40 . When this modular component is fully inserted into the receptacle, spring  86  presses locking body section  82  out thereby expanding into opening  89 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  shows a top cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a modular component  140  which can also be used to represent the inner workings of modular component  38 . In this case, the modular component  140  includes a ground contact  142 , and a plurality of spring loaded contacts  145   a  and  145   b  in the form of a phase contact  145   a  and a neutral contact  145   b . Phase contact  145   a  and neutral contact  145   b  are each formed as a plunger or power blade which provides power to the functional part of the modular component. Contacts  145   a  and  145   b  include springs  142   a , and  142   b  which are coupled to shafts  146   a  and  146   b . These spring loaded contacts or plunger  145   a  and  145   b  are disposed inside housings  144   a  and  144   b . Shafts  146   a  and  146   b  are made from a conductive material such as metal and extend inside of housing  141   a  and  141   b  and are coupled to associated face terminals, or to an integrated electronic component in housing  141 . For example, shafts  146   a  and  146   b  are housed inside of associated contact shafts  147   a  and  147   b  which are in communication with electrical components disposed inside of housing  141 . 
         [0030]    For example, there are brush contacts  149   a  and  149   b  which are coupled to shafts  146   a  and  146   b  respectively and are in contact with plate contacts  151   a  and  151   b  respectively. Essentially, these spring loaded contacts  145   a  and  145   b  are compressible so that modular component  140  can be inserted inside of the associated receptacle  60  inside of housing  12 . These power blades  145   a  and  145   b  can have respective associated key sections  145   a  or  145   b  which mate with a corresponding opening. 
         [0031]      FIG. 9A  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of housing  200  showing an ejection or release mechanism for ejecting a modular component such as modular component  40  from a housing or receptacle  60  or  200 . For example, in this embodiment, there is a receptacle or housing  200  which has a receptacle region  201  which includes a release or ejection device or mechanism  210 . Release or ejection device or mechanism  210  includes a base  211  which is coupled to a spring  214 . Spring  214  is substantially disposed inside of housing  212  which is used to guide spring  214  and a plunger  216 . Plunger  216  has a locking element or mechanism  213  coupled to it, and which is formed similar to a snap lock such as snap lock  80 . This snap lock  213  selectively locks plunger  216  in place. 
         [0032]    Housing  200  has an opening wherein this opening is adapted to receive an actuator arm  220  which is essentially part of the release mechanism which moves axially along a shaft region formed in housing  200 . Actuator arm  220  is acted on by pressing arm  230  which has a ramp section  234  which is used to drive actuator arm  220  in an axial manner as an axial to axial translation Pressing arm or plunger  230  forms at a first end an eject button such as eject button  30  shown in  FIG. 2 . At the opposite end of pressing arm  230  is a spring  232  which is coupled to a base  233 . When a user presses on pressing arm  230  it drives ramp  234  against actuator arm  220  causing an axial movement of actuator arm  220  against snap lock  213 , thereby releasing plunger  216  causing spring  214  to drive plunger  216  causing plunger  216  to release and press against an associated module  40 , driving module  40  outside of housing  201 . 
         [0033]    In addition, inside of housing  200  are contacts in the form of electrical contacts  240  and  242 . For example, contact  240  is a neutral electrical contact which is in contact with an associated neutral line, while contact  242  is a phase contact in contact with an associated phase line. 
         [0034]    Thus, when any one of the modules including modules  38 ,  40  and  140  are inserted into receptacle  201 , the contacts such as blade  50  or module  38 , contacts  46  and  48  on module  40 , or key contacts  148   a  and  148   b  on module  140  contact these contacts to form an electrical connection with an electrical device inside of either module  40  or module  140 . Thus, with this design, each of the modules is protected or controlled by an associated fault circuit such as a GFCI. Thus, even if the design is associated with a double gang enclosure, a single fault circuit can control four modules in the associated housing. 
         [0035]      FIG. 9C  shows another embodiment of a receptacle such as receptacle  60 , which has openings  340 , or  342  which are adapted to receive associated keys  148   a  or  148   b , wherein these keys are used to lock the modular component into the housing. In addition, there is a plunger or eject shaft  311  similar to plunger  216  which is used to eject a modular component from a housing. The substantially rectangular shapes of openings  340  and  342  are shown to represent unique openings which are adapted to receive associated keys. 
         [0036]    In all, multiple different kinds of functional elements can be disposed inside of these modules. Some of these functional elements include: outlets, switches, timers, occupancy sensors, clocks, dimmers, tamper resistant switches, nightlights, air fresheners, blanks for unused ports, radios and carbon monoxide detectors. Other types of electronic functional components can be used as well. 
         [0037]      FIG. 10  shows an additional version which has a front cover  351  which is coupled to a front face of housing  12 ,  12   a  or  100  which is designed to cover over the eject button  30 , or  230  in a covering region  353  when cover  351  is coupled to housing  12 ,  12   a  or  100 . Thus, with this design, once the modules are inserted into their respective receptacles, the eject button is covered over to protect these modules from being unnecessarily ejected. In addition in this embodiment, the cover  351  can be coupled to housing  12 ,  12   a , or  100  in any manner. With this view, the cover is coupled to the associated housing via a screw which in this embodiment is in the form of a counter sunk screw. In this embodiment the counter sunk screw is a tamper resistant screw, however other alternative means for coupling the cover to the housing can be used as well. 
         [0038]    Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.