Patent ID: 7282642

Claim:
A wall plate and a wiring device, in combination, adapted for mutually co-acting to be in captive engagement wherein the wall plate comprises: a frame having a vertical axis along its length, a horizontal axis along its width, a front surface, a back surface, a top edge having an inside wall, a bottom edge having an inside wall, and an opening which extends through said frame from said front to said back surfaces for receiving at least one wiring device, wherein the bottom of the circumferential edges of said frame to define a substantially flat datum plane for placement on a substantially flat wall, and said front surface of said frame is spaced from said substantially flat datum plane to provide said frame having a progressively thinner profile from the edge of the opening for the at least one wiring device to the circumferential edges of the frame along its vertical axis and its horizontal axis; a first tooth shaped rack on the inside wall of the top edge of said frame to engage a first clip coupled to said wiring device; and a second tooth shaped rack on the inside wall of the bottom edge of said frame to engage a second clip coupled to said wiring device; and wherein the wiring device comprises: a ground/mounting strap having first and second outwardly projecting ends; said first clip having a bent end attached to the first outwardly projecting end of the ground/mounting strap wherein the bent end of the first clip extends beyond the first end of the strap; and said second clip having a bent end attached to the second outwardly projecting end of the ground/mounting strap wherein the bent end of the second clip extends beyond the second end of the strap; wherein: the first and second tooth shaped racks on the inside wall of the top and bottom edges of the frame is adapted to mutually co-act with and engage the bent ends on the first and second clips on the first and second ends of the ground/mounting strap to securely hold the frame and wiring device to each other in captive engagement.