Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SURGE SUPPRESSION MODULE
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Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a surge ~uppression module forprotecting conventional female wiring devices from transient
5~ ~surges of voltage in a power circuit. The surge suppression
m~dule supports therein an existing female wiring device of
any volta~e rating, i.e., 125, 250 or 125/250 volts, and is
coupled to an existing outlet box. The module uses a
~; universal sUpport member that accommodates various surge
suppressing elements of different voltage ratings and various
,~ ! covërs that accommodate different female wiring devices to be
mounted therein.
Background of The Invention
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The proliferation of electronic equipment, and in
particular the use of micro-electronics, has caused a need
for ~urge pr~tection of equipment varying all the way from
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clock radios and other small appliances to computers and a
huge variety of electronic, data processing, testing,
analytical, and other electronic equipment.
While many surge protection devices are presently on
the market, numerous disadvantages are present in these
devices. The prior surge protection devices are designed to
~ be used only in a power circuit of a particular voltage.
3 Thus, these devices cannot be universally used for power
circuits having different voltage ratings, but instead
require a completely di~ferent unit for each voltaqe rating.
This increases the number of different surge protection
devices that must be produced and stocked to accommodate the
various wiring devices having different voltage ratings used
in the industry. Moreover, these prote~tion devices are
,~ 15 costly because they require special tooling for each voltage
,~ rating. In addition, many of these protection devices are
~; built directly into the wiring device, thereby increasing the
overall cost to provide existing power circuits with surge
pr~tection. Finally, many of these devices merely plug into
existing female wiring devices and provide a second female
, outlet, thereby duplic,a,ting the female wiring device.
Examples of these prior s~rge protection devices are
;~ d$sclosed in the following U.S. patents: 3,369,153 to Arnold
et al.s 3,840,781 to Brown; 4,071,872 to Phillips, Jr.;
4,075,676 to Phillips, Jr.~ 4,191,985 to Phillips, Jr.s
4,217,619 to Tibollas 4,500,862 to Shedd; and 4,688,135 to
Leopo ld ~
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~ Summary `,'
`~ Accordingly, the invention seeks to ~;
`~ 30 provide a ~urge protection device which may be easily ~ ,~
adapted fo~ use with wiring devices of 125, 250, or 125/250
volts and varying configurations.
;~ Further the invention seeks to provide ' a surge
protection devi,cq which utilizes a conventional wiring `~
device to reduce manufacturing costs and the overall cost of ,~
~; the device.
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Further still the invention seeks to provide an
advantageous method of manufacturing surge suppressing modules
which decreases the number of devices that are produced and
stocked while accommodating the need for surge protection of
wiring devices of various voltage ratings.
The invention in one aspect provides a surge suppressing
module for providing protection against transient surges of ;
voltage between electrical wires of a power circuit of any , ;~
current rating located in an electrical outlet box and an -~
electrical plug of an electrical device, the combination ~'-
comprising a support member, only one female wiring device 'i
electrically coupled in series between the electrical wires of
the power circuit and the plug, the female wiring device being
conventional and means on the support member for coupling the
support member to the electrical outlet box. There is a cover ,-~
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with at least one aperture therein and means, on the support
member and the cover, couple the cover to the support member.
A voltage surge suppressing element for suppressing transient
surges of voltage is coupled to the support member, the element
being a separate and independent replaceable unit from the
conventional wiring device and being electrically coupled to
the conventional wiring device and the electrical wires of the
power circuit in the outlet box by a set of electrical wires
that extend directly between (a) the conventional female wiring
~device and the element and (b) the power circuit. Means on the
support member is provided for coupling the female wiring
device to the support member with a contact face portion
positioned for receiving the electrical plug through the
aperture in the cover.
; 30 ~l Anotherl aspect of the invention provides a method of
manufacturing a surge suppressing module for providing
transient voItage surge protection between electrical wires of
~; a power circuit of any current rating located in an electrical
outlet box and a conventional plug of an electrical device,
comprising the steps of selecting one conventional female
wiring device of any voltage rating with at least one female
socket for receiving the plug therein and which has either
single or duplex contact face portions, selecting a surge
suppressing element having a voltage rating corresponding to
the specific voltage rating of the conventional female wiring
device with the selected surge suppressing element being a
separate and independent replaceable unit from the conventional
female wiring device, mounting the selected surge suppressing
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element and the female wiring device on a support member,
: electrically wiring and thereby electrically connecting, the
power circuit directly to the female wiring device and the
surge suppressing element with only the one female wiring ;~
S device being electrically coupled in series between the
electrical wires of the power circuit and the plug received in ~
:thé female socket of the one female wiring device, coupling the :
support member to the outlet box, selecting a covex having a .;.
:number of apertures ;therein corresponding to the number of -:
0: contact face portions in the female wiring device and coupling .~ :
the~cover to the support member with the apertures therein
~ al~igned with the corresponding contact face portions in the
r~J~ female wiring device.
Other aspects,: advantages and salient features, of the
15 ~ ~ invent~ion will become apparent from the following detailed i
pt~ion,:~ which,~ take~n in conjunctlon with the annexed
d~a~~ di-oloses~the~preferred embodiment of the invention.
rring~ now~to~:t~he dr~owings ~which fo~rm a paxt of :this ,~
:i5 an ~xp ~ cd:~p-rspective vlew of a 125 volt ~ ~
dlu ~ èx:~`wir~ing:~devic* ~and ~an electrical outlet box:~ in ~1
"~ ~ na~ on`x~wlth~ t~hè:~surge suppression module in accordance: ;.
:invention~
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Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of a ' '''
conventional 125 volt duplex wiring device received in and -'' ,
coupled to an electrical outlet box; ,,,','",
Fig. 3 is an exploded side elevational view of the ''','
structure shown in Fig. 1 and including the 125 volt wiring ,~ "
device and an electrical outlet box mounted in a wall, and '' '
the surge suppression module in accordance with the
invention:
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the -
;10~ 125 volt duplex wiring device and the surge suppression
module assembled in accordance with the invention and coupled , ~,
to the wall mounted electrical box; '
; ~, Fig. 5 is an enlarged front plan view of the universal ''~
support member seen in Figs. 1, 3, and 4; 1
Fig. 6 is a front plan view of the universal support
member~with a surge~suppressing element rated for a 125 volt ;~
wiring device coupled thereto; ,,
~5~ Fig. 7 is a front plan view of the universal support
member with a surge suppressing element rated for a 250 volt
`20'' ~ wiring~;device coupled thereto; and ~',
Fig. 8~ is a front,~'plan view of the universal support , ','
member~wlth a;~surqe~suppressing element rated ~for a 125/250
~` volt~`wiriiing~devic-~coupléd~-~thereto.
;Detailed-~DescriP~tio`n~of the~Invention
seen'~ln~Flg~ the~surge suppression module assembly -,',; ''
lO~in~accordance with ~the 1nvention comprises a cover 12, a '',',';
un~v,$rsal sup~ort member 14, a surgejsuppressinq elemqnt 16 ','`'"'
mounted on the gupport member 14, an electronic circuit ',',-~
mèmber 18~having~-n~auditory~alarm 20 and an indicator light '',~'~
,30~ 22,~ nd~a mounting plate~24 for coupling the surge module ''',~i
ass-mbly ~lO~to ~an~ elec ~ ical outlet~box 30 mounted in the ;'
wall~ 32~.~ The surge -modùle assembly 10 shown in Fig. 1 " ,',
s ~ orts thereln a conventional 125 volt duplex wiring device '~','';,~
34~ however, the wiring device may be either a single or a "~
-,35 duplex with any conventional voltage rating, i.e., 125, 250, ~'
or~l25/250 volts.
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The cover 12 has a square box-like configuration and is
compri~ed of a dielectric material, i.e., plastic. The cover
12 includes a planar front panel 40 with at least one aperture
42 therein for aligning with and receivin'g the contact face
portion 44 of the wiring device 34, which is adapted to
receive plug 38 as seen in Fig. 4. As seen in Fig. 1, the
front panel 40 has a pair of apertures 42 and 46 for
receiving the contact face portions 44 and 48, respectively,
of the duplex wiring device 34. The front panel 40 also
includes an opening 50 for receiving the indicator light 22
and a plurality of slots S2 for the auditory alarm 20. The '
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cover 12 is coupled to the universal support member 14 by a
pair of screws 54 and 56 through holes 58 and 60 in the front
panel 40 as shown in Fig. 3 and into threaded mounting posts
86 and 88 on member 14 as seen in Fig. 5.
Although the cover 12 shown in the drawings only
illustrates a 125~ volt duplex cover, the invention
encompasses a series of covers for the different wiring
devices~available in the electronic industry, i.e., single or
2~0 duplex; 125, 250, or 125/250 volt.
The universal support member 14 is adapted to
acoommodate the various wiring devices available in the
electronic industry. Thus, the surge module assembly 10 can
be~universal~ly a~dapted ~to accommodate any existing wiring
25~ device-~by merely selecting the appropriate cover and surge
uppréss~ing element~ of;the appropriate voltage rating. In
this~ regard, surge suppressing elements are voltage
L`,~ depelndent, but current independent. Thus,jwiring devices of
';~ ; a given voltage rating~but various current ratings, such as
15,~20 or 30 amperes,'~can be accommodated in the present
inventlon~using only oné'~ suppressing element rated to the
siven~voltage. ~
; As ~seen in ~ig. 5, the universal support member 14 is
comprised of d~electric material, e.g., plastic, and includes
a ~ubstantially planar base portion 62 with a central opening
63~ thereln surrounded by a tubular portion 64 for receiving
wlring device 12. The tubular portion 64 includes a pair of
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opposed cur~ed walls 66 and 68, and a pair of opposed flanged
mounting members or posts 70 and 72 spaced ~etween the curved
walls 66 and 68. The wiring device 34 is coupled to posts 70
and 72 by screws 71 and 73 threadedly received thexein as
seen in Fig. 3. The universal support member 14 also
includes a plurality of tubular mounting members or posts
74-81 extending perpendicular to the base portion 62 for
receiving mounting screws for coupling the various surge
suppressing elements 16, 16', or 16~ and electronic circuit
~embers 18, 18', or 18" shown in Figs. 5-8 corxesponding to
the selected wiring device. Four locator pins 82-85 extend
perpendicular to the base portion 62 for receiving a circuit
board built into the surge suppressin~ element 16. The cover
12 is coupled to the universal cupport member 14 by screws 54
and 56 threaded into mounting posts R6 and 88, which extend
perpendicular to the base portion 62.
As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the uni~ersal support member
14 is coupled to the metallic mounting plate 24 by two pairs
of screws 90 and 92 ~only two shown) extending through holes
94-97 $n the base portion 62. The mounting plate 24 has a
central electrical opening 98 for alignment with central
opening 63 of the base portion 62, and a plurality of
mounting holes extending therethrough for coupling the
mounting plate 24 to either threaded bores in the outlet box
30 or the wall 32 by screws 100 and 102 seen in Fig. 3. The
four corners of the mounting plate 24 have threaded holes
111-114 for threadedly receiving screws 90 and 92 to mount
'~ the universalisupport member 14 thereto. The corners of the
mounting plate 24 are al80 raised to be received in a recess
in the support member 14 to insure a flush mounting of the
surge module assembly 10 to the wall 32 as seen in Fig. 4.
The ~urge suppressinq element 16 comprises at least one
metal oxide var;-stor (MOV) and a fuse mounted on a printed
circuit board. The surge suppressing element 16 is
electrically connected to the power circuit 120 as seen in
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Fig. 3, and in parallel to the wiring device 34 via wires
126-I28. The surge suppressing element 16 is also
electrically connected to the electronic circuit 18 via wires
35 and 36 as seen in Figs. 1 and 6.
The electronic circuit 18 includes an auditory alarm
20, which will sound in the event of a failure or malfunction
in the surge suppressing element, i.e., if the fuse on the
circuit board is burned out. The electronic circuit 18 also
includes an indicator light 22 which indicates that the surge
suppressing element 16 is electrically connected and the
wiring device 34 is protected against transient surges of
voltage. -~
; As seen in Figs. 6-8~ three universal support members 14
are shown respectively with surge suppressing elements 16,
16' and 16n, connecting wires 35, 36~ 35~ ~ 363 ~ 35n and 36n,
and electronic circuits 18, 18' and 18~ corresponding with a
125 volt, a 250 volt, and a 125/250 volt wiring device, ~;
respectively. -~
As seen in Figs. 2-4, the surge module assembly 10 is
used to convert an existing conventional wiring device 34, ` ~;-
which is coupled to an electrical outlet box 30 ~Fig. 2), to
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- a surge protected device ~Fig. 4). The surge module assembly
10 is~installed by first removing the existing w~ring device
34 from outlet box 30. Then three wires or pigtails 116-118 . ~
5;;~ are~ connected to the wiring device. Next, the mounting plate ~-
24 is coupled to the outlet box 30 or the wall 32. Then, the ;;
: ~ universal s~pport member l4, supporting the appropriate surge ;~ -~
suppressing element 16 and electronic circuit 18~ is attached
tol the existing wiring device 34, which is received in
30~ tubuIar portion 64. The pigtails 116-118 are connected to
t~e three wires in the power circuit 120, and to the three
wires 126-128 extending from the appropriate surge ~ `
suppre-~sing element 16. The universal support member 14, is `;;
now ~ attached to the mounting plate 24, and then the
appropriate cover 12 is secured-to the universal support ~`~
; member I4 with the contact ~ace portions 44 and 48 received -
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in apertures 42 and 46. Then plug 38 is attached to the
desired face portion.
As seen in ~ig. 4, the wiring de~ice 34 is supported by
the dielectric universal support member 14 and is isolated
from and not electrically connected to metallic mounting
plate 24 or outlet box 30. Thus, since the wiring device is
not electrically connected or bonded to any metal parts
within the module assembly, it can be used as an isolated
~or insulated) grounding device, that is, one where the
10 equipment grounding contacts are electrically isolated or
insulated from the mounting means, without the need for a
special isolated grounding wiring device. Instead,
c~nnection of the ground pigtail on the wiring device to an
insulated grounding line in the power circuit 120 suffices.
While various advantageous embodiments have been chosed
to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes and modifications
can be made therein without departing from the scope of the
invention as defined in the appended claims. ~-
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