Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings – With electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-01
2001-03-13
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
With electrical device
C174S053000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201187
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a means for interconnecting a plurality of electrical conductor cables within a standard junction box, and more specifically, to receive individual wires for connection to electrical fixtures such as electrical outlets, electrical switches and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
While technology has replaced many commonly used devices with simpler, safer, more efficient applications, the current method of hand-wiring each and every junction box with a tangle of excess wire, wire-nuts, and crimp-on connectors has changed little over the past fifty years. The purpose behind the present invention is to provide a pre-wired junction block, for the interconnection of all incoming and outgoing cables within a standard utility box without the use of excess wire, wire-nuts or crimp-on connectors, while also allowing electrical fixtures such as outlets or switches to be incorporated directly into the same junction without the use of wire-nuts or connectors. Since all of the connections and interconnections between the plurality of cable wires and fixture wires are completed by the internal wiring of the junction block itself, the only hand-wiring required is for the cables and jumper wires to be plugged into the appropriate locations on the junction block. Since most electrical problems which currently arise within hand-wired junction boxes are the result of human error, this device not only increases the safety of the electrical connections, but is faster, cheaper, and far more efficient than the current practice of wiring each and every outlet, switch, and junction box by hand.
The current method of wiring a domestic or commercial building entails running insulated three-wire cables of appropriate gauge (such as those sold under the trademark Romex®) into a standard utility box and leaving lengths of those cables protruding from the front of the box. To complete the connections an electrician must return to each box after the drywall and painting are completed, and identify the function of each of the cables as well as the intended fixtures to be used within the box. A utility knife is then used to cut and strip away the sheathing on the cables back to where they enter the rear of the box, exposing the individual insulated wires. These individual wires must be cut to length and stripped of their respective individual insulation at their tips before being twisted into groups according to their function. The bare tips of each group of wires are brought together and an additional jumper wire are added to each group to service outlets or switches. The groups of wires are then secured together with twist-on wire nuts.
All of the copper “ground” wires from the cables must also be gathered together with an additional jumper wire added if an outlet is to be used, and a special copper “ground connector” must be crimped around them to secure the connection. Since standard cable wires are rigid copper and do not bend very easily, the jumper wires must be kept out of the way while the mass of tangled wires, wire-nuts and connectors, are forcibly crammed into the back of the electrical box in order to make room for the fixture. Since the ground wires are bare copper without any insulation, it is crucial that these wires not be allowed to come into contact with any bare wires which might be protruding from the wirenuts or with the exposed terminals of a fixtures, either of which would cause an electrical short. With all of the wires and connectors crammed into the box the appropriate fixture is then connected to the protruding jumper wires and pushed into the box on top of the mass of wires and wire connectors. Since the terminals of the fixtures remain exposed it is critical that they not be allowed to come into contact with any of the bare ground wires within the box.
While the majority of utility boxes wired in this way function effectively for many years, a percentage can and do develop electrical shorts, which if undetected can lead to wire damage and electrical fires. This is usually due to bare wires protruding from the back of wire-nuts, bare ground wires coming into contact with exposed fixture terminals, or wire-nuts and connectors which came loose while being forcibly crammed into the back of the box. In short, the current system of hand wiring creates the potential for electrical shorts in each and every utility box.
The present invention provides a pre-wired junction block for the interconnection of all incoming and outgoing cables within a standard utility box without the use of excess wire, wire-nuts, or crimp-on connectors, while also allowing electrical fixtures such as outlets or switches to be incorporated directly into the same junction without the use of wire-nuts or connectors. Since all of the connections and interconnections between the plurality of cable wires and fixture wires are completed by the internal wiring of the junction block itself, the only hand-wiring required is for the cable and jumper wires to be plugged into the appropriate locations on the junction block face. Since most electrical problems which currently arise within hand-wired junction boxes are the result of human error, this device not only increases the safety of the electrical connections, but is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than the current practice of wiring each and every outlet, switch, and junction box by hand.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for making a plurality of electrical interconnections within a standard junction box.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a means to increase the safety of a plurality of electrical interconnections within a standard junction box.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pre-wired device which reduces the chances of human error in connecting a plurality of electrical wires within a standard utility box.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device which permits the interconnection of a plurality of wires within a standard junction box without requiring the use of wire-nuts and the like.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a means to integrate standard electrical fixtures such as electrical switches and outlets into a plurality of wire connections within a standard utility box without the use of wirenuts, connectors or hand-twisted pairs of wires.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is not an electrical box—it is a pre-wired junction block, designed to fit into, and be used within, any and all electrical or utility boxes currently in use. The junction block of the present invention allows four standard three wire cables such as Romexe cables to junction together without the need for hand-wiring, wire-nuts, or crimp-on connectors, yet allows fixtures such as outlets and switches to be connected and to be integrated directly into the junction block without the use of such wire-nuts or connectors. When cable wires and fixture wires are plugged into the appropriate pre-marked locations on the junction block, all of the interconnections between and among the plurality of wires are automatically completed by the internal wiring of the junction block itself and no hand wiring is necessary. Since the junction block completes all of the electrical connections which are currently made by hand, its internal wiring is designed to accommodate any and all functions required within the standard electrical utility box.
The basic design of the junction block of the present invention allows the rigid wires of cables to be stripped at their tips and plugged directly into corners of the block. When these rigid wires are inserted into the receptacles of the junction block, no additional wiring, wire-nuts, or connectors are necessary. If fixtures such as outlets or switches are required, the intended fix
Cahill Sutton & Thomas P.L.C.
Reichard Dean A.
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