Wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly with quick installation features

Abstract

A wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly for axial engagement with an electrical connector, the assembly including (a) a wall-surface adapter having front and back faces and attached to a wall over an opening in the wall and (b) a backcap. The adapter back face has a plurality of wire-connection points for installation of a corresponding plurality of wires, and the adapter front face has a plurality of slidably-engaging electrical connection points for engagement in at least an axial direction with the electrical connector. The backcap surrounds the plurality of wire-connection points and adjacent portions of the corresponding plurality of wires connected thereto, and includes a twist lock for installation on the wall-surface adapter.

Claims

1. A wall-mounted assembly for axial engagement/disengagement with an electrical connector, the wall-mounted assembly comprising: a wall-surface adapter having front and back faces and attached to a wall over an opening in the wall, the wall-surface adapter back face exposed through the wall opening and having a plurality of wire-connection points for installation of a corresponding plurality of wires, and the wall-surface adapter front face having a plurality of slidably-engaging electrical connection points for engagement/disengagement in at least an axial direction with the electrical connector; and a backcap surrounding the plurality of wire-connection points and adjacent portions of the corresponding plurality of wires connected thereto, the backcap including a twist lock for installation over the back face of the wall-surface adapter.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the wall-surface adapter is attached to the wall with one or more fasteners.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the wall-surface adapter is attached to the wall through a mounting structure.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the wall-surface adapter is attached to the mounting structure with one or more fasteners.

5. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the mounting structure includes a movable cover over the wall-surface adapter front face.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the wall-surface adapter has a circular outer surface defining a central axis and includes a plurality of radially-oriented projections on the outer surface, and the twist lock includes a plurality of circumferentially-aligned slots for engagement with corresponding radially-oriented projections when the backcap is turned about the central axis.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the slots have a length such that turning the backcap less than 40 degrees is required for secure engagement of the backcap to the wall-surface adapter.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the backcap includes an outer surface configured for non-slip gripping.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the backcap includes a slot end and an opposite distal end, the distal end having an annulus having a grip for releasably holding the plurality of wires.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the backcap is formed of polymeric material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective back-view illustration of an embodiment of the wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly of this invention, mounted on a mounting structure.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective side-view illustration of the wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly embodiment of FIG. 1, mounted on a mounting structure with its cover in an open position.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective back-view illustration of the unassembled wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly embodiment of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective front-view illustration of the wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly embodiment of FIG. 1, mounted on a mounting structure with its cover in an open position.

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective side-view illustration of the backcap of the wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly embodiment of FIG. 1.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective bottom-view illustration of the backcap of the wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly embodiment of FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective front-face-view illustration of the wall-surface adapter of the wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly embodiment of FIG. 1.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective back-face-view illustration of the wall-surface adapter of the wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) The figures and descriptions below describe details of the device and its preferred embodiments.

(10) FIG. 1 is a perspective back-view drawing of an embodiment 10 of the inventive wall-mounted electrical-connector-engaging assembly (also 10), and FIG. 2 is a perspective side-view drawing of embodiment 10. In both FIGS. 1 and 2, embodiment 10 is shown mounted on a mounting structure 18; in FIG. 2, mounting structure 18 is shown with an included cover 18c in an open position. FIG. 3 is a perspective back-view drawing of embodiment 10, and FIG. 4 is a perspective front-view drawing of embodiment 10. FIGS. 7 and 8 show close-up views of a wall-surface adapter 12.

(11) Referring to FIGS. 1-4, 7 and 8, embodiment 10 includes a wall-surface adapter 12 having a front face 12f and a back face 12b. Wall-surface adapter 12 is attached to a wall (not shown) over an opening (not shown) in the wall. Wall-surface adapter 12 is attached to the wall through mounting structure 18 using a plurality of fasteners 16. Wall-surface adapter 12 back face 12b includes a plurality of wire-connection points 20 for installation of a corresponding plurality of wires (not shown). Wall-surface adapter 12 front face 12f has a plurality of slidably-engaging electrical connection points 22 for engagement in at least an axial direction with the electrical connector (not shown).

(12) Wall-surface adapter 12 also includes a circular outer surface 12s which defines a central axis 12ca (see FIG. 8), and outer surface 12s includes a plurality of radially-oriented projections 12p. (Note that the dotted line referring to central axis 12ca in FIG. 8 may be difficult to interpret; such dotted line is intended to be perpendicular to back face 12b.)

(13) Embodiment 10 also includes a backcap 14 which surrounds the plurality of wire-connection points 20 and adjacent portions of the corresponding plurality of wires (not shown) connected thereto. FIGS. 5 and 6 show a side view and bottom view, respectively, of backcap 14. Backcap 14 also includes a plurality of circumferentially-aligned slots 14s for engagement with corresponding radially-oriented projections 12p when backcap 14 is turned about central axis 12ca. Thus, wall-surface adapter 12 and backcap 14 are twist-locked together with a twist lock 14t1, securing backcap 14 to wall-surface adapter 12. Twist lock 14t1 includes the plurality of slots 14s. Slots 14s of backcap 14 include slot entries 14e into which projections 12p enter slots 14s during the twist-locking action. Slots 14s have a slot length 14s1 which may be of length such that a turn through 40 degrees or less effects the twist-locking action. Note that the number of slots 14s of twist lock 14t1 is not intended to be limiting; twist lock 14t1 may be configured using one or more slot 14s with wall-surface adapter 12 having a corresponding number of projections 12p.

(14) Backcap 14 also includes a slot end 14se and an opposite distal end 14de. Distal end 14de includes an annulus 14a around which is a grip 14g for releasably holding the plurality of wires (not shown) which are connected to connection points 20. Backcap 14 includes a grip actuator 14ga which actuates grip 14g (see FIG. 1) around the wires. In embodiment 10, grip actuator 14ga is hexagonal, but such configuration is not intended to be limiting.

(15) Backcap 14 of embodiment 10 also includes an outer surface 14o configured for non-slip gripping of backcap 14 during the twist-locking action. Backcap 14 may be formed of polymeric materials but many other suitable materials are available.

(16) While the principles of this invention have been described in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood clearly that these descriptions are made only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.