# US 10,069,235 B2 · Modular device control unit

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- Number: US 10,069,235 B2
- Document ID: US10069235B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/145,624
- Filed: 2016-05-03
- Published: 2017-03-02
- Granted: 2018-09-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-08-31
- Assignees: Deako, Inc.
- Applicants: Deako, Inc.
- Inventors: Dan Blase; Chris Keeser; Patrick Prendergast; Derek Richardson; Allen Stedman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10069235B2

## CPC

- H01R 13/447: Shutter or cover plate
- G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
- H02G 3/08: Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
- H02G 3/12: for flush mounting
- H02G 3/16: structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box
- H05B 47/10: Controlling the light source
- H05B 47/175: by remote control
- H05B 47/18: via data-bus transmission
- H05B 47/19: via wireless transmission
- H05K 5/0221: {Locks; Latches}
- H05K 5/0256: {of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms}
- H05K 5/03: Covers
- H05K 5/10: comprising several parts forming a closed casing
- H01R 12/724: {containing contact members forming a right angle}
- H01R 13/2407: {characterized by the resilient means}
- H01R 13/6275: {Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence)}
- H01R 24/62: Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
- H01R 2107/00: Four or more poles
- H05B 47/165: following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
- H05B 47/1965: {using handheld communication devices}
- Y04S 20/20: End-user application control systems
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

An apparatus includes a backplate including at least one backplate contact, a cover, and a lock. The at least one backplate contact facilitates an electrical connection to a power source. The cover shields the at least one backplate contact when the cover is placed in a closed position. The cover is further translatable to an open position to conditionally expose the at least one backplate contact. The lock applies a force to the cover and positions the cover in the closed position unless a counter-force greater than the force is received by the lock.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A backplate, comprising:
a backplate housing providing a cavity to removably accept any of a plurality of device control assemblies, a device control assembly of the plurality of device control assemblies including a set of device control assembly electrical contacts, the backplate housing configured to mount to an electrical junction box;
a backplate junction box electrical connector configured to connect to electrical wiring within the electrical junction box;
a set of backplate electrical contacts configured to couple to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts;
a translatable cover, the cover configured to shield the set of backplate electrical contacts from the cavity when translated to a closed position, the cover further configured to expose the set of backplate electrical contacts to the cavity when translated to an open position; and
a lock configured to maintain the cover in the closed position unless the device control assembly is inserted into the cavity, wherein inserting the device control assembly into the cavity engages the lock to allow the cover to be translated to the open position to expose the set of backplate electrical contacts to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, further comprising:
a locking lever configured to secure the device control assembly in the cavity when the cover is in the open position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The backplate of claim 2, wherein the locking lever is configured to be pressed against the cover by a spring when the cover is in the closed position, wherein the locking lever is configured to be exposed to the cavity when the cover is translated from the closed position to the open position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The backplate of claim 3, wherein the spring includes a torsion spring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The backplate of claim 2, wherein the device control assembly includes a locking feature, wherein the locking lever is configured to couple to the locking feature of the device control assembly to secure the device control assembly in the cavity when the cover is in the open position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The backplate of claim 5, wherein the locking lever is configured to be decoupled from the device control assembly when the cover is translated from the open position to the closed position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the backplate junction box electrical connector comprises:
a set of connection wires.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The backplate of claim 7, wherein the set of connection wires are configured to connect to the electrical wiring within the junction box via a pigtail connection.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the backplate junction box electrical connector comprises:
at least one of a set of internal spring push-type connectors, a set of push-on wire connectors, or a set of screw-on wire connectors.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the lock is configured to restrict motion of the cover when the cover is in the closed position, wherein inserting the device control assembly into the cavity translates the lock to provide clearance for the cover to translate to the open position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The backplate of claim 10, wherein the lock includes a graded portion, wherein contact between the device control assembly and the graded portion of the lock translates the lock to provide clearance for the cover to translate to the open position.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the backplate housing includes one or more keyed features.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The backplate of claim 12, wherein the one or more keyed features facilitate the alignment of the set of backplate electrical contacts with the set of device control assembly electrical contacts when the device control assembly is inserted into the cavity.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The backplate of claim 12, wherein the one or more keyed features include a keyed opening, wherein at least a portion of the lock is recessed within the backplate housing to be accessible through the keyed opening, wherein the device control assembly includes a keyed feature to access the lock through the keyed opening when the device control assembly is inserted into the cavity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the cover is formed from an electrically insulating material.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein a position of the cover is maintained through friction between the cover and the backplate housing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the set of backplate electrical contacts comprises:
a set of spring contacts.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The backplate of claim 17, wherein the set of spring contacts comprises:
a set of spring finger contacts.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the backplate is configured to removably couple with the device control assembly when the backplate is connected to live power via the electrical wiring within the electrical junction box.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The backplate of claim 19, wherein the set of backplate electrical contacts is configured to provide an ordered set of electrical connections to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The backplate of claim 20, wherein the set of backplate electrical contacts is configured to provide a ground connection to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts prior to providing one or more additional electrical connections when the device control assembly is inserted into the cavity.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The backplate of claim 20, wherein the set of backplate electrical contacts is configured to release a ground connection to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts subsequent to releasing, one or more additional electrical connections when the device control assembly is removed from the cavity.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The backplate of claim 1, wherein the device control assembly includes at least one of a switch, a dimmer, an outlet, a sensor, or a control panel.

### Claim 24

A device control assembly, comprising:
a set of device control assembly electrical contacts; and
a device control assembly housing configured to be removably inserted into a cavity of any of a plurality of backplates, a backplate of the plurality of backplates configured to mount to an electrical junction box, the backplate further configured to connect to electrical wiring within an electrical junction box, the backplate comprising:
a backplate housing providing the cavity to accept the device control assembly;
a set of backplate electrical contacts configured to couple to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts;
a translatable cover, the cover configured to shield the set of backplate electrical contacts from the cavity when translated to a closed position, the cover further configured to expose the set of backplate electrical contacts to the cavity when translated to an open position; and
a lock configured to maintain the cover in the closed position unless the device control assembly is inserted into the cavity, wherein inserting the device control assembly into the cavity engages the lock to allow the cover to be translated to the open position to expose the set of backplate electrical contacts to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The device control assembly of claim 24, wherein the device control assembly includes at least one of a switch, a dimmer, an outlet, a sensor, or a control panel.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The device control assembly of claim 24, wherein the device control assembly is configured to regulate an electrical load.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The device control assembly of claim 26, wherein the device control assembly regulates the electrical load through regulation of at least one of a current or a voltage to the electrical load.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The device control assembly of claim 26, wherein the device control assembly regulates the electrical load through data communication to the electrical load via a data pathway.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The device control assembly of claim 26, wherein the device control assembly is configured to be in data communication with one or more additional device control assemblies via one or more additional data pathways.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The device control assembly of claim 29, wherein the device control assembly is configured to regulate the electrical load based on data communication from at least one of the one or more additional device control assemblies.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The device control assembly of claim 29, wherein at least one of the one or more additional device control assemblies is configured to regulate an additional load.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The device control assembly of claim 31, wherein the device control assembly is configured to regulate the additional load through data communication to the at least one of the one or more additional device control assemblies.

### Claim 33

A modular control unit, comprising:
a device control assembly, the device control assembly including a set of device control assembly electrical contacts; and
a backplate configured to removably accept the device control assembly, the backplate configured to mount to an electrical junction box, the backplate further configured to connect to electrical wiring within the electrical junction box, the backplate comprising:
a backplate housing providing a cavity to accept the device control assembly;
a set of backplate electrical contacts configured to couple to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts;
a translatable cover, the cover configured to shield the set of backplate electrical contacts from the cavity when translated to a closed position, the cover further configured to expose the set of backplate electrical contacts to the cavity when translated to an open position; and
a lock configured to maintain the cover in the closed position unless the device control assembly is inserted into the cavity, wherein inserting the device control assembly into the cavity engages the lock to allow the cover to be translated to the open position to expose the set of backplate electrical contacts to the set of device control assembly electrical contacts.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The modular control unit of claim 33, wherein the device control assembly includes at least one of a switch, a dimmer, an outlet, a sensor, or a control panel.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The modular control unit of claim 33, further comprising:
a locking lever configured to secure the device control assembly in the cavity when the cover is in the open position.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The modular control unit of claim 35, wherein the locking lever is configured to be pressed against the cover by a spring when the cover is in the closed position, wherein the locking lever is configured to be exposed to the cavity when the cover is translated from the closed position to the open position.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The modular control unit of claim 35, wherein the device control assembly includes a locking feature, wherein the locking lever is configured to couple to the locking feature of the device control assembly to secure the device control assembly in the cavity.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The modular control unit of claim 37, wherein the locking lever is configured to be decoupled from the locking feature of the device control assembly when the cover is translated from the open position to the closed position.

### Claim 39 (depends on 33)

The modular control unit of claim 33, wherein the lock is configured to restrict motion of the cover when the cover is in the closed position, wherein inserting the device control assembly into the cavity translates the lock to provide clearance for the cover to translate to the open position.

### Claim 40 (depends on 33)

The modular control unit of claim 33, wherein the backplate housing includes one or more keyed features.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The modular control unit of claim 40, wherein the one or more keyed features include a keyed opening, wherein at least a portion of the lock is recessed within the backplate housing to be accessible through the keyed opening, wherein the device control assembly includes a keyed feature to access the lock through the keyed opening when the device control assembly is inserted into the cavity.

### Claim 42 (depends on 33)

The modular control unit of claim 33, wherein the set of backplate electrical contacts comprises:
a set of spring contacts.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The modular control unit of claim 42, wherein the set of device control assembly electrical contacts comprises:
a set of electrical contact pads.

### Claim 44 (depends on 33)

The modular control unit of claim 33, wherein the backplate is configured to removably couple with the device control assembly when the backplate is connected to live power via the electrical wiring within the electrical junction box.

### Claim 45 (depends on 33)

The modular control unit of claim 33, wherein the device control assembly is configured to regulate an electrical load.