Configurable electrical receptacles

An assembly method for configuring an additional function to a receptacle comprising:

• providing a first portion of a latching mechanism disposed within a cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within an electrical utility work box;
• and
• providing a first portion of a keying mechanism disposed with the cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within the electrical utility work box;
• providing the electrical utility work box;
• providing a faceplate;
• and
• providing the receptacle comprising:
• a front face;
• a first mounting means to affix the receptacle to the electrical utility work box;
• a second mounting means to affix the faceplate to the receptacle;
• a plurality of first electrical interfaces, each first electrical interface allowing connection to a predetermined electrical signal forming part of an electrical lighting circuit;
• and
• the cavity disposed within the front face of the receptacle;
• wherein
• the first portion of the latching mechanism engages a second portion of the latching mechanism forming part of a demountable insert configured to fit within the cavity of the receptacle;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism engages a second portion of the keying mechanism forming part of the demountable insert;
• the keying mechanism prevents latching of the latching mechanism upon insertion of either an incompatible demountable insert or a compatible demountable insert inserted in an inverted manner into the cavity;
• the additional function is provided by the demountable insert when assembled within the cavity;
• the faceplate comprises an opening through the faceplate allowing insertion of the demountable insert through the opening;
• the cavity is disposed within an accessible surface of the receptacle when the receptacle is mounted within the electrical utility work box;
• the faceplate is attached to at least one of the receptacle and the electrical utility work box once the receptacle is mounted within the electrical utility work box;
• and
• the demountable insert is at least one of insertable and removable from the cavity and therein the receptacle when the receptacle is mounted within the electrical utility work box with the faceplate attached.

An assembly comprising:

• a first portion of a latching mechanism disposed within a cavity of a receptacle configured to fit within an electrical utility work box;
• and
• a first portion of a keying mechanism disposed with the cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within the electrical utility work box;
• wherein the first portion of the latching mechanism engages a second portion of the latching mechanism forming part of a demountable insert configured to fit within the cavity of the receptacle;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism engages a second portion of the keying mechanism forming part of the demountable insert;
• the keying mechanism prevents latching of the latching mechanism upon insertion of either an incompatible demountable insert or a compatible demountable insert inserted in an inverted manner into the cavity;
• the demountable insert is an insert of a plurality of inserts;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism has either a first configuration or a second configuration;
• a first portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• a second portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• and
• a third portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism with both the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism and the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism.

An assembly comprising:

• a first portion of a latching mechanism disposed within a cavity of a receptacle configured to fit within an electrical utility work box;
• and
• a first portion of a keying mechanism disposed with the cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within the electrical utility work box;
• wherein the first portion of the latching mechanism engages a second portion of the latching mechanism forming part of a demountable insert configured to fit within the cavity of the receptacle;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism engages a second portion of the keying mechanism forming part of the demountable insert;
• the keying mechanism prevents latching of the latching mechanism upon insertion of either an incompatible demountable insert or a compatible demountable insert inserted in an inverted manner into the cavity;
• the demountable insert is an insert of a plurality of inserts;
• wherein the first portion of the keying mechanism has a first configuration when an electrical function of the receptacle is a first electrical function and a second configuration when the electrical function of the receptacle is a second electrical function;
• a first portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• a second portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• and
• a third portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism with both the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism and the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism.

An assembly comprising:

• a first portion of a latching mechanism disposed within a cavity of a receptacle configured to fit within an electrical utility work box;
• and
• a first portion of a keying mechanism disposed with the cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within the electrical utility work box;
• wherein the first portion of the latching mechanism engages a second portion of the latching mechanism forming part of a demountable insert configured to fit within the cavity of the receptacle;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism engages a second portion of the keying mechanism forming part of the demountable insert;
• and
• the keying mechanism prevents latching of the latching mechanism upon insertion of either an incompatible demountable insert or a compatible demountable insert inserted in an inverted manner into the cavity;
• the demountable insert is an insert of a plurality of inserts;
• the receptacle is either an electrical receptacle having at least one of a plug and a socket accessible one a same face of the electrical receptacle as the cavity and a lighting receptacle having a lighting control interface on the same face of the electrical receptacle as the cavity;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism has a first configuration when the receptacle is an electrical receptacle and a second configuration when the receptacle is a lighting receptacle;
• a first portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• a second portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• and
• a third portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism with both the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism and the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism.

An assembly method for configuring an additional function to a receptacle comprising:

• providing a first portion of a latching mechanism disposed within a cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within an electrical utility work box;
• and
• providing a first portion of a keying mechanism disposed with the cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within the electrical utility work box;
• wherein the first portion of the latching mechanism engages a second portion of the latching mechanism forming part of a demountable insert configured to fit within the cavity of the receptacle;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism engages a second portion of the keying mechanism forming part of the demountable insert;
• the keying mechanism prevents latching of the latching mechanism upon insertion of either an incompatible demountable insert or a compatible demountable insert inserted in an inverted manner into the cavity;
• the additional function is provided by the demountable insert when assembled within the cavity;
• the demountable insert is an insert of a plurality of inserts;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism has either a first configuration or a second configuration;
• a first portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• a second portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• and
• a third portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism with both the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism and the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism.

An assembly method for configuring an additional function to a receptacle comprising:

• providing a first portion of a latching mechanism disposed within a cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within an electrical utility work box;
• and
• providing a first portion of a keying mechanism disposed with the cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within the electrical utility work box;
• wherein the first portion of the latching mechanism engages a second portion of the latching mechanism forming part of a demountable insert configured to fit within the cavity of the receptacle;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism engages a second portion of the keying mechanism forming part of the demountable insert;
• the keying mechanism prevents latching of the latching mechanism upon insertion of either an incompatible demountable insert or a compatible demountable insert inserted in an inverted manner into the cavity;
• and
• the additional function is provided by the demountable insert when assembled within the cavity;
• the demountable insert is an insert of a plurality of inserts;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism has a first configuration when an electrical function of the receptacle is a first electrical function and a second configuration when the electrical function of the receptacle is a second electrical function;
• a first portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• a second portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• and
• a third portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism with both the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism and the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism.

An assembly method for configuring an additional function to a receptacle comprising:

• providing a first portion of a latching mechanism disposed within a cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within an electrical utility work box;
• and
• providing a first portion of a keying mechanism disposed with the cavity of the receptacle configured to fit within the electrical utility work box;
• wherein the first portion of the latching mechanism engages a second portion of the latching mechanism forming part of a demountable insert configured to fit within the cavity of the receptacle;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism engages a second portion of the keying mechanism forming part of the demountable insert;
• the keying mechanism prevents latching of the latching mechanism upon insertion of either an incompatible demountable insert or a compatible demountable insert inserted in an inverted manner into the cavity;
• the additional function is provided by the demountable insert when assembled within the cavity;
• the demountable insert is an insert of a plurality of inserts;
• the receptacle is either an electrical receptacle having at least one of a plug and a socket accessible one a same face of the electrical receptacle as the cavity and a lighting receptacle having a lighting control interface on the same face of the electrical receptacle as the cavity;
• the first portion of the keying mechanism has a first configuration when the receptacle is an electrical receptacle and a second configuration when the receptacle is a lighting receptacle;
• a first portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• a second portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism only with the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism;
• and
• a third portion of the plurality of inserts have the second portion of the keying mechanism allowing latching of the latching mechanism with both the first configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism and the second configuration for the first portion of the keying mechanism.