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US 12,676,432 B2Granted
Wire terminals and method of uses
AssigneeLeviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorsMichael Kamor, Ronald Jansen, Kelly Tyler, Nicholas Pilato, Stephen Aaron
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to wire terminals and/or termination mechanisms arranged and configured for use with a wiring device. The wire terminals may be used in any suitable line-voltage wiring device. The wire terminals are arranged and configured to selectively receive a distal end of a wire therein.
Claims23
A wiring device, comprising:
- a housing;
- an electrical contact disposed at least partially within the housing, the electrical contact arranged and configured to accept plug blades, the electrical contact further including a cage defining an opening;
- and
- a wire terminal arranged and configured to mechanically and electrically secure a line-voltage AC electrical wire to the electrical contact, the wire terminal including:
- a lever arranged and configured to move between a first position and a second position;
- a first spring positioned at least partially within the opening formed in the cage, the first spring and the opening defining an electrical wire receiving space;
- and
- a biasing element arranged and configured to apply a force onto the lever to maintain the lever in the first position;
- wherein, in the second position, the lever moves the first spring to enlarge the electrical wire receiving space to receive the electrical wire, and, in the first position, the first spring biases the electrical wire against the electrical contact to securely retain the electrical wire within the electrical wire receiving space and in contact with the electrical contact.
6 more elements
A wiring device, comprising:
- a housing;
- an electrical contact disposed at least partially within the housing, the electrical contact including a cage defining an opening;
- and
- a wire terminal arranged and configured to mechanically and electrically secure a line-voltage AC electrical wire to the electrical contact, the wire terminal including:
- a lever arranged and configured to move between a first position and a second position;
- a first spring positioned at least partially within the opening formed in the cage, the first spring and the opening defining an electrical wire receiving space;
- and
- a biasing element arranged and configured to apply a force onto the lever to maintain the lever in the first position;
- wherein, in the second position, the lever moves the first spring to enlarge the electrical wire receiving space to receive the electrical wire, and, in the first position, the first spring biases the electrical wire against the electrical contact to securely retain the electrical wire within the electrical wire receiving space and in contact with the electrical contact.
6 more elements
A wiring device, comprising:
- a housing;
- an electrical contact disposed at least partially within the housing, the electrical contact including a cage defining an opening;
- and
- a wire terminal arranged and configured to mechanically and electrically secure a line-voltage AC electrical wire to the electrical contact, the wire terminal including:
- a lever arranged and configured to move between a first position and a second position;
- a first spring positioned at least partially within the opening formed in the cage, the first spring and the opening defining an electrical wire receiving space;
- a biasing spring arranged and configured to apply a force onto the lever to maintain the lever in the first position;
- and
- a retention element arranged and configured to grip a portion of the electrical wire once the electrical wire has been inserted through an aperture formed in a rear surface of the housing;
- wherein, in the second position, the lever moves the first spring to enlarge the electrical wire receiving space to receive the electrical wire, and, in the first position, the first spring biases the electrical wire against the electrical contact to securely retain the electrical wire within the electrical wire receiving space and in contact with the electrical contact.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.