Electrical Wiring Device with Shutters

An electrical device comprising:

• a housing including a front cover coupled to at least one body member, the front cover including a plurality of receptacle openings in a major front surface thereof, the plurality of receptacle openings being configured to receive a hot plug blade and a neutral plug blade of a corded electrical plug, the at least one body member including at least one set of receptacle contacts including a hot receptacle contact and a neutral receptacle contact configured to mate with the hot plug blade and a neutral plug blade, respectively, when the corded electrical plug is inserted into the plurality of receptacle openings;
• a set of electrical terminations accessible via at least one aperture in the housing, the at least one set of receptacle contacts being configured to receive electrical power from the at least a portion of the set of electrical terminations;
• a railed guidance structure corresponding to the at least one set of receptacle contacts coupled to the front cover, and
• a shutter assembly including a shutter element having an interface portion coupled to the railed guidance structure so that the shutter element rides the railed guidance structure from a return position to an open position in response to being engaged by the plurality of plug blades, the interface portion and the railed guidance structure being configured to allow the shutter element to rotationally align with end portions of the plurality of plug blades in response to an asymmetry in respective lengths of the plurality of plug blades, the open position permitting electrical engagement of the plurality of plug blades with the plurality of receptacle contacts, the shutter element being directed from the return position to a blocking position in response to being engaged by an object via at least one of the plurality of receptacle openings to prevent the object from obtaining access to the at least one set of receptacle contacts.

An electrical wiring device comprising:

• a housing including a front cover coupled to at least one body member, the front cover including a plurality of receptacle openings in a major front surface thereof, the plurality of receptacle openings being configured to receive a hot plug blade and a neutral plug blade of a corded electrical plug, the at least one body member including at least one set of receptacle contacts including a hot receptacle contact and a neutral receptacle contact configured to mate with the hot plug blade and the neutral plug blade, respectively, when the corded electrical plug is inserted into the plurality of receptacle openings;
• a set of electrical terminations accessible via at least one aperture in the housing, the at least one set of receptacle contacts being configured to receive electrical power from the at least a portion of the set of electrical terminations;
• a yoke structure coupled to the front cover, the yoke structure including a first railed bearing portion substantially disposed in parallel with a second railed bearing portion, the yoke structure defining a first portion and a translational portion;
• and
• a shutter assembly including a shutter element having a first indented opening and a second indented opening coupled to the first railed bearing portion and the second railed bearing portion respectively, the first indented opening including a first substantially radial bearing interface and the second indented opening including a second substantially radial bearing interface configured to ride the first railed bearing portion and the second railed bearing portion, respectively, from a return position to an open position in response to being engaged by the plurality of plug blades, the open position permitting electrical engagement of the plurality of plug blades with the plurality of receptacle contacts, the yoke structure being configured to rotate the shutter element from the return position to a blocking position when disposed on the first portion in response to being engaged by an object via at least one of the plurality of receptacle openings to prevent the object from obtaining access to the at least one set of receptacle contacts.