Wiring device and cover plate snap-on assembly

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates generally to an assembly of flush mounted wiring devices and more particularly to a wiring devices configured to receive a cover plate.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#Other aspects, feature and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals where:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an on-off switch coupled to a cover plate in accordance with the principles of the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover plate of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 1 shows an electrical wiring device and cover plate assemblage 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As described below, cover plate 12 is securely coupled to the wiring device 14 without requiring either threaded fasteners or openings in the face of the cover plate. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, cover plate 12 has a rectangular aperture 37 defined by vertical wall 21, 25 and horizontal walls 17, 19. Vertical wall 21 supports a first shaped protrusion 22 and vertical wall 25 supports a second shaped protrusion (not shown). A wiring device, which can be an on-off switch 14 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) having a rocker paddle 16 located within a frame 18 for example, supports protrusions 24, 26, 28 disposed on upper and lower ends on the left side wall 32 of the frame 18 of the wiring device and similar structure on the right side wall 36 of the frame 18. The protrusion 22 (see FIGS. 6, 6A and 7) on the right side wall 21 of the aperture in cover plate 12 is positioned to mate with frame protrusions 24, 26, 28 on the right side wall 36 of the frame 18 of the on-off switch 14 and, in a similar manner, the cover plate protrusion 23 on the left side wall 25 of the aperture in cover plate 12 is positioned to mate with the frame protrusions 24, 26, 28 on the left side wall 32 of the frame 18 of the on-off switch.

#Referring to FIG. 1, in a typical application, the on-off switch 14 electrically couples a power source to a load to control the power to the load. The switch 14 includes a frame 18, a switch paddle actuator 16 and a switch housing 20. The housing 20, which includes a ground/mounting strap, supports wiring contact assemblies (e.g., screws) for connection to power conductors (e.g., phase, neutral and ground) of an electrical wiring system such as a standard alternating current (AC) 120 Volts, 60 Hz power source, typically found in residential homes and commercial buildings. Although a rocker type of switch paddle actuator 16 is shown, another type of actuator such as a slider, rotatable knob etc. can be used. In addition, while the electrical wiring device 14 is shown as a switch, the invention here disclosed can be equally applied to a receptacle, a dimmer or other type of wiring device.

#FIG. 3 shows a more detailed view of the protrusion on the vertical wall of the aperture of the cover plate 12, and FIG. 5 shows a more detailed view of the protrusions 24, 26 and 28 on the left side wall of the frame 18 of the switch 14. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover plate 12 of the present embodiment has a front face surface 15 with a generally rectangular shaped central aperture 37 having vertical and horizontal walls. The aperture is sized to be positioned around the frame 18 (FIGS. 4 and 5) of the switch 14. The aperture in the cover plate 12 has a top wall 17, a bottom wall 19, a left side wall 21 and a right side wall 25. These walls are generally perpendicular to the front surface 15 of the cover plate and extend back from the front face surface of the cover plate. A cover plate protrusion 22 is disposed on the left side wall 21 along the vertical (longitudinal) axis of the cover plate 12 and a second protrusion 23 (not shown) is disposed in a similar manner on the right side wall 25 of the cover plate. Each protrusion 22 and 23 can be a strip of plastic having a cross section which is substantially triangular, half circular, triangular, equilateral triangular, or another suitable cross section.