# US 8,678,856 B2 · Safety electrical outlet and switch system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,678,856 B2 - Document ID: US8678856B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/782,635 - Filed: 2013-03-01 - Published: 2013-09-19 - Granted: 2014-03-25 - Earliest claimed: 2000-01-05 - Assignees: ProtectConnect - Applicants: ProtectConnect, Inc. - Inventors: Michael P. Gorman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8678856B2 ## CPC - H01R 25/006: {the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle} - H01R 4/64: Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail - H01R 13/652: with earth pin, blade or socket - H01R 24/78: with additional earth or shield contacts - H01R 43/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors (of trolley lines B60M1/28) - H02G 3/126: {with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud} - H02G 3/14: Fastening of cover or lid to box - H01R 13/70: with built-in switch - H01R 2103/00: Two poles - Y10T 29/49126: Assembling bases - Y10T 29/49128: Assembling formed circuit to base - Y10T 29/49169: Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor - Y10T 29/49174: Assembling terminal to elongated conductor - Y10T 29/49194: Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc. - Y10T 29/49204: Contact or terminal manufacturing - Y10T 29/49208: by assembling plural parts - Y10T 29/49222: forming array of contacts or terminals - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An electrical box is mounted on a wall stud, and a wiring panel is installed within the electrical box so as to partition the interior of the electrical box into a user inaccessible wiring compartment and a user accessible module compartment. A protective cover is attached to the wiring panel so as to protect the wiring panel during a makeup phase of wall panel installation and painting. After the makeup phase, the protective cover is removed from the wiring panel and a module having a user operable electrical function is mounted to the wiring panel within the user accessible module compartment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wiring assembly comprising: an electrical box comprising nonconductive material that is configured to attach to a construction framing stud; a wiring panel located within the electrical box, the wiring panel comprising: a nonconductive housing sized to fit within the electrical box: at least a hot bus, neutral bus and ground bus therein; a first side comprising a first nonconductive surface and one or more openings that expose a plurality of electrical panel contacts associated therewith; a conductive panel key structure associated with one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts; a nonconductive panel key structure comprising at least a portion of the nonconductive housing, wherein a portion of the nonconductive panel key structure partially shields the one or more electrical panel contacts of the conductive panel key structure from user contact; and a second side comprising a plurality of power wire connection points that interface the hot bus, neutral bus and ground bus with the power cable; and a protective cover configured to protect at least a portion of the wiring panel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wiring assembly of claim 1, further comprising a removable module having an electrical function. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wiring assembly of claim 1, wherein the removable module and the wiring panel latch together. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The wiring assembly of claim 3, wherein the nonconductive key structure comprises at least one latch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wiring assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical box comprises at least one of the group consisting of: a single wide configuration, a double wide configuration, a triple wide configuration, and quadruple wide configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wiring assembly of claim 1, wherein the nonconductive module key structure is configured to engage the nonconductive panel key structure without the use of tools. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wiring assembly of claim 1, wherein the module electrical contacts are configured to couple with the panel electrical contacts without requiring a user to access exposed portions of wires. ### Claim 8 A method of constructing a wiring assembly comprising: locating a wiring panel within an electrical box, the electrical box comprising nonconductive material that is configured to attach to a construction framing stud, wherein the wiring panel comprises: a nonconductive housing sized to fit within the electrical box: at least a hot bus, neutral bus and ground bus therein; a first side comprising a first nonconductive surface and one or more openings that expose a plurality of electrical panel contacts associated therewith; a conductive panel key structure associated with one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts; a nonconductive panel key structure comprising at least a portion of the nonconductive housing, wherein a portion of the nonconductive panel key structure partially shields the one or more electrical panel contacts of the conductive panel key structure from user contact; and a second side comprising a plurality of power wire connection points that interface the hot bus, neutral bus and ground bus with the power cable; and protecting at least a portion of the wiring panel located in the electrical box with a protective cover. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method assembly of claim 8, further comprising a removable module having an electrical function. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the removable module and the wiring panel latch together. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the nonconductive key structure comprises at least one latch. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the electrical box comprises at least one of the group consisting of: a single wide configuration, a double wide configuration, a triple wide configuration, and quadruple wide configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the nonconductive module key structure is configured to engage the nonconductive panel key structure without the use of tools. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the module electrical contacts are configured to couple with the panel electrical contacts without requiring a user to access exposed portions of wires.