Electrical wiring assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10340722-B2
Application number	US-201615167293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring assembly that includes a plurality of line terminals configured to be coupled to a source of AC power. A circuit assembly is coupled to the plurality of line terminals. The circuit assembly includes a control circuit coupled to at least one electro-magnetic coil, the control circuit being configured to provide an electrical drive signal to the at least one electro-magnetic coil in accordance with a predetermined wireless charging regimen. The at least one electro-magnetic coil is configured to propagate a magnetic field in accordance with the electrical drive signal. A wall plate assembly is configured to accommodate the circuit assembly therewithin, the wall plate assembly including a charging interface region configured to accommodate a portable electronic device. The charging interface region is configured to position the at least one electro-magnetic coil proximate the portable electronic device so that the portable electronic device is disposed within the propagated magnetic field in accordance with the predetermined wireless charging regimen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical wiring assembly comprising:
a plurality of line terminals configured to be coupled to a source of AC power;
an antenna assembly including a circuit assembly coupled to the plurality of line terminals, the circuit assembly including a control circuit coupled to at least one electro-magnetic coil, the control circuit being configured to provide an electrical drive signal to the at least one electro-magnetic coil in accordance with a predetermined wireless charging regimen, the at least one electro-magnetic coil being configured to propagate a magnetic field in accordance with the electrical drive signal; and
a wall plate assembly including an electrical wiring device region configured to accommodate an electrical wiring device therewithin, and a separate antenna assembly region configured to accommodate the antenna assembly and the circuit assembly therewithin, the antenna assembly region including a charging interface region configured to accommodate a portable electronic device, the charging interface region being configured to position the portable electronic device proximate the at least one electro-magnetic coil so that the portable electronic device is disposed within the propagated magnetic field in accordance with the predetermined wireless charging regimen.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical wiring device is selected from a group of electrical wiring devices that include an outlet receptacle, an electric switch, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI), a transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS), a surge protective device (SPD), a dimmer, a fan speed control, a night light, a low voltage port, or a USB port.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical wiring device is configured to be installed in an outlet box attached to a wall structure, the wall plate assembly including a mounting portion configured to attach the wall plate assembly to the electrical wiring device or the wall structure.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the wall plate assembly is configured to substantially conceal the mounting portion after installation.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the charging interface region includes a cradle portion, the cradle portion being configured to accommodate the portable electronic device.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein a position of the cradle portion is user adjustable.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the cradle portion includes at least one spring-loaded gripper configured to clamp the portable electronic device against an outer surface of the charging interface region the at least one spring-loaded gripper is configured to accommodate a range of portable electronic device sizes.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least one spring-loaded gripper includes two grippers whose motions are controlled in equal and opposite directions by a linkage structure to accommodate the portable electronic device.

9. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the circuit assembly further includes an electrical switch coupled to the cradle portion, the electrical switch activating the electrical drive signal when the cradle portion is positioned to accommodate the portable electronic device.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the electrical drive signal is provided to the at least one electro-magnetic coil when there is a predetermined communication signal provided by the portable electronic device to a receiver disposed in the circuit assembly.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the electrical drive signal stops being provided when the predetermined communication signal interrupts due to a battery disposed in the portable electronic device reaching a charged state.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the control circuit is configured to prevent resumption of the electrical drive signal for a predetermined period of time after the portable electronic device has reached the charged state.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical drive signal is provided to the at least one electro-magnetic coil when there is a predetermined communication signal provided by the portable electronic device to a receiver disposed in the circuit assembly.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the electrical drive signal stops being provided when the predetermined communication signal interrupts due to a battery disposed in the portable electronic device reaching a charged state.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the control circuit is configured to prevent resumption of the electrical drive signal for a predetermined period of time after the portable electronic device has reached the charged state.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit includes a power supply circuit.

17. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wall plate assembly includes a mounting portion configured to be coupled to a wall having a planar wall surface, the charging interface region having a substantially planar outer surface configured to accommodate the portable electronic device, the outer surface being substantially parallel to the wall surface.

18. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wall plate assembly includes a mounting portion configured to be coupled to a mounting surface, and wherein the charging interface region includes a surface inclined relative to the mounting surface.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein an inclination angle of the surface is user adjustable.

20. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the electrical wiring device region has an outer surface, wherein the outer surface is substantially parallel with the mounting surface.

21. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the user accessible electrical wiring device region and the charging interface region having outer surfaces that are substantially co-planar.

22. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wall plate assembly includes a mounting portion configured to be coupled to a mounting surface, and wherein the charging interface region is recessed relative to the mounting surface.

23. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined wireless charging regimen includes a magnetic induction charging regimen, a resonant inductive charging regimen, or an RF wireless charging regimen.

24. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply circuit coupled to the circuit assembly, the power supply circuit being configured to convert an AC power signal provided by the source of AC power into a low voltage power signal.

25. The device of claim 24 , wherein the power supply circuit is disposed in the electrical wiring device.

26. The device of claim 25 , wherein the power supply circuit is coupled to at least one low voltage output port.

27. The assembly of claim 26 , wherein the charging interface region is configured to hold a rechargeable portable device receiving power via a plug deriving power from the at least one low voltage output port.

28. The assembly of claim 26 , wherein the at least one low voltage output port is disposed in the electrical wiring device region.

29. The device of claim 28 , wherein the at least one low voltage output port is disposed between two receptacles disposed in the electrical wiring device region.

30. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the charging interface region includes a mounting portion configured to be coupled to

Assignees

• Pass & Seymour Inc

Inventors

• Rohmer Richard M
• Mueller Brian
• Roy Thomas F

Classifications

• H02G3/14

  Fastening of cover or lid to box · CPC title

• H02J7/825

  Detection of fully charged condition · CPC title

• H02J7/42

  with electronic devices having internal batteries, e.g. mobile phones · CPC title

• H02J7/731 Primary

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J50/20

  using microwaves or radio frequency waves · CPC title