Daniel Cedillo Vazquez and Luis Hugo Cedillo Vazquez, both of Brownsville, received U.S. Patent 8,038,469 for “Electrical Connection Assembly.”

Texas Business Patent Of the Day:  Two South Texas men have developed a new type of electrical connection.

Daniel Cedillo Vazquez and Luis Hugo Cedillo Vazquez, both of Brownsville, received U.S. Patent 8,038,469 for “Electrical Connection Assembly.”

The two men filed for the patent on January 28, 2010.

The men’s invention generally relates to an electrical connection assembly and, in particular, to electrical receptacles and switches, according to the patent document.

Electrical connection assemblies such as receptacles for conventional electrical plugs, and switches used to control, for example, room lighting and/or power to one or more outlets of a wall-mounted receptacle, are widely used in industrial and home applications for providing power to a variety of modern day equipment.

For example, a two-way, three-way, or four-way, wall-mounted switch may be used in a home to control one or more lights electrically connected to the switch.

Similarly, wall-mounted receptacles may have one or more outlets configured to receive, for example, the prongs of a typical electrical plug.

Such an electrical plug may be connected to a variety of electrical components such as, for example, televisions, computers, microwave ovens, and toasters, to facilitate providing electrical power. 

Such known electrical connection assemblies are typically formed of several parts.

For example, a junction box is typically mounted to a wall stud behind, for example, a sheet of drywall. An electrical service wire is then connected to the junction box whereby positive, negative, and ground wires of the electrical service wire are configured to mate with terminals of the switch or receptacle within the junction box.

Typical switches and receptacles also include assemblies for receiving the prongs of an electrical plug that are manufactured separate from the terminals and later electrically connected to the terminals via a known linkage. These separate components can be difficult and time consuming to manufacture. 

In addition, once the service wires have been connected to the terminals, the switch or receptacle is connected to the junction box by two or more screws. A face plate is then connected to the switch or receptacle as a decorative cover mating with the dry wall.

Securing such a face plate to the switch or receptacle after the switch or receptacle is mounted to the junction box, however, adds a step to the installation process, and increases the time, cost, and complexity of installing such known switches or receptacles.

For these reasons, manufacturing known devices can be costly and cumbersome. In addition, installing such devices can be time-consuming, particularly in situations where multiple devices are required such as, for example, in wiring a new office building, or in rewiring an existing home or office building. 

It is, therefore, an object of the present disclosure to overcome the above difficulties as well as other problems associated with known electrical connection assemblies. 

The Vasquez’s invention is an electrical connection assembly includes a faceplate defining a compartment extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom, the compartment being formed from the same piece of material as the faceplate and defining a biasing member biasing a component of the connection assembly.

The electrical connection assembly also includes a one-piece conductive insert disposed within the compartment, the insert having a terminal enabling electrical connection of the insert to an electrical current source. 

In an additional exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an electrical connection assembly includes a faceplate defining a compartment extending perpendicularly therefrom, the compartment being formed from the same piece of material as the faceplate.

The electrical connection assembly also includes a first one-piece conductive insert disposed within the compartment and having a first terminal enabling electrical connection of the first insert to an electrical current source, and a second one-piece conductive insert disposed within the compartment and having a second terminal enabling electrical connection of the second insert to the electrical current source. The second insert is electrically disconnected from the first insert. The electrical connection assembly further includes a plurality of biasing members formed from by at least one wall of the compartment, the plurality of biasing members being in contact with at least one of the first and second inserts. 

In a further exemplary embodiment, an electrical connection assembly includes a faceplate defining a compartment extending perpendicularly therefrom, the compartment being formed from the same piece of material as the faceplate. The electrical connection assembly also includes a one-piece conductive insert disposed within the compartment, the insert having a first terminal enabling electrical connection of the insert to an electrical current source. The electrical connection assembly further includes a second terminal disposed within the compartment and configured for electrical connection to the electrical current source. The electrical connection assembly also includes a bridge disposed within the compartment and electrically connected to the first terminal, the bridge being pivotally moveable between an open position electrically disconnected from the second terminal and a closed position electrically connected to the second terminal. The electrical connection assembly also includes a biasing member formed from by a wall of the compartment, the biasing member assisting in biasing the bridge in at least one of the open and closed positions. 

In an additional exemplary embodiment, a method of manufacturing an electrical connection assembly includes forming a faceplate defining a compartment formed from the same piece of material as the faceplate, the compartment including at least one biasing member formed integrally therewith, and disposing a one-piece conductive insert within the compartment, the insert having a terminal, and a connector enabling electrical connection of the terminal to an electrical current source. The method also includes forming first and second orifices in the compartment, the first orifice providing access to the terminal and the second orifice providing access to the connector.