ELECTRICAL BOX WITH INTERNAL CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS

Abstract

The present invention is an electrical junction box assembly that can accommodate a variety of electrical devices such as switches, sockets, dimmers, and the like. The junction box assembly includes an outer housing in which the incoming and outgoing electrical wires are retained in a predetermined orientation and position. The assembly further comprises an insert that can be positioned within the outer housing. The insert contains a plurality of conductive elements arranged as panels. The conductive panels are insulated from one another and have a plurality of holes on either side or passing through them, allowing wires to make contact with a conductive panel.

Description

ELECTRICAL BOX WITH INTERNAL CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS ci nacn / P7n7 / =i / Yi CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application discloses information common to, and claims priority from, a provisional application entitled “Electrical box with internal conductive elements”, filed on November 18, 2020, and assigned serial no. 63 / 115,085, and a provisional application entitled “Electrical box with internal conductive elements”, filed on February 15, 2021, and assigned serial no. 63 / 149,559, which applications are incorporated herein by reference and describe an invention made by the present inventor. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention The present invention relates to electrical boxes used in domestic or commercial electrical wiring projects. More particularly, the present invention relates to electrical boxes containing conductive elements therein that interconnect incoming current-carrying wires with an electrical device such as a switch, plug, regulator, and the like, eliminating the need to couple individual wire strands within the electrical box with tape or wire nuts. 2. Description of the related technique The present invention relates generally to electrical circuit components and, more particularly, to switches, receptacles, and other connection components that can be installed quickly, easily, and safely. As a result, the time required by one or more electricians on a construction project to wire and install various electrical devices, such as switches, sockets, dimmers, and the like, is reduced. This, in turn, reduces the overall cost of the construction project. Building construction can be expensive and time-consuming because buildings are often large and involve a multitude of complex tasks. Furthermore, these tasks must be performed in the correct order; otherwise, defects that are discovered are more difficult to resolve, or previously completed work may have to be undone to complete a prior task. One of the most expensive aspects of constructing a house or commercial building is the installation of electrical circuits. These tasks must be carried out in a series of phases, separated by other tasks. Therefore, an electrician must complete the first phase, leave the job site so that other tasks can be completed, return and complete the second phase, leave the job site again so that other tasks can be completed, and so on until all the electrical work is finished. Consequently, not only must an electrician be a highly skilled worker and well-compensated for their work, but they must also revisit the job site multiple times.If those tasks that need to be completed between the tasks performed by the electrician are delayed, the electrician may not be able to return to the work site as planned, further delaying the completion of the construction project. Typically, an electrician positions electrical boxes, according to a plan, on the exposed framing of the building. These electrical boxes will eventually house electrical devices as previously defined. The electrician then routes wires from the building's circuit breaker box to individual electrical boxes and between the individual boxes themselves. Once the individual wires are positioned inside the electrical boxes, the ends of their insulating jacket are stripped, and a wire nut is attached to the exposed end. After the wires have been distributed to each electrical box, the electrician must wait until a public official inspects and approves the work performed by the electrician and the drywall has been installed. Openings are cut in the drywall to give the electrician access to the electrical boxes and the previously installed wires.At this point, the electrician can return to the job site and install electrical devices, as previously defined, in each electrical box, adding extra wires to connect the electrical device to the previously installed wires. Finally, the drywall is painted, and cover plates are installed over the electrical devices. Public officials return once more to inspect the electrical work performed by the electrician, and upon satisfactory inspection, the electrician's work is considered complete. As can be seen, there are several problems with this typical method of installing electrical boxes and their associated electrical devices. As mentioned earlier, the electrician must leave the job site and return only after intermediate tasks have been completed. This creates opportunities for delays in the completion of the construction project. Also mentioned earlier, electricians are highly skilled workers and, therefore, expensive. Other problems involve stripping the insulation from the ends of wires inside electrical boxes. If stripping is done improperly, the wire can weaken at the point where the insulation is removed and may break when various electrical devices are tightened in the boxes. Additionally, the electrician may fail to notice where excess insulation is stripped from the wire end, exposing the conductive strands. Therefore, improper stripping of wires inside an electrical box can lead to problems. CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi can cause a short circuit in a circuit or leave the circuit open, leading to electrical circuit failures. Furthermore, electrical boxes have a nominal size and must accommodate not only the electrical devices themselves but also the various wires both entering the box and exiting to the next electrical box in the circuit. This problem becomes more complex as the circuit network grows. As the number of wires increases, so do the opportunities for electrician error or the aforementioned problems that arise when the electrician tightens the electrical device inside the box. What is needed is an electrical box that, through its design, reduces the number of wires inside the electrical box, eliminates the need for wire nuts to connect the wires of the electrical device to the wires inside the electrical box, is easy to use and install, and can use existing electrical devices while also being able to adapt to new and innovative electrical devices. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an electrical enclosure assembly capable of receiving any one of a variety of electrical devices as defined above. The electrical enclosure assembly includes an outer housing in which incoming and outgoing electrical wires are retained in a predetermined orientation and position. The assembly further comprises an insert that can be positioned within the outer housing. The insert contains a plurality of conductive elements arranged as panels. The conductive panels are insulated from one another and have a plurality of holes present on both sides, or passing through them, allowing wires to make contact with a conductive panel.Holes on the side proximal to the wires of incoming and outgoing electrical cables provide a means of establishing an electrical connection between the wires of these cables and a particular conductive panel. Holes on the side proximal to an electrical device provide a means of establishing an electrical connection between the electrical device and a particular conductive panel. Each of the plurality of holes contains a mechanism to ensure an electrical connection between the conductive panel and any wire inserted into the hole, as well as to secure the wires within the hole to resist accidental removal. Additional areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, although indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for a preferred embodiment of the invention. CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi intends to limit the scope of the invention. Neither this summary nor the following detailed description defines or limits the invention. The invention is defined by the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A shows an orderly exploded view of the first embodiment of the electrical box assembly and an electrical device as defined above. Figure 1B shows an orderly exploded view of the second embodiment of the electrical box assembly and an electrical device. Figure 1C shows an orderly exploded view of the third embodiment of the electrical box assembly and an electrical device. Figure 1D shows an orderly exploded view of the fourth embodiment of the electrical box assembly and an electrical device. Figure 1E shows an orderly exploded view of the fifth embodiment of the electrical box assembly and an electrical device. Figure 2 shows a view of the electrical box structure with incoming and outgoing electrical cables inserted through it and individual wires connected to multiple holes in the insertion element. Figure 3A shows a cross-section of the first embodiment of the in-plane insertion element identified by A. Figure 3B shows a cross-section of the second embodiment of the in-plane insertion element identified by A. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the insert element with the internal panels identified by dashed lines. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended in any way to limit the invention, its application, or its uses. The present invention is an electrical box assembly that can be used with an electrical device, as defined above, without the need for wire nuts to electrically connect the wires of the electrical device to the wires found in the electrical cable that forms part of a powered electrical circuit. Structurally, the electrical box assembly is similar to many existing electrical box assemblies used in the construction of commercial or residential buildings in that (i) openings are provided for receiving electrical wires that carry power to the electrical box assembly or for sending power to the next electrical box assembly in the circuit, (ii) means for attaching the electrical box assembly to the building's structural support, and (iii) an electrical device can be received and attached to the electrical box.The key difference between the electrical box assembly of the present invention and electrical boxes of the prior art is that an insertion element is provided which has multiple connection points, called holes, allowing the insertion element to establish electrical connections between the electrical device and the electrical wires entering and exiting the electrical box without the use of wire nuts, welding, tapes, or other such means. Referring now to Figure 1A, the reader is presented with an exploded view of the first embodiment of the electrical box assembly 10 together with the electrical device 22, which in Figure 1A is a plug. The electrical box assembly 10 consists of an outer housing 12 and an insertion element 14. The outer housing 12 is rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the outer housing 12. The rear of the outer housing 12 is configured with one or more openings 32, as shown in Figure 1A and Figure 2. The openings 32 may differ to accommodate various types of cables. It is understood that the number and orientations of the openings 32 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. For example, the openings 32 may be circular or square.Furthermore, the openings 32 can be similar to the perforated housing access plates 17, so only a subset of the openings 32 need to be opened. The perforated housing access plates 17 allow the user to insert a wire cable into the outer housing 12, similar to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30, if it is not possible to insert the wire cable through the rear of the outer housing 12. A person skilled in the art will understand that the arrangement of the perforated housing access plates 17 can vary in position, size, orientation, number, and method of construction from what is shown. The insertion element 14 is structurally similar to the outer housing 12, as it is also rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the insertion element 14.The insert element 14 is dimensioned along each dimension to be slightly smaller than the outer housing 12 so that the insert element 14 can be partially inserted into the outer housing 12. The insert element 14 can also be manufactured with one or more perforated access plates of insert element 16, four of which are visible in Figure 1A. It is shown that the perforated access plates of insert element 16 are manufactured into the insert element 14 by means of a small plastic tab that can CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi are easily broken by applying force or using a box-cutting blade. It is understood that the perforated access plates of insert element 16 can also be formed by other means during manufacturing. The purpose of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 is to provide the user of the electrical box assembly 10 with a means of connecting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to the electrical device 22 without using one of the many holes 36 found on the back plane of the insert element 14. It is understood that the number and orientations of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will understand that many possible means of securing a wire to a particular hole 36 may be considered.The insert element 14 also comprises a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the insert element 14 to a framing member of the commercial or residential building. Typically, the insert element 14 is secured to a framing member by inserting a nail through the retaining clamp 20 and into the framing member. The outer housing 12 may also include a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the outer housing 12 to a framing member of the commercial or residential building. The framing member is not shown in Figure 1A. Finally, the insert element 14 is also provided with mounting points 18: one mounting point 18 on the top of the front of the insert element 14, and a second mounting point 18 on the bottom of the front of the insert element 14. The electrical device 22 can be detachably attached to the insert element 14 by means of screws 25.The electrical device 22 can be electrically connected to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 by inserting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 through the rear of the outer housing 12 and appropriately joining one of the wires found in the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to an opening 36 found on the rear of the back panel of the insertion element 14 and then appropriately joining the device wires 23 to an opening 36 found on the front of the back panel of the insertion element 14. Other attributes and features of the electrical box assembly 10 will be disclosed in the following figures. Referring now to Figure 1B, the reader is presented with an exploded view of the second embodiment of the electrical box assembly 10 together with the electrical device 22, which in Figure 1B is a plug. The electrical box assembly 10 consists of an outer casing 12 and an insert element 14. The outer casing 12 is rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane. CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi to expose the hollow interior of the outer housing 12. The rear of the outer housing 12 is configured with one or more openings 32 as shown in Figure 1B and Figure 2. The openings 32 may differ to accommodate various cable types. It is understood that the number and orientations of the openings 32 and their configurations are merely illustrative and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. For example, the openings 32 may be circular or square. Furthermore, the openings 32 can be similar to perforated housing access plates 17 so that only a subset of the openings 32 need to be opened. The perforated housing access plates 17 allow the user to insert a wire cable into the outer housing 12, similar to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30, if it is not possible to insert the wire cable through the back of the outer housing 12.A person skilled in the art will understand that the arrangement of the perforated access plates of housing 17 may vary in position, size, orientation, number, and method of construction from what is shown. The insert element 14 is structurally similar to the outer housing 12, as it is also rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the insert element 14. The insert element 14 is dimensioned along each dimension to be slightly smaller than the outer housing 12 so that the insert element 14 can be partially inserted into the outer housing 12. The insert element 14 may also be manufactured with one or more perforated access plates of insert element 16, four of which are visible in Figure 1B.It is shown that the perforated access plates of insert element 16 are manufactured into the insert element 14 by means of a small plastic tab that can be easily broken off by applying force or using a box-cutting blade. It is understood that the perforated access plates of insert element 16 may also be formed by other means during manufacturing. The purpose of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 is to provide the user of the electrical box assembly 10 with a means of connecting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to the electrical device 22 without using one of the many holes 36 found on the back plane of the insert element 14. It is understood that the number and orientations of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used.Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will understand that many possible means can be considered for securing a wire to a particular hole 36. The insertion element 14 also comprises a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the insertion element 14 to a framing element of the commercial or residential building. CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi Typically, the insert element 14 is attached to a framing element by inserting a nail through the retaining clamp 20 and into the framing element. The outer housing 12 may also include a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the outer housing 12 to a framing element of the commercial or residential building. The framing element is not shown in Figure 1B. Finally, the insert element 14 is also provided with mounting points 18: one mounting point 18 on the top of the front of the insert element 14, and a second mounting point 18 on the bottom of the front of the insert element 14. The electrical device 22 can be detachably attached to the insert element 14 by means of screws 25.The electrical device 22 can be electrically connected to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 by inserting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 through the rear of the outer housing 12 and appropriately joining one of the wires found in the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to an opening 36 found on the rear of the back panel of the insertion element 14 and then appropriately joining the pins 21 to an opening 36 found on the front of the back panel of the insertion element 14. The pins 21 can be attached to, and removed from, the electrical device 22 by machined screws, or other means known in the art, so that existing electrical devices 22 can be used with the electrical box assembly 10.Additionally, the stems 21 are aligned with the holes 36 so that the electrical device 22 can simply be incorporated into the insertion element 14 without requiring the installer to manually insert the device wires 23 into the hole 36 as shown in Figure 1A. Other attributes and features of the electrical box assembly 10 will be disclosed in the following figures. Referring now to Figure 1C, the reader is presented with an exploded view of the third embodiment of the electrical box assembly 10 together with the electrical device 22, which in Figure 1C is a plug. The electrical box assembly 10 consists of an outer housing 12 and an insertion element 14. The outer housing 12 is rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the outer housing 12. The rear of the outer housing 12 is configured with one or more openings 32, as shown in Figure 1C and Figure 2. The openings 32 may differ to accommodate various types of cables. It is understood that the number and orientations of the openings 32 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. For example, the openings 32 may be circular or square.Furthermore, the 32 openings can be similar to perforated housing access plates 17 so that only a subset of the 32 openings need to be opened. The access plates. The perforated housing 17 allows the user to insert a wire cable into the outer housing 12, similar to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30, if it is not possible to insert the wire cable through the rear of the outer housing 12. A person skilled in the art will understand that the arrangement of the perforated housing 17 access plates may vary in position, size, orientation, number, and method of construction from what is shown. The insertion element 14 is structurally similar to the outer housing 12, as it is also rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the insertion element 14.The insert element 14 is dimensioned along each dimension to be slightly smaller than the outer housing 12 so that the insert element 14 can be partially inserted into the outer housing 12. The insert element 14 can also be manufactured with one or more perforated access plates of insert element 16, four of which are visible in Figure 1C. The perforated access plates of insert element 16 are shown to be formed on the insert element 14 by means of a small plastic tab that can be easily broken off by applying force or using a box-cutting blade. It is understood that the perforated access plates of insert element 16 can also be formed by other means during manufacturing.The purpose of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 is to provide the user of the electrical box assembly 10 with a means of connecting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to the electrical device 22 without using one of the many holes 36 located on the back plane of the insert element 14. It is understood that the number and orientations of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will understand that many possible means of securing a wire to a particular hole 36 may be considered. The insert element 14 also comprises a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the insert element 14 to a framing member of the commercial or residential building.Typically, the insert element 14 is attached to a framing member by inserting a nail through the retaining clamp 20 and into the framing member. The outer housing 12 may also include a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the outer housing 12 to a framing member of the commercial or residential building. The framing member is not shown in Figure 1C. Finally, the insert element 14 is also provided with mounting points 18: one mounting point 18 on the top of the front of the insert element 14, and a second mounting point 18 on the bottom of the front of the insert element 14. The electrical device 22 can be attached to it. CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi removable manner to the insertion element 14 by means of screws 25. The electrical device 22 can be electrically connected to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 by inserting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 through the rear of the outer housing 12 and appropriately joining one of the wires found in the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to a hole 36 found on the rear of the back panel of the insertion element 14 and then appropriately joining the pins 21 to a hole 36 found on the front of the back panel of the insertion element 14. The pins 21 are permanently attached to the electrical device 22 along the sides of the electrical device 22.Additionally, the stems 21 are aligned with the holes 36 so that the electrical device 22 can simply be incorporated into the insertion element 14 without requiring the installer to manually insert the device wires 23 into the hole 36 as shown in Figure 1A. Other attributes and features of the electrical box assembly 10 will be disclosed in the following figures. Referring now to Figure 1D, the reader is presented with an exploded view of the fourth embodiment of the electrical box assembly 10 together with the electrical device 22, which in Figure 1D is a plug. The electrical box assembly 10 consists of an outer housing 12 and an insertion element 14. The outer housing 12 is rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the outer housing 12. The rear of the outer housing 12 is configured with one or more openings 32, as shown in Figure 1D and Figure 2. The openings 32 may differ to accommodate various types of cables. It is understood that the number and orientations of the openings 32 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. For example, the openings 32 may be circular or square.Furthermore, the openings 32 can be similar to the perforated housing access plates 17, so only a subset of the openings 32 need to be opened. The perforated housing access plates 17 allow the user to insert a wire cable into the outer housing 12, similar to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30, if it is not possible to insert the wire cable through the rear of the outer housing 12. A person skilled in the art will understand that the arrangement of the perforated housing access plates 17 can vary in position, size, orientation, number, and method of construction from what is shown. The insertion element 14 is structurally similar to the outer housing 12, as it is also rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the insertion element 14. The insertion element 14 is...CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi is dimensioned along each dimension to be slightly smaller than the outer housing 12 so that the insert element 14 can be partially inserted into the outer housing 12. The insert element 14 can also be manufactured with one or more perforated access plates of insert element 16, four of which are visible in Figure 1D. The perforated access plates of insert element 16 are shown to be manufactured into the insert element 14 by means of a small plastic tab that can be easily broken off by applying force or using a box-cutting blade. It is understood that the perforated access plates of insert element 16 can also be formed by other means during manufacturing.The purpose of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 is to provide the user of the electrical box assembly 10 with a means of connecting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to the electrical device 22 without using one of the many holes 36 located on the back plane of the insert element 14. It is understood that the number and orientations of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will understand that many possible means of securing a wire to a particular hole 36 may be considered. The insert element 14 also comprises a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the insert element 14 to a framing member of the commercial or residential building.Typically, the insert element 14 is attached to a framing element by inserting a nail through the retaining clamp 20 and into the framing element. The outer housing 12 may also include a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the outer housing 12 to a framing element of the commercial or residential building. The framing element is not shown in Figure 1D. Finally, the insert element 14 is also provided with mounting points 18: one mounting point 18 on the top of the front of the insert element 14, and a second mounting point 18 on the bottom of the front of the insert element 14. The electrical device 22 can be detachably attached to the insert element 14 by means of screws 25.The electrical device 22 can be electrically connected to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 by inserting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 through the rear of the outer housing 12 and appropriately joining one of the wires found in the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to an opening 36 found on the rear of the back panel of the insertion element 14 and then appropriately joining the pins 21 to an opening 36 found on the front of the back panel of the insertion element 14. The pins 21 are permanently attached to the electrical device 22 along the rear of the electrical device 22. ci nacn / P7n7 / =i / Yi Additionally, the stems 21 are aligned with the holes 36 so that the electrical device 22 can simply be incorporated into the insertion element 14 without requiring the installer to manually insert the device wires 23 into the hole 36 as shown in Figure 1A. Other attributes and features of the electrical box assembly 10 will be disclosed in the following figures. Referring now to Figure 1E, the reader is presented with an exploded view of the fifth embodiment of the electrical box assembly 10 together with the electrical device 22, which in Figure 1E is a plug. The electrical box assembly 10 consists of an outer housing 12 and an insertion element 14. The outer housing 12 is rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the outer housing 12. The rear of the outer housing 12 is configured with one or more openings 32, as shown in Figure 1E and Figure 2. The openings 32 may differ to accommodate various types of cables. It is understood that the number and orientations of the openings 32 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. For example, the openings 32 may be circular or square.Furthermore, the openings 32 can be similar to the perforated housing access plates 17, so only a subset of the openings 32 need to be opened. The perforated housing access plates 17 allow the user to insert a wire cable into the outer housing 12, similar to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30, if it is not possible to insert the wire cable through the rear of the outer housing 12. A person skilled in the art will understand that the arrangement of the perforated housing access plates 17 can vary in position, size, orientation, number, and method of construction from what is shown. The insertion element 14 is structurally similar to the outer housing 12, as it is also rectangular and enclosed along its rear and side planes. There is no front plane to expose the hollow interior of the insertion element 14.The insert element 14 is dimensioned along each dimension to be slightly smaller than the outer housing 12 so that the insert element 14 can be partially inserted into the outer housing 12. The insert element 14 can also be manufactured with one or more perforated access plates of insert element 16, four of which are visible in Figure 1E. The perforated access plates of insert element 16 are shown to be formed into the insert element 14 by means of a small plastic tab that can be easily broken off by applying force or using a box-cutting blade. It is understood that the perforated access plates of insert element 16 can also be formed by other means during manufacturing. The purpose of the plates is... The purpose of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 is to provide the user of the electrical box assembly 10 with a means of connecting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to the electrical device 22 without using one of the many holes 36 located on the back of the insert element 14. It is understood that the number and orientations of the perforated access plates of insert element 16 and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art will understand that many possible means of securing a wire to a particular hole 36 may be considered. The insert element 14 also comprises a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the insert element 14 to a framing element of the commercial or residential building.Typically, the insert element 14 is attached to a framing element by inserting a nail through the retaining clamp 20 and into the framing element. The outer housing 12 may also include a retaining clamp 20 for mounting the outer housing 12 to a framing element of the commercial or residential building. The framing element is not shown in Figure 1E. Finally, the insert element 14 is also provided with mounting points 18: one mounting point 18 on the top of the front of the insert element 14, and a second mounting point 18 on the bottom of the front of the insert element 14. The electrical device 22 can be detachably attached to the insert element 14 by means of screws 25.The electrical device 22 can be electrically connected to the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 by inserting the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 through the rear of the outer housing 12 and appropriately attaching one of the wires found in the incoming wire cable 28 or the outgoing wire cable 30 to a hole 36 located on the rear of the insert panel 14, and then appropriately attaching the tabs 27 to the holes 36 configured to receive the tabs 27. The holes 36 that are configured to receive the tabs 27 have a different configuration from the holes 36 that are configured to receive a wire. The tabs 27 are attached permanently or removably to the electrical device 22 along the rear of the electrical device 22.Additionally, the tabs 27 align with the holes 36 configured to receive the tabs 27 so that the electrical device 22 can simply be incorporated into the insertion element 14 without requiring the installer to manually insert the device wires 23 into the hole 36 as shown in Figure 1A. Other attributes and features of electrical box assembly 10 will be disclosed in the following figures. Referring now to Figure 2, the reader is presented with a view similar to that of Figures 1A through 1E, but with insertion element 14 rotated 90 degrees to expose the back of insertion element 14. In this case, it can be observed that the back of insertion element 14 contains several holes 36 arranged as an array, the entire array being further grouped into smaller subarrays. Each subarray contains one or more holes 36 that are electrically connected to each other, such that inserting a wire into a hole 36 of a subarray will electrically connect the wire to any other wire inserted into a hole 36 of the same subarray. The back of insertion element 14 is shown with six subarrays; the six subarrays shown in Figure 2 are identified as white (twice), black (twice), 3 wires, and ground.When in use, the incoming wire cables 28 or outgoing wire cables 30 can be passed through one of the openings 32 in the outer casing 12. Then, the individual wires contained in the incoming wire cables 28 or outgoing wire cables 30, after any insulating material has been stripped from their ends, can be inserted into a hole 36. Wires belonging to incoming wire cables 28 or outgoing wire cables 30 with similar electrical functions are inserted into holes 36 belonging to the same sub-array. Therefore, all white wires are inserted into a hole 36 belonging to the sub-array labeled "white." All black wires are inserted into a hole 36 belonging to the sub-array labeled "black." All 3-wire cables are inserted into a hole 36 belonging to the sub-array labeled "3-wire."Finally, all the green wires will be inserted into hole 36, which belongs to the subarray labeled ground. It is understood that the number and orientations of subarrays and their configurations are merely illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. On the opposite side from the back of insertion element 14, a similar arrangement of holes 36 is present to allow wires from electrical device 22 to be connected to a subarray with common electrical functionality. This is shown in Figures 1A through 1D, where the four wires from electrical device 22—two black and two white—are inserted into appropriate holes on the front face of the back of insertion element 14 to establish electrical connections with the white and black wires contained within the incoming wire cable 28 and the outgoing wire cable 30.Figure 2 also shows a protrusion 24 on the outer housing 12 that is designed to engage a recess 26 in the insertion element 14. As the insertion element 14 is positioned in the outer housing 12, it is positioned far enough within the outer housing 12 so that the protrusion 24 engages the recess 26. This engagement of the protrusion 24 and the recess 26 allows the insertion element 14 to be removably engaged with the outer housing 12. CLnocn / rznz / q / Yi Figure 3A shows the first embodiment of the insert element 14 in plane A. Plane A is identified in Figure 2 and Figure 4. The insert element 14 comprises a dielectric cover 38, generally made of plastic. Holes 36 are located on both sides of the rear of the insert element 14. These holes 36 are located on both sides of the rear of the insert element 14 to provide an electrical connection from wires coming from the electrical device 22 to wires coming from the incoming wire cable 28 and the outgoing wire cable 30. A conductive panel 34a, a conductive panel 34c, a conductive panel 34e, and a conductive panel 34f are also shown. The conductive panel 34a electrically connects all the holes 36 located in the sub-array labeled black in the upper left corner of the insert element 14, as shown in Figure 2.Conductive panel 34c electrically connects all holes 36 found in the sub-array labeled black on the left-center side of insertion element 14, as shown in Figure 2. Conductive panel 34e electrically connects all holes 36 found in the sub-array labeled 3 wires on the lower portion of insertion element 14, as shown in Figure 2. Conductive panel 34f electrically connects all holes 36 found in the sub-array labeled ground on the lower portion of insertion element 14, as shown in Figure 2. Inserting a wire into a hole associated with a conductive panel will cause that wire to be in electrical connection with any other wire inserted into a hole associated with that same conductive panel. A person skilled in the art will understand that there are various mechanical means of securing a wire in a hole. Figure 3B shows the second embodiment of the insert element 14 in plane A. Plane A is identified in Figure 2 and Figure 4. The insert element 14 comprises a dielectric cover 38, generally made of plastic. Holes 36 are located on both sides of the rear of the insert element 14, providing a passage from the front of the insert element's rear panel to the rear of the insert element's rear panel. In other words, wires inserted into hole 36 can pass completely through the insert element's rear panel. Threaded recesses 37 are also located on the insert element's rear panel, allowing a screw with matching threads to make electrical contact with the conductive panel 34. When screwed in sufficiently, the screw will engage hole 36 to secure the wire within the hole.Therefore, a wire, which has a tip from which its insulating material has been stripped and which is inserted into hole 36, can be fixed inside hole 36 by means of a screw that passes through the threaded hole 37 and, additionally, come into electrical contact with the conductive panel 34 that surrounds both hole 36 and the threaded hole 37. A person skilled in the art will understand that there are other mechanical means for fixing a wire in a hole 36 besides that described in Figure 3B. Figure 4 shows the insertion element 14 as shown in Figure 2, with the electrical wires connecting the insertion element 14 to the incoming wire cable 28 and the outgoing wire cable 30 terminated. The sub-arrays, also described as conductive panels 34 in this disclosure, are shown in dashed lines, as discussed in Figures 2, 3A, and 3B. The sub-arrays are contained within the dielectric sheath 38, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B. The number and orientations of the conductive panels 34 and their configurations are understood to be illustrative, and other numbers, orientations, and configurations may be used. Six conductive panels are shown in Figure 4: 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d, 34e, and 34f.Each conductive panel 34 electrically connects all wires inserted into one of the holes 36 covered by the conductive panel 34 regardless of whether the wires are inserted into a hole located on the back of the insertion element 14 or on the opposite side of the back of the insertion element 14. Although the described embodiments of the present invention are believed to represent the best embodiment, it should be understood that many of the described components have known functional equivalents. Furthermore, the orientations, proportions, and shapes used herein may be modified by a person skilled in the art. More specifically, although the present invention displays a simple square wiring box, many other configurations may be used, and the invention may be implemented accordingly. It is intended that all such modifications and deviations be covered by the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An electrical enclosure assembly comprising: an outer housing having a back panel containing one or more openings and one or more side panels spanning, and perpendicular to, the back panel to form a hollow receptacle; an insertion element having a back panel and one or more side panels spanning, and perpendicular to, the back panel of the insertion element to form a hollow receptacle that can be inserted into the outer housing, the back panel of the insertion element further comprising: a plurality of conductive panels each surrounded by a dielectric element, and a plurality of holes in both the front and rear of the back panel of the insertion element, each hole being an opening through the dielectric element to expose a portion of a conductive panel or a passage through a conductive panel; an electrical device positioned within the insertion element;a plurality of electrical conductors passing through openings in the outer casing and into holes, making electrical contact with one of the conductive panels; and a plurality of electrical conductors connecting the electrical device to one of the conductive panels through a hole.

2. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the openings in the rear panel of the outer housing are covered by tabs that can be opened by applying pressure or with a suitable cutting blade.

3. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the side panels spanning, and perpendicular to, the rear panel of the outer housing have one or more openings that are covered by tabs that can be opened by applying pressure or with a suitable cutting blade.

4. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the walls of the side panels spanning, and perpendicular to, the rear panel of the outer housing are thicker where the edge of the side panel meets the edge of the rear panel and thinner at the opposite edge.

5. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the side panels spanning and perpendicular to the rear panel of the outer housing have one or more retaining clips for securing the outer housing to a truss element of a commercial or residential building. ci nacn / cznz / zi / Yi 6. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the side panels of the insert element include a recess to engage with a corresponding protrusion found on the side panels of the outer housing.

7. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the side panels spanning, and perpendicular to, the rear panel of the insert element have one or more retaining clamps for securing the outer housing to a truss element of a commercial or residential building.

8. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of holes in the back panel of the insert element have a corresponding threaded recess that allows a screw to pass through a conductive panel and hold one of the electrical conductors within a hole to ensure an electrical connection between one of the electrical conductors and the conductive panel.

9. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the insertion element further comprises mounting holes for fixing the electrical device to the insertion element with one or more screws.

10. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are conducting wires.

11. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are conductive rods that are removably attached to the electrical device.

12. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are conductive rods that are permanently attached to the electrical device.

13. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are conductive tabs that are removably attached to the electrical device.

14. Electrical box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors are conductive tabs that are permanently attached to the electrical device.

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