Universal electrical wiring component

Abstract

A modular electrical wiring component comprises includes a wiring module having a wiring portion for coupling to a source of electrical power and a user-accessible portion configured to accept and provide electrical power to a functional module that provides a selected electrical distribution function, wherein the wiring module is configured to accept the functional module without access to the wiring portion. The modular electrical wiring component also comprises includes an adjustable plaster ring configured to couple to the wiring module and to an electrical junction box, wherein the adjustable plaster ring provides a variable distance between the electrical junction box and the wiring module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A modular electrical wiring component comprising:
 a wiring module having a first portion configured to couple to a source of electrical power and a second portion configured to couple and provide the electrical power to a separate functional module that provides a selected electrical distribution function, wherein the wiring module is configured to couple to the functional module without accessing the wiring first portion;   an adjustable plaster ring configured to couple to the wiring module and to an electrical box, wherein the adjustable plaster ring is configured to provide a variable distance between the electrical junction box and the wiring module; and   a protective cover to shield the second portion of the wiring module when no functional module is coupled to the wiring module.   
     
     
       2. The modular electrical wiring component of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable plaster ring comprises a base ring and an insert ring that is slidably retained within the base ring. 
     
     
       3. The modular electrical wiring component of  claim 2 , wherein the insert ring is slidably retained within the base ring by adjusting screws. 
     
     
       4. The modular electrical wiring component of  claim 3 , wherein turning the adjusting screws varies the distance between the electrical box and the wiring module. 
     
     
       5. The modular electrical wiring component of  claim 2 , wherein the base ring is configured to couple to the electrical box and the insert ring is configured to couple to the wiring module. 
     
     
       6. The modular electrical wiring component of  claim 1 , wherein the wiring module is configured to accept a plug-in functional module. 
     
     
       7. The modular electrical wiring component of  claim 1 , further comprising the electrical box. 
     
     
       8. An electrical wiring method comprising:
 providing a wiring module having a first portion configured to couple to a source of electrical power and a second portion configured to couple and provide electrical power to a functional module that provides a selected electrical distribution function, wherein the wiring module is configured to couple to the functional module without accessing the first portion;   providing an adjustable plaster ring configured to couple to the wiring module and to an electrical box, wherein the adjustable plaster ring is configured to provide a variable distance between the electrical junction box and the wiring module;   coupling the wiring module to the adjustable plaster ring; and   coupling a protective cover with respect to the wiring module so as to shield the second portion of the wiring module when no functional module is coupled to the wiring module.   
     
     
       9. The electrical wiring method of  claim 8 , further comprising mechanically coupling the adjustable plaster ring to the electrical box. 
     
     
       10. The electrical wiring method of  claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the distance between the electrical box and the wiring module using the adjustable plaster ring. 
     
     
       11. The electrical wiring method of  claim 8 , further comprising electrically and mechanically coupling the functional module to the wiring module. 
     
     
       12. The electrical wiring method of  claim 11 , wherein electrically and mechanically coupling the functional module to the wiring module comprises plugging the functional module into the second portion of the wiring module. 
     
     
       13. A modular electrical wiring component comprising:
 a wiring module coupled to an electrical box, the electrical box comprising a front, a back and sides,
 the wiring module coupled to the electrical box via a ground wire, wherein the ground wire connects the electrical box with a first portion of the wiring module, the first portion of the wiring module configured to couple to a source of electrical power via a plurality of electrical wires, and 
 a second portion of the wiring module configured to couple and provide the electrical power to a functional module that provides a selected electrical distribution function, wherein the second portion of the wiring module is configured to couple to the functional module without accessing the first portion of the wiring module coupled to the source of electrical power; 
   a plaster ring configured to couple to the front of the electrical box;   a protective cover configured to shield the second portion of the wiring module when no functional module is coupled to the wiring module; and   a mounting bracket configured to attach to the electrical box and mount the electrical box to a wall stud.    
     
     
       14. The modular electrical wiring component of claim 13 wherein the mounting bracket is a vertically adjustable floor bracket configured to vertically adjust the location of the electrical box with respect to the floor.  
     
     
       15. The modular electrical wiring component of claim 13 wherein the mounting bracket is a vertically adjustable floor bracket comprising ruled sides.  
     
     
       16. The modular electrical wiring component of claim 13 wherein the mounting bracket is a stud bracket configured to mount the electrical box to the wall stud.  
     
     
       17. The modular electrical wiring component of claim 13 wherein the mounting bracket is a horizontally adjustable stud bracket configured to horizontally adjust the location of the electrical box.  
     
     
       18. The modular electrical wiring component of claim 13 wherein the mounting bracket comprises a horizontal bar configured to horizontally adjust the location of the electrical box.  
     
     
       19. The modular electrical wiring component of claim 13 wherein the mounting bracket is configured to adjust the location of the electrical box both vertically and horizontally.  
     
     
       20. An electrical wiring method comprising:
 providing a wiring module coupled to an electrical box, the electrical box comprising a front, a back and sides,
 coupling the wiring module to the electrical box via a ground wire that connects the electrical box with a first portion of the wiring module, the first portion of the wiring module configured to couple to a source of electrical power via a plurality of electrical wires, and 
 coupling the wiring module to a functional module via a second portion of the wiring module, the second portion of the wiring module configured to couple and provide electrical power to a functional module that provides a selected electrical distribution function, wherein the second portion of the wiring module is configured to couple to the functional module without accessing the first portion of the wiring module coupled to the source of electrical power; 
   providing a plaster ring configured to couple to the front of the electrical box;   coupling the plaster ring to the front of the electrical box;   coupling a protective cover to shield the second portion of the wiring module when no functional module is coupled to the wiring module; and   attaching a mounting bracket to the electrical box, the mounting bracket configured to mount the electrical box to a wall stud.    
     
     
       21. The electrical wiring method of claim 20 wherein the mounting bracket is a vertically adjustable floor bracket that vertically adjusts the location of the electrical box with respect to the floor.  
     
     
       22. The electrical wiring method of claim 20 wherein the mounting bracket is a vertically adjustable floor bracket comprising ruled sides.  
     
     
       23. The electrical wiring method of claim 20 wherein the mounting bracket is a stud bracket that mounts the electrical box to a wall stud.  
     
     
       24. The electrical wiring method of claim 20 wherein the mounting bracket is a horizontally adjustable stud bracket that horizontally adjusts the location of the electrical box.  
     
     
       25. The electrical wiring method of claim 20 wherein the mounting bracket comprises a horizontal bar that horizontally adjusts the location of the electrical box.  
     
     
       26. The electrical wiring method of claim 20 wherein the mounting bracket adjusts the location of the electrical box both horizontally and vertically.