Other

Byrne, Norman R.

Aaron G Lautenbach

Norman R Byrne

Daniel P Byrne

Marc A Mitchell

Matthew R Haller

Joseph D Ward

Peter J Maher

Shane Patrick Rogers

Matthew R Andree

Gerald N Vander Till

Paul J Martus

Shawn R Gibson

Hansen Ma

Timothy C Cramblet

Timothy John Warwick

Roger D Burdi

Juan Carlos Angulo

Roger J Barr

John Miner

Yiqi Wang

Jonathan M Golub

William S Otte, Iii

Timothy J Warwick

An electrical power unit includes housing portions that are assembled together and then surrounded by a cover extending around their top, bottom, and sides. At least one of the housing portions includes elongate element, such as a ridge or channel, which aligns with an elongate guide element, such as a channel or ridge, which is defined by the outer cover. Front and rear face panels enclose or cover front and rear openings defined by the housing portions, with one or both face panels providing support and/or access to electrical outlets or contacts inside the housing portions.

Electrical power unit with replaceable outer cover

An electrical outlet for a recreational vehicle includes a high voltage AC electrical power receptacle and a low voltage DC electrical power receptacle that is powered independently of the high voltage AC receptacle so that the DC receptacle can remain energized when the AC receptacle is disconnected from an AC power supply. The DC and AC receptacles, located at the same electrical outlet, are wired separately to different power sources. This allows the recreational vehicle's electrical storage batteries to continue energizing the DC receptacle, at the same outlet as the AC receptacle, even when it is not possible or desirable to energize the AC receptacle. Therefore, limited functionality can be maintained at the outlet even when no AC mains, onboard generator, or AC-to-DC inverter is connected or in operation.

AC and DC electrical outlet

An electrical plug provides protection against electrical surges with a replaceable surge protector cartridge that is readily removable and replaceable along an exterior of the plug. Surge protector circuitry in the cartridge can absorb an electrical surge received at the plug from an electrical mains source, and the electrical plug can maintain electrical continuity from plug prongs to an electrical cord both before and after the surge protector has absorbed an electrical surge.

Electrical plug with replaceable surge protector

An electrical outlet assembly is mountable in a floor or work surface, and includes an upper bezel and a lower insert that are joined in a non-rigid manner that permits some adjustment to the spacing and/or tilt of the upper bezel relative to the lower insert. The upper bezel and lower insert are joined together by a plurality of fasteners extending between a plurality of fastener receivers coupled to the upper bezel, and to the lower insert. At least one end of each coupling fastener is loosely captured in such a way that when the coupling fasteners are fully secured, they are permitted to move axially relative to the fastener receiver or the lower insert. This allows the lower insert to be repositionable in its axial direction relative to the upper bezel, and also permits the lower insert to be tilted out of alignment with the upper bezel.

Poke-through electrical outlet assembly with leveling bezel

An electrical power and/or electronic data unit is mountable in a floor, and is fitted with an upper bezel that is openable and closable to provide selective access to an interior of the unit, which is optionally fitted with one or more electrical power or data outlets. A lower insert including an intumescent block is supported below an upper housing, and is angularly adjustable relative to the upper housing. One or more bores or openings formed in the lower insert allow the passage of cords into a pass-through opening in the upper housing, and out through an upper bezel cover.

Poke-through electrical assembly

An electrical power unit or electronic data unit includes an outer housing, a circuit board positioned inside the outer housing, a frame inserted inside the outer housing, and a face plate fitted over the outer housing. The circuit board supports, for example, a high voltage AC electrical receptacle, a low voltage DC electrical receptacle, and a switch, each of which is electrically connected to the circuit board. The frame defines a plurality of outlet openings for receiving respective one of the AC electrical receptacle, the DC electrical receptacle, and the switch. The face plate defines outer receptacle openings that align with respective outlet openings of the frame to provide access to the respective AC electrical receptacle, DC electrical receptacle, and switch.

Electrical power unit

An electrical power and/or electronic data unit is mountable in a floor, and is fitted with an upper bezel that is openable and closable to provide selective access to one or more electrical power or data outlets. A bezel supports one or more shutters that are movable between open and closed positions. Optionally, the shutters are supported on an openable main door that provides additional access to the outlets when the main door is open. The main door can be closed and opened with the shutters in either the open or closed positions. Respective top surfaces of the shutters, the main door, and the bezel may be co-planar when the main door and shutters are closed, and the shutters may be hidden entirely beneath the main door when the main door is closed and the shutters are open.

Poke-through electrical outlet assembly with closure

An electrical power or electronic data unit includes an outer housing and an inner housing that is insertable into the outer housing. The outer housing has an outer front face panel defining an outer receptacle opening and the inner housing has an inner rear housing portion plus an inner front face portion defining an inner receptacle opening aligned with the outer receptacle opening. A circuit board substrate is positioned inside the inner housing with an electrical contact mounted to the board substrate and aligned with and accessible through the inner and outer receptacle openings. A contact support extends rearwardly from the inner front face portion adjacent the inner receptacle opening, the contact support serving to limit movement of the electrical contact during insertion of a plug or prong into engagement with the electrical contact.

Electrical power unit for a work surface

Circuit board

Electrical plug with fuse

An electrical power outlet is suitable for mounting face-up in locations that may be susceptible to liquid spills. The outlet includes a housing body defining an interior chamber, with an intermediate wall positioned therein. The intermediate wall defines contact openings that are open to contact passageways in which electrical contacts are mounted. A pair of drainage passageways extend through the housing body. A pair of drainage channels extend along the intermediate wall to the respective drainage passageways, so that liquid along the intermediate wall is directed along the drainage channels to the drainage passageways. Drain openings formed in a bottom wall of the housing body are in fluid communication with the respective drainage channels for draining liquid out of the housing body.

Electrical receptacle with drain-through feature

An electrical power or electronic data distribution system includes a power supply or electronic data module that receives electrical power or electronic data signals from a source, a flat-conductor strip for routing electrical power or electronic data along a generally planar surface such as a floor, wall, room divider, or ceiling, and a power or data output block. The power supply has a pair of power outfeed conductors, and the flat-conductor strip has a pair of generally planar electrical conductors in spaced arrangement, which are electrically coupled to respective power outfeed conductors. The output block has a pair of power-receiving contacts along a lower surface thereof, and an electrical receptacle at the output block, the receptacle being positioned above the lower surface. The power-receiving contacts electrically engage respective planar electrical conductors and convey electrical power to respective contacts of the electrical receptacle, for powering electrical or electronic devices.

Electrical power or data distribution system

An electrical receptacle assembly includes an electrically insulative board, such as a silicon-based printed circuit board (PCB), with electrical contacts mounted to the board to form a high voltage AC receptacle configured to receive a male plug associated with an electrical consumer. The electrical contacts may be mechanically connected directly to the board and receive electrical power from respective wires fitted with terminal connectors, or may be supported in receptacle assemblies that receive electrical power from conductors embedded in the board. Optionally, the electrical contacts are mounted directly to a separate receptacle board that extends outwardly from a main board. A low voltage receptacle and associated circuitry may be incorporated into the receptacle assembly, which may further include an outer housing to facilitate mounting in a work area or the like.

PCB-mounted high voltage electrical outlet

A furniture electrical system includes an electrical power unit including a housing that is mountable to a furniture article and that defines an interior cavity, with a low voltage DC electrical outlet positioned in the interior cavity. An electrical power cord is in electrical communication with the electrical outlet and exits the housing, the power cord extending to a higher voltage DC power supply associated with an electric motor for raising and lowering a furniture article. An electrical power converter in the housing reduces the voltage from the higher voltage DC power supply to the low voltage DC electrical outlet. Optionally, an indicia lamp associated with each outlet illuminates at a first luminous intensity when the outlet is energized, and illuminates at a different second luminous intensity when the outlet is energized and supplying power to an electrical power consumer.

Growing community of inventors

Rockford, MI, United States of America

Aaron G Lautenbach