Electrical outlet fixture recessible in a housing

• US 20020164898A1
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nelson, Eric L.
• Original Assignee: Nelson, Eric L.
• Inventors: Nelson, Eric L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,530,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/528
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/44 Means for preventing access to live contacts making use of a switch actuated by engagement of counterpart H01R13/7036
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/71 Contact members of coupling parts operating as switch , e.g. linear or rotational movement required after mechanical engagement of coupling part to establish electrical connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

A system for selectively recessing an electrical outlet includes a housing that has an opening. An outlet fixture has at least one receptacle for receiving an electrical plug. A guide within the housing receives the outlet fixture and permits the outlet fixture to be moved within the housing. A latch selectively holds the outlet fixture in a recessed position until the latch is released to permit the outlet fixture to return to a non-recessed position. A method of selectively recessing an electrical outlet includes receiving and inserting a plug into an electrical outlet body within a housing. The electrical outlet body is moved along guides into the housing. The electrical outlet body is stopped at a recessed position within the housing, and the electrical outlet body is restrained in a recessed position. The method further includes selectively returning the electrical outlet body to a position proximate to the front of the housing. In one embodiment, a terminal assembly is included so that the outlet body is electrically connected using flexible wiring between the outlet body and the terminal assembly. Alternatively, the outlet body is connected to the terminal assembly using pins or flexible contacts that are electrically engaged only when the outlet body is recessed.

Claims

1. A system for selectively supplying power to a recessible electrical outlet, comprising:

a housing having four side walls, a back wall, and an opening opposite the back wall;

a recessible outlet fixture selectively positionable in a first position proximate to the opening and selectively positionable in a second position recessed from the opening;

an outlet fixture having a front face that includes at least one receptacle for receiving an electrical plug and having a rear surface that has a plurality of electrical contacts thereon; and

a terminal assembly positioned between the outlet fixture and the back wall, the terminal assembly electrically connectable to a power source, the terminal assembly having a plurality of electrical contacts that engage the plurality of electrical contacts on the outlet fixture when the outlet fixture is in the recessed position.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the system for selectively recessing the outlet fixture includes:

a guide within the housing, the guide receiving the outlet fixture and permitting the outlet fixture to be moved within the housing from a first position where the front face of the outlet fixture is proximate to the opening of the housing to a second position where the front face of the outlet fixture is recessed with respect to the opening; and

a latch positioned on one of the side walls of the housing proximate to the opening, the latch having an engagement end, the latch positioned so that the engagement end is between the outlet fixture and the one of the side walls when the front face of the outlet fixture is proximate to the opening, the length of the latch selected so that the engagement end engages at least a portion of the front face when the outlet fixture is in a recessed position.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical connections on the rear surface of the outlet fixture comprise protruding pins, and wherein the plurality of electrical contacts on the terminal assembly comprise sockets, the sockets receiving the pins when the outlet fixture is recessed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical connections on the rear surface of the outlet fixture comprise flexible electrical contacts, and wherein the electrical contacts on the terminal assembly comprise fixed contacts, the flexible contact engaging the fixed contact when the outlet fixture is recessed.

5. A method of selectively supplying power to a recessible electrical outlet comprising:

receiving and inserting a plug into an electrical outlet fixture within a housing, the outlet fixture having a front face that includes at least one receptacle that selectively receives an electrical plug, the outlet fixture having a rear surface that has a plurality of electrical contacts thereon, the outlet fixture having a first position wherein the front face is proximate to an opening of the housing, the housing having a terminal assembly positioned between the rear wall of said housing and the outlet fixture, the terminal assembly being electrically connectable to a power source, the terminal assembly having a plurality of electrical contacts that engage the plurality of electrical contacts on the outlet fixture when the outlet fixture is in the recessed position;

moving the electrical outlet fixture into the housing;

stopping the electrical outlet fixture at a recessed position within the housing wherein the front face of the outlet fixture is displaced from the opening of the housing and the plurality of electrical contacts on the rear surface of the outlet fixture are engaged by the plurality of electrical contacts in the terminal assembly; and

restraining the electrical outlet fixture in the recessed position.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts on the rear surface of outlet fixture comprise flexible electrical contacts that are engaged by a corresponding plurality of fixed contacts on the terminal assembly when the outlet fixture is recessed.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts on the rear surface of the outlet fixture comprise protruding pins which are received by a corresponding plurality of sockets in the terminal assembly when the outlet fixture is recessed.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the outlet fixture is restrained by a latch that has an engagement end that engages the front face of the outlet fixture when the outlet fixture is in the recessed position and that is positioned between the outlet fixture and the housing when the outlet fixture is returned to the first position.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising returning the electrical outlet fixture to a position proximate to the front of the housing and disengaging the electrical connection between the outlet fixture and the terminal assembly.