Cordless telephone outlet device

• US 20040204017A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Patel, Parimal R., Eckel, David P., Laurent, Maxim
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0293 Terminal boxes for telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72502 with one base station connected to a single line

Abstract

A cordless telephone outlet device that not only provides the cordless telephone access to a telephone network, but also provides the cordless telephone the proper DC electrical energy for proper operation eliminating the need for an unsightly external DC power supply typically connected to an AC outlet. Further, the device significantly reduces exposure of the telephone line connection between the cordless telephone and the telephone network. The outlet device comprises a body having a communications connector mounted thereon and a base attached to the body. The base contains DC power supply circuitry that is connected to a source of AC electrical energy. The output of the power supply circuit is connected to a DC line terminated with a DC male plug. The cordless telephone can be directly mounted onto the device allowing the communications connector of the cordless telephone to engage directly with a corresponding communications connector mounted onto the device of the present invention while the device also provides DC power to the cordless telephone via the DC male plug. Alternatively, a relatively short telephone line cable can be used to electrically connect the respective communications connectors with the cordless phone mounted onto the outlet device of the present invention.

Claims

1. An outlet device comprising:

a base containing conversion circuitry for converting AC electrical energy to DC electrical energy; and

a body attached to the base, the body having a communications connector mounted thereon, the body further has DC terminals attached thereto which terminals are electrically connected to the conversion circuitry and where one end of a DC line is connected to the DC terminals and the other end of the DC line is terminated with a DC connector.

2. The outlet device of claim 1 further comprising a face plate affixed to the body in a snap arrangement.

3. The outlet device of claim 2 where the face plate has an opening through a portion of which the communications connector extends and through another portion of which the DC line is routed.

4. The outlet device of claim 1 where the conversion circuitry is a switching power supply.

5. The outlet device of claim 1 where the conversion circuitry is a full wave bridge rectifier connected to a Darlington pair amplifier.

6. The outlet device of claim 1 where the DC connector terminating one end of the DC line is a DC male plug connector.

7. The outlet device of claim 1 where the communications connector is an RJ11 or an RJ45 connector.

8. The outlet device of claim 1 where the conversion circuitry is a DC power supply that has a select switch used to select different DC voltages to be provided by the power supply.

9. The outlet device of claim 1 where the communications connector is electrically connected to a connector assembly having terminals which are connected to a communications network.

10. The outlet device of claim 1 where the body has mounted screws on which a cordless phone can be mounted.