Electrical power outlet strip

• US 20050286184A1
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Campolo, Steve
• Application Number:
  US11/148,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20050286184A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/713 the switch being a safety switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0015 Using arc detectors

Abstract

The power strip of the present disclosure includes an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) to interrupt power to electrical devices plugged into the power strip when arcing is detected and, when combined with a transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS) device and/or a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) also can provide transient voltage surge suppression and ground fault protection. The power strip here disclosed can include an AFCI by itself or an ACFI in combination with a GFCI.

Claims

1. A power outlet strip comprising:

an input adapted to be coupled to an alternating current (AC) supply;

an arc fault circuit interrupter coupled to the input; and

at least one outlet receptacle coupled to the arc fault circuit interrupter.

2. The power strip of claim 1, comprising:

at least one additional circuit interrupting device coupled to the input,

wherein the arc fault circuit interrupter and the at least one additional circuit interrupting device operate independently from one another but share common components.

3. The power strip of claim 2, wherein the circuit interrupting device is at least one selected from the group consisting of a ground fault circuit interrupter, immersion detection circuit interrupter and appliance leakage circuit interrupter.

4. The power strip of claim 2, comprising a transient voltage surge suppressor.

5. The power strip of claim 4, comprising:

a data line input connector; and

one or more data line outlet connectors to couple the data line input to external devices,

wherein the data line outlets are coupled to the at least one circuit interrupting device.

6. The power strip of claim 5, wherein the data line outlet connector is at least one selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a modem, a cable television (CATV), Ethernet, BNC, video, token ring, satellite and digital subscriber line (DSL).

7. The power strip of claim 1, comprising a transient voltage surge suppressor.

8. The power strip of claim 7, comprising:

a data line input connector; and

one or more data line outlet connectors to couple the data line input to external devices,

wherein the data line outlets are coupled to the at least one circuit interrupting device.

9. The power strip of claim 5, wherein the data line outlet connector is at least one selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a modem, a cable television (CATV), Ethernet, BNC, video, token ring, satellite and digital subscriber line (DSL).

10. A method of protecting a power strip, comprising:

coupling an input to an arc fault circuit interrupter;

coupling the arc fault circuit interrupter to at least one other circuit interrupting device; and

coupling an output of the at least one other circuit interrupting device to an output receptacle,

wherein the arc fault circuit interrupter and the at least one additional circuit interrupting device operate independently from one another but share common components.

11. A method of interrupting a input signal from an output receptacle, comprising:

receiving the input signal;

coupling the input signal to an arc fault circuit interrupter;

coupling the input signal to at least one other circuit interrupting device;

providing an output of the circuit interrupting device to the output receptacle; and

disconnecting the input signal from the output receptacle in response to a signal from the arc fault circuit interrupter or the at least one other circuit interrupting device;

wherein the arc fault circuit interrupter and the at least one additional circuit interrupting device operate independently from one another but share common components.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the circuit interrupting device is at least one selected from the group consisting of a ground fault circuit interrupter, immersion detection circuit interrupter and appliance leakage circuit interrupter.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising providing a transient voltage surge suppressor across the input signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data line outlet connector is at least one selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a modem, a cable television (CATV), Ethernet, BNC, video, token ring, satellite and digital subscriber line (DSL).