Solid wire modular electrical system for office areas
First Claim
1. A power distribution system for horizontal raceways comprising:
- elongate power distribution modules having a plurality of conductors extending horizontally therethrough which are either common, neutral or ground conductors to define a plurality of electrical circuits carried through said power distribution module;
a first one of said power distribution modules including one or more groups of openings wherein each group of openings provides access to said electrical conductors therein; and
at least a second one of said power distribution modules including at least one group of openings on a front module face thereof providing access to said conductors therein, and further including electrical contacts electrically connected to said conductors and each having a projecting contact part projecting from a back module face thereof opposite said front module face, said projecting contact parts being engageable with said exposed conductors of said first power distribution module through said group of openings thereof to electrically connect said conductors of said first and second power distribution modules.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modular multi-component power distribution system is provided having a plurality of modular components which are configurable into a bus-bar based system, a flexible cable base system and a hybrid configuration wherein the bus-bar and flexible cable components are interconnected together. The components allow for configuration of the power distribution system into a variety of office systems including wall panel systems, desking or freestanding furniture systems and raised flooring systems either individually or in various combinations. The system components include a bus-bar-like power distribution assembly (PDA), branching connectors, flex connectors, which are useable to join power distribution assemblies together, and receptacles which are plugable into either the power distribution assembly, the branching connectors or the flex connectors. Additionally, the power distribution assembly includes solid-wire electrical conductors which are accessible through multiple groups of plug openings to which any of the connectors and receptacles may be plugged. Still further, the flexible branching connectors are joinable serially together to distribute power and also may plug into the PDAs. The branching connectors further include at least one group of openings on each end to allow for the connection of additional system components like a branching connector or a receptacle.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A power distribution system for horizontal raceways comprising:
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elongate power distribution modules having a plurality of conductors extending horizontally therethrough which are either common, neutral or ground conductors to define a plurality of electrical circuits carried through said power distribution module;
a first one of said power distribution modules including one or more groups of openings wherein each group of openings provides access to said electrical conductors therein; and
at least a second one of said power distribution modules including at least one group of openings on a front module face thereof providing access to said conductors therein, and further including electrical contacts electrically connected to said conductors and each having a projecting contact part projecting from a back module face thereof opposite said front module face, said projecting contact parts being engageable with said exposed conductors of said first power distribution module through said group of openings thereof to electrically connect said conductors of said first and second power distribution modules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A power distribution system for building raceways comprising:
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a main power distribution module having an extruded insulative housing formed in two longitudinal housing halves which said housing halves are joined together and have a uniform cross-section along the length thereof, said main distribution module including a plurality of elongate conductor wires which are confined between said housing halves wherein at least one of said housing halves include groups of openings which open sidewardly through said housing half to expose portions of said conductor wires; and
a secondary power distribution module having a plurality of electrical conductors therein and a plurality of electrical contacts which project from a back face of said secondary power distribution module and are insertable within a respective one of said groups of openings of said main power distribution module for engagement with said exposed portions of said conductor wires. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method of forming a main power distribution module for a power distribution system used in building raceways, method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of electrically conductive conductor wires;
forming a length of module extrusion into a module housing by extruding an insulative material into two housing halves having a uniform cross section along a longitudinal length thereof wherein said cross section of at least one of said housing halves has a plurality of internal parallel grooves extending along the entire length thereof;
forming a plurality of groups of openings within said housing which said openings are aligned with said grooves;
positioning said conductor wires within said grooves wherein said conductors have portions thereof exposed through said openings; and
joining said housing halves together to confine said conductor wires within said grooves between said housing halves wherein said conductor wires are enclosed by said housing halves. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A power distribution system for installation in building raceways comprising:
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a first power distribution module having a plurality of electrical conductors extending therethrough that define a plurality of circuits which include common, neutral and ground conductors, said first power distribution module including first access parts having a first configuration which define a group of openings providing access to said conductors of said first power distribution module;
a second power distribution module having a plurality of electrical conductors therein, and having second access parts having a second configuration that defines openings providing access to said conductors, said second access parts being adapted for mating engagement with said first access parts to electrically connect said conductors of said first and second distribution modules, said second distribution module further including additional first access parts formed with said first configuration to provide access to said conductors of said second power distribution module; and
a third power distribution module having electrical conductors extending longitudinally therethrough and including additional second access parts which define openings and are formed with said second configuration to permit mating engagement with said corresponding first access parts of said second distribution module;
wherein said first configuration is one of a female configuration and a male configuration and said second configuration is the other of said female configuration and said male configuration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A power distribution system comprising:
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a main power distribution module having a plurality of conductors extending longitudinally therethrough which define a plurality of electrical circuits having common, neutral and ground wires, at least one side face of said main power distribution module including a group of openings which exposes portions of said conductors; and
a plurality of secondary power distribution modules which are engageable with each other and with said main power distribution module, each of said secondary power distribution modules including a plurality of conductors extending therethrough which said conductors include electrical contacts disposed within said secondary power distribution module, said secondary power distribution module further including a group of male projections which enclose but permit access to first portions of said electrical contacts and are insertable within said openings of said main power distribution module to engage said electrical contacts with said conductors of said main power distribution module, said secondary power distribution module further including a group of female openings on an opposite face thereof which expose second portions of said electrical contact to permit engagement with said male connector parts of another of said secondary power distribution modules. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A power distribution system for building raceways comprising:
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a main power distribution module having a plurality of parallel electrical conductors extending longitudinally through an insulative housing, said housing including at least one group of openings which provides access to all of said conductors, said group of openings being defined by a plurality of vertical rows of openings which are arranged in parallel, side-by-side relation wherein each adjacent pair of individual openings are horizontally aligned with each other such that each said pair provides access to one said conductor along upper edges thereof and a second said conductor along lower edges thereof; and
a secondary power distribution module comprising a plurality of electrical conductors contained within a housing and electrical contacts which project from a back face of said secondary power distribution module, said contacts being arranged in two vertical rows corresponding to said vertical rows of said openings of said main distribution module wherein each sidewardly adjacent pair of said contacts faces in opposite vertical directions, said contacts being engageable with said openings wherein one of each said pair of said contacts engages said first conductor in one said opening and the other of said pair of contacts engages said second conductor in the sidewardly adjacent one of said openings. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification