Solid wire modular electrical system for office areas

• US 20060024996A1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Ross S., Emery, Dave, Wilson, Harold R., Crow, Derek D., Elushik, Richard D., Borgman, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 7,614,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/215
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00

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.

Claims

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.

2. The power distribution system according to claim 1, wherein a third one of said power distribution modules includes electrical contacts electrically connected to said conductors and each having a projecting contact part projecting from a back module face thereof, wherein said projecting contact parts of said third power distribution module are engageable with said group of openings of said first power distribution module or said group of openings of said second power distribution module to electrically connect said conductors of said third power distribution module with said conductors of said first and second power distribution modules.

3. The power distribution system according to claim 2, wherein said third power distribution module includes at least one group of openings providing access to said conductors therein, said power distribution system further including a receptacle having receptacle contacts projecting from a back receptacle face thereof which are engageable with any of said groups of openings of said first, second and third power distribution modules wherein said receptacle includes plug openings on an exterior receptacle face thereof which permit electrical connection of a plug of electrical equipment with said receptacle contacts.

4. The power distribution system according to claim 3, wherein said first power distribution module includes a plurality of said groups of said openings wherein said second power distribution module is engageable with anyone of said opening groups and said receptacle is engageable with anyone of said opening groups of said first power distribution module and said second power distribution module.

5. The power distribution system according to claim 1, wherein said electrical contacts of said second power distribution module have interior contact parts which are exposed through said group of openings thereof through said front module face.

6. A power distribution system for building raceways comprising:

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.

7. The power distribution system according to claim 6, wherein said main power distribution module has opposite side faces which are planar and disposed in parallel relation along the length of said main power distribution module.

8. The power distribution system according to claim 7, wherein said housing halves are hinged along a longitudinal edge thereof and foldable together to confine said conductor wires therebetween.

9. A method of forming a main power distribution module for a power distribution system used in building raceways, method comprising the steps of:

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.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the length of said module extrusion permits formation of a plurality of said module housings, the method including the step of severing said module extrusion along a length thereof to define said main distribution module wherein said length depends upon said groups of openings defined therein.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein housing halves are hingedly connected along a longitudinal side edge thereof, said method further comprising the step of folding said housing halves together for said confining of said conductor wires within said grooves between said housing halves.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said method further includes the step of punching said housing halves after said extrusion step to form said groups of openings.

13. A power distribution system for installation in building raceways comprising:

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.

14. The power distribution system according to claim 13, wherein said third power distribution module further includes a group of openings defined by additional second access parts having said second configuration.

15. The power distribution system according to claim 14, wherein said first power distribution module extends longitudinally and has a plurality of said first access parts with said first configuration along the length thereof to permit engagement of said second access parts of said second power distribution module with any of said groups of openings.

16. The power distribution system according to claim 15, wherein said second power distribution module has electrical contacts which includes first and second sections thereof that are exposed respectively through said first and second access parts thereon.

17. The power distribution system according to claim 16, wherein said first and second access parts on said second power distribution module are disposed on opposite side faces thereof which face sidewardly in opposite directions and said electrical contacts extend sidewardly such that opposite ends thereof are exposed through said groups of said openings on said opposite side faces.

18. A power distribution system comprising:

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.

19. The power distribution system according to claim 18, wherein a receptacle is provided which includes male projections having exposed electrical contacts therein wherein said male projections are engageable with said female openings of any of said main and said secondary power distribution modules to complete an electrical connection therebetween.

20. A power distribution system for building raceways comprising:

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.

21. The power distribution system according to claim 20, wherein said contacts on said secondary power distribution module are enclosed by insulative posts wherein said contacts are exposed on only one side of said posts with said contacts of each sidewardly adjacent pair thereof being exposed in said opposite directions.