Power adapter cable with commonly configured interfaces

• US 20070105424A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vector Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vector Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Portwood, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,422,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/271
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90

Abstract

A power cable having a commonly configured interface at either end of the cable is provided. The power cable is used to connect a power source to a power inverter or to provide power from the power inverter to a device. The power cable has two ends each provided with a commonly configured interface. The commonly configured interface may be a plug or a plug receptacle. A plurality of different adapters for various power sources or devices may be coupled to the commonly configured interface. The adapters may be provided with a corresponding interface that plugs into or is received by the commonly configured interface at an end of the cable.

Claims

1. A power system comprising:

a power cable including at least two ends having a commonly configured interface; and

a plurality of power adapters each having an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface.

2. The power system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power inverter including an input port and an output port, the input port or the output port having an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface.

3. The power system of claim 2, wherein the input port of the power inverter has an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface of the power cable and the output port of the power inverter comprises a standard three prong AC power plug that mates with a standard two or three prong AC power plug receptacle, wherein the power inverter coverts a DC input to an AC output.

4. The power system of claim 3, wherein the AC output is a 120V household current output.

5. The power system of claim 2, wherein the input port of the power inverter has an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface of the power cable and the output port of the power inverter comprises a USB output, wherein the power inverter coverts a DC input to a USB compatible DC power output.

6. The power system of claim 2, wherein the power cable couples a power source with the input port of the power inverter.

7. The power system of claim 6 wherein the power adapter mating with the power cable is for a cigarette lighter socket.

8. The power system of claim 6 wherein the power adapter mating with the power cable is for an airplane power socket.

9. The power system of claim 2, wherein the output port of the power inverter has an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface of the power cable and the power cable couples the output port of the power inverter with a device, the device including a port adapted to mate with the commonly configured interface.

10. The power system of claim 1, wherein the commonly configured interface is a plug receptacle and the power adapter is a plug corresponding to the plug receptacle.

11. The power system of claim 10, wherein the plug receptacle has a housing contour.

12. The power system of claim 11, wherein the housing defines two receptacle holes for receiving the corresponding plug.

13. The power system of claim 2, wherein the commonly configured interface is a plug receptacle and the input port of the power inverter includes a plug configured to mate with the plug receptacle.

14. The power system of claim 13, wherein the plug includes two pins extending from a recess in the power inverter housing.

15. The power system of claim 14, wherein the plug receptacle has a housing contour and the recess has a contour adapted to interface with the contour of the plug receptacle housing.

16. The power system of claim 1, wherein the commonly configured interface is a plug and the power adapter is a plug receptacle corresponding to the plug.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a power inverter including an input port and at least one output port;

a power cable including at least two ends having a commonly configured interface; and

a plurality of power adapters, wherein the input port of the power inverter and each of the power adapters have an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the at least one output port of the power inverter comprises a standard three prong AC power plug that mates with a standard two or three prong AC power plug receptacle.

19. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the at least one output port of the power inverter comprises a USB port.

20. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the commonly configured interface at one end of the power cable is connected to the input port of the power inverter and the commonly conf igured interface at the other end of the power cable is connected to a power adapter.