ELECTRO-OPTICAL PLUG AND RECEPTACLE

• US 20090148105A1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sigmund Sommer
• Original Assignee: Sigmund Sommer
• Inventors: Sommer, Sigmund
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/75
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3817 containing optical and electrical conductors cables including electrical and optical conductors H01B11/22; G02B6/3816 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence

Abstract

A combination fiber optic and electrical connector and a plug for mating therewith are both provided.

Claims

1. A power receptacle including:

a first power socket including;

a pair of engageable contacts for engaging live and common blades of a plug, a first contact of the pair of engageable contacts being configured to transmit high voltage to a load and a second contact of the pair of contacts being configured to electrically couple a load to a neutral tie block;

a first optical member providing a first optical pathway; and

a second optical member providing a second optical pathway distinct from the first optical pathway.

2. The receptacle of claim 1, further including a second power socket including:

a pair of engageable contacts for engaging blades of a plug;

a third optical member providing a third optical pathway distinct from each of the first and second optical pathways; and

a fourth optical member providing a fourth optical pathway distinct from each of the first, second, and third optical pathways.

3. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the first power socket further includes a contact member for engaging a ground pin of a plug.

4. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pair of engageable contacts for engaging live and common blades of a plug are positioned to engage live and common blades having a fixed orientation relative to each other.

5. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the power socket is configured to be able to engage a standard wall plug.

6. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the power receptacle is a wall outlet.

7. The receptacle of claim 6, wherein first and second contacts of the pair of engageable contacts are positioned to be able to receive blades of a plug selected from the group including a North American 15 A/125V ungrounded plug (Type A) and a North American 15 A/125V grounded plug (Type B).

8. A power receptacle including:

a first power socket including;

first and second voids for respectively engaging live and common blades of a plug, the first void being configured to transmit high voltage to a load and the second void being configured to electrically couple a load to a neutral tie block of a standard circuit breaker box, wherein at least one of the voids includes a first optical member providing a first optical pathway.

9. The receptacle of claim 8, wherein the first power socket further includes a void for engaging a ground pin of a plug.

10. The receptacle of claim 8, further including a second power socket including:

third and fourth voids for respectively engaging live and common blades of a plug, wherein at least one of the voids includes a second optical member providing a second optical pathway.

11. The receptacle of claim 8, wherein both of the first and second voids include optical members therein providing respective optical pathways.

12. The receptacle of claim 8, wherein first and second voids are positioned to be able to receive blades of a plug selected from the group including a North American 15 A/125V ungrounded plug (Type A) and a North American 15 A/125V grounded plug (Type B).

13. A power receptacle including:

first and second voids for respectively engaging live and common blades of a plug, the first void being configured to transmit high voltage to a load and the second void being configured to electrically couple a load to a neutral tie block,

a first optical member providing a first optical pathway; and

a motherboard.

14. The receptacle of claim 13, wherein the power receptacle is a wall outlet and the motherboard is located within a wall gang box.

15. The receptacle of claim 13, wherein first and second voids are located, sized, and shaped to engage live and common blades of a plug having a fixed orientation relative to each other.

16. The receptacle of claim 15, wherein first and second voids are positioned to be able to receive blades of a plug selected from the group including a North American 15 A/125V ungrounded plug (Type A) and a North American 15 A/125V grounded plug (Type B).

17. The receptacle of claim 13, wherein the motherboard includes memory storing programming for coordinating data transfer.

18. A power plug including:

a live blade configured to transmit high voltage to a load;

a common blade configured to electrically couple a load to a neutral tie block;

a first optical member providing a first optical pathway; and

a second optical member providing a second optical pathway distinct from the first optical pathway.

19. The plug of claim 18, wherein first optical member is at least partially disposed within one of the live blade and the common blade.

20. The plug of claim 18, wherein first optical member is at least partially disposed within the live blade and the second optical member is at least partially disposed in the common blade.

21. The plug of claim 18, further including a ground pin.

22. The plug of claim 18, wherein the blades are positioned to be receivable in a standard wall outlet.

23. The plug of claim 22, wherein the live and common blades are oriented conform to a standard for a North American 15 A/125V ungrounded plug (Type A) and a North American 15 A/125V grounded plug (Type B).

24. A power plug including:

a live blade configured to transmit high voltage to a load; and

a common blade configured to electrically couple a load to a neutral tie block of a circuit breaker box, wherein at least one of the blades includes a first optical member providing a first optical pathway.

25. The plug of claim 24, wherein both of the blades include optical members therein providing first and second optical pathways.

26. The plug of claim 24, further including a ground pin.

27. The plug of claim 24, wherein the blades are positioned to be receivable in a standard wall outlet.

28. The plug of claim 27, wherein the live and common blades are oriented conform to a standard for a North American 15 A/125V ungrounded plug (Type A) and a North American 15 A/125V grounded plug (Type B).

29. A power receptacle including:

a first power socket including;

at least one void containing an engageable contact for engaging a contact of a plug; and

a light-blocking shutter positioned proximate the void, the shutter having a first position assumed when a contact of a plug is not engaging the engageable contact of the socket and having a second position assumed when the contact of the plug is engaging the engageable contact of the socket, the light-blocking shutter configured to prevent ambient light from entering the void when the shutter is in first position and when in the second position.

30. The receptacle of claim 29, wherein the shutter, when in the second position, fills in space between the contact of the plug and walls of the void of the receptacle.

31. The receptacle of claim 29, wherein the at least one void is positioned to be able to receive a blade of a plug selected from the group including a North American 15 A/125V ungrounded plug (Type A) and a North American 15 A/125V grounded plug (Type B).