EXPANDABLE POWER DISTRIBUTION UNIT

• US 20090314541A1
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Jones, Sarah Jean, Lincoln, Clifford Franklin III
• Granted Patent: US 7,759,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/559
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/185 Floor outlets and access cups

Abstract

A power distribution unit includes a first power box including a first chamber having a first termination zone, wherein a first wire set from a supply conduit is configured to be terminated at the first termination zone. The power distribution unit also includes a second power box ganged together with the first power box. The second power box has a second chamber open to the first chamber, and the second chamber has a second termination zone. A second wire set from at least one of the supply conduit and the first termination zone is configured to be terminated at the second termination zone.

Claims

1. An expandable power distribution unit, the power distribution unit comprising:

a first power box including a plurality of walls defining a first chamber, the chamber having a first termination zone, wherein a first wire set from a supply conduit is configured to be terminated at the first termination zone; and

a second power box having a plurality of walls defining a second chamber, the second power box being ganged together with the first power box such that the second chamber is open to the first chamber, the second chamber having a second termination zone, wherein a second wire set from at least one of the supply conduit and the first termination zone is configured to be terminated at the second termination zone.

2. The power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the first power box includes a first connector assembly defining a mating interface for a mating component of the manufactured wiring system, the first connector assembly being configured to be electrically connected to the first wire set terminated at the first termination zone.

3. The power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the first power box includes a first terminal strip in the first termination zone, the first terminal strip being configured to electrically terminate to the first wire set.

4. The power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the supply conduit is connected to a first supply source, and wherein a wire set from a second supply conduit connected to a second supply source is configured to be terminated at the first termination zone, the second supply source being one of a building backup power source and a building primary power source.

5. The power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the first power box has a polyhedron shape with an open side, the second power box has a polyhedron shape with an open side, the first and second power boxes being positioned side by side such that the open sides face one another, the first and second power boxes being joined by a joining part that is separate and discrete from the first and second power boxes, the first and second chambers cooperating to define a common chamber.

6. The power distribution unit of claim 1, further comprising a joining part separately provided from the first and second power boxes and spanning between the first and second power boxes, the first power box overlapping a portion of the joining part and being fastened to the joining part, the second power box overlapping a portion of the joining part and being fastened to the joining part, and the joining part providing access between the first and second chambers.

7. The power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the first power box includes a main body defining multiple ones of the plurality of walls, the main body having a base wall and opposed end walls integrally formed with, and extending perpendicularly from, the base wall, the first power box includes a side wall coupled to the main body, the side wall being oriented perpendicular to the base wall and the end walls, the first power box includes a cover wall coupled to the main body, the cover wall being oriented perpendicular to the end walls and the side wall, the cover wall being positioned generally opposite to the base wall, the walls of the first power box define the first chamber.

8. The power distribution unit of claim 7, wherein the second power box includes a main body defining multiple ones of the plurality of walls, the main body having a base wall and opposed end walls integrally formed with, and extending perpendicularly from, the base wall of the second power box, the second power box includes a side wall coupled to the main body of the second power box, the side wall of the second power box being oriented perpendicular to the base wall and the end walls of the second power box, the second power box includes a cover wall coupled to the main body of the second power box, the cover wall of the second power box being oriented perpendicular to the end walls and the side wall of the second power box, the cover wall of the second power box being positioned generally opposite to the base wall of the second power box, the walls of the second power box define the second chamber.

9. The power distribution unit of claim 8, wherein each of the side walls includes a wall portion defined by edges, a plurality of flanges extend perpendicular from the wall portion at respective edges, the flanges extending at least partially into the respective chambers.

10. The power distribution unit of claim 1, further comprising a joining part having opposed main walls and opposed end walls extending between the main walls, at least one of the main walls being coupled to the first and second power boxes, the joining part having open sides between the main walls and end walls, with the open sides being open to the first and second chambers.

11. The power distribution unit of claim 1, further comprising a third power box ganged together with the first and second power boxes, the third power box having a third chamber open to at least one of the first and second chambers, the third chamber having a third termination zone, wherein a third wire set from at least one of the supply conduit, the first termination zone and the second termination zone is configured to be terminated at the third termination zone.

22. The power distribution unit of claim 1, wherein the first and second power boxes have similar sizes and shapes, the first chamber having an open side, the second chamber having an open side, the first and second power boxes being ganged together such that the open sides abut one another, the first and second chambers being open to one another through the open sides.

12. An expandable power distribution unit for distributing power to a manufactured wiring system, the power distribution unit comprising:

a first power box enclosing a first chamber, the first power box including a first connector assembly defining a mating interface for a mating component of the manufactured wiring system; and

a second power box ganged together with the first power box, the second power box enclosing a second chamber open to the first chamber, the second power box including a second connector assembly defining a mating interface for a mating component of the manufactured wiring system,

wherein at least one of the first and second power boxes includes a first opening configured to receive a first power supply conduit connected to a first power supply source, the first and second connector assemblies being electrically connected to the first power supply source, and wherein at least one of the first and second power boxes includes a second opening configured to receive a second power supply conduit connected to a second power supply source, the first and second connector assemblies being electrically connected to the second power supply source.

13. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second power supply sources are a building backup power source.

14. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the first power supply conduit includes a plurality of wire sets, the first connector assembly being electrically coupled to a first of the wire sets within the first chamber, the second connector assembly being electrically coupled to a second of the wire sets within the second chamber, at least one of the first and second wire sets being configured to extend through an opening between the first and second power boxes.

15. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the first power box includes a first terminal strip within the first chamber, the first connector assembly being terminated to the first terminal strip, the second power box includes a second terminal strip within the second chamber, the second electrical connector being terminated to the second terminal strip, the first power supply conduit being configured to be terminated to the first and second terminal strips, the second power supply conduit being configured to be terminated to the first and second terminal strips.

16. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the first power box includes a first termination zone within the first chamber, the first connector assembly being electrically terminated to the first power supply conduit and the second power supply conduit in the first termination zone, and wherein the second power box includes a second termination zone within the second chamber, the second connector assembly being electrically terminated to the first power supply conduit and the second power supply conduit in the second termination zone.

17. The power distribution unit of claim 12, further comprising a junction box being received in the first power box, the first and second power supplies being configured to be terminated to the junction box, the junction box being configured to receive at least one power receptacle.

23. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the first power box encloses the first chamber such that the first chamber has an open side, and wherein the second power box encloses the second chamber such that the second chamber has an open side, the first and second power boxes being coupled together such that the open sides of the first and second chambers open to one another to create a common chamber.

24. The power distribution unit of claim 12, wherein the first and second connector assemblies are both electrically connected to both the first and second power supply sources.

18. A power distribution kit for a manufactured wiring system, the power distribution kit comprising:

a primary unit comprising a main body having a base wall and opposed end walls integrally formed with, and extending perpendicularly from, the base wall, the primary unit includes two side walls and a cover wall; and

at least one supplementary unit, each of the at least one supplementary unit comprises a main body, a cover wall and a joining part, the main body of each of the at least one supplementary unit having a base wall and opposed end walls integrally formed with, and extending perpendicularly from, the base wall, the main body of each supplementary unit being substantially identical to the main body of the primary unit;

wherein the main and supplementary units cooperate to form a power distribution unit having at least two power boxes ganged together, each main body is joined to an adjacent main body by a respective joining part, and the side walls being coupled to the outermost main bodies to form sides of the power distribution unit.

19. The power distribution kit of claim 18, wherein the side walls define a first side wall and a second side wall, when the at least one supplementary unit comprises a first supplementary unit, the power distribution unit is assembled such that the joining part spans between, and is fastened to, the main body of the primary unit and the main body of the first supplementary unit, the first side wall being coupled to the main body of the primary unit opposite to the joining unit, the second side wall being coupled to the main body of the first supplementary unit opposite to the joining unit.

20. The power distribution kit of claim 19, wherein the cover wall of the primary unit is coupled to the main body of the primary unit and to the joining part, and the cover wall of the first supplemental unit is coupled to the main body of the first supplemental unit and to the joining part.

21. The power distribution kit of claim 19, wherein the joining part is separate and distinct from the main bodies of the primary unit and the at least one supplementary unit, the joining part extending around the circumference of the main bodies and the cover walls of both the primary and supplementary units.