System, socket and plug apparatus for DC power distribution and usage

• US 20110316341A1
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yaroslav A. Pichkur
• Original Assignee: Yaroslav A. Pichkur
• Inventors: Pichkur, Yaroslav A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,319,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/12 Parallel operation of dc generators with converters, e.g. with mercury-arc rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A power supply system comprises an electrical power generating device producing DC electrical power in the form of a DC electrical current, a DC current conductor receiving the DC electrical current from the electrical power generating device and carrying the DC electrical current to a socket, and an AC power system transmitting AC electrical current to the socket so that the socket can be accessed by a plug inserted therein to receive the DC current or the AC current from it. The socket has four recesses in it, and each recess has a respective contact therein. Each recess is configured to receive a respective prong and make a respective electrical contact with the plug therein. A first of the contacts transmits the DC current, a second and third of the contacts transmit complementary poles of the AC electrical current, and a fourth contact connects with a grounded connection. A DC-powered electrical device has a plug with a plug body and three prongs supported on and extending from the plug body. The prongs include two AC connection prongs and a ground connection prong corresponding to prongs of a standard three-prong plug. The plug further has a fourth prong supported on the plug body into the socket to contact the DC current recess. The fourth prong is removable from the plug body, or is movably supported on the plug body so that the fourth prong may be removed or moved so that the plug can be plugged into a standard three-recess AC socket.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising:

an electrical power generating device producing DC electrical power in the form of a DC electrical current;

a DC current conductor receiving the DC electrical current from the electrical power generating device, said DC current conductor carrying said DC electrical current to a socket; and

an AC power system transmitting AC electrical current to the socket so that said socket can be accessed by a plug inserted therein to receive therefrom the DC current or the AC current;

wherein the socket has two recesses therein, each recess having a respective contact therein and being configured to receive a respective prong, and to make a respective electrical contact with said plug therein, a first and second of said contacts transmitting complementary poles of the AC electrical current, respectively; and

the socket having a third contact transmitting the DC current and configured to contact an electrical contact structure of the plug so as to supply the DC current thereto, and

said socket having a fourth contact therein engageable with the plug to make a further electrical contact therewith, said fourth contact connecting with a grounded connection.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein has a third recess with said third contact therein, and said socket is configured to receive a first plug having a first prong configuration so as to supply to said first plug the DC current, and to receive a second plug having a second prong configuration so as to supply the AC current to said second plug.

3. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the complementary poles are phase and neutral.

4. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the recesses are positioned such that a standard two-prong AC plug when plugged into the socket engages the second and third contacts and creates an AC power circuit therewith.

5. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the recesses are positioned such that a standard three-contact AC plug when plugged into the socket engages the second and third contacts and creates an AC power circuit therewith, and also contacts with the fourth contact connecting to ground.

6. The power supply system of claim 5, wherein the recess of the third contact is located between the recesses of the first and second contacts.

7. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power generating device comprises a solar panel deriving said electrical power from sunlight.

8. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power generating device comprises a wind generator.

9. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the system is installed in a building and the socket is supported in a wall structure of said building.

10. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein a battery is connected with the electrical power generating device so that the battery receives a charge when the electrical power generating device is producing said DC current, and such that, when the electrical power generating device is not producing said DC current, the battery discharges a battery DC current to the DC current conductor, which transmits the battery DC current to the socket.

11. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the AC current is derived at least in part from a portion of the DC current that is converted to AC and supplied to the AC power system.

12. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein an electrical device having a device plug is plugged into said socket, said socket having a third recess with the third contact therein, said device plug including a DC prong inserted in and engaging the third contact in the third recess and a ground contact of the plug engaging the grounded contact, said electrical device deriving DC power from a circuit formed between the DC prong and the ground contact.

13. The power supply system of claim 12, wherein the ground contact of the plug is a second prong.

14. The power supply system of claim 12, wherein the contact of the plug is a flat tongue ground contact, and the fourth contact of the socket is a corresponding exposed contact configured to engage with the plug contact when the plug is in the socket

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the device plug further comprises at least two AC prongs corresponding to prongs of a standard two-prong AC plug, and device plug being connected with the electrical device via a power processing circuit, said power processing circuit providing DC current from the DC prong and the third contact to the electrical device when said DC current is present at said third contact, and converting the AC current from said AC prongs to a local DC current and supplying said local DC current to the electrical device when the DC current is not present at said third contact.

16. A wall socket supplying DC power and AC power in a building, said wall socket comprising:

a socket face having first and second recesses therein located in positions to receive prongs of a standard two-prong AC electrical plug;

the socket having contacts in said recesses configured to electrically contact said prongs, said contacts each being electrically connected with a respective pole of said AC power so that an AC circuit is formed when a plug having prongs of said two-prong AC electrical plug is inserted in the socket;

said socket having a third contact therein positioned to engage a ground contact of a standard three-wire AC electrical plug, said third contact connecting with ground; and

said socket having a further recess therein having a contact therein configured to engage a plug prong when inserted therein and to supply to said plug prong the DC power, such that a DC circuit is formed between said plug prong and a further ground contact contacting the grounded contact of said third contact.

17. The wall socket of claim 16, wherein the further recess is located between the first and second recesses.

18. An electrical device comprising:

a DC-powered electrical apparatus operable using DC current; and

a plug operatively associated with the DC-powered electrical apparatus so as to supply DC current thereto;

said plug having a plug body; and

said plug having two AC connection prongs supported on and extending from the plug body, corresponding to prongs of a standard two-prong plug;

said plug further having a further prong supported on the plug body and extending therefrom adjacent the two prongs; and

said further prong being removable from the plug body, or being movably supported on the plug body so that said further prong may be removed or moved so that the plug can be plugged into a standard two-recess AC socket.

19. The electrical device according to claim 18, wherein the plug also has a ground connection contact structure corresponding to a standard ground contact for the plug, and said further prong is supported so as to be moved between a first position, wherein said further prong can be received in a three-slot socket with the three prongs, and a second position, wherein said fourth prong does not interfere with insertion of the three prongs into a standard two-recess AC socket.

20. The electrical device according to claim 19, wherein said further prong is pivotally supported so as to rotate about a pivot between the first and second positions.

21. The electrical device according to claim 18, wherein said further prong is between the AC connection prongs of the plug.

22. The electrical device according to claim 18, wherein a power conditioner is connected between the plug and the electrical apparatus, said power conditioner being electrically connected with the prongs of the plug and receiving AC current from the AC connection prongs,

when the further prong is receiving DC current, said power conditioner converting the AC current to DC current and supplying said DC current to the electrical apparatus, and

when the further prong is receiving DC current, said power conditioner supplying said DC current from the further prong to the electrical apparatus.

23. The electrical device according to claim 18, wherein the plug is inserted into a connector configured to be inserted into a DC power socket of an automobile electrical system, the connector having two recesses therein receiving the ground connection prong and the fourth prong of the plug, and connecting said ground connection prong and said fourth prong to respective poles of the DC power socket, such that the electrical device is powered by said automobile electrical system.