Electric Power Receptacle

• US 20150255914A1
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crestron Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Feldstein, George, Patel, Dhirendra, Upasani, Sanjay, Kong, Kian-Mun, Feldstein, Wendy
• Granted Patent: US 9,407,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5227 with evacuation of penetrating liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts

Abstract

A touch screen device includes an electric power receptacle configured for being spill resistant. The electric power receptacle provides a fluidly isolated environment for each contact thereby allowing the electric power receptacle to pass a dielectric withstand test.

Claims

1. An electric power receptacle comprising:

(a) a main receptacle body comprising one or more cavities, each of the one more cavities configured for receiving an electrical contact and further comprising

(i) a drainage slot configured for facilitating fluid drainage from the cavity, and

(ii) a rib slot configured for receiving an isolation rib; and

(b) one or more rear receptacle covers configured for removably fastening to the main receptacle body and further comprising

(i) at least one contact support for supporting an electrical contact, and

(ii) an isolation rib protruding from the rear receptacle cover and configured for isolating the one or more cavities of the main receptacle body when said rear receptacle cover is coupled to the main receptacle body via communication between the one or more rib slots and the isolation rib.

2. The electric power receptacle of claim 1 comprising one rear receptacle cover further comprising a hot contact support, a neutral contact support and a ground contact support and wherein the main receptacle body comprises three cavities, each of the cavities aligned with one of a hot contact support, neutral contact support and ground contact support.

3. The electric power receptacle of claim 1 further comprising two rear receptacle covers, each of the two rear receptacle covers further comprising a hot contact support, a neutral contact support and a ground contact support and wherein the main receptacle body comprises six cavities, each of the cavities aligned with one of a hot contact support, neutral contact support and ground contact support.

4. The electric power receptacle of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more cavities and one or more drainage slots are dimensioned to drain fluid entering the cavity through a terminal opening in an outlet face of the main receptacle body at a rate such that fluid accumulating in the cavity does not breach the terminal opening in the outlet face.

5. The electric power receptacle of claim 4 wherein the drainage slot is formed from an opening in a side face of the main receptacle body and extends through the main receptacle body into the isolation cavity.

6. The electric power receptacle of claim 5 wherein the depth of the main receptacle body is larger than the height of the outlet face.

7. The electric power receptacle of claim 5 wherein each of the one or more drainage slots is a slot-shaped opening extending the depth of the main receptacle body.

8. The electric power receptacle of claim 6 wherein the ratio of the length of the drainage slot to the height of the outlet face is approximately three to two.

9. The electric power receptacle of claim 1 wherein the isolation rib comprises a main arm bisecting a rear receptacle cover body between a hot contact support and a neutral contact support and a minor arm separating the hot contact support and the neutral contact support thereby quartering the bisected half of the rear receptacle cover.

10. The electric power receptacle of claim 9 wherein the isolation rib and rear receptacle cover body are formed of a single material.

11. The electric power receptacle of claim 9 wherein the isolation rib is a gasket affixed to the rear receptacle cover body.

12. An interface device comprising a bucket portion configured for being inserted into an opening of a surface and an electric power receptacle, wherein the electric power receptacle comprises:

(a) an external housing configured for being affixed to an interior cavity of the bucket portion;

(b) a main receptacle body further comprising

(i) an outlet face, wherein the outlet face comprises a hot plug terminal, neutral plug terminal and ground pin terminal each of the hot plug terminal, neutral plug terminal and ground pin terminal configured for receiving a plug conductor,

(ii) a first cavity, a second cavity, a third cavity, each of the first cavity, second cavity and third cavity comprising a drainage slot and a rib slot, and

(iii) wherein each of the one or more cavities and the drainage slots are dimensioned to drain fluid entering the cavity through a terminal opening in an outlet face of the main receptacle body at a rate such that fluid accumulating in the cavity does not breach the terminal opening in the outlet face; and

(c) a rear receptacle cover further comprising

(i) at least one contact support for supporting an electrical contact, and

(ii) an isolation rib protruding from the rear receptacle cover and configured for isolating the one or more cavities of the main receptacle body when said rear receptacle cover is coupled to the main receptacle body via communication between the one or more rib slots and the isolation rib.

13. The interface device of claim 12 wherein the surface is a horizontal surface.

14. The interface device of claim 12 wherein the outlet face of the electric power receptacle is parallel with the surface.

15. The interface device of claim 12 further comprising a lid configured for covering the interior cavity of the bucket portion when operating in a closed position.

16. The interface device of claim 15 wherein the lid is configured for providing access to a user interface when operating in an open position.

17. The interface device of claim 16 wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface.

18. The interface device of claim 12 further comprising one or more cable interfaces.