Low Voltage Buss System

• US 20160268728A1
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ideal Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ideal Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Zantout, Alan Emad, Swedberg, Benjamin David, Fildes, Trevor Don
• Granted Patent: US 10,186,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/142 Their counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/147 Low voltage devices, i.e. safe to touch live conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

An electrical buss has a carrier and at least a pair of electrically conductive elements. The at least a pair of electrically conductive elements extend linearly along a length of the carrier and at least a portion of each of the least a pair of electrically conductive elements is exposed at a surface of the carrier. A connector is releasably couplable to the electrical buss adjacent to the surface of the carrier. The connector has at least a pair of electrically conductive contacts for engaging with the electrically conductive elements at any desired location along the length of the carrier.

Claims

1. A device for connecting to an electrical buss comprising a carrier, at least a pair of electrically conductive elements linearly arranged along the carrier, and a linearly arranged ferromagnetic element carried by the carrier, the device comprising:

a housing adapted to be releasably couplable to the electrical buss, the housing having at least three, concentrically arranged, electrically conductive contacts arranged such that at least two of the electrically conductive contacts will engage the at least a pair of electrically conductive elements and at least one magnet arranged to generate a single, linear magnetic field to magnetically cooperate with the ferromagnetic element.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is adapted to engage with and electrically couple to the ferromagnetic element.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a pair of forks insertable into an AC power outlet and wherein the forks are coupled to a circuit for converting AC power to low voltage DC power.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a rotatable base and wherein the at least three-concentrically arranged, electrically conductive contacts are disposed on the rotatable base.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein a portion of the housing coupled to the rotatable base comprises a port for providing a signal to a further device couplable to the port, wherein the signal is obtained from at least one of the at least a pair of electrically conductive elements via at least one of the electrically conductive contacts.

6. The device as recited in claim 5, wherein one of the base or the portion of the housing further comprises a pair of forks insertable into an AC power outlet and wherein the forks are coupled to a circuit for converting AC power to low voltage DC power.

7. A system for connecting to an electrical buss comprising a carrier, at least a pair of electrically conductive elements linearly arranged along the carrier, and a linearly arranged ferromagnetic element carried by the carrier, the system comprising:

a connector adaptor adapted to be releasably couplable to the electrical buss, the connector adaptor having at least a first pair of electrically conductive contacts arranged to engage the at least a pair of electrically conductive elements, a pair of arcuately shaped electrically conductive elements coupled to the at least a pair of electrically conductive contacts, and at least one magnet arranged to generate a single, linear magnetic field to magnetically cooperate with the ferromagnetic element; and

a connector releasably couplable to the connector adaptor having at least a second pair of electrically conductive elements whereby the connector is rotatable over 360 degrees relative to the connector adaptor with the at least a second pair of electrically conductive elements being electrically engageable with the pair of arcuately shaped electrically conductive elements.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the connector comprises a magnet for magnetically coupling the connector to the connector adaptor.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the connector adaptor further comprises a pair of forks insertable into an AC power outlet and wherein the forks are coupled to a circuit for converting AC power to low voltage DC power.

10. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the connector comprises a rotatable base and wherein the at least a second pair of electrically conductive contacts are disposed on the rotatable base.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein a portion of the connector coupled to the rotatable base comprises a port for providing a signal to a further device couplable to the port, wherein the signal is obtained from at least one of the at least a pair of electrically conductive elements via at least one of the at least a second pair of electrically conductive elements.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein one of the base or the portion of the housing further comprises a pair of forks insertable into an AC power outlet and wherein the forks are coupled to a circuit for converting AC power to low voltage DC power.

13. A device for connecting to an electrical buss comprising a carrier, at least a pair of electrically conductive elements linearly arranged along the carrier, and a linearly arranged ferromagnetic element carried by the carrier, the device comprising:

a housing adapted to be releasably couplable to the electrical buss, the housing having at least a pair of electrically conductive contacts arranged such that at least two of the electrically conductive contacts will engage the at least a pair of electrically conductive elements when the device is properly aligned relative to the electrical buss, a keying feature cooperable with the electrical buss to maintain the pair of electrically conductive elements in spaced relation with the at least a pair of electrically conductive elements when the device is not properly aligned relative to the electrical buss, and at least one magnet arranged to generate a single, linear magnetic field to magnetically cooperate with the ferromagnetic element.

14. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein the at least one magnet is adapted to engage with and electrically couple to the ferromagnetic element.

15. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein the keying feature comprises a pair of surfaces arranged to engage a surface of the electrical buss when the device is not properly aligned relative to the electrical buss and to avoid the surface of the electrical buss when the device is properly aligned relative to the electrical buss.

16. A system for connecting to an AC outlet, the system comprising:

a connector adaptor having a pair of forks adapted to be releasably couplable to the AC outlet, a pair of arcuately shaped electrically conductive elements coupled to the at least a pair of electrically conductive contacts, and circuitry for providing low voltage DC power to the pair of actuately shaped electrically conductive elements using AC power drawn from the AC outlet; and

a connector releasably couplable to the connector adaptor having at least a pair of electrically conductive elements whereby the connector is rotatable over 360 degrees relative to the connector adaptor with the at least a second pair of electrically conductive elements being electrically engageable with the pair of arcuately shaped electrically conductive elements.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the connector and the connector adaptor each comprise a magnet for magnetically coupling the connector to the connector adaptor.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the connector comprises a rotatable base and wherein the at least a second pair of electrically conductive contacts are disposed on the rotatable base.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the connector comprises a port for providing low voltage DC power to a device couplable to the connector via use of the port.

20. A system for connecting to a power port, the system comprising:

a connector adaptor adapted to be releasably couplable to the power port, the connector adaptor having electrically conductive contacts arranged to engage electrically conductive elements associated with the power port, a pair of arcuately shaped electrically conductive elements coupled to the at least a pair of electrically conductive contacts, and at least one magnet; and

a connector having at least one magnet cooperable with the at least one magnet of the connector adaptor to releasably couple the connector to the connector adaptor and having at least a pair of electrically conductive elements whereby the connector is rotatable over 360 degrees relative to the connector adaptor with the at least a second pair of electrically conductive elements being electrically engageable with the pair of arcuately shaped electrically conductive elements.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the connector comprises a port for providing low voltage DC power to a device couplable to the connector via use of the port.

22. A device for connecting to one of an electrical buss comprising a carrier, at least a pair of electrically conductive elements linearly arranged along the carrier, and a linearly arranged ferromagnetic element carried by the carrier, and a power port, the device comprising:

a housing having a first portion arranged for releasably coupling to the power port, wherein the first portion has a first set of electrically conductive contacts arranged to engage electrically conductive elements associated with the power port, a second portion arranged to be releasably couplable to the electrical buss, the second portion having a second set of contacts for engaging the at least a pair of electrically conductive elements, and at least one magnet associated with the second portion to generate a single, linear magnetic field to magnetically cooperate with the ferromagnetic element.

23. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein the housing comprises a port for providing low voltage DC power to a device couplable to the connector via use of the port.

24. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein the second portion comprises a rotatable base and wherein the second set of electrically conductive contacts are disposed on the rotatable base.