ELECTRICAL HUB FOR FURNITURE ASSEMBLIES

• US 20170149181A1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lovesac Company
• Original Assignee: Sac Acquisition LLC (SAC Acquisition)
• Inventors: Kuchler, Brian, Cowan, David M., Nelson, Shawn, Underwood, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,236,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/003 Lighting, radio, telephone or the like connected to the bedstead
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle

Abstract

An electrical furniture assembly has: (i) a furniture assembly comprising: (A) a base, (B) a transverse member, and (C) a coupler for coupling the base to the transverse member; and (ii) an electrical hub configured to selectively reside within the furniture assembly. The electrical hub features: (A) an electrical outlet assembly; (B) a securement panel; and (C) a spring-biased installation clip. The electrical hub is selectively secured at least partially within a transverse member of a furniture assembly and may be plugged into an external power source to supply power to various electronic devices conveniently used by a user sitting on the furniture assembly.

Claims

1. An electrical hub configured to selectively reside within a furniture assembly, the electrical hub comprising:

an electrical outlet assembly, the electrical outlet assembly having a housing;

a securement panel defining a plane, wherein the securement panel is linked to and spaced away from at least one electrical outlet of the electrical outlet assembly, such that the at least one outlet of the electrical outlet assembly is offset from the plane of the securement panel,

the housing of the hub providing a convenient, protective area within which to plug the cords of one or more electrical devices, and

the hub being configured to be selectively mounted within a furniture assembly in order to provide a source of electrical power for the one or more electrical devices.

2. A hub as recited in claim 1, further comprising an installation clip mounted to the electrical outlet assembly, a free end of the installation clip being moveable with respect to the electrical outlet assembly, the installation clip having a compressed position and an extended position,

the installation clip configured to be selectively moved by a user from the extended position to the compressed position in order to mount the electrical hub within the furniture assembly,

the installation clip being further configured to be selectively moved by a user from the extended position to the compressed position in order to remove the electrical hub from the furniture assembly.

3. An electrical hub as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical outlet assembly comprises a covering housing portion and a linkage housing portion, the linkage housing portion linking the covering housing portion to the generally planar panel.

4. An electrical hub as recited in claim 3, wherein a securement clip is mounted on the covering housing portion.

5. An electrical hub as recited in claim 3, wherein the linkage housing portion has an opening therein, at least a portion of the clip being movable within the finger opening.

6. An electrical hub as recited in claim 3, wherein the linkage housing portion comprises a three part U-shaped member having a left side, a right side, and a top side, the opening being in the top side.

9. An electrical hub as recited in claim 1 wherein the panel has one or more tabs extending from a lower portion thereof.

13. An electrical hub as recited in claim 1 wherein the electrical outlet assembly comprises an electrical cord and at least one protective cord elbow mounted on the electrical cord.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. An electronic furniture assembly of the present invention comprising:

a furniture assembly comprising;

(A) a base; and

(B) a transverse member; and

(ii) an electrical hub configured to be selectively positioned within the furniture assembly.

16. An electronic furniture assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the electrical hub is configured to selectively reside within a furniture assembly, the electrical hub comprising:

an electrical outlet assembly, the electrical outlet assembly having a housing;

a securement panel having a front face and a rear face, wherein the rear face of the securement panel is linked to the electrical outlet assembly, such that at least one outlet of the electrical outlet assembly is spaced away from the securement panel;

an installation clip mounted to the electrical outlet assembly, the installation clip having a compressed position and an extended position,

a free end of the installation clip configured to be selectively moved by a user from the extended position to the compressed position in order to mount the electrical hub within the furniture assembly, and

the installation clip being further configured to be selectively moved by a user from the extended position to the compressed position in order to remove the electrical hub from the furniture assembly.

19. An electronic furniture assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising a coupler for selectively coupling the base to the transverse member, wherein the hub is selectively mounted adjacent the coupler within the furniture assembly.

20. An electronic furniture assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein at least a portion of the hub and at least a portion of the coupler are selectively mounted within a cavity of the transverse member.

21. An electronic furniture assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein an electrical outlet assembly of the hub is mounted adjacent the coupler within the cavity of the transverse member and wherein an electrical cord of the hub extends out of a bottom portion of the transverse member.

22. An electronic furniture assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the furniture assembly has a configuration such that the length X of the base and the length X′

of the transverse member are equal to each other and wherein the length X of the base is equal to the width of the base and the width of the transverse member, such that X=Y+Z and X=X′

.

23. An electronic furniture assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising an induction charger mounted within the furniture assembly, the induction charger configured to be electrically coupled to the electrical hub.

15. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

24. An electrical hub configured to selectively reside within a furniture assembly, the electrical hub comprising:

an electrical outlet assembly, the electrical outlet assembly having a housing;

a securement panel having a front face and a rear face, wherein the rear face of the securement panel is linked to the electrical outlet assembly, such that at least one outlet of the electrical outlet assembly is spaced away from the securement panel;

an installation clip mounted to the electrical outlet assembly, the installation clip having a compressed position and an extended position,

a free end of the installation clip configured to be selectively moved by a user from the extended position to the compressed position in order to mount the electrical hub within the furniture assembly, and

the installation clip being further configured to be selectively moved by a user from the extended position to the compressed position in order to remove the electrical hub from the furniture assembly.

25. The electronic hub of claim 24, wherein the electrical hub further comprises one or more tabs extending from the panel;

26. The electrical hub of claim 24, wherein the clip is spring loaded and biased to extend out beyond an outer surface of the electrical outlet assembly, wherein the clip prevents removal of the hub from the transverse member once the hub has been secured at least partially within the transverse member.

28. The electrical hub of claim 24, wherein the panel of the electrical hub is configured to be placed adjacent and generally flush with an outside surface of a transverse member of the furniture assembly when the electrical hub has been secured at least partially within a cavity of the transverse member.

27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. The electronic hub of claim 29, wherein the one or more cord outlets disposed along the length of the electrical cord are selected from the group consisting of interior outlets, floor resting outlets, and tether outlets.

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)