Electrical distribution system

• US 4,547,030 A
• Filed: 11/05/1982
• Issued: 10/15/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tanner Chaplin Tracks Limited
• Original Assignee: Tanner Chaplin Tracks Limited
• Inventors: Tanner, Peter R., Chaplin, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidenfeld, Gil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kline, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US06/441,527
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 339/20, 339/21 R, 339/22 R, 339/22 B, 339/23, 174/97, 174/101
• US Class Current: 439/116
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/164 Connecting locations formed by flush mounted apparatus

Abstract

A conduit having socket positions spaced along its length comprises a rear member 50 secured to a wall, a cover member 10 attached to the rear member and an elongate insulating member 30 which prevents conductors 70,71,72 from being exposed when the cover member is detached from the rear member. The insulating member 30 may be attached to both members 10 and 50 with the attachment to the cover member 10 being stronger than the attachment to the rear member 50. The pins of an electrical plug pass through openings in the cover member to electrically contact the conductors 70,71,72.

Claims

1. An electrical distribution system including a conduit comprising an elongate rear member and an elongate cover member, said cover member being of generally channel-shaped cross-section comprising a web portion and two arm portions and said cover member being attachable to said rear member by attachment means provided at the ends of said arm portions remote from said web portion, said conduit containing a plurality of electrical conductors and having therealong a plurality of socket positions adapted to receive an electrical plug member having contact pins, each said electrical conductor having along its length a series of contact elements, each said contact element being arranged to contact said pins of the electrical plug member, and said conduit further containing an elongate insulating member for preventing said electrical conductors from being exposed when said cover member is detached from said rear member, and said insulating member having means for attaching it to said cover member, wherein said insulating member also has means for attaching it to said rear member.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said web portion and said arm portions are of relatively rigid material and are connected together by pieces of relatively flexible material serving as hinge means.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said arm portions are hinged to said web portion, said insulating member is attachable to said web portion, and said attachment means at the ends of said arm portions are releasable from said rear member without detaching said cover member from said insulating member or said insulating member from said rear member.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein, said means for attaching said insulating member to said cover member are stronger than said means for attaching said insulating member to said rear member such that, when said cover member is detached from said rear member, said insulating member is readily detached from said rear member and remains securely attached to said cover member.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said elongate insulating member defines a duct with said cover member, said electrical conductors being mounted on said insulating member inside said duct, the arrangement being such that said pins of the electrical plug member pass through said cover member at one of said socket positions to engage said contact elements of the electrical conductors within said duct.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said conductors are parallel flat conductors and said contact elements are formed by said conductors being formed as sinuous loops, said pins of the electrical plug member being arranged to enter said loops in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said flat conductors.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein further sinuous loops are formed in said conductors and each said socket position is provided with a projecting peg, each said further loop serving as location means for a respective one of said projecting pegs, whereby said contact element is accurately located to receive a said pin of the electrical plug member.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said further loop and said peg have mutually camming surfaces.

9. A system according to claim 1 wherein, when said cover member is attached to said rear member, said arm portions of said cover member are spaced from adjacent parts of said rear member whereby to provide enclosed spaces between said cover member and said adjacent parts of said rear member.