Extendable electrical junction assembly

• US 5,041,002 A
• Filed: 04/17/1990
• Issued: 08/20/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Original Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Inventors: Byrne, Norman R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DESMOND, EUGENE
• Application Number:
  US07/510,096
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 439/32, 439/33, 439/164, 439/210, 439/215
• US Class Current: 439/215
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/02 Flexible line connectors without frictional contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/288 in modular walls, e.g. wall panels

Abstract

In an office environment using movable wall panels, electrical junction assemblies including conduits of adjustable length are disposed in raceways near the lower edge of the panels. One embodiment of an adjustable length electrical junction assembly comprises a telescoping conduit to accommodate wall panels of different dimensions and to facilitate the placement of electrical outlets at appropriate locations. One type of telescoping conduit comprises two overlapping conduit sections of generally rectangular cross section and forming an inner spatial area for retaining excess wiring in a safe position. Another type of telescoping conduit comprises a conduit section of generally rectangular cross section and a generally flat multi-wire cable extending into the rectangular cross section conduit section to allow for lengthwise adjustability of the assembly. In another embodiment, an extendable flexible conduit is connected to a rigid connector assembly provided with an inner spatial area to accommodate excess wiring to allow wiring to move into and out of the connector assembly by extension and retraction of the extendable flexible conduit. The connector assembly is arranged to provide an electrical power outlet at an appropriate location.

Claims

1. An adjustable electrical junction assembly for use in distributing electrical power in interior wall panels, comprising:

first and second elongated conduit members, each having one end slidably engaged in a telescoping manner with an end of the other member and adjustable in an axial direction to provide a telescoping conduit of variable length from a fully collapsed to a fully extended position, said conduit members having correspondingly-shaped rectangular cross sections wherein the walls of said telescoping conduit members form an inner spatial area dimensioned to accommodate excess length electrical wire conductors therein in an overlapping manner;

said first conduit member having an electrical connector block attached thereto at one end of said first conduit member opposite said one end engaging said second conduit member, said connector block comprising electrical terminals for connection to electrical wire conductors disposed internal to said telescoping conduit members and electrical wire conductors disposed external to said telescoping conduit members; and

an electrical cable rigidly attached to said second conduit member at said one end of said second conduit member opposite said one end engaging said first conduits member and at least one electrical wire conductor disposed within said cable, said wire conductor extending inwardly into said inner spatial area and extending outwardly from said spatial area to said connector block attached to said first conduit member for connection to at least one terminal of said connector block;

said electrical conductor wire comprising a section of wire retained within said inner spatial area, said section of wire comprising wire of sufficient length to allow movement of said telescoping conduit between a fully extended and a fully collapsed position.

2. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and second conduit members comprise aluminum extrusions.

4. The electrical junction assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein said second conduit member comprises:

an electrical connector block attached at said one end opposite said one end of said second conduit member engaging said first conduit member comprising another electrical receptacle formed as an integral part of said connector block of said second conduit member and having an opening extending in the direction of said first conduit member for receiving a pluggable electrical unit; and

a pluggable, elongated electrical outlet box having on one side thereof electrical terminals for pluggable engaging said receptacle of said connector of said second conduit member and having a back surface facing toward said second conduit member when said other electrical outlet box is engaged with said other receptacle and a front face facing away from said second conduit member when said other electrical box is in engagement with said other receptacle, and at least one electrical outlet on said front surface of said other electrical box for connection to electrical power consumption apparatus.

3. An electrical junction assembly for use in distributing electrical power in interior wall panels, comprising:

first and second elongated conduit members, each having one end slidably engaged in a telescoping manner with an end of the other member and adjustable in an axial direction to provide a conduit of variable length from a fully collapsed to a fully extended position, said conduit members having correspondingly-shaped rectangular cross sections wherein the walls of said telescoping conduit members form an inner spatial area for housing electrical wire conductors therein;

said first conduit member having an electrical connector block attached thereto oat one end of said first conduit member opposite said one end engaging said second conduit member, said connector block comprising electrical terminals for connection to electrical wire conductors disposed internal to said telescoping conduit members and an electrical receptacle formed as an integral part of said connector block and disposed along one side of said first conduit member, said receptacle having an opening extending in the direction of said second conduit member for receiving a pluggable electrical unit;

an electrical cable attached to said second conduit member at said one end of said second conduit member opposite said one end engaging said first conduit member and at least one electrical wire conductor disposed within said cable, said wire conductor extending inwardly into said inner spatial area and extending outwardly from said spatial area to said connector block attached to said first conduit member for connection to at least one terminal of said connector block;

said electrical conductor wire comprising a section of wire retained within said inner spatial area, said section of wire comprising wire of sufficient length to allow movement of said telescoping conduit between a fully extended and a fully collapsed position; and

pluggable electric outlet box means having on one side thereof electrical terminals for pluggable engaging said receptacle and having a back surface facing toward said first conduit member when said outlet box is engaged in said receptacle and a front surface facing away from said first conduit member when said outlet box is engaged in said receptacle, and at least one electrical power outlet in said front surface for connection to electrical power consumption apparatus.

5. An adjustable electrical junction assembly for use in distributing electrical power comprising, in combination:

an elongated housing of generally rectangular cross section having an inner spatial area, an opening at one end of said housing communicating with said inner spatial area, and at least one electrical connection terminal at another end of said housing; and

an electrical cable telescopically engaging said elongated housing, a portion of said cable slidably engaging said opening and extending inwardly into said spatial area, said cable having one end disposed in said inner spatial area and having another end generally extending in a direction away from said housing;

said cable comprising at least one electrical conductive wire extending beyond said one end of said cable inwardly into said spatial area and outwardly from said spatial area to said at least one terminal to provide a conductive and continuous wire electrical path between said cable and said least one terminal;

said at least one wire comprising a section of excess length wire retained within said spatial area and having a length sufficient too allow said one end of said cable to be slidably withdrawn from said spatial area to a position in which only a predetermined length of said cable is extending into said spatial area.

6. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 5, wherein said section of excess length wire is maintained within said spatial area in a coiled or looped configuration.

7. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 5, wherein said section of excess length wire is maintained within said spatial area in an overlapped, generally S-shaped configuration.

8. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 5, wherein said cable has a generally flat cross section and said opening is formed to conform to said cross section of said cable.

9. The assembly in accordance with claim 8, wherein said one end of said cable comprises stop member for preventing said cable from exiting said spatial area.

10. An adjustable electrical junction assembly for use in distributing electrical power comprising, in combination:

a generally rectangularly-shaped, elongated housing having an inner spatial area, an opening at one end of said housing communicating with said spatial area and electrical connection terminal means at another end of said housing;

a flexible conduit having one end connected to said one end of said housing and extending outwardly from said housing, said flexible conduit being adjustable in axial length of a predetermined distance for a specified measure of conduit length; and

conductive wire means disposed in said conduit and fixedly attached at another end of said conduit opposite said end attached to said housing, said conductive wire means extending inwardly into said opening and said spatial area and outwardly from said spatial area to said electrical connection terminal means;

said conductive wiring means comprising a section of excess length wires retained within said spatial area and having a length sufficient to provide slack for full extension of said conductive wire section relative to said opening in the form of linear movement of the wire means in correspondence to extension and retraction of the adjustable axial length of said flexible conduit;

said electrical connection terminal means comprising a generally elongated rectangular housing of a predetermined width and length, said housing having a reduced cross-sectional area midsection along its axial direction to form a recess on at least one side of said housing, and a receptacle at one end of said recess including receptacle terminals, said receptacle for receiving a portion of an electrical outlet box having outlet box terminals for engagement with said receptacle terminals, said recess dimensioned to contain said outlet box within said recess for engagement with said receptacle.

11. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein said flexible conduit comprises a conduit of a substantially oval-shaped cross section.

12. An adjustable electrical junction assembly for use in distributing electrical power comprising, in combination:

an elongated generally rectangular cross section electrical connection terminal assembly; and

a flexible conduit having one end connected to one end of said terminal assembly and extending outwardly therefrom, said flexible conduit being adjustable in axial direction between a retracted position and a fully extended position and constructed so as to provide a length adjustment of a predetermined distance for a specified measure of conduit length;

said terminal assembly further comprising an inner spatial area in another end of said terminal assembly opposite said one end of said terminal assembly,

said terminal assembly comprising a reduced cross-sectional area midsection along its axial direction between said one end of said terminal block and said spatial area to form a recess for receiving an electrical outlet box, said recess comprising an electrical receptacle at one end thereof having electrical terminals for engagement with electrical terminals of an outlet box, said recess dimensioned to contain an outlet box within said recess;

conductive wire means disposed in said cable and fixedly attached at another end of said cable, said wire means extending from said cable inwardly into said inner spatial area, said conductive wire means comprising a section of excess length wires retained within said spatial area and having a length sufficient to provide slack for full extension of the conductive wire means in the form of linear movement of the wire means in correspondence to extension and retraction of the adjustable axial length of the flexible conduit;

said terminal assembly comprising a passageway adjacent said reduced cross-sectional area midsection and extending in the axial direction thereof and having openings communicating with said one end of said terminal assembly and with said inner spatial area to provide a passageway for said wire means around said reduced cross-sectional area midsection.

13. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein said section of excess length wires is maintained in said spatial area in a coiled or looped configuration.

14. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 12, wherein said midsection comprises two opposing recesses for accommodating outlet boxes on opposing sides of said terminal assembly.

15. The junction assembly in accordance with claim 13, wherein said terminal assembly has a generally rectangular cross section having a greater dimension in one direction and said passageway is formed by expansion of said terminal assembly in said one direction in the vicinity of said midsection.