Modular furniture power distribution system and electrical connector therefor

• US 5,104,332 A
• Filed: 01/22/1991
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1991
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Group Dekko Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Original Assignee: Group Dekko International, Inc.
• Inventors: McCoy, Phillip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US07/643,323
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 439/207, 439/209-216, 439/502, 439/505, 439/650-655, 439/290, 439/291, 439/295, 439/907, 439/284, 439/292-294, 439/218, 439/224, 439/221-223, 439/217
• US Class Current: 439/290
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/05 Resilient pins or blades carrying separate resilient parts H01R13/15
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/115 U-shaped sockets having inwardly bent legs, e.g. spade type
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/28 Contacts for sliding cooperation with identically-shaped contact, e.g. for hermaphroditic coupling devices H01R24/84 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/907 Contact having three contact surfaces, including diverse surface

Abstract

A prewired electrical distribution member of the type utilized along movable partitions or similar modular furniture near the bottom edges thereof for distributing electrical energy and having like connectors at opposite ends thereof for connection to like member of an adjacent member is disclosed. Each member includes an elongated rigid central portion having a connector for receiving at least one electrical outlet centrally located therealong and flexible end portions permanently attached thereto. The flexible end portions enclose a plurality of conductors arranged in generally single file vertical alignment and have the connectors permanently fixed to their respective free ends. The connectors have both end and side terminal openings and are uniquely adapted to engage one another in any of an end to end, side to side, or end to side manner for effecting connections at corners. The connectors each have an electrically insulating housing partially open at one end and partially open along one side which is adapted to mate with the corresponding partially open portion of the housing of the other connector. A plurality of terminals are disposed within the housing with each terminal having a pair of contact blades with a gap therebetween and an adjacent single contact blade facing the partially open end as well as a pair of contact blades with a gap therebetween and an adjacent single contact blade facing the partially open side for engaging corresponding contact blades of a like terminal of the other connector when the connectors are interengaged.

Claims

1. A conductive electrical terminal formed from a single piece of resilient conductive material comprising:

a base portion;

a U-shaped crimp cup near one end of the base portion for receiving and permanently crimping to a conductor;

a first cantilevered blade extending from another end of the base portion;

a web portion upstanding from the base portion intermediate the U-shaped cup and the first cantilevered blade;

a second cantilevered blade extending from the web portion generally parallel to and overlying the first cantilevered blade;

each cantilevered blade being bent toward and then away from the other cantilevered blade to provide between the blades an opening for slidingly receiving and gripping a blade of another terminal; and

a third cantilevered blade located generally intermediate to and spaced laterally from the first and second cantilevered blades and extending from the base portion in a direction generally parallel to the first and second cantilevered blades, the third blade having major surfaces which are parallel to a plane extending between the first and second blades.

2. The conductive electrical terminal of claim 1 wherein the cantilevered blades terminate at respective free ends, the minimum separation between the first and second cantilevered blades occurring close to the respective blade free ends, the minimum separation being less than the thickness of the third cantilevered blade.

3. The conductive electrical terminal of claim 1 further comprising:

a fourth cantilevered blade extending from the base portion intermediate the U-shaped cup and the first cantilevered blade;

a second web portion upstanding from the base portion intermediate the web portion and the fourth cantilevered blade;

a fifth cantilevered blade extending from the second web portion generally parallel to and overlying the fourth cantilevered blade;

the fourth and fifth cantilevered blades being bent toward and then away from one another to provide between the blades an opening for slidingly receiving and gripping a blade of another terminal; and

a sixth cantilevered blade located generally intermediate to and spaced laterally from the fourth and fifth cantilevered blades and extending from the base portion in a direction generally parallel to the fourth and fifth cantilevered blades.

4. In a wiring system for modular room dividers and the like, a one-piece connector comprising:

a conductive central portion;

conductive wire receiving means conductively connected to the central portion to engage an end of a wire conductor;

conductive first connection means extending from the central portion in a first direction and comprising first male and female portions extending parallel to each other in the first direction and spaced a predetermined distance apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, with the male portion on a predetermined side of the female portion; and

conductive second connection means extending from the central portion in the second direction and comprising second male and female portions extending parallel to each other in the second direction and spaced said predetermined distance apart in said first direction, and with the second male portion on said predetermined side of the female portion, whereby the male and female portions of either one of the first and second connection means on one of said connectors can interfit and make good electrical contact with the female and male portions respectively of either one of the first and second connection means of a second one of said connectors.

5. The connector of claim 4 in which each male portion comprises a conductive bar having a predetermined thickness in a direction generally perpendicular to both the first and second directions;

and each female portion comprises first and second conductive strap members defining a tapered entrance more narrow than the thickness of the bar to receive a male portion of another of said connectors and make firm electrical connection therewith, and joining means joining the strap members together to hold them in predetermined spaced relationship.

6. The connector of claim 5 in which the entrance between each pair of conductive strap members has a central plane which passes through the center of the bar of the male portion alongside the pair of strap members.

7. A pair of interengagable connectors for coupling respective ones of a first set of conductors to corresponding ones of a second set of conductors, each connector comprising:

an electrically insulating housing partially open at one end and partially open along one side, the end and side being generally perpendicular to one another and adapted to mate with the corresponding partially open end or side of the housing of the other connector;

a plurality of one-piece terminals within the housing each having a first set of contact blades comprising a pair of contact blades with a gap therebetween and an adjacent single contact blade facing the partially open end and each having a second set of contact blades comprising a pair of contact blades with a gap therebetween and an adjacent single contact blade facing the partially open side, either of said first and second sets of contact blades adapted to engage corresponding contact blades of a like terminal of the other connector when the connectors are interengaged; and

a set of conductors extending into the housing with each conductor connected to a corresponding terminal within the housing.