Receptacle assembly

• US 5,503,565 A
• Filed: 07/14/1993
• Issued: 04/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Group Dekko Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Original Assignee: Dekko Acquisition Parent Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Inventors: McCoy, Phillip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US08/091,320
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 439/170, 439/171, 439/173, 439/188, 439/189, 439/207, 439/211, 439/215
• US Class Current: 439/171
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/02 Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92

Abstract

A receptacle assembly for multi-wire, multi-circuit power distribution systems for modular wall panels has a body, at least one outlet formed in the body, at least one input plug formed in the body, the input plug have a plurality of openings therein, and three conductors, one line conductor, one neutral conductor, and one ground conductor. The conductors extend from the outlet to the input plug. At least one of the three conductors terminates in a plurality of terminals positioned adjacent a respective plurality of input plug openings. A circuit selector clip engages one of these terminals so that the conductor is connected to one of a plurality of input circuits of the power distribution system. A first end of the clip has a female terminal that matingly engages one of a plurality of male terminals formed on a conductor that allows selective connection. Dimples may be formed on the first end to assure secure engagement with the male terminals. A second end of the clip has at least one pair of laterally opposed, biased fingers that are sprung toward one another to form a gap that slidingly and conductively receives therein a male terminal of an input circuit. Ends of the fingers may outwardly curve opposite one another and opposite the direction of bias of the fingers.

Claims

1. A receptacle assembly, comprising:

a body;

at least one outlet formed in the body for receiving an electrical plug, said outlet including a line terminal, a neutral terminal, and a ground terminal;

at least one input plug formed in the body, said input plug having a plurality of openings;

conductor means extending from each of said outlet terminals to said input plug, at least one of said conductor means terminating in a plurality of terminals positioned adjacent a respective plurality of openings of the input plug; and

circuit selector means, connected to one of said plurality of terminals adjacent the openings of the input plug, for selectively extending said conductor means into a selected one of said plurality of openings.

2. The receptacle assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of terminals of said conductor means comprise male terminals.

3. The receptacle assembly of claim 2, wherein said circuit selector means comprises a clip having a female terminal on a first end thereof adapted to matingly engage the male terminals of the conductor means.

4. The receptacle assembly of claim 3, wherein said first end has anchoring means for securely engaging the male terminals of the conductor means.

5. The receptacle assembly of claim 4, wherein said anchoring means comprises dimples formed in said first end.

6. The receptacle assembly of claim 3, wherein said first end is substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

7. The receptacle assembly of claim 3, wherein said clip has a female terminal on a second end thereof adapted to matingly receive a male terminal of an input circuit.

8. The receptacle assembly of claim 7, wherein said body has retaining means against which a portion of the first end of the clip abuts to prevent said clip from being removed from a male terminal on which the clip is matingly engaged when the second end of said clip matingly receives the male terminal of the input circuit.

9. The receptacle assembly of claim 8, wherein said retaining means is a rib.

10. The receptacle assembly of claim 9, wherein said rib is formed on said body.

11. The receptacle assembly of claim .7, wherein said female terminals of the clip are substantially orthogonally oriented relative to one another.

12. The receptacle assembly of claim 7, wherein said second end of said clip comprises at least one pair of laterally opposed, biased fingers that are sprung toward one another to form a gap that slidingly and conductively receives therein said male terminal of said input circuit.

13. The receptacle assembly of claim 12, wherein ends of said fingers outwardly curve opposite one another and opposite the direction of bias of said fingers.

14. The receptacle assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said conductor means terminates in a plurality of terminals positioned adjacent respective ones of the plurality of openings of the input plug.

15. The receptacle assembly of claim 1, wherein said conductor means are made from one of brass and copper, and wherein said circuit selector means is made from high performance copper alloy.

16. The receptacle assembly of claim 1, wherein said receptacle assembly comprises two input plugs formed on opposite ends of said body, and wherein said conductor means extend from said outlet terminals to each of said input plugs, and wherein at least one of said conductor means terminates in a plurality of terminals adjacent a respective plurality of openings of at least one of said input plugs.

17. The receptacle assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said conductor means terminates in two terminals adjacent two of the openings of the input plug.

18. An assembly, comprising:

a receptacle including an outlet for receiving a first electrical plug and an input for receiving a second electrical plug;

a conductor disposed in the receptacle and coupled to the outlet, the conductor having first and second terminals; and

a circuit selector disposed in the receptacle and selectively attachable to one of the first terminal of the conductor to electrically couple the conductor to a first contact point of the second plug and the second terminal of the conductor to electrically couple the conductor to a second contact point of the second plug.

19. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the first and second terminals of the conductor each include a male terminal portion and wherein a first end of the circuit selector includes a female terminal adapted to matingly engage the first and second male terminal portions of the conductor.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the first end has anchoring means for securely engaging the first and second male terminal portions of the conductor.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein said anchoring means comprises dimples formed in the first end.

22. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the circuit selector includes a female terminal on a second end that includes at least one pair of laterally opposed, biased fingers that are sprung toward one another to form a gap that slidingly and conductively receives one of a first terminal of the second electrical plug located at the first contact point and a second terminal of the second electrical plug located at the second contact point.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein ends of said fingers outwardly curve opposite one another and opposite the direction of bias of said fingers.

24. The assembly of claim 18, wherein the conductor is made from one of brass and copper, and further wherein said circuit selector is made from a high performance copper alloy.

25. A receptacle assembly, comprising:

a body;

at least one outlet formed in the body for receiving an electrical plug;

at least one input plug formed in the body, said input plug having six line openings, two neutral openings, and two ground openings;

line conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input plug, said line conductor means terminating in a plurality of terminals positioned adjacent a respective plurality of line openings;

neutral conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input plug, said neutral conductor means terminating in two terminals positioned adjacent said two neutral openings;

ground conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input plug, said ground conductor means terminating in two terminals positioned adjacent said two ground openings; and

circuit selector means, connected to one of said plurality of terminals adjacent the line openings and connected to one of each of the two terminals adjacent both the neutral and ground openings, for selectively extending said line, neutral, and ground conductors into a selected one of said line, neutral, and ground openings.

26. The receptacle assembly of claim 25, wherein said line conductor means comprises three differently shaped line conductors, each of which terminates in two terminals positioned adjacent two of said six line openings.

27. The receptacle assembly of claim 26, wherein said receptacle assembly comprises two input plugs formed on opposite ends of said body, and wherein said line, neutral, and ground conductor means are connected to and extend from said outlet to each of said input plugs, and wherein each of said line, neutral, and ground conductor means terminates in two terminals adjacent respective line, neutral, and ground openings of at least one of said input plugs.

28. The receptacle assembly of claim 25, wherein said terminals of said line, neutral, and ground conductor means comprise male terminals.

29. The receptacle assembly of claim 28, wherein said circuit selector means .comprises clips having female terminals on first ends thereof adapted to matingly engage the male terminals of the line, neutral, and ground conductor means.

30. The receptacle assembly of claim 29, wherein said first ends have anchoring means for securely engaging the male terminals of the line, neutral, and ground terminal means.

31. The receptacle assembly of claim 30, wherein said anchoring means comprises dimples formed in said first ends.

32. The receptacle assembly of claim 29, wherein said first ends are substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

33. The receptacle assembly of claim 29, wherein said clips have female terminals on second ends thereof adapted to matingly receive male terminals of an input circuit.

34. The receptacle assembly of claim 33, wherein said female terminals on said first and second ends of each of said clips are substantially orthogonally oriented relative to one another.

35. The receptacle assembly of claim 33, wherein each of said second ends of said clips comprise at least one pair of laterally opposed, biased fingers that are sprung toward one another to form a gap that slidingly and conductively receives therein said male terminals of said input circuit.

36. The receptacle assembly of claim 35, wherein ends of said fingers outwardly curve opposite one another and opposite the direction of bias of said fingers.

37. The receptacle assembly of claim 25, wherein said line, neutral, and ground conductor means are made from one of brass and copper, and wherein said circuit selector means is made from high performance copper alloy.

38. A receptacle assembly, comprising:

a body;

at least one outlet formed in the body for receiving an electrical plug;

at least one input plug formed in the body, said input plug having four line openings, four neutral openings, and two ground openings;

line conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input plug, said line conductor means terminating in a plurality of terminals positioned adjacent a respective plurality of line openings;

neutral conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input plug, said neutral conductor means terminating in a plurality of terminals positioned adjacent a respective plurality of neutral openings;

ground conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input plug, said ground conductor means

terminating in two terminals positioned adjacent said two ground openings; and

circuit selector means, connected to one of said plurality of terminals adjacent the line openings, connected to one of said plurality of terminals adjacent the neutral openings, and connected to one of the two terminals adjacent the ground openings, for selectively extending said line, neutral, and ground conductors into a selected one of said line, neutral, and ground openings.

39. The receptacle assembly of claim 38, wherein said line and neutral conductor means each comprises two differently shaped line and neutral conductors, each of which terminates in two terminals positioned adjacent two of said four respective line and neutral openings.

40. The receptacle assembly of claim 39, wherein said receptacle assembly comprises two input plugs formed on opposite ends of said body, and wherein said line, neutral, and ground conductor means are connected to and extend from said outlet to each of said input plugs, and wherein each of said line, neutral, and ground conductor means terminates in two terminals adjacent respective line, neutral, and ground openings of at least one of said input plugs.

41. The receptacle assembly of claim 38, wherein said terminals of said line, neutral, and ground conductor means comprise male terminals.

42. The receptacle assembly of claim 41, wherein said circuit selector means comprises clips having female terminals on first ends thereof adapted to matingly engage the male terminals of the line, neutral, and ground conductor means.

43. The receptacle assembly of claim 42, wherein said first ends have anchoring means for securely engaging the male terminals of the line, neutral, and ground terminal means.

44. The receptacle assembly of claim 43, wherein said anchoring means comprises dimples formed in said first ends.

45. The receptacle assembly of claim 42, wherein said first ends are substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

46. The receptacle assembly of claim 42, wherein said clips have female terminals on second ends thereof adapted to matingly receive male terminals of an input circuit.

47. The receptacle assembly of claim 46, wherein said female terminals on said first and second ends of each of said clips are substantially orthogonally oriented relative to one another.

48. The receptacle assembly of claim 46, wherein each of said second ends of said clips comprise at least one pair of laterally opposed, biased fingers that are sprung toward one another to form a gap that slidingly and conductively receives therein said male terminals of said input circuit.

49. The receptacle assembly of claim 48, wherein ends of said fingers outwardly curve opposite one another and opposite the direction of bias of said fingers.

50. The receptacle assembly of claim 38, wherein said line, neutral, and ground conductor means are made from one of brass and copper, and wherein said circuit selector means is made from high performance copper alloy.

51. A receptacle assembly, comprising:

at least one outlet for receiving a first electrical plug;

input means for receiving a second electrical plug;

conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input means, said conductor means terminating in a terminal adjacent said input means; and

circuit selector means attached to said terminal for connecting said conductor means to said input means, said circuit selector means having a female terminal on a first end thereof adapted to matingly receive a male terminal of an input circuit;

wherein said terminal of said conductor means comprises a male terminal and wherein a second end of said circuit selector means has a female terminal thereon adapted to matingly engage the male terminal of the conductor means, said second end having anchoring means that includes dimples formed in said second end for securely engaging the male terminal of the conductor means.

52. A receptacle assembly, comprising:

at least one outlet for receiving a first electrical plug;

input means for receiving a second electrical plug;

conductor means connected to and extending from said outlet to said input means, said conductor means terminating in a terminal adjacent said input means; and

circuit selector means attached to said terminal for connecting said conductor means to said input means, said circuit selector means having a female terminal on a first end thereof adapted to matingly receive a male terminal of an input circuit, said female terminal on said first end including at least one pair of laterally opposed, biased fingers that are sprung toward one another to form a gap that slidingly and conductively receives therein said male terminal of said input circuit.

53. The receptacle assembly of claim 52, wherein ends of said fingers outwardly curve opposite one another and opposite the direction of bias of said fingers.