Rotatable power center system

• US 6,028,267 A
• Filed: 04/13/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Original Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Inventors: Byrne, Norman R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US09/059,272
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 174/53, 174/55, 174/58, 174/59, 174/48, 174/49, 174/57, 220/3.7, 220/4.02, 439/131, 439/535, D 8/353, 312/22, 312/30, 292/DIG. 31, D13/138.1, D13/138.2, 361/610, 361/625, 361/725
• US Class Current: 174/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/518 for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/185 Floor outlets and access cups

Abstract

Embodiments of power center systems are provided which include manually operable and rotatable carriages. The rotatable carriages include component sections where electrical and communication components may be incorporated. The components include electrical receptacles and communications/data ports. The receptacles and data ports may be connected to incoming power and communication cables. When a carriage is rotated to an open position, power cords and communication lines may be connected to appropriate ones of the receptacles and data ports. Slack sections of the cords and lines may be placed within an open area below a work surface within which the power center system is placed. A cover portion of a carriage includes slots allowing the cords and lines to remain energized with the receptacles and data ports, when the cover is in a closed position. The carriages include covers having front and rear portions, rotatable relative to each other through hinges. The power center system includes pairs of cylindrical stubs extending outward at opposing sides of the carriages. The stubs rotatably rest on corresponding ones of receiving flanges located in the sides of stationary housings. With these configurations, an axis of rotation is provided for a carriage which is below a plane extending substantially through an upper portion of the stationary housing at the location of the cover.

Claims

1. A power center for supplying electrical power services and communication services, said power center comprising:

a stationary housing forming an inner spatial area located below a plane extending substantially through an upper portion of said housing;

carriage means coupled to said stationary housing so as to be movable with respect to said housing between a closed position and an open position;

energy source means for supplying electrical power and communication service from interconnectable common power source lines and communications lines;

energizing means mounted to said carriage means and connected to said energy source means for supplying power and communication service from said energy source means to selectively interconnectable electrical and communication devices;

coupling means connected to said stationary housing and to said carriage means, and forming an axis of rotation about which said carriage means rotates relative to said stationary housing; and

said coupling means is positioned on said carriage means and said housing so that said axis of rotation is below said plane extending substantially through an upper portion of said housing.

2. A power center in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said power center further comprises cover means pivotably coupled to said carriage means, for providing a cover for said power center when said carriage means is in said closed, position.

3. A power center in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that said power center further comprises pivot means coupled to said cover means and to said carriage means for providing capability of pivotable movement of said cover means relative to said carriage means, said pivot means comprising an axis of pivotable movement which moves rearwardly relative to said stationary housing when said carriage means moves from said closed position to said open position.

4. A power center in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that said power center is adapted to be mounted in a desk or other furniture component having a work surface, at a selectable working height, and said stationary housing is adapted to be mounted within a slot formed in said work surface.

5. A power center in accordance with claim 4 characterized in that said plane extends substantially through or adjacent said work surface.

6. A power center in accordance with claim 4 characterized in that when said carriage means is in said open position, said energizing means are angled upwardly in a manner so as to be accessible to a user for purposes of interconnecting electrical cords and communication lines of said selectively interconnectable electrical and communication devices to said energizing means.

7. A power center in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that when said carriage means is in said closed position, said cover means is appropriately structured and said carriage means is appropriately positioned within said inner spatial area for purpose of excess of electrical cords communication lines interconnected to said energizing means may be stored within said inner spatial area.

8. A power center in accordance with claim 7 characterized in that said carriage means and said cover means may be manually lifted upwardly from said stationary housing and reversed in position relative to said stationary housing, so that said energizing means are directed to a position opposing an original position, without requiring any assembly/disassembly of components of said power center.

9. A power center in accordance with claim 7 characterized in that said cover means comprises:

a front cover portion;

a rear cover portion; and

pivot means connected to said front cover portion, said rear cover portion and said carriage means, for pivotably coupling said front cover portion to said rear cover portion.

10. A power center in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that said front cover portion is pivotable relative to said rear cover portion, and said front cover portion moves in unison with said carriage means.

11. A power center in accordance with claim 10 characterized in that said rear cover portion slides rearwardly relative to said stationary housing, when said carriage means is moved from said closed position to said open position.

12. A power center in accordance with claim 7 characterized in that said cover means comprises a front cover portion having slot means which allow a user to manually manipulate said front cover portion when said carriage means is in said closed, position.

13. A power center in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said carriage means moves between said closed position and said open position through rotation about said axis of rotation.

14. A power center in accordance with claim 13 characterized in that said axis of rotation remains stationary during movement of said carriage means from said closed position to said open position.

15. A power center in accordance with claim 13 characterized in that said power center further comprises cover means for covering said carriage means when said carriage means is in said closed position, said cover means comprising:

a rear cover portion pivotably coupled at its rear section to said stationary housing; and

a front cover portion separate from said rear cover portion and fixedly connected to said carriage means, so that said front cover portion moves in unison with movement of said carriage means.

16. A power center in accordance with claim 15 characterized in that as said carriage means moves between said closed position and said open position about said axis of rotation, said rear cover portion pivots about its pivot axis relative to said stationary housing, so as to ride up on said front cover portion as said front cover portion and said carriage means rotate about said axis of rotation.

17. A power center in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said coupling means comprises:

a pair of arcuate flanges mounted on opposing ends of said stationary housing; and

a pair of stubs extending outwardly from opposing lateral sides of said carriage means, each of said stubs adapted to freely rotate within an arcuate formed area of each of said flanges.

18. A power center in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said stationary housing comprises vertically disposed front, rear and side portions, an upper horizontal flange and a pair of beveled ledges formed between said horizontal flange and said front and said rear vertically disposed portions of said stationary housing.

19. A power center in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said power center further comprises cover means for covering said carriage means when said carriage means is in said closed position, said cover means comprising:

a front cover portion fixedly connected to said carriage means, so that said front cover portion moves in unison with movement of said carriage means; and

a rear cover portion rotatably coupled to said front cover portion, and comprising a flexible configuration so that said rear cover portion can exhibit flexible movement when said carriage means is moved toward said open position.

20. A power center in accordance with claim 19 characterized in that:

said stationary housing comprises a bracket and a rear side portion, forming a vertical slot therebetween; and

said rear coverportion flexibly enters said vertical slot during movement of said carriage means from said closed position to said open position.