High reliability raised floor power strip

• US 6,086,397 A
• Filed: 04/27/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Jordan, Fred, Chapman, Roy, Herrick, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US09/067,200
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 439/502, 439/500, 439/189, 439/214, 439/650, 439/652, 439/653, 439/654, 439/535, 439/216
• US Class Current: 439/214
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables

Abstract

A power strip is disclosed with an access panel which is situated and designed such that upon its removal, a sensor may be readily attached and the current load monitored. The access panel is arranged such that the receptacles, the power strip itself, or any of the electrical devices connected to the power strip do not need to be powered down to access the internal circuitry. The "back-wiring" design of the present invention allows for the replacement of any receptacle without interrupting the flow of electrical current to the remaining receptacles. The "back-wiring" design ensures the electrical load is evenly distributed across all the receptacles while providing a secondary path by which the electrical current may reach the receptacles. Thus, the disruption of electrical current across one wire will not result in the disruption of electrical current to any receptacle. Additionally, protective cover plates are utilized to prevent the unauthorized insertion of electrical cords into a power strip.

Claims

1. A power strip comprising:

a. a support comprising a base and a cover detachably connected to said base,

b. a plurality of electrical receptacles connected to said cover, and each of said electrical receptacles being configured to receive a plug from an external device,

c. an electric circuit incorporating conductive portions of each of said plurality of receptacles, and

d. a power cord for supplying electricity from a source to said electric circuit, said power cord being in circuit communication with said electric circuit;

said receptacles remaining connected with said cover, said electric circuit remaining intact, and said power cord remaining in circuit communication with said electric circuit when said cover is detached from said base, each of said electrical receptacles being selectively detachable from said cover and from said electric circuit when said cover is detached from said base, and said electric circuit being configured to provide current flow to each of said plurality of receptacles and to maintain current flow to the remaining receptacles when a receptacle is detached from said cover and said electric circuit, whereby a receptacle can be selectively detached from said cover and said electric circuit without interrupting the flow of current to the remaining receptacles.

2. A power strip as defined in claim 1, wherein said electric circuit is configured to (i) distribute electric load to each of said plurality of receptacles along a plurality of paths to allow current to flow to each of said plurality of receptacles when all of said plurality of receptacles are connected to said electric circuit, and (ii) provide at least a single path by which current may flow to all remaining receptacles when a receptacle is detached from said cover and said electric circuit.

5. A power strip as defined in claim 1, wherein a cover member is provided, and wherein said cover member and said cover are configured such that said cover member can be connected to a selected location on said cover, said cover member being configured to block connection between a plug and at least one selected receptacle when said cover member is connected to said cover.

6. A power strip as defined in claim 5, wherein said plurality of receptacles are configured to form receptacle sets, each of which comprises a pair of receptacles, and said cover member is configured to block connection between a plug and both receptacles of a receptacle set.

3. A power strip comprising:

a. a support comprising a base and a cover detachably connected to said base,

b. a plurality of electrical receptacles connected to said cover, and each of said electrical receptacles being configured to receive a plug from an external device,

c. an electric circuit incorporating conductive portions of each of said plurality of receptacles, and

d. a power cord for supplying electricity from a source to said electric circuit, said power cord being in circuit communication with said electric circuit;

each of said electrical receptacles being selectively detachable from said cover and from said electric circuit when said cover is detached from said base;

wherein said electric circuit is configured to (i) distribute electric load to each of said plurality of receptacles along a plurality of paths to allow current to flow to each of said plurality of receptacles when all of said plurality of receptacles are connected to said electric circuit, and (ii) provide at least a single path by which current may flow to all remaining receptacles when a receptacle is detached from said cover and said electric circuit; and

wherein said power cord includes a hot wire through which current flows to said electric circuit, said plurality of receptacles including first and second receptacles, said electrical circuit being configured such that (i) said hot wire is connected directly with each of said first and second receptacles, (ii) the remainder of said plurality of receptacles are connected in series with each other, and (iii) each of said first and second receptacles is connected in series with one of the remainder of said plurality of receptacles.

4. A power strip as defined in claim 3, wherein said power cord is connected to a selected location on said support and said first receptacle is connected to said cover at a location proximate to said selected location, said hot wire being disposed in circuit communication with said electric circuit at a location proximate to said selected location, and said cover including an access opening which provides access to said hot wire and said electric circuit proximate to said selected location.

7. A method of replacing a receptacle in a power strip wherein said power strip includes a support comprising a base and a cover detachably connected to said base, a plurality of electrical receptacles connected to said cover, each of said electrical receptacles being configured to receive a plug from an external device, an electric circuit incorporating conductive portions of each of said plurality of receptacles, and a power cord for supplying electricity from a source to said electric circuit, said power cord being in circuit communication with said electric circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

a. detaching said cover from said base while said receptacles remain connected to said cover, said electric circuit remains intact, and said power cord remains in circuit communication with said electric circuit,

b. selectively detaching at least one of said receptacles from said cover and from said electric circuit while maintaining current flow to each of the remaining receptacles.