Electrical junction box for auxiliary power

• US 6,169,340 B1
• Filed: 04/16/1999
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dale A. Jones
• Original Assignee: Dale A. Jones
• Inventors: Jones, Dale A.
• Primary Examiner(s): FLEMING, FRITZ M
• Application Number:
  US09/293,368
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64-66, 307/70, 307/80, 307/81, 307/51, 307/68, 307/23, 307/85-87, 307/43, 307/82-84, 307/150
• US Class Current: 307/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/018 Application transfer; between utility and emergency power supply circuits in H02J9/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/066 characterised by the use of dynamo-electric machines H02J9/08 takes precedence

Abstract

An electrical junction box or plug connector for auxiliary power, which enables a quick and easy connection of an auxiliary power source, such as a generator, to a single hard wired appliance, such as a gas furnace, pellet stove, fireplace insert, etc., without supplying power to the main power circuit, such as the breaker panel. The junction box includes a male terminal adapted to be connected to a female terminal of an extension cord of a generator, for example, includes a toggle switch to direct power from the generator to only a single appliance, and may include a current breaker or fuse for the electrical circuit. Thus, with an electric power supply outage, the furnace, for example, may be operated by a small generator.

Claims

1. A device for connecting an auxiliary electrical power source to only a single hard wired appliance, comprising:

a male connector adapted to be connected to an associated auxiliary power source, and

a switch having an off position and two on positions operatively connected to said male connector and adapted to be connected to an associated hard wired appliance and adapted to be connected to a main electrical power source,

whereby activation of said switch enables a closed circuit between such an associated auxiliary power source and such an associated hard wired appliance, and provides an open circuit between such an associated hard wired appliance and such an associated main power source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said switch is constructed, when activated, to also provide a closed circuit between such an associated main power source and such an associated hard wired appliance, and provide an open circuit between such an associated hard wired appliance and said male connector.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a double-action toggle switch.

4. The device of claim 1, additionally including a protective circuit breaker/reset button adapted to be operatively connected to an associated hard wired appliance.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said male connector and said switch are mounted to a plate, said plate being constructed to be mounted on an electrical box.

6. The device of claim 5, additionally including a protective circuit breaker mounted to said plate and adapted to be connected to an associated hard wired appliance.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein said male connector includes a protective housing surrounding three contacts.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said plate and protective housing of said male connector are integral.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said single hard wired appliance is selected from the group consisting of a gas-type appliance, a pellet-burning appliance, fireplace and sump pump.

10. In an electrical box for connection to an associated single hard wired appliance and to an associated breaker box of a main electrical power supply, the improvement comprising means for connection to an associated auxiliary electrical power supply, said means including:

a face plate adapted to be removably mounted to said electrical box,

a switch mounted to said face plate, and

a male electrical connector mounted to said face plate and operatively connected to said switch,

said switch being adapted to be connected to such an associated single hard wired appliance, to such an associated auxiliary electrical power supply, and to such an associated breaker box.

11. The improvement of claim 10, additionally including a protective circuit breaker adapted to be connected to such an associated hard wired appliance.

12. The improvement of claim 10, wherein said switch has an off position and two on positions.

13. The improvement of claim 12, wherein said switch is of a toggle type.

14. The improvement of claim 10, wherein said male electrical connector includes a housing and a plurality of electrical contacts within said housing.

15. The improvement of claim 14, wherein said housing and said face plate are integral.

16. An electrical box for connecting auxiliary power to a single hard wired appliance, including:

a face plate adapted to be removably mounted to said box,

a plural action switch mounted to said face plate, and

an electrical male connector mounted to said face plate and electrically connected to said plural action switch,

said electrical male connector being adapted to be connected to a female connector of an auxiliary generator,

said plural action switch being adapted to be connected to an associated single hard wired appliance and adapted to be connected to an associated main power supply.

17. The electrical box of claim 16, additionally including a circuit breaker mounted to said face plate and adapted to be connected to an associated single hard wired appliance.

18. The electrical box of claim 16, wherein said plural action switch is of a toggle type, and wherein said electrical male connector includes a protective housing in which a plurality of male contacts are located.