Power and communications grommet

• US 6,254,427 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2000
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Doug Mockett and Company Inc.
• Original Assignee: Doug Mockett and Company Inc.
• Inventors: Stathis, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Hien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ore, Shanetta D.
• Application Number:
  US09/500,316
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 439/535, 439/537, 439/638, 439/642-646, 439/650-652, 361/428, 312/223.6, 108/50
• US Class Current: 439/535
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/60 Means for supporting coupling part when not engaged

Abstract

A grommet adapted to be placed through an aperture in a work surface, such as a desk. A lip, with a diameter larger than the aperture in the work surface, is located at the top of the housing, or body of the grommet, so that the lip rests over the aperture in the desk while the housing of the grommet passes through the aperture, so that the great majority of the grommet lies below the surface of the work surface. The grommet contains a plurality of electrical plugs and/or a plurality of data modular couplers for communication terminals so that power and communications wires may be passed over the lip of the grommet and down into the housing to be connected inside of the grommet. The grommet has a power wire connected near the base of the grommet, for connection to a power source, such as a wall plug. Communication and data wires connect to a communication source, such as a telephone plug. A cover or cap fits over the top of the housing to cover the incoming wires and the connections within, while leaving a space between the top of the housing and the cover so that the wires may pass through, or is adapted to fit flush with the top of the housing and overlap the lip when no wires are passing through.

Claims

1. A power and communications grommet for a work surface comprising, a housing adapted to fit through an aperture in the work surface, the housing containing either power or communication receptacles, or a combination thereof, the housing having a lip larger than the aperture, a cap adapted to fit over the top of the housing, said cap having an overlap which overlaps the lip of the housing, a plurality of legs attached to the underside of the cap adapted to hold the cap raised above the top of the housing by said legs resting on an internal ledge on the inside of the housing, providing a space between the cap and the housing for power and communication lines to be inserted into the grommet, the internal ledge having a plurality of slots cut therein to receive each of said legs, when not in use.

2. The grommet of claim 1 in which the legs are irregularly spaced.

3. The grommet of claim 2 in which each of the legs has an angle cut across the body of the leg.

4. The grommet of claim 1 in which the receptacles comprise a plurality of power receptacles, and a plurality of communications receptacles.

5. The grommet of claim 1 comprising means to connect snap-in power and communication modules in the housing.

6. The grommet of claim 1 in which each slot matches a leg when the cap is set in one direction and fails to match a leg when the cap is placed in the opposite direction.

7. The grommet of claim 1 further comprising a circuit breaker, reset switch in the housing.

8. The grommet of claim 1 in which the cap has a convex top surface.

16. The grommet of claims 1 or 9 further comprising one or more openings completely through the housing, to allow wires to pass completely through the housing.

9. A power and communications grommet for a work surface comprising, a housing adapted to fit through an aperture in the work surface, the housing containing either power or communication receptacles, or a combination thereof, the housing having a lip larger than the aperture, a cap adapted to fit over the top of the housing, said cap having an overlap which overlaps the lip of the housing, a plurality of irregularly spaced legs attached to the underside of the cap adapted to hold the cap raised above the top of the housing by said legs resting on an internal ledge on the inside of the housing, providing a space between the cap and the housing, a plurality of slots cut into the ledge to receive each of said legs, so that the cap may rest flush on the top of the housing.

10. The grommet of claim 9 in which each of the legs has an angle cut across the body of the leg.

11. The grommet of claim 9 in which the receptacles comprise a plurality of power receptacles and a plurality of communications receptacles.

12. The grommet of claim 9 comprising means to connect snap-in power and communication modules in the housing.

13. The grommet of claim 9 in which each slot matches a leg when the cap is set in one direction and fails to match a leg when the cap is placed in the opposite direction.

14. The grommet of claim 9 further comprising a circuit breaker, reset switch in the housing.

15. The grommet of claim 9 in which the cap has a convex top surface.