Modular electrical system kit with circuit selectors

• US 6,540,536 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Group Dekko Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Original Assignee: Dekko Acquisition Parent Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Inventors: Young, Roger W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nino, Adolfo
• Application Number:
  US09/962,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 174/72.A, 174/135, 439/215
• US Class Current: 439/215
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00

Abstract

A modular electrical system kit interconnects a plurality of electrical wires of a power entry to at least one electrical outlet. The modular electrical system kit includes a plurality of circuit selectors, with each circuit selector being configured for interconnecting a respective selected combination of power entry wires to the at least one electrical outlet.

Claims

1. A modular electrical system kit for interconnecting a plurality of electrical wires of a power entry to at least one electrical outlet, said modular electrical system kit comprising:

a plurality of circuit selectors, each of said plurality of circuit selectors being configured for interconnecting a respective selected combination of the power entry wires to the at least one electrical outlet, each of said plurality of circuit selectors is configured for being removed and replaced with an other of said plurality of circuit selectors to thereby interconnect an other said combination of the power entry wires to said at least one electrical outlet.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein each said circuit selector has an input and an output, said input being configured for being electrically connected to a first harness electrically connected to the power entry, said output being configured for being electrically connected to a second harness electrically connected to the at least one electrical outlet.

3. The kit of claim 2, wherein said second harness carries fewer electrical conductors than said first harness.

4. The kit of claim 3, wherein said plurality of electrical wires of the power entry include at least one line wire, at least one ground wire, and at least one neutral wire, each of said plurality of circuit selectors being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one said line wire, at least one said ground wire, and at least one said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

5. The kit of claim 4, wherein each said circuit selector has a plurality of conductors including at least one line conductor, at least one ground conductor, and at least one neutral conductor, each said line conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said line wire to said at least one electrical outlet, each said ground conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said ground wire to said at least one electrical outlet, and each said neutral conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

6. The kit of claim 5, wherein said plurality of conductors includes at least one conductor bar.

7. The kit of claim 3, wherein said plurality of electrical wires of the power entry include at least two line wires, at least two ground wires, and at least two neutral wires, each of said plurality of circuit selectors being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one said line wire, at least one said ground wire, and at least one said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

8. The kit of claim 7, wherein said at least one electrical outlet comprises a plurality of outlets.

9. The kit of claim 8, wherein at least a first one of said outlets is electrically connected to a first of said line wires, at least a second one of said outlets being electrically connected to a second of said line wires.

10. The kit of claim 3, wherein said plurality of electrical wires of the power entry include a plurality of line wires, a plurality of ground wires, and a plurality of neutral wires, each of said plurality of circuit selectors being configured for electrically interconnecting at least two said line wires, at least two said ground wires, and at least two said neutral wires to said at least one electrical outlet.

11. The kit of claim 4, wherein each said circuit selector has a plurality of conductors including at least two line conductors, at least two ground conductors, and at least two neutral conductors, each said line conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said line wire to said at least one electrical outlet, each said ground conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said ground wire to said at least one electrical outlet, and each said neutral conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

12. A modular electrical system kit for interconnecting a plurality of wires of a power entry to at least one electrical outlet, said modular electrical system kit comprising:

a plurality of circuit selectors, each of said plurality of circuit selectors having a respective pre-wired characteristic circuit configuration configured for connecting a respective selected combination of the power entry wires to said at least one electrical outlet, each of said plurality of circuit selectors is configured for being removed and replaced with an other of said plurality of circuit selectors to thereby interconnect an other said combination of the power entry wires to said at least one electrical outlet.

13. The circuit selector of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of circuit selectors is interchangeable with at least one other of said plurality of circuit selectors.

14. The kit of claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of circuit selectors has an input and an output, said input being configured for being electrically connected to a first harness electrically connected to the power entry, said output being configured for being electrically connected to a second harness electrically connected to the at least one electrical outlet.

15. The kit of claim 14, wherein said first harness carries a first number of electrical conductors, said second harness carries a second number of electrical conductors, said second number being fewer than said first number.

16. The kit of claim 15, wherein said plurality of electrical wires of the power entry include at least one line wire, at least one ground wire, and at least one neutral wire, each of said plurality of circuit selectors being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one said line wire, at least one said ground wire, and at least one said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

17. The kit of claim 16, wherein each said circuit selector has a plurality of conductors including at least one line conductor, at least one ground conductor, and at least one neutral conductor, each said line conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said line wire to said at least one electrical outlet, each said ground conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said ground wire to said at least one electrical outlet, and each said neutral conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

18. The kit of claim 17, wherein said plurality of conductors of said circuit selector includes at least one conductor bar.

19. The kit of claim 15, wherein said plurality of electrical wires of the power entry include at least two line wires, at least two ground wires, and at least two neutral wires, each of said plurality of circuit selectors being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one said line wire, at least one said ground wire, and at least one said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

20. The kit of claim 19, wherein said at least one electrical outlet comprises a plurality of outlets.

21. The kit of claim 20, wherein at least a first one of said outlets is electrically connected to a first of said line wires, at least a second one of said outlets being electrically connected to a second of said line wires.

22. The kit of claim 15, wherein said plurality of electrical wires of the power entry include a plurality of line wires, a plurality of ground wires, and a plurality of neutral wires, each of said plurality of circuit selectors being configured for electrically interconnecting at least two said line wires, at least two said ground wires, and at least two said neutral wires to said at least one electrical outlet.

23. The kit of claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of circuit selectors has a plurality of conductors including at least two line conductors, at least two ground conductors, and at least two neutral conductors, each said line conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said line wire to said at least one electrical outlet, each said ground conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said ground wire to said at least one electrical outlet, and each said neutral conductor being configured for electrically interconnecting at least one respective said neutral wire to said at least one electrical outlet.

24. A method for connecting a plurality of combinations of power entry wires to at least one electrical outlet, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of circuit selectors, each of said plurality of circuit selectors including an input and an output interconnected by a respective pre-wired circuit configuration;

using a selected first one of said circuit selectors to interconnect a respective selected first one of the combinations of power entry wires to the at least one electrical outlet; and

replacing said first circuit selector with a second said circuit selector to thereby interconnect a respective selected second one of the combinations of power entry wires to said at least one electrical outlet.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising the further steps of:

identifying a desired one of the combinations of power entry wires that is to be interconnected to said at least one electrical outlet; and

ascertaining which of the circuit selectors is configured to interconnect said desired combination of power entry wires to said at least one electrical outlet, wherein said second circuit selector comprises said ascertained circuit selector.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising the further steps of:

providing a first harness to electrically interconnect said desired combination of power entry wires to said ascertained circuit selector; and

providing a second harness to electrically connect said ascertained circuit selector to said at least one electrical outlet, said second harness carrying fewer electrical conductors than said first harness.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising the further step of:

electrically interconnecting at least one line wire, at least one ground wire, and at least one neutral wire of said desired combination of power entry wires to said at least one electrical outlet via said ascertained circuit selector.

28. The method of claim 26, comprising the further step of:

electrically interconnecting at least two line wires, at least two ground wires, and at least two neutral wires of said desired combination of power entry wires to said at least one electrical outlet via said ascertained circuit selector.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said at least one electrical outlet comprises a plurality of outlets, said method comprising the further step of:

electrically interconnecting at least a first one of said outlets to a first of said line wires, at least a second one of said outlets being electrically connected to a second of said line wires.