Add-on electrical distribution assembly

• US 7,144,264 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Group Dekko Incorporated (Graham Holdings Company)
• Original Assignee: Pent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kochanski, Walter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R.
• Application Number:
  US10/984,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20050130476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 439/215, 439/634, 439/211, 439/652, 439/653, 439/209, 439/210, 439/216
• US Class Current: 439/215
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2002/7488 Details of wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/16 Rails or bus-bars provided with a plurality of discrete connecting locations for counterparts
• 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

An expandable powerway for use in a modular wall panel, which includes a primary distribution assembly and an add-on distribution assembly. The primary distribution assembly includes at least one modular connector and a plurality of electrical circuits connected to the at least one modular connector. The an add-on distribution assembly includes at least one supplemental modular connector and a plurality of supplemental electrical circuits connected to the at least one supplemental modular connector. The primary distribution assembly is mechanically coupled but not electrically coupled to the add-on distribution assembly.

Claims

1. An expandable powerway comprising:

a primary distribution assembly including at least one modular connector and a plurality of electrical circuits associated with said at least one modular connector; and

an add-on distribution assembly including at least one supplemental modular connector and a plurality of supplemental electrical circuits associated with said at least one supplemental modular connector, said add-on distribution assembly being mechanically coupled but not electrically coupled to said primary distribution assembly, wherein said add-on distribution assembly includes a first distribution block which has at least one first opposed connector pair with at least one said supplemental modular connector;

a second distribution block which has at least one second opposed connector pair with at least one said supplemental modular connector;

a channel connected to both said first distribution block and said second distribution block, said first distribution block, said second distribution block and said channel configured for holding said primary distribution assembly.

2. The expandable powerway of claim 1, wherein said plurality of supplemental electrical circuits are connected to both said first distribution block and said second distribution block, said plurality of supplemental electrical circuits are at least partially disposed within said channel.

3. The expandable powerway of claim 1, wherein said plurality of supplemental circuits includes four line conductors, two neutral conductors and two ground conductors.

4. The expandable powerway of claim 1, further including a jumper cable having a dual head connector including a first head connector and a second head connector, said first head connector being connected to said first distribution block for connecting said expandable powerway to a source of electrical power, said second head connector being connected to said primary distribution assembly and configured for connecting said primary distribution assembly to said source of electrical power.

5. The expandable powerway of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first distribution block, said second distribution block and said channel is configured to snap onto said primary distribution assembly.

6. The expandable powerway of claim 5, wherein at least one of said first distribution block and said second distribution block includes at least one ramp projection, at least one said modular connector includes a groove, at least one said ramp projection is inserted into at least one said groove.

7. The expandable powerway of claim 1, further including at least one supplemental modular receptacle connected to at least one of said at least one first opposed connector pair and said at least one second opposed connector pair.

8. The expandable powerway of claim 7, further including at least one attachment element connected to said at least one supplemental modular receptacle, said at least one attachment element configured for connection to said primary distribution assembly.

9. The expandable powerway of claim 1, wherein said first distribution block includes a first base, one of said at least one first opposed connector pair and another of said at least one first opposed connector pair connected in a first U-shape with said first base, said primary distribution assembly mounted within said first U-shape.

10. The expandable powerway of claim 9, wherein said second distribution block includes a second base, one of said at least one second opposed connector pair and another of said at least one second opposed connector pair connected in a second U-shape with said second base, said primary distribution assembly mounted within said second U-shape.

11. A modular wall panel comprising:

a frame including a raceway;

an expandable powerway within said raceway, said expandable powerway including;

a primary distribution assembly including at least one modular connector and a plurality of electrical circuits associated with said at least one modular connector; and

an add-on distribution assembly including at least one supplemental modular connector and a plurality of supplemental electrical circuits associated with said at least one supplemental modular connector, said add-on distribution assembly being mechanically coupled but not electrically coupled to said primary distribution assembly, wherein said add-on distribution assembly includes a first distribution block which has at least one first opposed connector pair with at least one said supplemental modular connector;

a second distribution block which has at least one second opposed connector pair with at least one said supplemental modular connector;

a channel connected to both said first distribution block and said second distribution block, said first distribution block, said second distribution block and said channel configured for holding said primary distribution assembly.

12. The modular wall panel of claim 11, wherein said plurality of supplemental electrical circuits are connected to both said first distribution block and said second distribution block, said plurality of supplemental electrical circuits are at least partially disposed within said channel.

13. The modular wall panel of claim 11, wherein said plurality of supplemental circuits includes four line conductors, two neutral conductors and two ground conductors.

14. The modular wall panel of claim 11, further including a jumper cable having a dual head connector including a first head connector and a second head connector, said first head connector being connected to said first distribution block for connecting said expandable powerway to a source of electrical power, said second head connector being connected to said primary distribution assembly and configured for connecting said primary distribution assembly to said source of electrical power.

15. The modular wall panel of claim 11, wherein at least one of said first distribution block, said second distribution block and said channel is configured to snap onto said primary distribution assembly.

16. The modular wall panel of claim 15, wherein at least one of said first distribution block and said second distribution block includes at least one ramp projection, at least one said modular connector includes a groove, at least one said ramp projection is inserted into at least one said groove.

17. The modular wall panel of claim 11, further including at least one supplemental modular receptacle connected to at least one of said at least one first opposed connector pair and said at least one second opposed connector pair.

18. The modular wall panel of claim 17, further including at least one attachment element connected to said at least one supplemental modular receptacle, said at least one attachment element configured for connection to said primary distribution assembly.

19. The modular wall panel of claim 11, wherein said first distribution block includes a first base, one of said at least one first opposed connector pair and another of said at least one first opposed connector pair connected in a first U-shape with said first base, said primary distribution assembly mounted within said first U-shape.

20. The modular wall panel of claim 19, wherein said second distribution block includes a second base, one of said at least one second opposed connector pair and another of said at least one second opposed connector pair connected in a second U-shape with said second base, said primary distribution assembly mounted within said second U-shape.

21. A method of expanding electrical capacity within a modular wall panel, comprising the steps of:

providing a modular wall panel including a frame having a raceway, a primary distribution assembly being within said raceway, said primary distribution assembly including at least one modular connector and a plurality of electrical circuits associated with said at least one modular connector;

inserting an add-on distribution assembly within said raceway, said add-on distribution assembly including at least one supplemental modular connector and a plurality of supplemental electrical circuits associated with said at least one supplemental modular connector;

mechanically but not electrically coupling said primary distribution assembly with said add-on distribution assembly; and

snapping said primary distribution assembly onto at least one of a first distribution block of said add-on distribution assembly, a second distribution block of said add-on distribution assembly and a channel of said add-on distribution assembly.

22. The method of claim 21, further including the step of increasing a number of conductors and an electrical capacity within said raceway.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said increasing step adds four line conductors, two neutral conductors and two ground conductors within said raceway.