Receptacle and plug therefor
First Claim
1. A system for supplying current from a source of electrical power to a dimmable electrical lighting load, the system comprising:
- a receptacle adapted for receipt of a compatible plug, the receptacle arranged to be supplied with electrical power regulated by a dimmer, said receptacle comprising;
an electrical contact located for contact with a blade of said compatible plug to establish an electrical connection between said blade and said electrical contact, said electrical contact dimensioned and oriented for compliance with an industry standard configuration; and
a mating formation pair including a receptacle formation and a corresponding plug formation, the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair dimensioned for contact with a general-use plug compliant with said industry standard configuration and lacking said corresponding plug formation to prevent a blade of said general-use plug from contacting said electrical contact thereby preventing said general-use plug from establishing said electrical connection with said receptacle, the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair allowing the compatible plug defining said corresponding plug formation and otherwise complying with said industry standard configuration to establish said electrical connection with said receptacle, wherein a full insertion of said compatible plug into said receptacle results in an overlapping contact between said electrical contact and said blade of said compatible plug, said overlapping contact having a length, and wherein the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair comprises a projection extending from said receptacle to a height that is greater than the length of said overlapping contact thereby preventing insertion of the general-use plug that lacks said corresponding plug formation by an amount sufficient to establish said electrical connection with said receptacle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical receptacle defines a receptacle formation of a mating formation pair to prevent a standard plug from establishing electrical connection while permitting an otherwise standard plug defining a corresponding plug formation to be sufficiently inserted to establish an electrical connection. The mating formation pair may include a projection on the receptacle adapted for receipt by a corresponding recess on a compatible plug. Alternatively, the mating formation pair is defined by an opening of the receptacle and a conductor of the plug, each having a cross-sectional height that is reduced from that of a standard receptacle and plug. The mating formation pair is particularly desirable for installation including a receptacle controlled by a dimmer to prevent electrical connection by a standard plug connected to a non-dimmable electrical load.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system for supplying current from a source of electrical power to a dimmable electrical lighting load, the system comprising:
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a receptacle adapted for receipt of a compatible plug, the receptacle arranged to be supplied with electrical power regulated by a dimmer, said receptacle comprising; an electrical contact located for contact with a blade of said compatible plug to establish an electrical connection between said blade and said electrical contact, said electrical contact dimensioned and oriented for compliance with an industry standard configuration; and a mating formation pair including a receptacle formation and a corresponding plug formation, the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair dimensioned for contact with a general-use plug compliant with said industry standard configuration and lacking said corresponding plug formation to prevent a blade of said general-use plug from contacting said electrical contact thereby preventing said general-use plug from establishing said electrical connection with said receptacle, the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair allowing the compatible plug defining said corresponding plug formation and otherwise complying with said industry standard configuration to establish said electrical connection with said receptacle, wherein a full insertion of said compatible plug into said receptacle results in an overlapping contact between said electrical contact and said blade of said compatible plug, said overlapping contact having a length, and wherein the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair comprises a projection extending from said receptacle to a height that is greater than the length of said overlapping contact thereby preventing insertion of the general-use plug that lacks said corresponding plug formation by an amount sufficient to establish said electrical connection with said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A receptacle unit for supplying both reduced and non-reduced voltage from a supply to an electrical load, the receptacle unit comprising:
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a first receptacle complying with a general-use industry standard configuration for receptacles, the receptacle adapted to receive a general-use plug complying with said industry standard configuration and establish an electrical connection to supply non-reduced voltage; a second receptacle arranged to be supplied with a reduced voltage and having at least one electrical contact, said second receptacle configured to receive a compatible plug having at least one electrical contact for electrical connection with the electrical contact of said second receptacle; and a mating formation pair including a receptacle formation and a corresponding plug formation respectively carried by the second receptacle and the compatible plug, the receptacle formation dimensioned for contact with a general-use plug complying with an industry standard configuration to prevent an electrical contact of said general-use plug from contacting the electrical contact of said second receptacle thereby preventing said general-use plug from establishing an electrical connection with said second receptacle; the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair permitting insertion of the compatible plug having said plug formation and otherwise complying with said industry standard configuration to establish said electrical connection with said second receptacle; and wherein a full insertion of said compatible plug into said second receptacle results in an overlapping contact between the electrical contact of said compatible plug and the electrical contact of said second receptacle, said overlapping contact having a length, and wherein the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair is defined by a projection on said second receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A receptacle for supplying current from a supply to a load, the receptacle comprising:
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an electrical contact arranged to deliver current from the supply to a corresponding electrical contact of a compatible plug inserted into the receptacle, a full insertion of the compatible plug resulting in an overlapping contact between the electrical contact of said receptacle and the electrical contact of said compatible plug, said overlapping contact having a length; and a projection formed on the receptacle adapted for receipt by a recess of said compatible plug, the projection having a height that is greater than the length of said overlapping contact such that a general-use plug complying with an industry standard configuration contacts said projection and is prevented from establishing an electrical connection with said receptacle while permitting said compatible plug to establish said electrical connection. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An electrical distribution system for supplying current from a supply to an electrical load, comprising:
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at least one general-use receptacle including an electrical contact, the receptacle complying with an industry standard configuration and arranged to receive a corresponding general-use plug complying with said industry standard configuration such that said general-use plug can establish an electrical connection with said general-use receptacle; at least one other receptacle including at least one electrical contact, the at least one other receptacle configured to receive a compatible plug having at least one blade; and a mating formation pair including a receptacle formation and a corresponding plug formation respectively carried by said at least one other receptacle and said compatible plug, the receptacle formation dimensioned to contact the general-use plug to prevent a blade of said general-use plug from contacting the electrical contact of said at least one other receptacle thereby preventing said general-use plug from establishing an electrical connection with said at least one other receptacle, the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair permitting insertion of the compatible plug having said plug formation and otherwise complying with said industry standard configuration to establish an electrical connection with said at least one other receptacle, said receptacles adapted such that said compatible plug is also compatible for insertion into said at least one general-use receptacle to establish said electrical connection with said general-use receptacle; and wherein a full insertion of said compatible plug into said receptacle results in an overlapping contact between said electrical contact and said blade of said compatible plug, said overlapping contact having a length, and wherein the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair comprises a projection extending from said receptacle to a height that is greater than the length of said overlapping contact thereby preventing insertion of the general-use plug that lacks said corresponding plug formation by an amount sufficient to establish said electrical connection with said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A face member for use with a receptacle supplying current from a line voltage supply to an electrical load, the receptacle including at least one electrical contact and complying with an industry standard configuration, the face member comprising:
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a body adapted for removable attachment to the receptacle, the body defining at least one opening for receipt of a blade of a compatible plug; and a receptacle formation presented by the body, the receptacle formation forming a mating formation pair with a corresponding plug formation presented by the compatible plug, the receptacle formation dimensioned for contact with a non-compatible plug otherwise compliant with the industry standard configuration that lack the plug formation of the mating formation pair to prevent a blade of the non-compatible plug from contacting the electrical contact of the receptacle thereby preventing the non-compatible plug from establishing an electrical connection, said receptacle formation permitting engagement by the compatible plug sufficient to establish said electrical connection; wherein a full insertion of said compatible plug into said receptacle results in an overlapping contact between said electrical contact and said blade of said compatible plug, said overlapping contact having a length, and wherein the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair comprises a projection extending from said receptacle to a height that is greater than the length of said overlapping contact thereby preventing insertion of the non-compatible plug that lacks said corresponding plug formation by an amount sufficient to establish said electrical connection with said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A lighting system for a lamp load capable of being operated from a selected one of a standard power supply or a dimmed power supply compnsing:
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a receptacle having at least one opening and at least one electrical contact, the at least one electrical contact dimensioned and oriented for compliance with an industry standard configuration; and a compatible plug including at least one blade adapted for receipt by the receptacle through one of the at least one opening of the receptacle for electrical connection with a corresponding one of the at least one electrical contact of the receptacle; a mating formation pair including a receptacle formation defined by the receptacle and a corresponding plug formation defined by the compatible plug, the compatible plug being otherwise compliant with the industry standard configuration, the receptacle formation of the mating formation pair dimensioned for contact with a general-use plug not having the plug formation to prevent a blade of the general-use plug from contacting the at least one electrical contact of the receptacle thereby preventing the general-use plug from establishing an electrical connection with the receptacle, the plug formation allowing the compatible plug to establish said electrical connection with the receptacle, the plug formation being visible when the receptacle and the compatible plug are fully engaged with each other; and wherein a full insertion of said compatible plug into said receptacle results in an overlapping contact between said electrical contact and said blade of said compatible plug, said overlapping contact having a length, and wherein the receptacle formation of said mating formation pair comprises a projection extending from said receptacle to a height that is greater than the length of said overlapping contact thereby preventing insertion of the general-use plug that lacks said corresponding plug formation by an amount sufficient to establish said electrical connection with said receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification