Power adapter cable with commonly configured interfaces

• US 7,422,473 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vector Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Portwood, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US11/590,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20070105424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/441, 439/639, 439/676, 363/144, 307/117
• US Class Current: 439/501
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90

Abstract

A power cable having a commonly configured interface at either end of the cable is provided. The power cable is used to connect a power source to a power inverter or to provide power from the power inverter to a device. The power cable has two ends each provided with a commonly configured interface. The commonly configured interface may be a plug or a plug receptacle. A plurality of different adapters for various power sources or devices may be coupled to the commonly configured interface. The adapters may be provided with a corresponding interface that plugs into or is received by the commonly configured interface at an end of the cable.

Claims

1. A power system comprising:

a power cable including at least two ends, each end having a commonly configured interface substantially identical to the other;

a power inverter including an input port and an output port, the input port having an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface; and

a plurality of power adapters each having a first interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface and a second interface configured to mate with a different power source, wherein a first end of the power cable mates with the input port of the power inverter and a second end of the power cable mates with one of the plurality of power adapters to couple the power cable to the power source.

2. The power system of claim 1, wherein the output port of the power inverter comprises a standard three prong AC power plug that mates with a standard two or three prong AC power plug receptacle, wherein the power inverter coverts a DC input to an AC output.

3. The power system of claim 2, wherein the AC output is a 120V household current output.

4. The power system of claim 1, wherein the output port of the power inverter comprises a USB output, wherein the power inverter coverts a DC input to a USB compatible DC power output.

5. The power system of claim 1 wherein the second interface of the power adapter mating with the power cable is for a cigarette lighter socket.

6. The power system of claim 1 wherein the second interface of the power adapter mating with the power cable is for an airplane power socket.

7. The power system of claim 1, wherein the output port of the power inverter has an interface configured to mate with the commonly configured interface of the power cable and the power cable couples the output port of the power inverter with a device, the device including a port adapted to mate with the commonly configured interface.

8. The power system of claim 1, wherein the commonly configured interface includes a plug receptacle and the first interface of the power adapter includes a plug corresponding to the plug receptacle.

9. The power system of claim 8, wherein the plug receptacle has a housing contour.

10. The power system of claim 9, wherein the housing defines two receptacle holes for receiving the corresponding plug.

11. The power system of claim 1, wherein the commonly configured interface includes a plug receptacle and the input port of the power inverter includes a plug configured to mate with the plug receptacle.

12. The power system of claim 11, wherein the plug includes two pins extending from a recess in the power inverter housing.

13. The power system of claim 12, wherein the plug receptacle has a housing contour and the recess has a contour adapted to interface with the contour of the plug receptacle housing.

14. The power system of claim 1, wherein the commonly configured interface includes a plug and the first interface of the power adapter includes a plug receptacle corresponding to the plug.