Mountable power strips with offset arm sections

• US 7,625,241 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Axland Comec, LLC
• Original Assignee: Axland Comec, LLC
• Inventors: Dahlquist, Kevin J., Kovacevich, Ian D., Bizzell, Daniel Lee, Axland, Cheryl, Axland, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US12/164,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 439/640, 439/655, 439/651, 439/170, 362/296, 362/806
• US Class Current: 439/640
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/02 Flexible line connectors without frictional contact members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A mountable power strip includes a first arm section having a plurality of electrical receptacles defining a “strip” of electrical receptacles. The mountable power strip further includes a coupling assembly that is configured to couple the first arm section to a second arm section such that the first and second arm sections are configured for rotational movement relative to each other about an axis of the coupling assembly. The first and second arm sections are offset a distance along the axis of the coupling assembly such that the first and second arm sections are configured to transition between, a first configuration, in which the first and second arm sections do not overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly, and a second configuration, in which the first and second arm sections overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

(a) a plurality of arm sections, a first arm section of the plurality of arm sections including a plurality of electrical receptacles positioned adjacent each other along an extent of the first arm section; and

(b) a coupling assembly configured to couple the plurality of arm sections together such that the first arm section and a second arm section of the plurality of arm sections are configured for rotational movement relative to each other about an axis of the coupling assembly;

(c) wherein the first and second arm sections are offset a distance along the axis of the coupling assembly such that the first and second arm sections are configured to transition between,

(i) a first configuration, in which the first and second arm sections do not overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly, and

(ii) a second configuration, in which the first and second arm sections overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second arm section includes a plurality of electrical receptacles positioned adjacent each other along an extent of the second arm section, thereby defining a strip of electrical receptacles.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second arm sections extends in a direction that is generally orthogonal to the axis of the coupling assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second arm sections is curved.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising electrical wiring extending internally through the coupling assembly and the first section for supplying electrical power to the electrical receptacles of the first arm section.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a main power cord for supplying electrical power to the internal wiring and, in turn, to each of the electrical receptacles, wherein the main power cord extends through an opening in a wall of the second arm section.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second arm sections includes a rigid, arcuate portion extending outwardly away from the coupling assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rigid, arcuate portion of the first and second arm sections includes an outer resilient portion that is elastic and capable of resuming its prior shape after deformation.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the resilient portion of each of the first and second arm sections comprises resilient protuberances for tensioned gripping of an object on which the apparatus may be mounted.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the resilient protuberances of each of the first and second arm sections are positioned adjacent each other such that they define a row of resilient protuberances.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each row of resilient protuberances extends along the rigid, arcuate portion of its respective arm section.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each row of resilient protuberances is generally offset from a centerline extending along the rigid, arcuate portion of the arm section.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each row of resilient protuberances is offset from the centerline of its respective arm section in a direction toward the other row of resilient protuberances of the other arm section.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each arm section includes a profile having a rounded edge, and wherein the rounded edge is offset toward the other arm section relative to a centerline extending along the rigid, arcuate portion of the arm section.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each arm section includes a profile that is asymmetrical along a respective centerline of the arm section.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the protuberances of each arm section extend along a rounded edge of the arm section.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

(a) a plurality of arm sections, a first arm section of the plurality of arm sections including a plurality of electrical receptacles positioned adjacent each other along an extent of the first arm section; and

(b) a coupling assembly configured to couple the plurality of arm sections together such that the first arm section and a second arm section of the plurality of arm sections are configured for rotational movement relative to each other about an axis of the coupling assembly, the first and second arm sections configured to transition between,

(i) a first configuration, in which the first and second arm sections are oriented in an open position, and

(ii) a second configuration, in which the first and second arm sections are oriented in a closed position, the first and second arm sections being closer to one another than when in the first configuration;

(c) wherein the first and second arm sections each further comprises a row of resilient protuberances, each respective row generally offset from a centerline extending along the arm section, the rows of resilient protuberances configured for tensioned gripping of an object disposed between the arm sections when the arm sections are in the closed configuration.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each row of resilient protuberances is offset from the centerline of its respective arm section in a direction toward the other row of resilient protuberances of the other arm section.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second arm sections are offset a distance along the axis of the coupling assembly such that,

(i) when in the first configuration, the first and second arm sections do not overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly, and

(ii) when in the second configuration, the first and second arm sections overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly.

20. A method of mounting a power strip on an object, comprising the steps of:

positioning the power strip such that the object extends between first and second arm sections of the power strip, at least one of the arm sections including a plurality of electrical receptacles positioned adjacent each other along an extent of the arm section so as to define a strip of electrical receptacles, and the first and second arm sections being coupled together by a coupling assembly such that

the first and second arm sections are configured for rotational movement relative to each other about an axis of the coupling assembly, and

the first and second arm sections are offset a distance along the axis of the coupling assembly such that the first and second arm sections are configured to transition between

a first configuration, in which the first and second arm sections do not overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly, and

a second configuration, in which the first and second arm sections overlap each other when viewed along the axis of the coupling assembly; and

transitioning the first and second arm sections to a closed position wherein the object is gripped between the first and second arm sections, wherein both arm sections include a row of resilient protuberances, and at least one resilient protuberance of each row of resilient protuberances is compressed by the object for tensioned gripping of the object.