Electrical floor access module system

• US 7,878,845 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Original Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Inventors: Byrne, Norman R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANFIELD, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US11/913,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20090301774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 174/59, 174/64, 174/486, 174/520, 522/208, 522/63, 439/215, 439/535, 439/654, 439/650
• US Class Current: 439/535
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/024 Sectional false floors, e.g. computer floors height-adjustable supports for terrace roof coverings E04D11/00; underfloor heating using water F24D3/142, using air F24D5/10; installation of cables, lines or protective tubing in floors H02G3/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/385 in modular floors, e.g. access floors

Abstract

An electrical system (500) is positioned beneath an access floor (30) and includes a number of access floor modules (502) for providing electrical power locations for energizing electrical devices. Cable assemblies (578) electrically interconnect the modules (502) to the power source and to each other. Junction blocks (518) are mechanically connected to the access floor modules (502). Electrical receptacle blocks (562) are electrically interconnected to the junction blocks (518) for supplying power to interconnected electrical devices.

Claims

1. An electrical system adapted to be positioned under an access floor for supplying electrical power from at least one interconnected power source to selectively interconnected electrical devices, said electrical system comprising:

a plurality of access floor modules selectively spaced under said access floor for providing conveniently located electrical power locations for energizing said electrical devices;

a plurality of junction blocks, with each of said junction blocks being located internally of a different one of said plurality of access floor modules;

a plurality of cable assemblies for electrically interconnecting each of said access floor modules optionally to said power source and/or to others of said access floor modules;

releasable connection means associated with said junction blocks for releasably and electrically connecting said junction blocks to said cable assemblies;

a plurality of electrical receptacle blocks, each receptacle block comprising at least one electrical receptacle releasably connectable to one or more of said electrical devices for supplying electrical power thereto, with each of said receptacle blocks further being electrically connectable to said junction blocks; and

said electrical receptacle blocks are interchangeable with each other so as to provide said electrical system as a modular system which is adapted to be sized and configured in a manner which does not require any substantial number of different types of electrical equipment.

2. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said junction blocks are interchangeable with each other, so as to permit installation of any of the junction blocks into any of the access floor modules.

3. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least a subset of said plurality of cable assemblies are each identical with others of said subset, with the exception of length.

4. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that:

said electrical system further comprises cover means for providing covers to said plurality of access floor modules; and

said cover means can be manually rotated between open and closed positions, without requiring any tools or other equipment.

5. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that:

said electrical system further comprises cover means for providing covers to said plurality of access floor modules; and

said cover means comprises a plurality of covers, each being a double-hinged cover for providing manual rotation between open and closed positions in either of two opposing directions.

6. An electrical system in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that said cover means provide for said manual rotation in two opposing directions without requiring any reversal or other realignment of said covers relative to said access floor modules.

7. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each combination of one of said access floor modules and an interconnected one of said junction blocks can receive power through an interconnected one of said cable assemblies and pass said power through to at least two additional interconnected cable assemblies.

8. An electrical system in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that said combination of each of said access floor modules and interconnected junction blocks can apply power received from an interconnected cable assembly to another one of said combinations of said access floor modules and junction blocks through another interconnected cable assembly.

9. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each of said junction blocks is mechanically connected to a corresponding one of to said floor access modules.

10. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that:

said electrical system further comprises cover means for covering tops of said access floor modules; and

said cover means and said access floor modules comprise means in the form of openings when said cover means are in closed positions, so as to provide means for extending cables or wires from interiors of said access floor modules to spatial areas above said access floor modules.

11. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said system further comprises cover brackets positioned at upper locations of said access floor modules, and comprising opposing pairs of hinge pins for hingedly receiving covers for access floor modules.

12. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that:

said system further comprises a plurality of covers, with each of said covers being sized so as to provide a top cover for said floor access modules; and

each of said covers can be rotated to a first, open position where said cover will remain stationary in the absence of any external forces exerted thereon.

13. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each of said junction blocks is a double-sided junction block, and provides for electrical interconnection of said electrical receptacle blocks on opposing sides of said junction blocks.

14. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each of said junction blocks is of a length which provides for electrical interconnection of at least two of said electrical receptacle blocks on at least one side of said junction blocks.

15. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that when each of said junction blocks is installed in a corresponding one of said access floor modules, said junction blocks are centered relative to said access floor modules.

16. An electrical system in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that said centering of said junction blocks provides for electrical interconnection of said electrical receptacle blocks on opposing sides of said junction blocks.

17. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each of said junction blocks comprises a pair of electrical connector sets on opposing ends of said junction blocks.

18. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said cable assemblies are adjustable in length.

19. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said electrical receptacle blocks comprise duplex electrical receptacles.

20. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said electrical system further comprises:

voice/data or other communication ports; and

said communication ports are mechanically and releasably connected to at least one of said access floor modules.

21. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said system further comprises conventional communications element mounting brackets mechanically connectable to at least one of said access floor modules.

22. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that all of said junction blocks and said cable assemblies are located below a surface of said access floor.

23. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that all portions of said junction blocks are located fully below a surface of said access floor.

24. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said electrical receptacle blocks are releasably mechanically and electrically connectable to said junction blocks.

25. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each of said junction blocks located within a corresponding one of said access floor modules is electrically connectable directly to others of said junction blocks associated with others of said access floor modules, in the absence of requiring any intermediate zone boxes for proper operation.

26. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said electrical system comprises:

a first one of a first set of said plurality of access floor modules being connected to said power source through a first cable assembly;

remaining ones of said first one of said plurality of access floor modules being electrically connected in sequence to said first one of said first plurality of access floor modules through certain ones of said cable assemblies;

a first one of a second set of said plurality of access floor modules being electrically connected to said power source through one of said cable assemblies; and

remaining ones of said second set of said plurality of access floor modules being electrically connected in sequence to said first one of said second set of said plurality of access floor modules, through certain other ones of said cable assemblies.

27. An electrical system in accordance with claim 26, characterized in that said electrical system having said first set of said access floor modules and said second set of said access floor modules has an absence of any interconnected zone boxes.

28. An electrical system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that:

said electrical receptacle block comprises at least a first set of electrical receptacle blocks and a second set of electrical receptacle blocks, with said first set of electrical receptacle blocks having a first circuit configuration different from a second circuit configuration of said second set of electrical receptacle blocks; and

each of said first set of electrical receptacle blocks and said second set of electrical receptacle blocks are interchangeable with each other so as to provide capability of changing circuits available through said electrical receptacles, without modifying said junction blocks or said cable assemblies.

29. An electrical system adapted to be positioned under an access floor for supplying electrical power from at least one interconnected power source to selectively interconnected electrical devices, said electrical system comprising:

a plurality of access floor modules selectively spaced under said access floor for providing conveniently located electrical power locations for energizing said electrical devices;

a plurality of junction blocks, with each of said junction blocks being located internally of a different one of said plurality of access floor modules;

a plurality of cable assemblies for electrically interconnecting each of said access floor modules optionally to said power source and/or to others of said access floor modules;

a plurality of electrical receptacle blocks, each receptacle block comprising at least one electrical receptacle releasably connectable to one or more of said electrical devices for supplying electrical power thereto, and with each of said receptacle blocks further being electrically connectable to said junction blocks;

said electrical receptacle blocks comprising at least a first set of electrical receptacle blocks and a second set of electrical receptacle blocks, with said first set of electrical receptacle blocks having a circuit configuration different from a circuit configuration of said second set of electrical receptacle blocks; and

each of said first set of electrical receptacle blocks and said second set of electrical receptacle blocks are interchangeable with each other so as to provide capability of changing circuits available through said electrical receptacles, without modifying said junction blocks or said cable assemblies.

30. An electrical system in accordance with claim 29, characterized in that said first set of electrical receptacle blocks is interchangeable with said second set of electrical receptacle blocks while said access floor modules are positioned in their working locations under said access floor.

31. An electrical system in accordance with claim 29, characterized in that said first set of electrical receptacle blocks are interchangeable with said second set of electrical receptacle blocks, and connectable to said junction blocks without requiring the use of any tools or other equipment.

32. An electrical system in accordance with claim 29, characterized in that:

said system further comprises cover means for providing covers to said access floor modules; and

said cover means comprise means for permitting extension of cables from the interior to the exterior of said access floor modules while said cover means are in closed positions.