Receptacle with antenna

• US 8,105,094 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Patel, Parimal R., Estanislao, Danilo F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US13/100,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• Field of Search: 439/67, 439/77, 439/535, 439/536, 439/916, 439/76.1, 439/489
• US Class Current: 439/76.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2233 used in consumption-meter devices, e.g. electricity, gas or water meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4534 Laterally sliding shutter
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/916 Antenna

Abstract

An electrical receptacle is disclosed. The electrical receptacle includes a housing and at least one socket at least partially disposed within the housing and having at least a pair of entry ports. The at least one socket is controllable by a radio frequency signal. The electrical receptacle also includes an antenna at least partially disposed within the housing configured to at least receive the radio frequency signal used to control the at least one socket. The electrical receptacle further includes at least one tamper resistant device at least partially disposed within the housing. The at least one tamper resistant device is configured to block the entry ports unless a mating electrical plug is inserted into the at least one socket.

Claims

1. An electrical receptacle, comprising:

a housing;

at least one socket at least partially disposed within the housing; and

an antenna at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein the antenna includes a body formed of a substantially flexible sheet material, the body having a first end and a second end, the first end of the antenna being configured to be coupled to a circuit that is configured to be at least partially supported by a printed circuit board at least partially disposed within the electrical receptacle.

2. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein the body is in the shape of a substantially rectangular member.

3. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein the body defines at least one aperture or notch for receiving at least one of a light element and a user interface.

4. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein the body includes first portion extending in a first plane, a second portion extending in a second plane and a third portion extending in a third plane, the first plane and the third plane being substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the second plane.

5. The electrical receptacle of claim 4, wherein the second portion defines a first aperture and a second aperture, the first aperture being configured to receive a light element of the electrical receptacle, the second aperture being configured to receive a user interface of the electrical receptacle.

6. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein the substantially flexible sheet material includes a foil material.

7. The electrical receptacle of claim 6, wherein the foil material includes copper.

8. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein the flexible sheet material of the body of the antenna is in the form of a first lead and a second lead, the second lead being spaced apart from the first lead, and wherein a radio field of the antenna is substantially confined to an area between the first lead and the second lead.

9. The electrical receptacle of claim 8, wherein the antenna includes a path portion extending in a gap between the first lead and the second lead.

10. The electrical receptacle of claim 9, wherein the path portion is in the form of one of a zigzag, a sawtooth, a sine curve, a serpentine curve, a square wave or a combination thereof.