System, socket and plug apparatus for DC power distribution and usage

• US 8,212,406 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2008
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yaroslav A. Pichkur
• Original Assignee: Yaroslav A. Pichkur
• Inventors: Pichkur, Yaroslav Andreyevich
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US12/317,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 307/72
• US Class Current: 307/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/12 Parallel operation of dc generators with converters, e.g. with mercury-arc rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 Wind power

Abstract

A power supply system comprises an electrical power generating device producing DC electrical power in the form of a DC electrical current, a DC current conductor receiving the DC electrical current from the electrical power generating device and carrying the DC electrical current to a socket, and an AC power system transmitting AC electrical current to the socket so that the socket can be accessed by a plug inserted therein to receive the DC current or the AC current from it. The socket has four recesses in it, and each recess has a respective contact therein. Each recess is configured to receive a respective prong and make a respective electrical contact with the plug therein. A first of the contacts transmits the DC current, a second and third of the contacts transmit complementary poles of the AC electrical current, and a fourth contact connects with a grounded connection. A DC-powered electrical device has a plug with a plug body and three prongs supported on and extending from the plug body. The prongs include two AC connection prongs and a ground connection prong corresponding to prongs of a standard three-prong plug. The plug further has a fourth prong supported on the plug body into the socket to contact the DC current recess. The fourth prong is removable from the plug body, or is movably supported on the plug body so that the fourth prong may be removed or moved so that the plug can be plugged into a standard three-recess AC socket.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising:

an electrical power generating device producing DC electrical power in the form of a DC electrical current;

a DC current conductor receiving the DC electrical current from the electrical power generating device, said DC current conductor carrying said DC electrical current to a socket; and

an AC power system transmitting AC electrical current to the socket so that said socket can be accessed by a plug inserted therein to receive therefrom the DC current or the AC current wherein the socket has four recesses therein, each recess having only one respective contact therein and being configured to receive a respective prong, and to make a respective electrical contact with said prong therein, a first of said contacts transmitting the DC current, a second and third of said contacts transmitting complementary poles of the AC electrical current, and a fourth contact connecting with a grounded connection; and

wherein the recess with the contact providing the DC current supplies solely a single line of said DC current therein, such that a DC circuit may be formed between said single line of DC current and a prong asserted into the recess having the fourth contact.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein said socket is configured to receive a first plug having a first prong configuration so as to supply to said first plug the DC current, and to receive a second plug having a second prong configuration so as to supply the AC current to said second plug.

3. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the complementary poles are phase and neutral.

4. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the recesses are positioned such that a standard two-prong AC plug when plugged into the socket engages the second and third contacts and creates an AC power circuit therewith.

5. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the recesses are positioned such that a standard three-prong AC plug when plugged into the socket engages the second and third contacts and creates an AC power circuit therewith, and also contacts with the fourth contact connecting to ground.

6. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power generating device comprises a solar panel deriving said electrical power from sunlight.

7. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power generating device comprises a wind generator.

8. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the system is installed in a building and the socket is supported in a wall structure of said building.

9. The power supply system of claim 1, a battery is connected with the electrical power generating device so that the battery receives a charge when the electrical power generating device is producing said DC current, and such that, when the electrical power generating device is not producing said DC current, the battery discharges a battery DC current to the DC current conductor, which transmits the battery DC current to the socket.

10. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the AC current is derived at least in part from a portion of the DC current that is converted to AC and supplied to the AC power system.

11. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein an electrical device having a device plug is plugged into said socket, said device plug including a first prong inserted in and engaging the contact in the first recess and a second prong inserted in and engaging the grounded contact, said electrical device deriving DC power from a circuit formed therebetween.

12. A power supply system comprising:

an electrical power generating device producing DC electrical power in the form of a DC electrical current;

a DC current conductor receiving the DC electrical current from the electrical power generating device, said DC current conductor carrying said DC electrical current to a socket; and

an AC power system transmitting AC electrical current to the socket so that said socket can be accessed by a plug inserted therein to receive therefrom the DC current or the AC current wherein the socket has four recesses therein, each recess having a respective contact therein and being configured to receive a respective prong, and to make a respective electrical contact with said plug therein, a first of said contacts transmitting the DC current, a second and third of said contacts transmitting complementary poles of the AC electrical current, and a fourth contact connecting with a grounded connection;

wherein the recesses are positioned such that a standard three-prong AC plug when plugged into the socket engages the second and third contacts and creates an AC power circuit therewith, and also contacts with the fourth contact connecting to ground; and

wherein the recess of the first contact is located between the recesses of the second and third contacts.

13. A power supply system comprising:

an electrical power generating device producing DC electrical power in the form of a DC electrical current;

a DC current conductor receiving the DC electrical current from the electrical power generating device, said DC current conductor carrying said DC electrical current to a socket; and

an AC power system transmitting AC electrical current to the socket so that said socket can be accessed by a plug inserted therein to receive therefrom the DC current or the AC current wherein the socket has four recesses therein, each recess having a respective contact therein and being configured to receive a respective prong, and to make a respective electrical contact with said plug therein, a first of said contacts transmitting the DC current, a second and third of said contacts transmitting complementary poles of the AC electrical current, and a fourth contact connecting with a grounded connection;

wherein an electrical device having a device plug is plugged into said socket, said device plug including a first prong inserted in and engaging the contact in the first recess and a second prong inserted in and engaging the grounded contact, said electrical device deriving DC power from a circuit formed therebetween; and

wherein the device plug further comprises at least two AC prongs corresponding to prongs of a standard two-prong AC plug, and device plug being connected with the electrical device via a power processing circuit, said power processing circuit providing DC current from the first prong and the first contact to the electrical device when said DC current is present at said first contact, and converting the AC current from said AC prongs to a local DC current and supplying said local DC current to the electrical device when the DC current is not present at said first contact.

14. A wall socket supplying DC power and AC power in a building, said wall socket comprising:

a socket face having first and second recesses therein located in positions to receive prongs of a standard two-prong AC electrical plug;

the socket having contacts in said recesses configured to electrically contact said prongs, said contacts each being electrically connected with a respective pole of said AC power so that an AC circuit is formed when a plug having prongs of said two-prong AC electrical plug is inserted in the socket;

said socket having a third recess therein positioned to receive a ground prong of a standard three-prong AC electrical plug, said recess having a contact therein connecting with ground; and

said socket having a fourth recess therein having a contact therein configured to engage a plug prong when inserted therein and to supply to said plug prong the DC power, said fourth recess supplying only a single line of DC current in the DC power, such that a DC circuit is formed between said plug prong and a further prong in the third recess contacting the grounded contact of said third recess.

15. A wall socket supplying DC power and AC power in a building, said wall socket comprising:

a socket face having first and second recesses therein located in positions to receive prongs of a standard two-prong AC electrical plug;

the socket having contacts in said recesses configured to electrically contact said prongs, said contacts each being electrically connected with a respective pole of said AC power so that an AC circuit is formed when a plug having prongs of said two-prong AC electrical plug is inserted in the socket;

said socket having a third recess therein positioned to receive a ground prong of a standard three-prong AC electrical plug, said recess having a contact therein connecting with ground; and

said socket having a fourth recess therein having a contact therein configured to engage a plug prong when inserted therein and to supply to said plug prong the DC power, such that a DC circuit is formed between said plug prong and a further prong contacting the grounded contact of said third recess; and

wherein the fourth recess is located between the first and second recesses.

16. An electrical device comprising:

a DC-powered electrical apparatus operable using DC current; and

a plug operatively associated with the DC-powered electrical apparatus so as to supply DC current thereto;

said plug having a plug body; and

said plug having three prongs supported on and extending from the plug body, said prongs including two AC connection prongs and a ground connection prong corresponding to prongs of a standard three-prong plug;

said plug further having a fourth prong supported on the plug body and extending therefrom adjacent the three prongs; and

said fourth prong being removable from the plug body, or being movably supported on the plug body so that said fourth prong may be removed or moved so that the plug can be plugged into a standard three-recess AC socket.

17. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said fourth prong is supported so as to be moved between a first position, wherein said fourth prong can be received in a four-slot socket with the three prongs, and a second position, wherein said fourth prong does not interfere with insertion of the three prongs into a standard three-recess grounded AC socket.

18. The electrical device according to claim 17, wherein said fourth prong is pivotally supported so as to rotate about a pivot between the first and second positions.

19. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein said fourth prong is between the AC connection prongs of the plug.

20. The electrical device according to claim 16, wherein a power conditioner is connected between the plug and the electrical apparatus, said power conditioner being electrically connected with the four prongs of the plug and receiving AC current from the AC connection prongs,

when the fourth prong is receiving DC current, said power conditioner converting the AC current to DC current and supplying said DC current to the electrical apparatus, and

when the fourth prong is receiving DC current, said power conditioner supplying said DC current from the fourth prong to the electrical apparatus.