Duplex outlet with current indicator

• US 8,558,710 B1
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven M. Nitz
• Original Assignee: Steven M. Nitz
• Inventors: Nitz, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US12/954,170
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 340/657, 340/664, 340/691.1, 340/654, 340/656, 307/98, 307/125, 307/126, 439/488, 439/490, 439/646, 439/650
• US Class Current: 340/657
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

An apparatus that enables indication of power utilization from an electrical outlet to be visually provided to a user, comprising receptacles, an illumination means, and a toggle switch. When an electrical power cord is plugged into the apparatus and is drawing any amount of current above zero (0) amps, the illumination means will activate, thereby alerting the user that the device is drawing power, even if the device is turned off, and allowing the user to take corrective action if necessary. The integral toggle switch deactivates the power to the device while leaving it plugged in.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet for indicating current flow to an existing parasitic electrical load while the existing parasitic electrical load is at on and off modes, said electrical outlet comprising:

a housing having a duplex outlet configuration provided with a plurality of electrical receptacles adapted to removably receive an existing electrical plug of the existing parasitic electrical load, each of said electrical receptacles having an ungrounded connection, a neutral connection, and a ground connection respectively;

a plurality of indicating mechanisms in electrical communication with said electrical receptacles for visually indicating whether current is flowing to said electrical receptacles respectively;

a plurality of current sensors in electrical communication between said ungrounded connections and said indicating mechanisms respectively, said current sensors generating analog outputs upon detecting the current flow to said electrical receptacles respectively;

a plurality of analog input converting modules electrically coupled to said current sensors and said indicating mechanisms respectively, said analog input converting modules being capable of receiving and converting said analog outputs to voltage outputs respectively, wherein said voltage outputs are transmitted to said indicating mechanisms respectively; and

,

a disconnecting switch electrically coupled to said ungrounded electrical connections as well as an existing ungrounded conductor;

wherein said disconnecting switch, when toggled to an off mode, is capable of removing the existing parasitic electrical load from said electrical receptacles.

2. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said ungrounded connection is adapted to be in electrical communication with the existing ungrounded conductor, said neutral connection is adapted to be in electrical communication with an existing neutral conductor, and said ground connection is adapted to be in electrical communication with a ground contact.

3. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said analog input converters are in electrical communication between said current sensors and said indicating mechanisms respectively.

4. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein at least one of said indicating mechanisms comprises:

a light-emitting diode illuminated upon receiving said voltage outputs.

5. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said disconnecting switch is located on a face of said housing and is manually toggled between on and off positions.

6. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said duplex outlet is adapted to be electrically hardwired to an existing wall outlet.

7. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said duplex outlet is adapted to be removably plugged into to an existing wall outlet.

8. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said current sensors are electrically coupled to said ungrounded conductor prior to reaching said ungrounded connections respectively.

9. An electrical outlet for indicating current flow to an existing parasitic electrical load while the existing parasitic electrical load is at on and off modes, said electrical outlet comprising:

a housing having a duplex outlet configuration provided with a plurality of electrical receptacles adapted to removably receive an existing electrical plug of the existing parasitic electrical load, each of said electrical receptacles having an ungrounded connection, a neutral connection, and a ground connection respectively;

a plurality of indicating mechanisms in electrical communication with said electrical receptacles for visually indicating whether current is flowing to said electrical receptacles respectively;

a plurality of current sensors in electrical communication between said ungrounded connections and said indicating mechanisms respectively, said current sensors generating analog outputs upon detecting the current flow to said electrical receptacles respectively;

a plurality of analog input converting modules electrically coupled to said current sensors and said indicating mechanisms respectively, said analog input converting modules being capable of receiving and converting said analog outputs to voltage outputs respectively, wherein said voltage outputs are transmitted to said indicating mechanisms respectively;

a disconnecting switch electrically coupled to said ungrounded electrical connections as well as an existing ungrounded conductor; and

,

a face plate removably positioned over said housing such that said indicating mechanisms and said disconnecting switch are visible from an exterior of said face plate;

wherein said disconnecting switch, when toggled to an off mode, is capable of removing the existing parasitic electrical load from said electrical receptacles;

wherein said disconnecting switch is directly connected to each of said current sensors.

10. The electrical outlet of claim 9, wherein said ungrounded connection is adapted to be in electrical communication with the existing ungrounded conductor, said neutral connection is adapted to be in electrical communication with an existing neutral conductor, and said ground connection is adapted to be in electrical communication with a ground contact.

11. The electrical outlet of claim 9, wherein said analog input converters are in electrical communication between said current sensors and said indicating mechanisms respectively.

12. The electrical outlet of claim 9, wherein at least one of said indicating mechanisms comprises:

a light-emitting diode illuminated upon receiving said voltage outputs.

13. The electrical outlet of claim 9, wherein said disconnecting switch is located on a face of said housing and is manually toggled between on and off positions.

14. The electrical outlet of claim 9, wherein said duplex outlet is adapted to be electrically hardwired to an existing wall outlet.

15. The electrical outlet of claim 9, wherein said duplex outlet is adapted to be removably plugged into to an existing wall outlet.

16. The electrical outlet of claim 9, wherein said current sensors are electrically coupled to said ungrounded conductor prior to reaching said ungrounded connections respectively.

17. A method of utilizing an electrical outlet for indicating current flow to an existing parasitic electrical load while the existing parasitic electrical load is at on and off modes, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing having a duplex outlet configuration provided with a plurality of electrical receptacles, each of said electrical receptacles having an ungrounded connection, a neutral connection, and a ground connection respectively;

providing and electrically communicating a plurality of indicating mechanisms with said electrical receptacles;

providing and electrically communicating a plurality of current sensors between said ungrounded connections and said indicating mechanisms respectively;

providing and electrically coupling a plurality of analog input converting modules to said current sensors and said indicating mechanisms respectively; and

,

providing and electrically coupling a disconnecting switch to said ungrounded electrical connections as well as an existing ungrounded conductor;

wherein said disconnecting switch is directly connected to each of said current sensors.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

removably plugging the existing parasitic electrical load into said electrical receptacles;

said current sensors generating analog outputs upon detecting the current flow to said electrical receptacles respectively;

said analog input converting modules receiving and converting said analog outputs to voltage outputs respectively;

transmitting said voltage outputs to said indicating mechanisms respectively;

said indicating mechanism visually indicating whether current is flowing to said electrical receptacles respectively; and

,

if current is flowing to said electrical receptacles, toggling said disconnecting switch to an off mode thereby removing the existing parasitic electrical load from said electrical receptacles.