Electrical system with circuit limiter
First Claim
1. An electrical power distribution system comprising:
- at least one power outlet receptacle;
at least one power cable assembly comprising (i) a main power cable subassembly having at least two power conductors and at least two signal conductors, (ii) an electrical impedance element electrically coupled to at least one of said signal conductors, and (iii) an outlet feed cable configured to be electrically coupled to said power outlet receptacle and to said power conductors in said main power cable sub assembly;
a control unit in electrical communication with said power conductors and said signal conductors of said main power cable subassembly, said control unit comprising an electrical switch associated with at least one of said power conductors and operable to selectively prevent a flow of electricity through said power conductors, and a controller in electrical communication with said signal conductors and said electrical switch;
wherein said controller is operable to detect a number of main power cable subassemblies coupled together in said electrical power distribution system by measuring a voltage in said signal conductors, and wherein said control unit is operable to close said electrical switch so as to permit a flow of electricity through said at least two power conductors when the number of main power cable subassemblies in said electrical power distribution system is detected by said controller as being less than or equal to a predetermined number.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical power distribution system automatically limits the number of substantially similar or identical power cable assemblies that are electrically energizable from a power source. A control unit is connected between the power source and the power cable assemblies, and limits the number of power cable assemblies that can be energized in the system by sensing the voltage in a sensing circuit. An applied voltage in the sensing circuit changes in a predictable manner corresponding to the number of power cable assemblies that are electrically connected in the circuit. Each power cable assembly includes an impedance element that is added to the sensing circuit when the corresponding power cable assembly is coupled to the system, and once the detected voltage is beyond a predetermined threshold value, the control unit will ensure that the power cable assemblies are not energized by the power source.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An electrical power distribution system comprising:
-
at least one power outlet receptacle; at least one power cable assembly comprising (i) a main power cable subassembly having at least two power conductors and at least two signal conductors, (ii) an electrical impedance element electrically coupled to at least one of said signal conductors, and (iii) an outlet feed cable configured to be electrically coupled to said power outlet receptacle and to said power conductors in said main power cable sub assembly; a control unit in electrical communication with said power conductors and said signal conductors of said main power cable subassembly, said control unit comprising an electrical switch associated with at least one of said power conductors and operable to selectively prevent a flow of electricity through said power conductors, and a controller in electrical communication with said signal conductors and said electrical switch; wherein said controller is operable to detect a number of main power cable subassemblies coupled together in said electrical power distribution system by measuring a voltage in said signal conductors, and wherein said control unit is operable to close said electrical switch so as to permit a flow of electricity through said at least two power conductors when the number of main power cable subassemblies in said electrical power distribution system is detected by said controller as being less than or equal to a predetermined number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An electrical power distribution system comprising:
-
at least one power cable assembly comprising a main power cable subassembly having a plurality of power conductors that are electrically connectable to an electrical power source, at least two signal conductors, and an electrical impedance element electrically coupled to at least one of said signal conductors, said power cable assembly further comprising an outlet feed cable; a control unit in electrical communication with said power conductors and said signal conductors of said at least one power cable assembly, said control unit comprising an electrical switch associated with at least one of said power conductors and operable to selectively energize and de-energize at least one of said power conductors, and a controller in electrical communication with said signal conductors and said electrical switch; and wherein said controller is operable to measure a voltage change across said signal conductors, and wherein said controller is further operable to close said electrical switch so as to permit a flow of electricity through said power conductors when the number of main power cable subassemblies in said electrical power distribution system is detected by said controller as being less than or equal to a predetermined number. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An electrical power distribution system comprising:
-
a plurality of power outlet modules, at least one of said power outlet modules having a power outlet receptacle; a plurality of power cable assemblies interconnected in a chain with an upstream one of said power cable assemblies electrically connected with a control unit, each of said power cable assemblies comprising (i) a main power cable subassembly having at least two power conductors, at least two signal conductors, and first and second electrical connectors at opposite end portions of said main power cable subassembly, each of said connectors adapted to connect with one of said connectors of an adjacent one of said power cable assemblies, (ii) an electrical impedance element electrically coupled to at least one of said signal conductors in one of said first and second electrical connectors, and (iii) an outlet feed cable comprising at least two power feed conductors that are electrically coupled to respective ones of said at least two power conductors of said main power cable subassembly at said first electrical connector, wherein said outlet feed cable is configured to be electrically coupled to one of said power outlet modules and to said power conductors in said main power cable subassembly; said control unit in electrical communication with said power conductors and said signal conductors of said main power cable subassembly, said control unit comprising (i) an electrical switch associated with at least one of said power conductors and operable to selectively prevent a flow of electricity through said power conductors, and (ii) a controller in electrical communication with said signal conductors and said electrical switch; wherein said controller includes a voltage sensor in electrical communication with said signal conductors, wherein said voltage sensor is operable to detect a number of main power cable subassemblies coupled together in said electrical power distribution system by measuring a voltage in said signal conductors, and wherein said control unit is operable to close said electrical switch so as to permit a flow of electricity through said at least two power conductors when the number of main power cable subassemblies in said electrical power distribution system is detected by said controller as being less than or equal to a predetermined number. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification