ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE FOR FURNITURE

• US 20180358765A1
• Filed: 06/11/2018
• Published: 12/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aaron G. Lautenbach, Daniel P. Byrne, Joseph D. Ward, Norman R. Byrne, Roger D. Burdi
• Original Assignee: Norman R. Byrne
• Inventors: Byrne, Norman R., Byrne, Daniel P., Ward, Joseph D., Lautenbach, Aaron G., Burdi, Roger D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,873,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0081 Auxiliary apparatus with electrical connections for office furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/101 Clamping means for connecting accessories to the operating table supports as part of surgical instruments A61B90/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 15/10 Parts, details or accessories A61G15/14 takes precedence; dental instruments A61C
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

A furniture electrical system includes an electrical power unit including a housing that is mountable to a furniture article and that defines an interior cavity, with a low voltage DC electrical outlet positioned in the interior cavity. An electrical power cord is in electrical communication with the electrical outlet and exits the housing, the power cord extending to a higher voltage DC power supply associated with an electric motor for raising and lowering a furniture article. An electrical power converter in the housing reduces the voltage from the higher voltage DC power supply to the low voltage DC electrical outlet. Optionally, an indicia lamp associated with each outlet illuminates at a first luminous intensity when the outlet is energized, and illuminates at a different second luminous intensity when the outlet is energized and supplying power to an electrical power consumer.

Claims

1. An electrical power unit for furniture, said electrical power unit comprising:

a housing that is mountable to a furniture article and that defines an interior cavity;

an electrical outlet positioned in said interior cavity and accessible through an opening formed in said housing;

an indicia lamp associated with said electrical outlet; and

an electrical circuit disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with a power source and with each of said electrical outlet and said indicia lamp;

wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a first luminous intensity when said electrical outlet is energized by the power source and said electrical outlet is not supplying electrical power an electrical power consumer; and

wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a second luminous intensity that is different from said first luminous intensity when said electrical outlet is energized by the power source and said electrical outlet is supplying electrical power to an electrical power consumer.

2. The electrical power unit of claim 1, further comprising an electrical converter disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with the power source and with said electrical outlet, wherein said electrical converter is configured to convert a high voltage AC or DC input received from the power source to a low voltage DC output at said electrical outlet.

3. The electrical power unit of claim 2, further in combination with a furniture electrical system including an electric motor adapted to adjust a height or configuration of a furniture article.

4. The electrical power unit of claim 3, wherein said electrical converter is configured to receive a high voltage DC input from said furniture electrical system.

5. The electrical power unit of claim 4, wherein the high voltage DC input from said furniture electrical system comprises about 12V to 48V, and wherein the low voltage DC output at said electrical outlet comprises about 5V.

6. The electrical power unit of claim 5, wherein said electrical outlet comprises a low voltage USB charging outlet.

7. The electrical power unit of claim 1, comprising at least two of said electrical outlets in spaced arrangement and at least two of said indicia lamps corresponding to respective ones of said electrical outlets, wherein said electrical circuit is configured to independently illuminate a first of said indicia lamps according to operation of a first of said electrical outlets, and said electrical circuit is configured to independently illuminate a second of said indicia lamps according to operation of a second of said electrical outlets.

8. The electrical power unit of claim 1, wherein said electrical circuit comprises a voltage comparator and a field effect transistor (FET) associated with each of said indicia lamps.

9. The electrical power unit of claim 1, further comprising an edge-mount clamp or an under-mount bracket for securing said housing to a furniture article.

10. A furniture electrical system comprising:

a housing defining an interior cavity;

a mounting bracket for securing said housing to a furniture article;

a low voltage DC electrical outlet positioned in said interior cavity and accessible through an opening formed in said housing;

an electrical power cord passing through said housing and adapted to engage and receive high voltage DC electrical power from an electrical supply associated with an electric motor for adjusting a height or configuration of the furniture article; and

an electrical converter disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with said electrical power cord and with said low voltage DC electrical outlet, wherein said electrical converter is configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power from the electrical supply to a low voltage DC output at said low voltage DC electrical outlet.

11. The furniture electrical system of claim 10, further comprising:

an indicia lamp associated with said low voltage DC electrical outlet; and

an electrical circuit board disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with said electrical converter, wherein said electrical circuit board supports said low voltage DC electrical outlet and said indicia lamp.

12. The furniture electrical system of claim 11, comprising at least two of said low voltage DC electrical outlets in spaced arrangement and at least two of said indicia lamps corresponding to respective ones of said low voltage DC electrical outlets, wherein said electrical circuit board is configured to independently illuminate a first of said indicia lamps according to operation of a first of said low voltage DC electrical outlets, and said electrical circuit board is configured to independently illuminate a second of said indicia lamps according to operation of a second of said low voltage DC electrical outlets.

13. The furniture electrical system of claim 11, wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a first luminous intensity when said low voltage DC electrical outlet is energized and said low voltage DC electrical outlet electrical outlet is not supplying electrical power an electrical power consumer, and wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a second luminous intensity that is different from said first luminous intensity when said low voltage DC electrical outlet is energized and said low voltage DC electrical outlet is supplying electrical power to an electrical power consumer.

14. The furniture electrical system of claim 13, wherein said second luminous intensity is greater than said first luminous intensity.

15. The furniture electrical system of claim 14, wherein said electrical circuit comprises a voltage comparator and a field effect transistor (FET) associated with each of said indicia lamps.

16. The furniture electrical system of claim 15, wherein each of said low voltage DC electrical outlets comprises a grounded conductor having a resistor disposed therealong, wherein a voltage is developed along said grounded conductor is response to said low voltage DC electrical outlet supplying electrical power to an electrical power consumer, and wherein said voltage comparator is in electrical communication with said grounded conductor of each of said low voltage DC electrical outlets.

17. The furniture electrical system of claim 10, further comprising said electric motor and said electrical supply associated with said electric motor.

18. The furniture electrical system of claim 10, wherein the high voltage DC electrical power comprises about 12V to 48V, and wherein an output of said low voltage DC electrical outlet comprises about 5V.

19. The furniture electrical system of claim 10, further comprising an edge-mount clamp or an under-mount bracket for securing said housing to a furniture article.

20. The furniture electrical system of claim 10, wherein said low voltage DC electrical outlet comprises a USB charging outlet.