Power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement

• US 4,814,941 A
• Filed: 10/19/1987
• Issued: 03/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Inc.
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Wienczkowski, Jan G., Speet, Larry A., Rentz, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jennings, Derek S.
• Application Number:
  US07/110,464
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 361/56, 361/58, 361/86, 361/91, 361/111, 361/113, 361/118, 361/119, 361/332, 361/334, 174/48, 174/49, 174/53, 174/54, 174/61, 429/210, 429/211, 200/51.05, 200/51.11, 200/51.12
• US Class Current: 361/622
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/719 specially adapted for high frequency, e.g. with filters
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/005 avoiding undesired transient conditions

Abstract

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement is provided for office partition systems and the like of the type having electrical power incorporated therein. The arrangement includes a power receptacle having a modular construction with a quick-disconnect that enables the same to be mounted at selected locations throughout the office partition system, and provide either conditioned or unconditioned power. The arrangement also includes a line conditioner having a quick-disconnect to couple the same with an associated receptacle. The line conditioner has a housing in which selected circuitry is encased, with a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween. The channel is shaped to closely receive an associated portion of the receptacle therein, such that the line conditioner nests around the rear face, and upper and lower walls of the receptacle, wholly within the ends of the receptacle, for increased space efficiency.

Claims

1. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement for office partition systems, and the like, comprising:

a power receptacle having a front face, a rear face, upper and lower walls and opposite ends;

said front face of said receptacle having at least one outlet therein;

said rear face of said receptacle having a first coupling means for selectively coupling said outlet to a source of line voltage associated with an office partition system, and a second coupling means disposed between the ends of said receptacle;

a line conditioner having means for conditioning power supplied from the source of line voltage, and means on said line conditioner for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with the second coupling means on said receptacle to position said line conditioner between the ends of said receptacle, and condition power to said outlet;

said line conditioner including a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween;

said housing flanges being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the distance between the upper and lower walls of said receptacle to closely receive said receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about the rear face, and upper and lower walls of said receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for increased space efficiency.

2. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said web and said flanges of said housing are each hollow, and each retain therein at least a portion of said power conditioning means.

3. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said web and said flanges each have a depth, with the depth of said web being substantially less than the depth of said flanges to permit reduced overall thickness of the office partition system.

4. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said receptacle includes a face plate defining the front face thereof in which said outlet is disposed;

said flanges of said line conditioner housing include end walls which are disposed adjacent to said face plate when said line conditioner is assembled on said receptacle.

5. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said receptacle has a modular construction adapted for use throughout the office partition system to supply either conditioned or unconditioned line voltage thereto;

said first coupling means on said receptacle comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate coupling said receptacle to the office partition system; and

said second coupling means on said receptacle and said coupling means on said line connector comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate interconnecting said receptacle and said line conditioner.

6. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said channel in said line conditioner housing has a substantially rectangular side elevational shape that is substantially uniform along its length.

7. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 6, including:

a removable fastener positively interconnecting said receptacle and said line conditioner when assembled.

8. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said receptacle includes switch means for isolating at least one of said outlets from the remaining outlets, comprising a pair of normally closed contacts extending within said second coupling means to be opened and reconnected to said line conditioner upon connection of said line conditioner to said receptacle, whereby said one outlet is conditioned by said line conditioner.

9. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said line conditioner includes a cam engaging and separating said pair of switch contacts, and contact means for engaging said pair of switch contacts for electrically coupling said line conditioner to said receptacle.

10. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said receptacle includes an indicator aperture through the front plate thereof;

said line conditioner includes a post aligned with and extending through said indicator aperture when said receptacle and said line conditioner are assembled to provide indicia visible from the exterior of the partition system indicating that said line conditioner is installed.

11. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said power conditioning means comprises a filter for filtering out E.M.I. and R.F.I. frequency interference, and a surge protection circuit coupled to said filter for preventing excessive voltage surges.

12. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said web and said flanges each have a depth, with the depth of said web substantially less than the depth of said flanges to permit reduced overall thickness of the office partition system.

13. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said receptacle includes a face plate defining the front face thereof in which said outlet is disposed;

said flanges of said line conditioner housing include end walls which are disposed adjacent to said face plate when said line conditioner is assembled on said receptacle.

14. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said receptacle has a modular construction adapted for use throughout the office partition system to supply either conditioned or unconditioned line voltage thereto;

said first coupling means on said receptacle comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate coupling said receptacle to the office partition system; and

said second coupling means on said receptacle and said coupling means on said line connector comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate interconnecting said receptacle and said line conditioner.

15. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said channel in said line conditioner housing has a substantially rectangular side elevational shape that is substantially uniform along its length.

16. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, including:

a removable fastener positively connecting said receptacle and said line conditioner when assembled.

17. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said receptacle includes switch means for isolating at least one of said outlets from the remaining outlets, comprising a pair of normally closed contacts extending within said second coupling means to be opened and reconnected to said line conditioner upon connection of said line conditioner to said receptacle, whereby said one outlet is conditioned by said line conditioner.

18. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

said line conditioner includes a cam engaging and separating said pair of switch contacts, and contact means for engaging said pair of switch contacts for electrically coupling said line conditioner to said receptacle.

19. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said receptacle includes an indicator aperture through the front face thereof; and

said line conditioner includes a post aligned with and extending through said indicator aperture when said receptacle and said line conditioner are assembled to provide indicia visible from the exterior of the partition system indicating that said line conditioner is installed.

20. A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said power conditioning means comprises a filter for filtering out E.M.I. and R.F.I. frequency interference, and a surge protection circuit coupled to said filter for preventing excessive voltage surges.

21. In an office partition system of the type having electrical power therein, the improvement of a power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement comprising:

a power receptacle having a front face, a rear face, upper and lower walls and opposite ends;

said front face of said receptacle having at least one outlet therein;

said rear face of said receptacle having a first coupling means for selectively coupling said outlet to a source of line voltage associated with said office partition system, and a second coupling means disposed between the ends of said receptacle;

a line conditioner having means for conditioning power supplied from the source of line voltage, and means on said line conditioner for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with the second coupling means of said receptacle to position said line conditioner between the ends of said receptacle, and condition power to said outlet;

said line conditioner including a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween;

said housing flanges being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the distance between the upper and lower walls of said receptacle to closely receive said receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about the rear face, and upper and lower walls of said receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for improved space efficiency.

22. A line conditioner for power receptacles of the type used in office partition systems, and the like, said line conditioner comprising:

means for conditioning power supplied from a source of line voltage;

means for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with an associated power receptacle to position said line conditioner between opposite ends of the power receptacle, and

a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration, comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween;

said housing flanges being space apart a distance slightly greater than the height of the power receptacle to closely receive the power receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about rear, upper, and lower walls of the receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for increased