Electrical power distribution system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12537353-B2
Application number	US-202318208749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2023
Priority date	Jun 7, 2019
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

An electrical power or data system includes an electrical power or data supply cord and an intermediate power or data cord, a first electrical power or data outlet receptacle disposed between the supply cord and the intermediate cord, and a second electrical power or data outlet receptacle at a distal end of the intermediate cord. The first electrical power or data outlet is positionable below a work surface, while the second electrical power or data outlet is mountable to the work surface. At least one of the electrical cords may include a self-retracting cord section.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1 . An electrical power system comprising:
a flexible electrical supply cord having an input end portion and an output end portion opposite said input end portion; a pass-through electrical outlet unit coupled to said output end portion of said flexible electrical supply cord, said pass-through electrical outlet unit comprising a first plurality of electrical outlets and configured for positioning below a work surface; a flexible intermediate electrical cord having an input end portion at said pass-through electrical outlet unit and an opposite output end portion; an end electrical outlet unit coupled to said opposite output end portion of said flexible intermediate electrical cord, said end electrical outlet unit comprising a second plurality of electrical outlets; a plurality of electrical bus bars extending through said pass-through electrical outlet unit, said plurality of electrical bus bars having respective opposite ends that are mechanically and electrically coupled to respective electrical conductors at said output end portion of said flexible electrical supply cord, and to respective electrical conductors at said input end portion of said flexible intermediate electrical cord; a circuit breaker mounted at said pass-through electrical outlet unit, said circuit breaker in electrical communication with both said first plurality of electrical outlets and said second plurality of electrical outlets; and a bracket coupled to said end electrical outlet unit and configured for coupling said end electrical outlet unit to the work surface; wherein said circuit breaker is configured to temporarily disconnect power to said first plurality of electrical outlets and said second plurality of electrical outlets in the event that total power draw in said electrical power system exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein said pass-through electrical outlet unit is configured to rest upon a floor surface below the work surface.

3 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein said pass-through electrical outlet unit comprises a cord-engaging strain relief that permits said pass-through electrical outlet unit to be suspended below the work surface by said flexible intermediate electrical cord.

4 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein said pass-through electrical outlet unit comprises a first strain relief for engaging said output end portion of said flexible electrical supply cord, and a second strain relief for engaging said input end portion of said flexible intermediate electrical cord, and wherein said first strain relief and said second strain relief are positioned adjacent one another in side-by-side arrangement along one housing panel of said pass-through electrical outlet unit.

5 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first plurality of electrical outlets comprise a pair of high voltage AC power outlets positioned adjacent one another in side-by-side arrangement along one housing panel of said pass-through electrical outlet unit, wherein one of said pair of high voltage AC power outlets is rotated 90 degrees relative to the other of said pair of high voltage AC power outlets; and said second plurality of electrical outlets comprise at least one low voltage DC power outlet.

6 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said flexible electrical supply cord and said flexible intermediate electrical cord comprises a self-retracting cord section.

7 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said pass-through electrical outlet unit and said end electrical outlet unit comprises both a high voltage AC power outlet and a low voltage DC power outlet.

8 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein said input end portion of said flexible electrical supply cord comprises at least one chosen from (i) a high voltage AC power plug, and (ii) a low voltage DC power plug.

9 . The electrical power system of claim 1 , wherein said pass-through electrical outlet unit comprises a first surface supporting one of said first plurality of electrical outlets and a second surface supporting another of said first plurality of electrical outlets, wherein said first surface is angled ninety degrees relative to said second surface.

10 . An electrical power or data system comprising:
a flexible electrical supply cord having an input end portion and an output end portion opposite said input end portion; a pass-through electrical outlet unit coupled to said output end portion of said flexible electrical supply cord, said pass-through electrical outlet unit comprising a first plurality of electrical outlets and configured for positioning below a work surface; a flexible intermediate electrical cord having an input end portion at said pass-through electrical outlet unit and an opposite output end portion; an end electrical outlet unit coupled to said opposite output end portion of said flexible intermediate electrical cord, said end electrical outlet unit comprising a second plurality of electrical outlets; a plurality of electrical bus bars extending through said pass-through electrical outlet unit, said plurality of electrical bus bars having respective opposite ends that are mechanically and electrically coupled to respective electrical conductors at said output end portion of said flexible electrical supply cord, and to respective electrical conductors at said input end portion of said flexible intermediate electrical cord; a first strain relief for engaging said output end portion of said flexible electrical supply cord; a second strain relief for engaging said input end portion of said flexible intermediate electrical cord; and a bracket configured for coupling said end electrical outlet unit to the work surface.

11 . The electrical power or data system of claim 10 , wherein said pass-through electrical outlet unit or said end electrical outlet unit comprises both a high voltage AC power outlet and a low voltage DC power outlet.

12 . The electrical power or data system of claim 10 , wherein said flexible electrical supply cord and said flexible intermediate electrical cord both comprise a high voltage AC power cords.

13 . The electrical power or data system of claim 10 , wherein said first plurality of electrical outlets comprise a pair of high voltage AC power outlets positioned adjacent one another in side-by-side arrangement along one housing panel of said pass-through electrical outlet unit, wherein one of said pair of high voltage AC power outlets is rotated 90 degrees relative to the other of said pair of high voltage AC power outlets.

14 . The electrical power or data system of claim 13 , wherein said second plurality of electrical outlets comprise at least one low voltage DC power outlet.

15 . The electrical power or data system of claim 14 , further comprising a circuit breaker mounted at said pass-through electrical outlet unit, said circuit breaker in electrical communication with both said first plurality of electrical outlets and said second plurality of electrical outlets, wherein said circuit breaker is configured to temporarily disconnect power to said first plurality of electrical outlets and said second plurality of electrical outlets in the event that total power draw in said electrical power or data system exceeds a predetermined threshold.

16 . An electrical power system comprising:
a flexible electrical supply cord having an inpu

Assignees

• Byrne Norman R
• Vander Till Gerald N

Inventors

• Byrne Norman R
• Vander Till Gerald N

Classifications

• H02J4/00

  Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) · CPC title

• H02G5/02

  Open installations · CPC title

• H01R13/73

  Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• H01R13/72

  Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder · CPC title

• H01B7/06 Primary

  Extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords · CPC title