Electrical power outlet housing assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9698550-B2
Application number	US-201615090895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2016
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

An electrical power outlet housing assembly is provided for mounting electrical and/or data outlets in a work area or the like. The housing assembly includes at least one outlet housing portion having an interior surface that is configured to support the electrical components of an electrical and/or data outlet. The outlet housing portion cooperates with a housing enclosure portion by filling an opening of the housing enclosure, where the housing enclosure and outlet housing portions cooperate with a housing base to define an interior cavity that receives the electrical or electronic components associated with the electrical or data outlets. The electrical components may be installed without any separate mechanical fasteners, and the housing components may be assembled with minimal use of separate fasteners.

First claim

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

1. A housing assembly for mounting electrical and/or data outlets in a work area, said housing assembly comprising:
an outlet housing portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface, said outlet housing portion defining at least one receptacle opening configured to receive a connector;
a housing enclosure portion configured to engage said outlet housing portion and cooperating therewith to define an interior cavity for receiving at least one electrical contact or data outlet, said housing enclosure portion defining an opening in which said outlet housing portion is mounted;
said outlet housing portion comprising attachment structure along said interior surface adjacent said at least one receptacle opening, and projecting into said interior cavity, wherein said attachment structure is configured to support the at least one electrical contact or data outlet; and
a housing base coupled to at least one of said outlet housing portion and said housing enclosure portion;
wherein a lower region of said outlet housing portion, a lower region of said housing enclosure portion, and a lower region of said housing base cooperate to form a lower region of said housing assembly; and
wherein said lower region of said housing enclosure portion forms an outboard portion of said lower region of said housing assembly, said lower region of said housing base forms an inboard portion of said lower region of said housing assembly, and said lower region of said outlet housing portion is positioned between said lower regions of said housing enclosure and said housing base to thereby form an intermediate portion of said lower region of said housing assembly.

2. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said housing base comprises a generally U-shaped frame piece having a base wall located at a lower region of said housing assembly, and a pair of upstanding walls extending into said interior cavity, wherein said outlet housing portions are mounted along and between respective opposite sides of said U-shaped frame piece between said upstanding walls.

3. The housing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical terminal mount configured for releasable engagement with said attachment structure of said outlet housing portion, and wherein said electrical terminal mount cooperates with said attachment structure to secure the at least one electrical contact or data outlet at said interior surface of said outlet housing portion.

4. The housing assembly of claim 3 , wherein said electrical terminal mount comprises at least two latch tabs and said attachment structure comprises at least two catches corresponding to said at least two latch tabs.

5. The housing assembly of claim 4 , wherein said electrical terminal mount comprises at least two hooks along an opposite side of said electrical terminal mount from said latch tabs, and said attachment structure comprises at least two openings configured to receive respective ones of said at least two hooks.

6. The housing assembly of claim 4 , further comprising at least one electrical bus bar contact, wherein said electrical terminal mount and said attachment structure each comprise respective slots or notches that are configured to receive respective portions of said at least one electrical bus bar contact.

7. The housing assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one electrical contact or data outlet.

8. The housing assembly of claim 7 , wherein said at least one electrical contact or data outlet comprises at least one chosen from (i) a 110-volt AC power outlet, (ii) a 220-volt AC power outlet, (iii) a low voltage DC power outlet.

9. The housing assembly of claim 1 , wherein said housing base is configured for attachment to a mounting surface.

10. A housing assembly for mounting electrical and/or data outlets in a work area, said housing assembly comprising:
a housing enclosure portion defining an interior cavity, said housing enclosure portion comprising an upper enclosure surface, at least one upright sidewall extending downwardly from said upper enclosure surface, and a lower enclosure portion defining a lower opening that is open to said interior cavity, wherein said upper enclosure surface, said upright sidewall, and said lower enclosure portion cooperate to define a side opening above said lower opening;
an outlet housing portion configured for mounting in said side opening of said housing enclosure portion, said outlet housing portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface, and defining at least one receptacle opening, said outlet housing portion comprising attachment structure along said interior surface adjacent said at least one receptacle opening and projecting into said interior cavity, wherein said attachment structure is configured to support at least two electrical contacts or at least one data outlet;
an electrical terminal mount configured for releasable engagement with said attachment structure, wherein said electrical terminal mount cooperates with said attachment structure to secure the at least two electrical contacts or the at least one data outlet; and
a housing base disposed in said lower opening of said housing enclosure portion and coupled to said housing enclosure portion.

11. The housing assembly of claim 10 , wherein said housing base is configured for attachment to a mounting surface.

12. The housing assembly of claim 11 , wherein said housing base comprises a generally U-shaped frame piece having a base wall disposed in said lower opening of said housing enclosure portion, and a pair of upstanding walls extending into said interior cavity, wherein said outlet housing portion is mounted along and between said upstanding walls of said housing base and said upright sidewalls of said housing enclosure portion.

13. The housing assembly of claim 12 , wherein said base wall of said housing base comprises a support structure configured for releasably engaging another electrical or data connector that is accessible through said base wall.

14. The housing assembly of claim 10 , wherein said electrical terminal mount comprises at least two latch tabs and said attachment structure comprises at least two catches corresponding to said at least two latch tabs.

15. The housing assembly of claim 14 , wherein said electrical terminal mount comprises at least two hooks along an opposite side of said electrical terminal mount from said latch tabs, and said attachment structure comprises at least two openings configured to receive respective ones of said at least two hooks.

16. The housing assembly of claim 10 , further comprising at least two electrical bus bar contacts, wherein said electrical terminal mount and said attachment structure each comprise respective slots or notches that are configured to receive respective portions of said at least two electrical bus bar contacts.

17. A housing assembly for mounting electrical and/or data outlets in a work area, said housing assembly comprising:
a housing enclosure portion defining an interior cavity, said housing enclosure portion comprising an upper enclosure surface, at least two upright sidewalls extending downwardly from said upper enclosure surface, and a lower enclosure portion defining a lower opening that is open to said interior cavity, wherein said upper enclosure surface, said upright sidewalls, and said lower enclosure portion cooperate to define a side opening located above said lower opening;
an outlet housing portion configured for mounting in said si

Assignees

• Byrne Norman R
• Knapp Robert L
• Meek Steven K
• Andree Matthew R

Inventors

• Byrne Norman R
• Knapp Robert L
• Meek Steven K
• Andree Matthew R

Classifications

• H01R25/006

  the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle · CPC title

• H01R13/422

  Securing in resilient one-piece base or case, {e.g. by friction}; One-piece base or case formed with resilient locking means · CPC title

• H01R24/78

  with additional earth or shield contacts · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H01R31/02 Primary

  Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92) · CPC title