Power strip and electric power measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851380-B2
Application number	US-201615068254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2010
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

The following disclosure provides a power strip including: a busbar electrically connected to a power source; multiple electrical outlets allowing multiple power plugs to be inserted thereinto, respectively; distribution bars which are branched out from the busbar and respectively supply the electrical outlets with electric currents of the power source; and a plurality of electric current measurement units each configured to measure the electric current flowing through a corresponding one of the distribution bars.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power strip comprising:
a busbar electrically connected to a power source;
a plurality of electrical outlets into which a power plug is respectively insertable;
a plurality of distribution bars each of which are branched out from the busbar, corresponds to one of the electrical outlets, and respectively supply the corresponding electrical outlet with electric currents of the power source;
a plurality of electric current measurement units respectively measuring the electric current flowing through the corresponding distribution bar, the electric current measurement unit including
a magnetic core having a top surface having a rectangular shape, surrounding the corresponding distribution bar and including a gap formed therein, and
a hall element provided in the gap;

a circuit board onto which the magnetic cores and the hall elements are attached; and
a bottom cover which houses the busbar and the circuit board therein, and is provided with a plurality of L-shaped ribs standing upright on an inner surface of the bottom cover, wherein
a plurality of openings, through which the plurality of L-shaped ribs are inserted respectively, are formed in the circuit board, and
two corners of each of the magnetic cores, the two corners being located diagonally to each other, are held between a pair of the L-shaped ribs inserted through the respective openings when viewed from directly above to the top surface of the magnetic core.

2. The power strip according to claim 1 , wherein a pawl configured to hold a top surface of the magnetic core is provided at a tip end of each of the L-shaped ribs.

3. The power strip according to claim 2 , wherein a groove is formed in a side surface of each magnetic core below the pawl, the groove having a width and a depth large enough to allow the pawl to fit into the groove.

4. The power strip according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plate configured to press the plurality of magnetic cores against the circuit board while being in contact with top surfaces of the magnetic cores.

5. The power strip according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a top cover in which a plurality of openings for inserting the power plugs are formed corresponding to the electrical outlet, respectively; and
elastic body configured to press the magnetic cores against the circuit board while being in contact with an inner surface of the top cover and the top surfaces of the magnetic cores.

6. The power strip according to claim 1 , wherein a magnetic shield is provided on the circuit board, the magnetic shield standing upright beside the gap.

7. The power strip according to claim 1 , wherein a magnetic sensor of the hall element is located at a position near the center of a gap surface of the magnetic core facing the gap.

8. The power strip according to claim 1 , wherein
a pair of contacts for inserting the power plug is provided at an end portion of the distribution bar, and
a distance between the distribution bar near the contacts and the circuit board is set smaller than a distance between the distribution bar near the busbar and the circuit board.

9. The power strip according to claim 1 , wherein
a post is provided to the distribution bar, and
the post is fixed onto the circuit board.

10. The power strip according to claim 1 , wherein
the busbar is provided with a pair of holding pieces to hold the distribution bar, main surfaces of the distribution bar being holed by the holding pieces, and
a portion of the distribution bar to be held between the pair of holding pieces is chamfered.

11. A power strip comprising:
a first busbar electrically connected to one pole of a power source;
a plurality of first contacts formed integrally with the first busbar, each first contact allows one of two plug blades of a power plug to be inserted therebetween;
a second busbar electrically connected to the other pole of the power source;
holding pieces made of a same material as the second busbar and provided integrally with the second busbar;
a plurality of distribution bars, a main surface of one end portion of each distribution bar is held between the holding pieces, and each distribution bar extends in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the second busbar;
a plurality of second contacts provided to another end portion of each of the distribution bars, each second contact allows the other one of the two plug blades of the power plug to be inserted therebetween; and
a plurality of electric current measurement units each of which corresponds to one of the distribution bars, and measures an electric current flowing through a corresponding distribution bar, wherein
the first busbar and the second busbar are fabricated by bending conductive plates having a same planar shape.

12. The power strip according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a third busbar kept at the ground and including a plurality of third contacts, each third contact allows an earth terminal of the power plug to be inserted therebetween, wherein
the first busbar, the second busbar and third busbar are fabricated by bending the conductive plates having the same planar shape in a bending process.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Ltd
• Fujitsu Component Ltd

Inventors

• Soneda Hiromitsu
• Tsuboi Osamu
• Nakazawa Fumihiko
• Nagao Naoyuki

Classifications

• H10W74/00

  Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H01L2924/181

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G01R21/06

  by measuring current and voltage (G01R21/08 - G01R21/133 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01R15/202

  using Hall-effect devices (Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08) · CPC title