Abstract:
A modular furniture power distribution system includes at least two multiconductor electrical cables, at least two upstanding partition panels, a stanchion for supporting juxtaposed partition panel ends, and a collar. Each of the at least two multiconductor electrical cables have an electrical connector at a first end thereof. Each of the at least two upstanding partition panels have an elongated generally horizontally extending channel for receiving a corresponding electrical cable. The stanchion forms an obstacle precluding direct communication between adjacent partition channels and providing inadequate clearance to accommodate electrical coupling between the electrical connectors. The collar at least partially encircles the stanchion and forms an electrical coupling for circumventing the obstacle and electrically coupling the connector of the cable in one channel with a corresponding connector of the cable in the other channel. The collar includes a pair of electrical connectors at opposite ends of the collar, each of the electrical connectors being adapted to mate with a corresponding cable connector, the mating cable connector and collar electrical connector pairs engaging and disengaging by relative motion in the direction of channel elongation.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/355,694 entitled “METHOD OF BRANCHING POWER AROUND AN OBSTACLE”, filed Feb. 16, 2006 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,294,005, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/653,807, entitled “METHOD OF BRANCHING POWER AROUND AN OBSTACLE”, filed Feb. 17, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to power distribution systems, and, more particularly, to power distribution systems of the type utilized with movable partitions or similar modular furniture having raceways for distributing electrical energy. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Modular furniture power distribution systems typically may be configured by the user without the need for tools or the services of a professional electrician. Electrical distribution systems for electrified office partitions and similar modular furnishings with power and/or communications wiring running in raceways along the top, beltline or bottom of the partitions have been known for a number of years. 
     One recurrent problem in electrified office partitions is forming an electrical connection between adjacent panels. The problem has been largely resolved for panels of sufficient width to accommodate jumpers or connections passing around corners, but with more narrow width panels, support posts or other obstacles may preclude wiring within the raceways lying within the lateral confines of the panels. Office furniture manufacturers are coming out with thin partitions (approximately 1″ wide). In wider panels there is still enough room around the legs to allow the electrical power distribution components to pass by from panel to panel. However, in the thin panels the legs block off the entire width of the base raceway allowing no room to route any modular electrical components through the corner in the tradition way. 
     What is needed in the art is a power distribution system adapted to use in thin wall partition raceways. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a splitter fit around the outside of the obstacle, which in this case is a group of panel legs. The splitter can be arranged in an “X” configuration for 4-way splitting, or a “T” configuration for a 3-way splitting. 
     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a power splitter for distributing electrical energy from a source to a plurality of diverse locations in an office furniture environment including an insulating housing mechanically supporting a plurality of electrical connectors spaced about an open region and having outwardly facing openings for receiving corresponding jumper connectors along respective connection axes. The connection axes are generally angularly spaced from one another by integral multiples of a right angle. Electrical conductors within the housing electrically couple the electrical connectors. The open region is configured to at least partially surround a modular furniture wall panel stanchion or other obstruction which forms an obstacle to direct interconnection between the jumpers within the lateral extents of the adjoining wall panels. 
     Also in general, an electrical coupling for interconnecting a connector of one electrical cable with a like connector of another electrical cable includes a rigid insulating body containing a plurality of conductors and at least two like electrical connectors each having contact receiving openings extending generally outwardly away from a central opening and adapted to mate with a corresponding cable connector. The mating cable connector and collar connector pairs engage and disengage by relative motion toward and away from the central opening. The relative coupling motion for one cable connector toward and away from the central opening may be generally orthogonal to or coaxial with the relative coupling motion toward and away from the central opening for the other cable connector. Frequently more than two cable connector/collar connector pairs with combinations of collinear and orthogonal motion are employed. In general, the mating direction for one cable connector and collar connector pair extends generally along integral multiples of a right angle to the mating direction for another cable connector and collar connector pair. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that power is routed around the outside of an obstruction while still providing all the branching capability of the traditional branching methods. 
     Another advantage is that all conventional circuitry options may be implemented in thin panels. 
     A further advantage of the invention is that the power distribution system is well suited to, but is not limited to, narrow wall panel installations, 
     Yet another advantage is the splitter or collar configuration may be “universal” to circumvent a wide variety of stanchions or other obstacles, or may be designed uniquely for a given installation obstruction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an illustrative prior art modular wall panel system; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of an electrical distribution system adapted to a thin wall environment; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the distribution system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the distribution system of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is side elevation view of one variation on a thin wall electrical distribution system; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the distribution system of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the distribution system of  FIGS. 5 and 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the custom four-way splitter of  FIGS. 2-4 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of the four-way splitter of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is top plan view of a three-way splitter similar to the splitter of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of the three-way splitter of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is top plan view of a two-way straight through splitter similar to the splitter of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevation view of the two-way splitter of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14  is top plan view of a two-way ninety degree splitter similar to the splitter of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a side elevation view of the two-way splitter of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a top plan view of a variation on the custom four-way splitter of  FIGS. 2-4 ,  8  and  9 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a side elevation view of the four-way splitter of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 18  is top plan view of a three-way splitter similar to the splitter of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 19  is a side elevation view of the three-way splitter of  FIG. 18 ; 
         FIG. 20  is top plan view of a two-way ninety degree splitter similar to the splitter of  FIG. 16 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a side elevation view of the two-way splitter of  FIG. 20 ; 
         FIG. 22  is top plan view of a two-way straight through splitter similar to the splitter of  FIG. 16 ; and 
         FIG. 23  is a side elevation view of the two-way splitter of  FIG. 22 . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an illustrative office or workspace divider panel or partition system  10  which includes a series of wall sections  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  20  which rest on posts or supports  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28 . Individual wall panels are electrified, that is, provided with electrical outlets or receptacles such as  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  which are provided with electrical energy from source above by a power downfeed line  40 . The individual outlets are electrically interconnected by jumpers such as  42 ,  44  and  46 . Jumper  48  is shown as providing power upwardly from outlet  32  to a utilization device located overhead or higher on a wall panel. Jumper  48  could extend to other electrical components such as receptacle  30  as desired. The electrical outlets and interconnecting jumpers are disposed in panel raceways such as  50 ,  52  and  56  which interconnect to form a channel which extends along the bottom edges of the several panels. Note particularly, the region near the lower left corner of the system  10  where the decorative cover  54  has been removed exposing the channels  50  and  56 . The channel width is seen to be considerably greater than the thickness of the leg  22 . This allows adequate space within the channel for the jumpers such as  44  to pass around the leg or support while remaining in the channel. As partition thickness is reduced, this space may no longer be available necessitating recourse to other techniques. 
       FIGS. 2-4  show a splitter designed to branch power around an obstacle, in particular, in a thin office panel system where the legs block off the ends of the base raceway and/or occupy the space at the intersection of adjacent panels leaving inadequate room for power distribution components. In  FIGS. 2-4 , a broken-away portion of an exemplary wall partition  58  has a base raceway or channel  60  for receiving a flexible jumper cable  62 . The wall partition may be of any suitable construction, but is here illustrated as a simple U-shaped open-topped metal or plastic trough with a pair of thin wall panels or portions  64  and  66  upstanding therefrom. The raceway may be located along the bottom of the panel as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , along the top, or may be at a beltline height for providing electrical outlets at convenient desk or tabletop locations. The raceways may also be of any suitable construction. Jumpers or cables having any suitable connectors may be employed. Illustrated are jumpers with like connectors  98 ,  100 ,  102  at opposite ends for connection to adjacent modular furniture wiring components. These connectors are adapted to engage other connectors such as  82 ,  84 ,  86  or  88  in an end to end manner for effecting connections at corners and with other electrical components. The jumpers may include multiple circuits having shared or independent neutral conductors as is conventional in the art. The connectors may also have indicia or an asymetrical aspect to prevent “upside down” interconnection and preserve the integrity of multiple circuits. The connectors shown are especially well suited to a narrow panel environment. The connectors each have an electrically insulating housing partially open at one end which is adapted to mate with the corresponding open portion of the housing of another connector. A plurality of terminals are disposed within each connector housing. 
     The partition  58  is supported by legs with an exemplary leg  68  shown. The support legs may be individual leg portions, one for each panel as shown at  68 ,  70 ,  72  and  74 , a common post may support all panels meeting at a particular corner, or any other suitable stanchion or leg structure which is compatible with the chosen partition may be employed. Note the overall thickness or lateral extent of the partition (measured vertically in  FIG. 3 ) is not much greater than the overall thickness (arrows  78 ) of the leg portion  68 . Further, the available interior channel width for accepting a jumper is shown by the arrows  76  while the leg portion  68  thickness is shown by the arrows  78 . The space available within the channel width is not sufficient to accommodate both the jumper and leg portion  68 , let alone accommodate the jumper and entire leg structure including the other three leg portions. 
     The jumper accommodation problem is solved in  FIGS. 2-4  by providing a collar  80  which functions as a power splitter to divert the conductor path around the obstruction. The collar or power splitter  80  functions to distribute electrical energy from a source such as the downfeed  40  of  FIG. 1  to a plurality of diverse locations in the office furniture environment. Power splitter  80  has an insulating housing  94  which mechanically supports a plurality of electrical connectors  82 ,  84 ,  86  and  88  which are spaced about an open region  108  ( FIG. 8 ) for accommodating an obstacle such as the leg or stanchion assembly. As illustrated, the open region  108  is configured to surround the modular furniture wall panel support post. Electrical conductors such as  96  within the housing  94  electrically couple the electrical connectors. 
     The several electrical connectors have outwardly facing openings for receiving corresponding jumper connectors such as  100  and  102  along respective connection axes. Connection axis directions  90  and  92  are illustrated in  FIG. 4  for the connectors  88  and  82  respectively. The connection axis direction  90  coincides with the direction of elongation of the channel  58 . The connection axis directions  90  and  92  are angularly displaced by ninety degrees to facilitate electrical couplings at corners, e.g., between panels  14  and  16  in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 8  shows four electrical connectors equally angularly spaced about the open region  108  with respective connection axes  122 ,  124 ,  126  and  128  generally angularly spaced from one another by integral multiples of a right angle. 
     The electrical connectors such as  88  include individual contacts which mate with corresponding individual contacts within the jumper connectors such as  100 . The respective mating contacts may be recessed male and female contacts or hermaphroditic contacts of known type may be employed. A modular furniture power distribution system may employ numerous splitters of various configurations. At each splitter, there will typically be at least two multiconductor electrical cables as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  with each having an electrical connector  100  or  102  for mating with the splitter as well as connectors at respective second ends, e.g., connector  98  for connection to, for example, a single sided molded distribution  104 . Distribution  104  may have connectors such as  110  at its opposite ends, one for receiving connector  100  and the other for interconnecting the second connector of cable  62  with a like connector of a further cable (not shown). The distribution  104  also includes electrical contacts (not visible, but facing away from connector  110  in the opposite direction) for receiving the receptacle  106  connector  116  for energizing the receptacle. Receptacle  106  is mechanically retained in the distribution by mechanical latches such as  112 . The connectors of jumper  62  include jumper connector latches such as  114  which mechanically engage notches such as  118  and  120  to retain the jumper connected to the distribution  104  and splitter  80 . 
       FIGS. 5-7  illustrate one of many possible variations on the modular furniture power distribution system. Four way splitter  80  and the associated connectors  82 ,  84 ,  86  and  88  as well as jumper  62  and its associated connectors  98  and  100  are substantially the same as described in conjunction with  FIGS. 2-4 . Again, the splitter encircles an obstacle such as the stanchion including exemplary post portion  70 . A molded power AT@coupler  130  has connectors  132  and another facing in the opposite direction from the opposite end for coupling connector  98  of cable  62  with a like connector of a further cable (not shown), and has an obliquely extending electrical cable  134  in a metal conduit for connecting with an electrical receptacle  136 . 
     The embodiments of  FIGS. 2-4  and of  FIGS. 5-7  are both highly suited to deployment in a thin-walled office partition array. Note that none of the plug insertion connections require movement in the direction normal to the wall surface and that none of the components are positioned laterally beside one another thereby minimizing the lateral space required to accommodate the components. This thin profile aspect is particularly visible in  FIGS. 3 and 6 . 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  are top and side elevation views respectively of the four-way splitter  80  already discussed. Note the insertion axes (connection direction or axis of coupling )  122 ,  124 ,  126  and  128  are spaced one from another by integral multiples of ninety degrees. Splitter  80  may be employed for less than four-way splitting tasks, but  FIGS. 10-15  illustrate variations on splitter  80  particularly suited to use in situations where less than four jumpers are joined. Other than the number of connectors and the shape of the obstacle accommodating space, the splitters shown in the remaining figures function much the same as splitter  80 . For example, In  FIG. 10 , there are three connectors  140 ,  142  and  144  and their axes of coupling are shown at  146 ,  148  and  150 . Axes  146  and  150  are collinear and at a straight angle to one another while axis  148  is perpendicular to the other two. The opening  138  is only partially surrounded by the collar. 
     In  FIGS. 10 and 11 , a three-way splitter suitable for use where one wall panel ends at a junction between two other aligned panels, that is, at a AT@ junction, is shown. Of course, this splitter could be used at a four wall junction where electrification of one or more wall sections was not desired. Any one of the connectors could be coupled to a power source to distribute power to the other two connectors and their associated wiring. 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  show a two-way splitter for Astraight through@ interconnection of wiring in raceways of two aligned wall panels, for example, between panels  16  and  18  of  FIG. 1 , while  FIGS. 14 and 15  show a splitter suitable for right-angled interconnection of wiring in raceways of two perpendicular wall panels, for example, as shown between panels  14  and  16  in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 16 and 17  are top and side elevation views respectively of a different four-way splitter which is electrically equivalent to that shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , but which has a central opening  152  configured to more snugly encircle the four post stanchion of  FIGS. 2-7 . The collar may be configured to circumvent any of a wide variety of other obstacle shapes as desired. 
     A similarly configured three-way splitter suitable for use where one wall panel ends at a junction between two other aligned panels is shown in  FIGS. 18 and 19 . This splitter is electrically the same as the splitter illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , but has the central opening configured to more closely conform to the particular stanchion configuration shown in  FIGS. 2-7 . 
       FIGS. 20 and 21  show a two-way splitter suitable for right-angled interconnection of wiring in raceways of two perpendicular wall panels while  FIGS. 22 and 23  illustrate a splitter for Astraight through@ interconnection of wiring in raceways of two aligned wall panels. The term Asplitter@ is intended to encompass the simpler two way connections of  FIGS. 12-15  and  20 - 23  as well as the disclosed three-way and four-way splitters. 
     The central opening shapes of  FIGS. 8-15  are adapted to a wider variety of post configurations than those of  FIGS. 16-23 . Regardless of the number of connectors, in every variation shown in  FIGS. 8-23 , the axes of coupling are spaced one from another by integral multiples of ninety degrees. 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.