Abstract:
A power and communications assembly including a housing removably mountable to a worksurface, at least one electrical power receptacle at least partially contained in the housing and an electronic circuit configured to split one bi-directional signal into a plurality of additional bi-directional signals, the electronic circuit substantially within the housing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/367,999, entitled “WORKSURFACE POWER MODULE WITH BUILT IN USB HUB”, filed Mar. 27, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a power module mountable on a worksurface and more particularly, to a power module with communications ports mountable to a worksurface.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Personal computers have been developed for many applications in many fields, such as medical care, business, education and industry. Due to the diverse applications, there are many peripheral devices, which are developed to cooperate with the personal computer to achieve particular functions. Some of the peripheral devices are connected with the personal computer by way of cables. Some connections utilize Universal Serial Bus (USB) cables, which are becoming quite popular.  
           [0006]    The USB is a standard peripheral interface for attaching personal computers to a wide variety of peripheral devices including such things as keyboards, mice, scanners, printers, game controllers, modems and other peripherals. The USB allows up to 128 devices to be interconnected. When a USB device is plugged in, the device is automatically detected and the software to drive it is automatically configured. The USB provides a fast, bidirectional, low cost, dynamically attachable serial interface structure that is consistent with the requirements of the personal computer platform.  
           [0007]    All USB devices connect to the USB through ports on specialized USB devices referred to as hubs. Hubs are wiring concentrators having attachment points referred to as ports. Each hub converts a single attachment port into multiple ports. This architecture supports concatenation of multiple hubs.  
           [0008]    The USB topology is such that a USB connects USB devices with a USB host in a tiered star topology. A hub is at the center of each star and provides a point-to-point connection between the host and a hub or a peripheral function, or a hub connected to another hub or peripheral function. In the USB topology, there is only one host. A root hub is integrated within the host system to provide one or more attachment points. Additional attachment points to the USB are provided by hubs. Each hub may be connected to additional hubs and the functions which provide capabilities to the system, such as an ISDN connection, a digital joystick or speakers.  
           [0009]    Power strips came into popular use along with the personal computer. Power strips typically have multiple power outlets and a switch to turn at least a portion of the electrical receptacles on and off.  
           [0010]    What is needed in the art is a device for providing power and communication receptacles in an easily relocatable and attachable configuration.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The present invention provides a portable power module with a built-in communication port.  
           [0012]    The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a power and communications assembly including a housing removably mountable to a worksurface, at least one electrical power receptacle at least partially contained in the housing and an electronic circuit configured to split one bi-directional signal into a plurality of additional bi-directional signals, the electronic circuit substantially within the housing.  
           [0013]    An advantage of the present invention is that it provides convenient USB connection ports.  
           [0014]    Another advantage of the present invention is that it makes USB connection points easily accessible by placing them in a location on a worksurface rather than behind a CPU.  
           [0015]    Yet another advantage of the present invention is that electrical power and USB connections are available in the same device. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    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:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a power module with a built-in USB hub mounted on a work center according to one form of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the power module with USB hub of FIG. 1; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section view of the power module with USB hub of FIGS. 1 and 2 mounted to a worksurface. 
     
    
       [0020]    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  
       [0021]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a work center  10  having a support  12  and a worksurface  14 . Power/communications module  16  is mounted upon worksurface  14 .  
         [0022]    Now, additionally referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown power/communications module  16  having housing  18 , a power/communications assembly  20  and a clamping device  22 . Housing  18  includes a face plate  24 , a cover  26  and a lower housing  28 . Face plate  24 , cover  26  and lower housing  28  are snapped together or held together with fasteners.  
         [0023]    Face plate  24  includes power distribution openings  30 , communication connection openings  32  and contoured surface  34 . Power distribution openings  30  accommodate a power receptacle to thereby allow a power plug to be plugged into and through power distribution openings  30  into an electrical receptacle. Communication connection openings  32  are positioned and sized to accommodate communications connectors that may be snapped into place therethrough. Contoured surface  34  is shaped to interface with cover  26 .  
         [0024]    Cover  26  includes contoured surface  36  and cord notch  38 . Contoured surface  36  is shaped to coact with contoured surface  34  to enclose housing  18  and to prevent unintentioned contact with electrical power contained therein. Cord notch  38 , in the back of cover  26 , allows a power cord to egress from the interior of housing  18 .  
         [0025]    Lower housing  28  includes communication connection opening  40 , a clamp interface  42  and a grommet mount hole  44 . Communication connection opening  40  allows a communication connector to be snapped into place for access to a communications cable (not shown). Clamp interface  42  interacts with clamping device  22  to detachably clamp power/communications module  16  to worksurface  14 . Grommet mount hole  44  provides for an alternative mounting method of power/communications module  16  to worksurface  14  by way of placing a hole in worksurface  14  and clamping power/communications module  16  thereto, through grommet mount hole  44 .  
         [0026]    Power/communications assembly  20  includes power plug  46 , conductors  48 , a duplex receptacle  50 , an electronic circuit board  52 , an entrance connector  54 , interface connectors  56  and conductors  58 . Power plug  46  is electrically connected to conductors  48  that provides power to duplex receptacle  50  as well as to electronic circuit  52 . Duplex receptacle  50  is fastened to the back side of face plate  24  and aligned such that the power terminals cooperate with power distribution openings  30  to thereby allow a plug to be inserted into power distribution openings  30  and to make electrical contact with duplex outlet  50 .  
         [0027]    Electronic circuit  52  is connected to a bi-directional data signal and it splits the signal into multiple bi-directional signals. Each of those signals may be further split by other electronic circuits  52 . Electronic circuit  52  is in the form of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) hub  52 , which is mounted to lower housing  28  and positioned so that conductors  58  can be routed to allow connectors  54  and  56  to be, respectively, snapped into communication connection opening  40  and communication connection openings  32 . USB devices, such as keyboards, mice, digital cameras etc., connect to the USB through entrance connectors  54  also known as ports  54 . The bi-directional data signals are transferred by way of ports  54  and  56 . USB hub  52  functions as a wiring concentrator being able to communicate information from/to multiple devices that are connected by way of corresponding ports  54  through one port  56 . Port  56  may connect to a computer or to another USB hub. Each USB hub  52  converts a single attachment port into multiple ports, thereby effectively supporting the concatenation of multiple hubs. Electronic circuit  52  may also be configured to receive a USB connection from a device, such as a computer, and connect to another USB device, such as a printer.  
         [0028]    Clamping device  22  includes L-shaped bracket  60 , a clamping bracket  62  and fastener  64 . L-shaped bracket  60  interacts with clamp interface  42  to connect clamping device  22  to lower housing  28 . Clamping bracket  62  is slidably positioned along L-shaped bracket  60  by way of slot  66 . Fastener  64  tightens clamping bracket  62  against L-shaped bracket  60  as a surface of clamping bracket  62  contacts a lower surface of worksurface  14 .  
         [0029]    Power/communications module  16  is mounted to a worksurface  14  of work center  10  by using clamping device  22 . Plug  46  is connected to an electrical outlet, thereby providing power to power/communications module  16 . A USB cable (not shown) is connected to entrance connector  54  on the back side of power/communications module  16 . The other end of the USB cable is connected to a host or personal computer. USB hub  52  provides multiple USB ports on the surface of face plate  24 , thereby providing easy access to a user of work center  10  to USB ports. Hub  52  expands the number of connections that are available to thereby allow a user the ability to connect multiple computer peripheral devices to the bus. Power/communications module  16  can be relocated by loosening of clamping device  22  and repositioning of power/communications module  16  on worksurface  14 . Alternatively, clamping device  22  may be omitted and power/communications module  16  positioned in any convenient location.  
         [0030]    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.