Patent Publication Number: US-2007111592-A1

Title: Modular plug strip

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The invention relates generally to electricity delivery systems, and more particularly to plug strip.  
     PROBLEM STATEMENT  
     Interpretation Considerations  
      This section describes the technical field in more detail, and discusses problems encountered in the technical field. This section does not describe prior art as defined for purposes of anticipation or obviousness under 35 U.S.C. section 102 or 35 U.S.C. section 103. Thus, nothing stated in the Problem Statement is to be construed as prior art.  
     Discussion  
      Plug strip (sometimes called “wire mold”, and sometimes improperly identified as one of its components, called a “raceway”) is used primarily in commercial application in major retailers such as Home Depot®, Circuit City®, Lowes® and the like to deliver electricity primarily to lighting and other display devices. In addition, plug strip is used at data centers, manufacturing facilities, and other locations where demand for access to electrical plugs is quite intense. Accordingly, guidance systems have been developed to help users properly position a large item. However, none of the existing wire mold systems provide easy to install and adjust modular systems—in fact, existing systems of wire mold are typically at least tow-piece construction that first require the mounting of a back piece, complex wiring, and then the installation of a front piece. Further complexity is introduced at mechanical joints (typically every four to five feet). This results in a significant amount of expert labor being required for the safe installation of existing systems. Furthermore, the large number of mechanically dependent and fragile items lends itself to an increasingly complex and unreliable electrical delivery system. In the real world, this translates to fire and personal safety hazards. The present invention solves these and other problems.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Various aspects of the invention, as well as an embodiment, are better understood by reference to the following detailed description. To better understand the invention, the detailed description should be read in conjunction with the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements unless otherwise stated.  
       FIG. 1  shows a modular plug strip system comprising a starter strip and an expansion strip.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a modular plug strip system mounted to a display.  
       FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  illustrate alternative plug receptacle and prong types.  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show alternative starter boxes.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates an end of a plug strip that may be snapped-off, or through which an attachment means is provided.  
    
    
     EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF A BEST MODE  
      Interpretation Considerations  
      When reading this section (An Exemplary Embodiment of a Best Mode, which describes an exemplary embodiment of the best mode of the invention, hereinafter “exemplary embodiment”), one should keep in mind several points. First, the following exemplary embodiment is what the inventor believes to be the best mode for practicing the invention at the time this patent was filed. Thus, since one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from the following exemplary embodiment that substantially equivalent structures or substantially equivalent acts may be used to achieve the same results in exactly the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way, the following exemplary embodiment should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to one embodiment.  
      Likewise, individual aspects (sometimes called species) of the invention are provided as examples, and, accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from a following exemplary structure (or a following exemplary act) that a substantially equivalent structure or substantially equivalent act may be used to either achieve the same results in substantially the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way.  
      Accordingly, the discussion of a species (or a specific item) invokes the genus (the class of items) to which that species belongs as well as related species in that genus. Likewise, the recitation of a genus invokes the species known in the art. Furthermore, it is recognized that as technology develops, a number of additional alternatives to achieve an aspect of the invention may arise. Such advances are hereby incorporated within their respective genus, and should be recognized as being functionally equivalent or structurally equivalent to the aspect shown or described.  
      Second, the only essential aspects of the invention are identified by the claims. Thus, aspects of the invention, including elements, acts, functions, and relationships (shown or described) should not be interpreted as being essential unless they are explicitly described and identified as being essential. Third, a function or an act should be interpreted as incorporating all modes of doing that function or act, unless otherwise explicitly stated (for example, one recognizes that “tacking” may be done by nailing, stapling, gluing, hot gunning, riveting, etc., and so a use of the word tacking invokes stapling, gluing, etc., and all other modes of that word and similar words, such as “attaching”).  
      Fourth, unless explicitly stated otherwise, conjunctive words (such as “or”, “and”, “including”, or “comprising” for example) should be interpreted in the inclusive, not the exclusive, sense. Fifth, the words “means” and “step” are provided to facilitate the reader&#39;s understanding of the invention and do not mean “means” or “step” as defined in §112, paragraph 6 of 35 U.S.C., unless used as “means for -functioning-” or “step for -functioning-” in the Claims section. Sixth, the invention is also described in view of the Festo decisions, and, in that regard, the claims and the invention incorporate equivalents known, unknown, foreseeable, and unforeseeable. Seventh, the language and each word used in the invention should be given the ordinary interpretation of the language and the word, unless indicated otherwise.  
      Of course, the foregoing discussions and definitions are provided for clarification purposes and are not limiting. Words and phrases are to be given their ordinary plain meaning unless indicated otherwise.  
      Description of the Drawings  
       FIG. 1  shows an electrical system comprising a starter strip  100  and an expansion strip  150 . The starter strip  100  is preferably a generally box-shaped elongated housing of length L, having an interior  104 . The housing  102  also comprises exterior surfaces including a backing  106  that is coupled to a facing  108  via a top  107  and a bottom  109 , a first end  140  and a second end  141 . The housing  102  may be of single mold construction from a fire-resistant plastic, multi-mold plastic, or metal. Of course, the variety of materials available for construction are widely known to those of skill in the materials, and these equivalent materials are hereby incorporated into the invention. In addition, it is preferred that the housing  102  arrives at the point of installation as a prefabricated unit for quick and simple installation.  
      The facing  108  has a first mounting hole  120  through which may pass a screw  122 , wire, or rivet, for example, so that the starter strip  100  may be mounted to a surface. The mounting hole  120  preferably comprises a channel of non-conductive material, and may be threaded. In addition to the mounting hole  120  an additional mounting holes receive an additional screws. Referring briefly to  FIG. 2 , which illustrates a modular plug strip system mounted to a display  200 , one may view an exemplary mounting. The display  200  is generally configured as an electric gondola for retail, and includes a backing  220  standing upon a footing  230 . The footing  230  includes an electrical outlet  210  to which may attach the electrical source wiring  110 . Accordingly, one may see the starter strip  100  coupled to the extension strip  150 , each being mounted to the backing  220 . In  FIG. 2 , one will also see a cover plate  160  that covers and electrically isolates the starter strip  100  and the extension strip  150 . Of course, equivalents of the first mounting hole  120  are known to those of ordinary skill in the mechanical and electrical arts to mount electrical strip to surfaces, and are hereby incorporated by reference into this disclosure.  
      The housing  102  comprises a first electrical source delivery channel  116  in the first end through which passes an electrical source wiring  110  into the interior  104 . The electrical source wiring  110  could be any wire-type, and preferably comprises a first wire  115  being coupled between a first electrical source coupling  118  and a first outlet prong receptacle coupling ( FIG. 6 ), the first outlet prong receptacle coupling coupled to a first outlet prong receptacle  132  located in the facing  108 . Although gauges for carrying less or more amperage are available, preferably each wire is of a gauge capable of carrying  20  amperages. The electrical source wiring  110  also comprises a second wire  117  coupled between a second electrical source coupling  119  and a second outlet prong receptacle ( FIG. 6 ), the second outlet prong receptacle coupling coupled to a second outlet prong receptacle  134  located in the facing  108 . A third wire  116  likewise couples a third electrical source coupling  125  to a third outlet prong receptacle  134 . The portions of the wires  115 ,  117 , that couple to the electrical source couplings  118 ,  119  are herein called electrical source coupling portion of the wires  115 ,  117 , and the portions of the wires  115 ,  117  that couple to the outlet prong receptacles  132 ,  134 , are herein called outlet prong receptacle couplings. As is seen in  FIG. 1 , the first and second outlet prong receptacles  132 ,  134  are co-located in a generally parallel manner on the facing to form a first single electrical outlet, and may also include the third outlet prong receptacle  136  in a three-prong outlet configuration. Of course, it is understood that a great many outlet standards exist, and the present invention may be configured to accommodate any equivalent plug configuration.  
      The first wire  115  further couples to a third outlet prong receptacle  146 , and the second wire  117  further couples to a fourth outlet prong receptacle  142  in manners known to those of skill in the electrical arts. The third and fourth outlet prong receptacles  142 ,  146  are co-located in a generally parallel manner on the second end  141  to form a second single electrical outlet as described above, and as known to those of ordinary skill in the electrical arts. The invention thus contemplates an electrical outlet upon some surface other than the facing  108 . Accordingly, referring to  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  which illustrate alternative plug receptacle and prong types, one can see that the invention is not limited to a particular type of outlet receptacle configuration. Note also that  FIG. 3   a  is a view of the second end  141  of the starter strip  100  and comprises a first prong  342 , a second prong  344 , and a third prong  346 . Similarly,  FIG. 3   b  is a view of the first end  160  of the extension strip  150 , and includes a first prong receptacle  362 , a second prong receptacle  364 , and a third prong receptacle  366 .  
      Additional starter strips  100  are illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show alternative starter strips embodied as starter boxes  400 ,  500 . The interior detail of the starter strip  100  is described above, and the interior detail of the expansion strip  150  is defined below. The first starter box  400  preferably has a backing plug that plugs directly into an outlet. The first starter box  400  has a first facing outlet  405 , a second facing outlet  407 , a first side outlet  410  on a first side  415  and a second side outlet  420  on a second side  225 . Each of the sides  415 ,  425  are preferably approximately perpendicular to the mounting surface, and preferably approximately perpendicular to the facing such that when the extensions strip  450 ,  455  are connected thereto, the extension strips  450 ,  455  are either approximately horizontal or approximately vertical. The first starter box  400  preferably has a backing plug that plugs directly into an outlet. The second starter box  500  has a no facing outlets-only a first side outlet  510  on a first side  515  and a second side outlet  520  on a second side  525 . Each of the sides  515 ,  525  are preferably approximately perpendicular to the mounting surface, and preferably approximately perpendicular to the facing  540  such that when the extensions strip  550 ,  555  are connected thereto, the extension strips  550 ,  555  are either approximately horizontal or approximately vertical. A plug  512  is used to carry electricity from an outlet to the second starter box  500  via an electrical source wiring  514 .  
      Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a second apparatus, the extension strip  150  is preferably a generally box-shaped elongated housing  152 , having an interior  154 . The housing  152  also comprises exterior surfaces including a backing  156  that is coupled to a facing  158  via a top  157  and a bottom  159 , a first end  160  and a second end  180 . The housing  152  may be, but is not necessarily, of the same material as the starter strip housing  102 . It is preferred that the housing  152  arrives at the point of installation as a prefabricated unit for quick and simple installation.  
      The facing  158  has a first mounting hole  190  through which may pass a screw  192 , wire, or rivet, for example, so that the extension strip  150  may be mounted to a surface. In addition to the first mounting hole  190  an additional mounting hole  198  receive an additional screw  196 . The mounting hole  190  preferably comprises a channel of non-conductive material, and may be threaded.  
      The housing  152  comprises a first electrical source delivery area in the first end  160 , the first electrical source delivery area comprising a first outlet prong  162  and a second outlet prong  166  being co-located and in a generally parallel configuration, and which together form a first electrical plug. Of course, the first electrical source delivery area may also comprises a third prong  164 .  
      A first wire  165  is coupled between the first prong  162  and a first outlet prong receptacle coupling (such as that shown in  FIG. 6 ), the manner of which is known to those of ordinary skill in the electrical arts. The first outlet prong receptacle coupling is coupled to a first outlet prong receptacle  182  located in the facing  158 . Although gauges for carrying less or more amperage are available, preferably each wire is of a gauge capable of carrying  20  amperages. A second wire  167  is coupled between the second prong  166  and a second outlet prong receptacle ( FIG. 6 ), the second outlet prong receptacle coupling coupled to a second outlet prong receptacle  184  located in the facing  158 . A third wire  169  likewise couples the third prong  164  to a third outlet prong receptacle  186 . The portions of the wires  165 ,  167 , that couple to the prongs  162 ,  166  are herein called electrical source coupling portion of the wires  165 ,  167 , and the portions of the wires  165 ,  167  that couple to the outlet prong receptacles  182 ,  184 , are herein called outlet prong receptacle couplings.  
      As is seen in  FIG. 1 , the first and second outlet prong receptacles  182 ,  184  are co-located in a generally parallel manner on the facing to form a first single electrical outlet, and may also include the third outlet prong receptacle  186  in a three-prong outlet configuration. Of course, it is understood that a great many outlet standards exist, and the present invention may be configured to accommodate any equivalent plug configuration.  
      The first wire  165  further couples to a third outlet prong receptacle  192 , and the second wire  167  further couples to a fourth outlet prong receptacle  194  in manners known to those of skill in the electrical arts. The third and fourth outlet prong receptacles  192 ,  194  are co-located in a generally parallel manner on the second end  180  to form a second single electrical outlet as described above, and as known to those of ordinary skill in the electrical arts. The invention thus contemplates an electrical outlet upon some surface other than the facing  158 . In addition, it is desirable that the second end of the starter strip  100  mates with the first end of the extension strip  150  in a manner that prevents the exposure of any conductive surfaces at the end.  
       FIG. 6  is a close-up of the second end  141  of the starter strip  100  and the first end  160  of the extension strip  150 , which shows that an end of a strip may be snapped-off, and that threaded mounting holes  620 ,  692  are provided for attaching the starter strip  100  and extension strip  150  to a surface. Accordingly, the second end  141  of the starter strip  100  comprises a formed extension  602 , the formed extension  602  being configured for coupling to a matched end  660  of an extension strip  150 . Here, the-formed extension  602  comprises a generally planar recessed top portion  630 , and includes the threaded mounting hole  620 . From this view, it is seen that the electrical receptacles  142 ,  146  are located therein, and that they are coupled via the wires  155 ,  157  to the electrical receptacle couplings  642 ,  646  that can carry electricity to the electrical receptacles  648 ,  649 . Of course, many equivalent means may be utilized to achieve similar results, and such means are incorporated within the scope of the claims.  
      Likewise, the first end  160  of the extension strip  150  comprises a formed extension plate  670 . The formed extension plate  670  has a width, height, and length dimensions that conform to the planar recessed top portion  630  of the formed extension  602 , and preferably hermetically couples thereto. Electrical prongs  162 ,  164  are located at first end  160 .  
      The extension  670  comprises a break-away perforation  672  that allows for a user to snap-off or otherwise remove a portion of the extension  670  from the extension strip  150 . Accordingly, in the even that a strip (starter or extension) is the “last” strip in a sequence, then the formed extension may be removed and a plug cover can be placed over any exposed prongs  162 ,  166 . Similarly, the end  141  may be plugged with any standard receptacle cover to prevent access to the receptacles  142 ,  146 . In addition, the extension  670  comprises a mounting hole  692  such that when the extension strip  150  is mated with the starter strip  100 , the mounting hole  692  aligns with the mounting hole  620  so that a single screw  690  or other securing piece can pass through both the starter strip  100  and the extension strip  150  and secure them both to a surface, and/or each other.  
      Though the invention has been described with respect to a specific preferred embodiment, many variations and modifications (including equivalents) will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present application. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims and their. equivalents be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications.