Abstract:
A power tap configured to deflect falling material, such as liquid and/or object, from electrical outlets. The power tap includes a housing having an opening to an electrical outlet, and a shelf that extends outwardly from a portion of the housing above the opening when the housing is in an upright position to divert or deflect falling matter away from the electrical outlet. The power tap may be configured as a relocatable power tap, and may be configured for use in a patient care area in compliance with one or more standards for safety and effectiveness of medical electrical equipment.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Protection of electrical outlets from falling material, such as liquid and/or objects, including relocatable power taps for use in patient care areas. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electrical outlets and electrical plugs are susceptible to falling material such as liquid and/or objects. For example, where male terminals or pins of an electrical plug are not fully inserted into an electrical outlet, an electrically conductive object may contact the exposed male terminals. This may create a spark, provide a current path (i.e., a short circuit) between the terminals, and/or trip a circuit breaker. Similar dangers exist in the case falling liquid, even where the male terminals are fully inserted into the electrical plug. 
     Technical standards for safety and effectiveness of medical electrical equipment have been promulgated by a number of organizations. For example, IEC 60601 is a series of technical standards maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission, and first published in 1977. As of 2011, IEC 60601 includes a general standard IEC 60601-1, approximately 10 collateral standards, and approximately 60 particular standards. National versions of IEC 60601 include UL 60601, Edition 1, published Apr. 25, 2003, by Underwriters Laboratory. 
     UL standard 1363A, Edition 3, published May 2, 2007, is directed to special purpose relocatable power taps (SPRPT), for use with medical equipment in patient care areas to supply power to plug-connected components of a movable equipment assemblies, such as rack-mounted, table-mounted, and pedestal-mounted mounted equipment. 
     Many companies view compliance with such standards as a pre-requisite for commercialization of electrical medical equipment. 
     SUMMARY 
     Disclosed herein are methods and systems to protect electrical outlets from falling material, such as liquid and/or object, from electrical outlets. 
     A power tap as disclosed herein may include a housing to hold an electrical outlet, and a shelf that extends outwardly from a portion of the housing that is above the electrical outlet when the housing is in an upright position to divert or deflect falling matter away from the electrical outlet. 
     The power tap may be configured as a relocatable power tap, and may be configured for use in a patient care area in compliance with one or more standards identified further above. 
     The relocatable power tap may be removably mountable to a pole, such as a wheel-mounted patient care or IV pole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an image of a relocatable power tap that includes a housing to hold one or more electrical outlets, and a shelf that extends from the housing to deflect falling objects from the electrical outlet(s), where the housing is illustrated in an upright position. 
         FIG. 2  is an image of an expanded view of the shelf of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an image of a further expanded view of the shelf of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an image of another expanded view of the shelf of  FIG. 1 , where the housing in a non-upright position. 
         FIG. 5  is an image of another expanded view of the shelf of  FIG. 1 , where the housing in the non-upright position. 
         FIG. 6  is an image of a rear portion of the relocatable power tap, where the housing includes a concave surface and protrusions to receive a pole, and where the power tap further includes a releasable locking device to secure the relocatable power tap to the pole. 
         FIG. 7  is another image of the rear portion of the relocatable power tap. 
         FIG. 8  is an image of the relocatable power tap mounted on a pole. 
         FIG. 9  is an image of the relocatable power tap mounted on a wheel-mounted patient care IV pole. 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, the leftmost digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is an image of a relocatable power tap  100 . Methods and systems disclosed herein are not, however, limited to re-locatable power taps and may be implemented as a stationary or fixedly mounted power tap. 
     Power tap  100  includes a housing  102  having a cavity therein to receive to receive an electrical outlet  104 - 1 . Housing  102  further has an opening  107  to the cavity through a first surface  106  to permit electrical outlet  104 - 1  to receive an electrical plug. First surface  106  is vertical when housing  102  in the upright position of  FIG. 1 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , power tap  100  includes multiple electrical outlets, illustrated here as a first pair of electrical outlets  104 - 1  and  104 - 2 , a second pair of electrical outlets  104 - 3  and  104 - 4 , and a third pair of electrical outlets  104 - 5  and  104 - 6 . In this example, housing  102  may include a single cavity to hold the three pairs of electrical outlets, or multiple cavities, each to hold one or more electrical outlets. Methods and systems disclosed herein are not, however, limited to a power tap having multiple electrical outlets. 
     In this example, housing  102  may include a second opening  109  through a first surface  106  to permit electrical outlet  104 - 2  to receive an electrical plug, and additional openings through second and third surfaces  108  and  110  to permit electrical outlets  104 - 3  through  104 - 6  to receive electrical plugs. 
     Second and third surfaces  108  and  110  are vertical when housing  102  is in an upright position, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , first, second, and third surfaces  106 ,  108 , and  110  are in planes that are not parallel with one another. 
     Power tap  100  further includes a shelf  112  that extends from housing  102 . When housing  102  is in the upright position of  FIG. 1 , shelf  112  extends above or over the openings in surfaces  106 ,  108 , and  110  to intercept or divert falling matter (e.g., liquid and/or objects), to reduce and/or eliminate the possibility of the matter contacting exposed terminals of an electrical plug and/or entering an electrical outlet  104 . 
     Shelf  112  may extend from housing  102  for a distance of at least a portion of a length of electrically conductive prongs of an electrical plug, such as to divert falling matter from contacting the electrically conductive prongs when the electrically conductive prongs are not fully inserted into one of electrical outlets  104 . Shelf  112  may extend from housing  102  for a distance of at least a length of the electrically conductive prongs. 
     A surface  114  of shelf  112  may be horizontal and may face upwardly when housing  102  is in the upright position. 
     A first edge  116  of shelf  112  may be in contact with housing  102 . 
     Power tap  100  may further include a lip  118  that extends from shelf  112 . Lip  118  may extend upwardly from shelf  112  when housing  102  is in the upright position. Lip  118  may be perpendicularly to surface  114  of shelf  112 . 
     Lip  118  may be configured as a dam to prevent liquid from spilling over a second edge  120  of shelf  112  when housing  102  is in the upright position. 
     First and second ends of lip  118  may extend to first edge  116  of shelf  112  and/or to housing  102 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , a portion  122  of shelf  112  extends beyond lip  118 . In another embodiment, at least a portion of lip  118  may extends from second edge  120  of shelf  112 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 1 , a height of lip  118  (measured from surface  114  of shelf  112 ), is tapered from a first height (proximate to first surface  106 ), to a lower second height at first and second ends of lip  118  (near first edge  116  of shelf  112 ). 
     Housing  102  and shelf  112  may be in fixed positions relative to the housing (e.g., non-movable relative to one another). 
     Shelf  112  and at least a portion of housing  102  may be manufactured as an integral component, such as by injection molding. Housing  102  may, for example, include a cover plate that includes first, second, and third surfaces  106 ,  108 , and  110 . In this example, the cover plate and shelf  112  may be manufactured as an integral or single component. 
       FIG. 2  is an image of an expanded view of shelf  112  with housing  102  in the upright position. 
       FIG. 3  is an image of a further expanded view of shelf  112  with housing  102  in the upright position. 
       FIG. 4  is an image of another expanded view of shelf  112  with housing  102  in a non-upright position. 
       FIG. 5  is an image of another expanded view of shelf  112  with housing  102  in the non-upright position. 
     Power tap  100  may be removably mountable to a pole, such as described below with reference to  FIGS. 6-9 . 
       FIG. 6  is an image of a rear portion  602  of power tap  100 , where housing  102  includes a concave surface  604  and protrusions  606  to receive a pole, and where power tap  100  further includes a releasable locking device to secure power tap  100  to the pole. In the example of  FIG. 6 , the releasable locking device includes a thumbscrew, including bolt having a surface  608  to press against a surface of a pole positioned within concave surface  604  and protrusions  606 , and a handle  610  to screw the bolt through a nut embedded within housing  102 . Releasable locking devices are not, however, limited to thumbscrews. 
       FIG. 7  is another image of a rear portion  602  of power tap  100 . 
       FIG. 8  is an image of power tap  100  mounted on a pole  802 . 
       FIG. 9  is an image of power tap  100  mounted on a wheel-mounted pole  902 . Wheel-mounted pole  902  may be configured for use in a patient care area, and may be referred to herein as an IV pole. 
     Methods and systems are disclosed herein with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating functions, features, and relationships thereof. At least some of the boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries may be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships thereof are appropriately performed. While various embodiments are disclosed herein, it should be understood that they are presented as examples. The scope of the claims should not be limited by any of the example embodiments disclosed herein.