Patent ID: 8198757

Claim:
A power saving apparatus for powering a lower voltage direct current (DC) device from a higher voltage alternating current (AC) power source, the apparatus comprising: a switch having an input electrically coupled to a first output of the higher voltage power source, the switch also having an output electrically coupled to a first input of an AC-to-DC high-to-low voltage power converter, the AC-to-DC high-to-low voltage power converter also having a second input electrically coupled to a second output of the higher voltage AC power source; a power plug having an input electrically coupled to an output of the AC-to-DC high-to-low voltage power converter, the power plug capable of operatively engaging a power socket of the lower voltage DC device; and a switch actuator coupled to the power plug and the switch, wherein the switch actuator is a mechanical switch located within the power plug; wherein operatively engaging the power plug within the power socket of the lower voltage DC device causes the switch actuator to close the switch thus allowing current to flow from the higher voltage AC power source to the AC-to-DC high-to-low voltage power converter, and operatively disengaging the power plug from within the socket of the lower voltage DC device causes the switch actuator to open the switch thus disabling current from flowing from the higher voltage AC power source to the AC-to-DC high-to-low voltage power converter, and wherein the switch actuator is positioned substantially parallel to the power plug output, such that the act of operatively engaging the power plug within the power socket of the lower voltage DC device also operatively engages the switch actuator against a contact surface of the lower voltage DC device via a spring loading mechanism.