Patent ID: 8319373

Claim:
A power supply system comprising: an electrical power generating device producing DC electrical power in the form of a DC electrical current; a DC current conductor receiving the DC electrical current from the electrical power generating device, said DC current conductor carrying said DC electrical current to a socket; and an AC power system transmitting AC electrical current to the socket so that said socket can be accessed by a plug inserted therein to receive therefrom the DC current or the AC current; wherein the socket has two recesses therein, each recess having a respective contact therein and being configured to receive a respective prong, and to make a respective electrical contact with said plug therein, first and second of said contacts transmitting complimentary poles of the AC electrical current, respectively; and the socket having a third contact transmitting the DC current and configured to contact an electrical contact structure of the plug so as to supply the DC current thereto, and said socket having a fourth contact therein engageable with the plug to make a further electrical contact therewith, said fourth contact connecting with a grounded connection; and wherein an electrical device having a device plug is plugged into said socket, said socket having a third recess with the third contact therein, said device plug including a DC prong inserted in and engaging the third contact in the third recess and a ground contact of the plug engaging the grounded contact, said electrical device deriving DC power from a circuit formed between the DC prong and the ground contact; and wherein the socket has a grounded recess therein configured to receive a standard plug ground prong in which recess the fourth contact is supported, and the ground contact of the plug is a second prong on said plug configured to be received in the grounded recess, and said plug further comprises a pair of AC prongs configured to be inserted in said two recesses and to receive said AC electrical current therefrom; said DC prong and the second prong being releasably connected with the plug, such that the said DC prong and the second prong can be removed from the plug such that the plug can then be inserted into another socket having only two standard AC power prong recesses therein, and said DC prong and the second prong can be secured to the plug so that said DC prong and the second prong can access DC power from said socket.