CA2040822A1 - Single plug-fit type receptacle mounting power center for prewired wall panels - Google Patents

Abstract

SINGLE PLUG-FIT TYPE RECEPTACLE MOUNTING POWER
CENTER FOR PREWIRED WALL PANELS
Abstract of the Disclosure A single power center for prewired wall panels of the demountable panel partition assembly type, as dis-tinguished from two or more power centers, which single power center comprises a sole power center in the form of a relatively short central body composed of a plurality of elongate one piece strips of electrical conductive material in substantially parallel spaced relation extending between opposite ends of the body, encased in a plastic non-conductive material, with the body having opposite sides extending lengthwise of the body and normally of the body ends, and with each of the strips intermediate the body ends being of like "H"
shaped configuration, defining oppositely disposed legs on either side of the respective body strips, with the body strips at the ends of the body respectively connected to like ends of separate conduit wires, that have their other ends incorporated in plug-in type electrical connectors of the same gender, and the legs of the individual strip "H"
shaped portions terminating in projecting ends in stacked but insulated, set forming, relation at the respective body sides, which leg ends are incorporated in conventional plug-in type electrical connectors of the two or three outlet type, with the body and wiring being enclosed by a metallic housing for mounting the power center in the panel. Electrical power is supplied to the center from the source of power to one of the connectors at the body ends. An especially arranged flexible connector therefore is also disclosed for electrifying an adjacent panel from such power center.

Description

20~08;;;~

SINGLE PLUG-FIT TYPE RECEPTACLE MOUNTING POWER
CENTER FOR PREWIRED WALL PANELS
- The present invention is directed to a single power center for electrifying panels of demountable panel partitions, as distinguished from two or more power centers required for the same purpose, and more particularly, to a single plug-fit type receptacle mounting electrical terminal for application to prewired panels of demountable panel assemblies.
It has become common practice in the office furniture field to employ prewired demountable panel assemblies in the forming of one or more work stations out of a large available space defined by modern office facilities. Equipment of this type employs prefabricated wall panels of generally rectangular shape that are suitably erected in accordance with known techniques to define the desired work station configuration, and that are prewired and socketed for connec-tion to the available power source and provide efficient utilization of electrical equipment bounded by the demountable panel assemblies involved.
The panels employed for this purpose basically comprise vertical and horizontal wooden or metal frame members secured together to define a rectangular frame to which a suitable covering is applied to the panel sides and ends as needed. Such panels are arranged to accommodate within same power cables, communication cabling, and the like, and are also arranged to permit disassembly and relocation as the work station needs change for the business or other activity involved.
Heretofore, power terminal equipment for prewired panel partitions has involved several electrical terminals or power centers, both having electrical connections for electrical input and output. This type of terminal equipment 20408.'~%
is normally applied to the base of each prewired panel, so as to extend horizontally of same, with the two power centers being respectively located adjacent the panel respective side edges. This electrical arrangement permits one panel of the work station to be connected through one of its power centers to the available power supply, and the remaining panels of the work station and the electrically powered equip-ment thereof to be selectively electrified by plug-in type connection to the panel electrical system that is supplied with electrical power. As is well known, the formation of the work station to be provided by the demountable panel partition arrangement involved may be of a selection of con-figurations, such as the familiar sub-room type grouping of the panels, or even by disposing the panels in the familiar "T", "X","Y", or ninety degree type, configurations.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a single power center arrangement, that has all the necessary electrical connections, for application to prewired panels of the type indicated, which single power center is arranged to accept electrical power from the power source, provide plug-fit type connections in which one or more power outlet sockets may be selectively applied, and to provide for selective power connection to adjacent prewired panels of the work station for supplying electrical energy thereto, depending on the use to which the work station is to be put.
A further object of the invention is to provide a single or sole power center prewired panel arrangement that is economical of manufacture, that is readily incorporated in existing prewired panel designs, and that, in and of itself, provides and accepts the convenient, conventional plug-in type connections to power source, electrical equipment, and other prewired panels of the work station to be electrified, that are now widely used in this field.

20a~Q8~2 In accordance with this invention, the single power center or terminal itself comprises a relatively short, centrally located, body composed of a plurality of elongate strips of electrical conductive material, such as copper, encased in superimposed spaced apart parallel relation within an insulating housing or casing of one piece form made of a suitable insulating plastic material, such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, or polyester type materials. The number of such strips to be employed in the indicated body depends on the number of electrical circuits to be made available by the prewired wall panel involved.
Each of the indicated electrically conductive strips comprises an elongate length of stripping having intermediate their ends a commonly located "H" shaped mid portion, with the indicated "H" shaped portion defining oppositely disposed stripping legs paralleling the center portion of the respective strippings that are integrally connected to the stripping center portion, which is preferredly rectilinear in configura-tion.
The ends of the electrically conductive strips are respectively connected to like ends of separate conduit wires that have their other ends suitably electrically con-nected to plug-in type electrical connectors that are located at the respective ends of the power center. The body stripping legs at their respective ends are suitably connected to plug-in type electrical connectors of the same type except they are of the "double ended" type that are oriented for parallelism with the body and accept conventional plug-in fit type connectors from either end of same.
The power center of this invention will thus define an elongate electrically conductive assemblage having the familiar plug-in type electrical connectors at each end of 408;~:
same~, and a bulbous mid portion that overlies the in effect stacked "H" shaped mid portions of the respective strips, with the indicated mid portion of the body defining on either side of same oppositely extending plug-in type connections, to provide up to four available electrical outlet connections adjacent the mid portion of the body, two on each side of the body.
The resulting assemblage, except for the electrical connectors, is enclosed by a suitable housing that may be equipped with conventional brackets for securing the power center to a selected panel, whereby it provides a solitary power center for the panel, for connecting the panel to a source of electricity, for energizing electrical equipment with which the work station involved is equipped, and for providing grounding connection between the panel and a source of grounding, and the like.
The power center is applied to a wall panel, preferably within the base of the panel, and at the center of same, with the result that either end of the power center of this invention may be connected to the source of electrical power available (as from the ceiling, floor, or adjacent wall of the room space in which the work station is mounted), with the mid portion of the new sole or single power center defining conventional plug-in fit type outlets for providing elecrical energy to electrical equipment. Where the new power center is to be electrically connected to an adjacent, similarly prewired wall panel, the cabling to the power source for the power center in question is provided at its outlet end with a dual connector fitting that provides for both gender connections, including one connector that is of the correct gender for connection to the power center, and a second connector of the opposite gender or hand t~t is available for connecting the power center to a similarly prewired wall panel, as by way of a conventional flexible connector or extension.

2~3~08~2 Additional panels of the work station similarly prewired may be similarly electrified as desired.
Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a plug-fit type receptacle mounting power center generally arranged in accordance with the invention for use as a sole power center or single terminal for prewired wall panels, shown broken away on either side of its center portion, to indicate indeterminate length;
Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1, but illustrates also the application thereto, by plug-in connection to the power center at its mid portion of several conventional double receptacles that are configured and arranged conventionally to define the illustrated familiar three outlet hole configuration in dual form for connection to equipment such as typewriters and the like with which work stations are commonly equipped;
Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, showing the center electrical assemblage while omitting its housing, with the wire segments thereof again being broken away to indicate indeterminate length;
E'igure 4 is a plan view of one of the elongate electrically conductive strips that are embedded in the power center midportion body shown in Figure 3, together with the pair of wire segments that are associated therewith, showing the wire bared ends to be suitably attached thereto;

20408~2 Figure 4A is an end view of the strip of Figure 4 free of the wire ends involved and prior to crimping;
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the strip and wire segments shown in Figure 3 after crimping;
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic top plan view illustrating how the indicated electrically conductive strips of the body for each set of wire segments of Figure 3 are located within the center midportion body and associated with conventional plug-in electrical connectors at the center ends and mid portion of the body for providing the power center with electrical energy, and making such energy available by using conventional plug-in connectors at the body mid portion;
Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a specific embodiment of the power center arranged, as shown in Figures 1 - 6, to provide a 4 wire system that in turn provides 2 circuits, for instance 2 twenty amp circuits;
Figure 8 is a view taken substantially along line 8--8 of Figure 7 illustrating an end view of the conventional plug-in type electrical connector that is provided in the power center shown in Figure 7;
Figure 9 illustrates the manner in which the power center of this invention is to be applied to a particular wall panel;
Figure 9A is a block diagram type end view of the panel conventional base plate to which the power center of this invention is shown applied, with the showing of Figure 9A being viewed as taken along line 9A--9A of Figure 9, and illustrating a conventional type of securing bracket that may be employed for this purpose;
Figure 10 illustrates diagrammatically a special flexible connector arranged for connecting a power source 20408~2 to the power center of Figures 1 - 9, which flexible connector at its end that ic~ to be connected to the power center being equipped with a special dual gender (or hand) electrical connecting arrangement having one electrical connector of the gender appropriate for connection to one end of the power center, and the other connector gender (or hand) being appro-priate for connecting a conventional flexible electrical cabling between the power supply cable and an adjacent similarly prewired wall panel for purposes of supplying electrical energy thereto;
Figure 11 is a diagrammatic end view of the dual gender plug-in connector that is of the appropriate gender for connection directly to one end of power centers of the type shown in Figures 7 - 9, and thlls is of conventional female arrangement for the specific power center that is illustrated, the view being taken along line 11--11 of Figure 10 ;
Figure 12 is a plan view of one of the identical terminal strips employed in the dual connector of Figure 10 that are encased in the dual connector body shown in Figure 10 in the same manner as in connection with the midportion body of the.basic power center of this application; and Figure 13 is an end view of the stripping shown in Figure 12 looking from the right hand side of Figure 12.
However, it is to be distinctly understood that the drawing illustrations referred to are provided primarily to comply with the disclosure requirements of the Patent Laws, and that the invention is susceptible of modifications and variations that will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and that are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

20408~2 THE POWER CENTER
Referring first to Figures 1 - 7, reference numeral 20 generally indicates the plug-fit type receptacle mounting, sole panel electrifying, power center of this invention, that is arranged to serve as the solitary power center or terminal for prewired wall panels. The power center 20 is illustrated in general arangement form and comprises planar electricity transmitting midportion body 22 (see Figure 3) having, on either side of a midportion 30 of center 20, terminal end portions 26 and 28, to which are suitably connected, using conventional electrical technology, the respective segments 24 and 24A of suitable electrical conduit wire that are respectively electrically connected to (again using conventional electrical technology) connectors 32 that are of the conventional plug-fit type shown in Figure 8. The end connectors 32 may be of the conventional type offered by, for instance, Pent, Inc., Kendallville, Indiana, and Amp, Inc., Harrisberg, Pennsyl-vania, which, for the specific power center arrangement illustrated, are shown in Figure 8 as being of the male gender or hand.
These companies also offer female connectors of the same general type (see Figure 11).
The resulting electrical assemblage 25 is suitably enclosed within housing 27 (which is omitted from the showings of Figures 3 - 6 to expose the assemblage 25 or parts of same) to form the power center 20.
The power center 20 in use is to be mounted in the base 33 of a conventional demountable wall panel 34 that is diagrammatically illustrated in Flgure 9, and specifically the power center 20 is to be mounted in the base 33 of the panel 34 in centered relation thereto to provide the prewiring for the panel 34.

20408~:

The wall panel 34 itself may be of any known con-struction, and for purposes of illustration it is shown as including tsee Figure 9) an elongate lower metal base plate 40, a similar upper base plate 40A, and a pair of spaced apart brackets 42 each of which also threadably mounts suitable adjustable legs 44 on which the panel 34 rests, with the upper base plate 40A being suitably anchored to the panel 34, all in any convenient conventional manner. Panels 34 also may include at base 33 conventional removable side plates that are applied between the base plate 40 and the sides of the panel 34 at the panel base 33 to close off the lower portion of the panel, at least on one side, at what might be termed a power assembly receiving chamber 46. The power center 20 is applied to the chamber 46 in centered relation within the panel 34, lengthwise of the base plate 40, and in the middle of same, which base plate 40 may be provided with a depressed seat 48 (see Figure 9A) to receive the power center 20 that is to be fixedly connected to panel 34; in the form illustrated, the power center housing 27 is shaped to locate and seat in the panel base plate seat 48, with one or more anchoring brackets 29 suitably bonded thereto and secured to the panel base plate 40 by one or more grounding screws 31 (brackets 29 are omitted from Figures 1 - 9 as they are conventional anchoring devices).
Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the power center body 22 of assemblage 25 comprises a plurality of electrically conductive strips 50 (one for each set of wires 24, 24A) formed from a suitable electrically conductive material, such as copper, and having an H-shaped configuration comprising central or center portion 54 and parallel legs or leg portions Z040~
56 and 58; normally disposed cross portion 60 is integral with the respective strip portions 54, 56 and 58, and preferably in one piece relation to same. The respective strips 50 are superimposed in substantially parallel stacked relation within the body 22, the latter being formed from a suitable non-electrical conductive plastic material, such as a poly-propylene or a polyester, the material of which separates and that electrically insulates the respective strips 50 from each other. The number of strips 50 in any particular power center 20 is determined by the number of circuits to be provided by the panel 34 to which it is to be applied.
In this connection, while Figures 1 - 6 illustrate the general arrangement of the power center 20 of this invention, in the showing of Figures 7 - 9A, the power center is "wired"
following the general arrangement shown in Figure 3 and is of a fixed length to be applied to standard panel 34 and provide a four wire system for two twenty amp circuits (the specific general arrangement illustrated can be modified as needed by using up to and including an eight wire system that will conventionally provide four twenty amp circuits).
In any event, each strip 50 of body 22 defines at its center portion 54 oppositely extending ends 53 and 55 (see Figure 4) that in accordance with the present invention are suitably and conventionally connected to a set of the respective wire segments 24 and 24A by solder, other electrically conductive bonding materials, crimping, or any other conventional way of electrically connecting and fixing the wire segments 24 and 24A to the respective strip ends 53 and 55. The other ends or the respective sets of wires 24 and 24A are incorporated in plug-in type end connectors 32 that are both of the same gender or hand 4Q~3~2 in any conventional manner for plug fit connection to plug fit connectors that are respectively of the opposite gender or hand, as is conventional.
The stacked strips 50, being separated from each other by the insulating plastic material forming the body 22, are insulated from each other; the legs 56 of each strip 50 define oppositely directed ends 57 and 59 and the legs 58 define oppositely directed ends 61 and 63 that, in accordance with this invention, are conventionally incorporated in similar but double ended conventional connectors 37 adjacent the mid portion 30 of the body 20. In the illustrated center 20, the connectors 37 are of the same gender or hand as the power center end connector devices 32.
In this connection, Figure 6, which is a plan view of the electrically completed power center assemblage 25 shown in Figure 3, shows in outline the positioning of the respective strips S0 as they appear in stacked relation within the body 22 and the double ended connectors 37 (the strips being indicated by the broken line showing, and the conventional connectors 32 and 37 being only diagrammatically illustrated).
Note also that the housing 27 is notched or recessed at the middle of the power center 20, as at 65, to fit over and accept the side portions 67 (see Figure 6) of the respective double ended connectors 37 (through which the respective strip cross portions 60 extend into the respective connectors 37 for incorporation in the conventional electrical aspects of the respective connectors 37). Housing 27, which may be formed from an electrically conductive metallic material, is also prefereably of rectangular cross-sectional configuration and preferably is proportioned to closely fit over and against 2C)408.~;~

shanks 32A (see Figure 3) as distinguished from the heads 32B of the respective connectors 32, and also fit against the seat 48 of the panel base plate 40 (see Figure 9A), so that the connector heads 32B are closely adjacent, the panel upper base plate 40A (which is of channel shaped configuration in vertical cross section and normally lacks the seat 48 of lower base plate 40).
Figure 2 shows the relation of the new single power center 20 to several conventional rernovable double receptacle units 70, which can be applied thereto by being plug-fit connected to the respective double ended connectors 37, on either side of body 22 adjacent its mid portion 30, and applied to either end of the respective connectors 37, in the manner indicated in Figure 2. Thus, the devices 70 as illustrated each include electrical plug-in type connectors 72 and 74 of a conventional type extending from opposite end of same that are of a gender or hand that is opposite to the connector devices 37, whereby the respective outlet assemblies formed by units 70 may be plug-fit applied to the respective electrical connectors 37 at either end of same, but adjacent the mid portion 30 of the body 22, as needed to electrically activate work station electrical equipment, such as typewriters, that are to be served by the panel sole power center 20.
The respective outlet units 70 are shown to be provided with several conventionally configured receptacles 76 to receive plug-fit style conventional two and three prong plugs for plugging electrically operated equipment into the electrical system involved, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, but this specific is optional.

20~C~8~, The power center 20, where it is not expected that electrical power will be received from adjacent (similarly prewired) wall panels, may be connected to a source of electrical power at either connector 32 of the center 20, by using a conventional flexible connector having one of its ends equipped with a conventional plug-in type connector of a gender opposite that of connectors 32 (see, for instance, Figure 11), and the other end suitably equipped for connection to the source of power; this may be by way of electrically connecting the other end of the conventional flexible cabling involved to a conventional connector device (see Figure 11) that is suitably plug fit connected to the source of electrical power, or directly connecting the indicated flexible cable to the source of power by wiring same to existing wiring that is electrically connected to such source.
While the power center 20 is equipped with connectors 32 and 37 that are of the male gender, the present invention contemplates such connectors may also be conventionally arranged to be of the female gender, with electrical connections that are to be made to same being of the appropriate gender, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

FLEXIBLE CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICALLY ENERGI~ING
OTHER WALL PANELS
Referring now to Figures 10 - 13, there is there illustrated a special flexible conductor 80 for both connecting the panel sole power center 20 at one of its connectors 32 to the source of power and to a similarly prewired wall panel 34 that is not otherwise connected to a source of electrical power. The flexible conductor 80 includes a conventional plug fit type connector 82, that for illustrative purposes is shown to be of a gender or hand opposite that of connectors 32, and that is plug-fit connected to the source of power, with the connector 82 being conventionally applied to the end 84 of cable 81 (of conductor 80); the end 86 of cable 20408~
81 has applied to same a special dual connector 88 that is electrically connected witn the connector 82 (by cable 81), as well as a separate connector 32 for supplying electrical power to a power center 20A diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 10 of such adjacent similarly prewired wall panel 34 (that is not otherwise connected to a source of electrical power), through a conventional flexible cable 89 conventionally equipped with conventional connectors 82 at the respective ends of same. Conductor 80 also includes a connector 82A
that may be connected to power center 20. Also, power center 20A may be directly electrically connected to power center 20 at the other end of the latter (assuming that such power center 20 is not otherwise electrically connected to the source of power), using a conventional flexible cable (not shown) that is equipped at both of its ends with connectors 82 of a gender opposite that of connectors 32. Conductor 80 may also be employed to electrify power center 20~ free of connection to power center 20, though connector 82 should then be provided with a suitable insulating cover.
The connectors 82 and 82A are to be identical, and while illustrated to be of the female gender, they should be of a gender or hand that is opposite that of the connectors 32 and be plug fit connectable thereto; the electrical current supplying flexible cable 81 is optionally wired to provide the number of circuits desired. Figure 11 illustrates an end view of the conventional connector 82 for orientation purposes only, from which it can be seen that the connector 82 for the particular power center 20 illustrated is to have the usual female gripping characteristlcs where indicated at 85, as opposed to the connector 32 of the opposite gender or hand that is shown in Figure 8.
Connectors 82 are conventional connectors also offered by, for instance, the two sources previously mentioned, 204Q~3~2 which for the specific power center arrangement illustrated in Figures 7 - 9 are to be of the female gender or hand, and also readily adapted for plug fit type connection to connectors 32. Where the power center is of the opposite gender, the connectors 82 should be of the male gender, as will be apparent to those skilled in the electrical arts.
The dual connector 88, like the power center body 22, comprises a body 87 composed of a plurality of super-imposed terminal strips 91 (see Figure 12) defining integral leg 92 having end 94, and integral leg 96 (spaced from leg 92), having end 98, as well as stem 101 having the end 100 that extends oppositely of the respective ends 94 and 98.
The terminal strips 91 are formed from a suitable electrically conductive material such as copper, and, similar to body 22, are encased in body 87 by employing a suitable encasing electrically insulating plastic material (such as that suggested for body 22), with the strips 91 thus being electrically insulated from each other, disposed in stacked, spaced, parallel positioning, and equal in number to the number of electrical circuits desired for the cable 81. The ends 98 of the respec-tivew strips 91 may be electrically connected to the respective wires of cable 81 in any conventional manner, such as by crimping, soldering, etc.
The terminal strips of the body 87 have their respec-tive ends 94 conventionally incorporated in a suitable connector 32, their ends 98 conventionally incorporated in the wiring of the cable 81, and the ends 100 conventionally incorporated in a suitable conventional connector 82A that is to be plug fit applied to one of the ends of the center 20, for instance, to one of the connectors 32 of Figure 9. As made clear in Figure 12, the legs 92 and 96 of the respective strips 91 are electrically connected by the integral cross portion 90 of the respective strips 91.

20408;;~2 The connector 82A of the illustrated embodiment is of the same gender (or hand) as connector 82, and may be of the same construction as connector 82; however, the actual gender employed will depend on the gender employed for the center connectors 32 (and 37), as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
The wiring of cable 81 may be compatible with the wiring of the center 20, for instance, its body 22, but also may involve additional wiring that is not utilized when elec-trically connecting center 20 to center 20A.
It will thus be seen that the power center of this invention provides a single power center for application to wall panels for prewiring same that may be electrically energized from either end of same, and by employing the special flexible connector 80, the electrical energy supplied to the power center of this invention may be transmitted to adjacent wall panels that are similarly prewired.
It will be apparent that the power center 20 at each of its connectors 32 may include conventional anchor clips for anchoring electrical connection of connectors of the opposite gender thereto and that similar anchor clips may be employed in connection with connectors 37 for anchoring thereto the receptacles 70 employed. Conventional bracing rings, anchoring clips and the familiar integral guides for applying connectors to the power center 20 may be provided as needed, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
It will also be apparent that the arrangement of Figures 10 - 13 permits connection to a similarly prewired wall panel regardless of the angulation employed; thus ninety degree angulation or more may be involved if so desired.

20~08~2 The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have this disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. An electrical power center for application to a portable wall panel of demountable panel partitions for electrifying the panel, and to serve as a single power center with multiple receptacle mounting locations therefor, said power center comprising:
a body having opposite ends and opposite sides extending substantially normally of said body ends, said body comprising a plurality of elongate strips of electrically conductive material in spaced relation encased in a casing formed from a plastic material of nonelectrically conductive characteristic, with said strips being electrically insulated from each other, extending longitudinally of and between opposite ends of said body, and being electrically insulated along said sides of said body, said strips at said ends of said body being respectively electrically connected to plug-fit type electrical connectors of the same gender, each of said strips intermediate said body ends being of like H-shaped configuration defining oppositely disposed legs on either side of same substantially paralleling the strip thereof, with each of said legs of each strip terminating in oppositely projecting ends in stacked but insulated relation, and in set forming relation, at the respective sides of said body and forming stacked sets of said leg ends, said sets each being incorporated in a plug-fit type electrical connector of said gender.

2. The power center set forth in claim 1 wherein:
said stacked end sets are substantially spaced from the first mentioned electrical connectors and are in substantial parallelism thereto.

3. The power center set forth in claim 1 including:
a housing extending between said first mentioned connectors and being disposed between the second mentioned connectors.

4. The power center set forth in claim 3 in combination with the panel wherein:
said center is mounted on said panel to extend in coplanar relation with said panel.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein:
said center is mounted in the base of said panel and centered with respect to said panel.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 including:
a flexible conduit comprising a flexible cable wired in electrical circuitry compatible with that of said body, one end of said conduit including a connec-tor assembly comprising:
a plurality of terminal strips conforming in number to the circuitry of said cable and encased in a casing formed from a plastic non-electrically conductive material, with said terminal strips being insulated from each other, said terminal strips being of like configuration within said casing and defining together with said connector assembly casing an elongate single elec-rical connector portion at one end of said cable and a dual electical connecting portion having dual but separate strip sections in stacked relation, said single connector portion of said connector assembly being incorporated in a plug-fit type electrical connector of one gender and adapted for operative plug fit connection to one of said electrical connectors of one of said body ends, one of said dual connecting terminal strip sections of said connector assembly being incorporated in a plug-fit type electrical connector of said one gender, and the other of dual connecting strip sections being integrated in said cable in conformity to the circuitry of said cable, and the other end of said conduit being incor-porated in a plug-fit type connector adapted for connection to a source of electricity.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein:
said electrical connector of said other end of said cable is adapted for plug-fit type connec-tion to one of said center body connectors.

8. For use with a first power center for electrifying wall panels of the demountable panel partition type, for electrically connecting the power center to a second similar power center of an adjacent panel:
a flexible conduit comprising a flexible cable wired in accordance with predetermined elec-trical circuitry, one end of said conduit including a connector assembly comprising:

a plurality of terminal strips conforming in number to the circuitry of said cable and encased in a casing formed from a plastic non-electrically conductive material, with said terminal strips being insulated from each other, said terminal strips being of like configura-tion within said casing and defining together with said connector assembly casing an elongate single electrical connector portion at one end of said cable and a dual electrical connecting portion having dual but separate strip sections in stacked relation, said single connector portion of said connector assembly being incorporated in a first plug-fit type electrical connector adapted for operative plug fit connection to the first mentioned power center, one of said dual connecting terminal strip sections of said connector assembly being incorporated in a second plug-fit type electrical connector adapted for connection to the second mentioned power center, and the other of said dual connecting strip sections being integrated in said cable in conformity to the circuitry of said cable, and the other end of said conduit being in-corporated in a plug-fit type electrical connector that is adapted for connection to a source of elec-trical energy.

9. The flexible conduit set forth in claim 8 wherein:
said terminal strips are formed from copper.

10. The flexible conduit set forth in claim 8 including:
a second conduit electrically connecting said second connector to the second mentioned power center and adapted for angular connection.