GB2185642A

GB2185642A - Movable connector mounted on electrical supply track

Info

Publication number: GB2185642A
Application number: GB08513658A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Anthony Carson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-05-30
Filing date: 1985-05-30
Publication date: 1987-07-22
Also published as: GB8513658D0

Abstract

An elongate track (1) having power supply conductors (4) extending therealong carries a socket outlet (5) mounted on the track for stepless movement therealong. Rollers (13) of contacts of the socket outlet (5) engage respective supply conductors (4). The housing (6) of the socket outlet is captively supported by the track and carries rollers (7) to facilitate movement along the track.

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrical power system This invention relates to an electrical power supply system Con,verttional electrical power supply systems as found inrforexarnple, domestic, commercial and retail trade premisesgenernlly consist of a fixed wiring arrangement having socket connectors mounted at fixed positions thereon.

Such systems have the disadvantage that thefixed socket connectors are not always conveniently positioned this requiring eitherthe use of long leads connected to apparatus to be powered from the system, or the disconnection of such apparatus from one socket connector and reconnection to another socket connector when the apparatus isto be used at different locations.

The use of long leads and the frequent connection and disconnection of apparatus both involve well known dangers which are best avoided.

Accordingtothis invention there is provided an electrical power supply system comprising an elongate track carrying power supply conductors extendingtherealong anda socketconnectoradaptedto be mounted on the trackfor stepless movementtherealong, the socket connector having terminals which, when the socket connector is mounted on the track, engage the track conductors, the arrangement being such thatthe socket can be moved along thetrack while maintaining the engagement between the socket con nector terminals and the track conductors.

The system of thins invention has the advantage that with the track mounted on, for example, a floor or wall of a building, with the socket connector mounted thereon, the track conductors being connected to appropriate conductors of an electrical power source, for example a supply lead or ring main wiring, an apparatus to be powered can be powered simply by plugging a plug connected to the apparatus into the socket connectorwhich can then be moved along the track to enabtethe apparatus to reach to any desired position over a relatively wide area withoutthe need for a long lead between the apparatus and the socket connector or the need to unplug the apparatus from thesocketconnector.

The socket connectorcan simply be mounted on the track for direct sliding movement therealong, the material of the socket connector and track preferably being chosen to ensure that the frictional forces acting therebetween are nottoo high. Otherwisethe socket connector and/orthetrack can carry, for example, rollers acting therebetween to ensure satisfactory movement of the socket connector along thetrack.

Preferablythe track comprises a plate on which the socket connector is captively received for movement there along the track conductors rs being mounted on theface-ofitJ rep4ate resnote from the socket connector w mountedthereon, the socket connectortermin- alseendingthrough a slot in the plateforengagement with the track conductors.

Such an arrangement enables the track to be mounted on, for example, a floor or wall of a building withthetrackconductorsfacing thefloor orwall and substantially inaccessable otherthan through the slot, whereby safety is ensured.

The slot in the plate can be covered by displaceable dust excluding means such as fibres of, for example, nylon, which are moved as the socket connector terminals move along the slot.

The socket connector terminals can engage the track conductor by means of rollers carried by the socket connector terminals and spring biassed into engagementwith the track conductors.

Generally there will be three track conductors and associated socket connectorterminals, but any required number can be provided.

Any required number of socket connectors up to a maximum determined either by space requirements or the current carrying capacity of the system, can be mounted on the track at any time.

This invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawing which is a diagrammatic sectional side elevational view of a system according to the invention.

The system comprises an elongate track 1 of the electrically insulating material comprising a plate 2 carried by a supporting structure 3 by which the track 1 can be mounted on a floororwall with the plate 2 lying in a plane parallel to that ofthefloororwall.

The plate 2 carries three spaced parallel electrical conductorrails4which extend along the track 1.

Mounted on the plate 2 is a socket connector 5 having a housing 6 of electrically insulating material which engages about the edges of the plate 2 such that the socket connector is captured on the plate 2while being ableto move therealong. The housing 6 carries rollers 7 which engage the upper, in use, edge ofthe plate 2 to ensure free movement of the socket connector5 along the track 1.

Thesocketconnectoralsoincludesterminals8 (only one shown) which provide in the housing 6 portions for engagement bytheterminal pins 10 of a plug connector 11 1 terminating a lead 12 of an electrical apparatusto be powered, when the plug connector 11 is mated with the socket connector 5.

Theterminals8extendoutofthehousing Sthrough a slot9 in the plate 2 to the side ofthe plate 2 carrying the conductor rails 4, where each terminal 8 carries a roller 13 which engages a respective one of the conductor rails 4. The arrangement is such that as the socket connector 5 is slid along the track 1 the rollers 13 roll along their respective conductor rails4 and maintain the electrical connection between the conductor rails 4 and the terminals 8.

The rollers 13are biassed againsttheirrespective conductor rails 4 by the resilience ofthe terminals 8.

Atthe side of the plate 2 carrying the conductor rails 4theterminals 8 are maintained in their correct spaced relationship by means of an insulating mem ber 14 mounted on the terminals 8 as by being press-fitted thereon.

The track 1 can be provided in sections of any The ciaims were filed later than the filing date within the period prescribed by Rule 25(1) of the Patent Rules 1982.

convenient length, which sections can be provided with means to connect sections togetherto provide a continuous length oftrack.

Preferably end caps (not shown) are provided which can be used to terminate a section oftrack of required length to prevent access to the conductor rails 4 thereof. Such an end cap would be removed when a socket connector 5 is to be mounted on the track 1.

Although inthesystem described above the con ductor rails 4 are shown simply on the surface of the plate 2, for reasons of safety it would be preferably for the rails4to be separated by and bounded by insulating material white still allowing the required access forterminals 8. For example, the conductor rails4can be located in grooves formed in a moulded plate 2 with onlytheir outer surfaces accessable.

Although the invention has been described above in relation solely to power supply, it will be appreciated that a similarsystem can be usedforthe distribution of electrical data signals or the like as in, for example, computer networks.

Claims

1. An electrical supply system comprising an elongate track carrying supply conductors extending therealong and a connector adapted to be mounted on the track for steplessmovementtherealong, the connector having terminals which, when the connector is mounted on the track, engage the supply conductors, the arrangement being such thatthe connector can be moved along the track while maintaining the engagement between the connector terminals and the supply conductors.

2. Asystem as claimed in Claim 1, in which the connector is mounted on the trackfor direct sliding movementtherealong.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 1, in which the connectorand/orthetrackcarry rollers acting therebetween to ensure satisfactory movement of the connec- toralongthetrack.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the track comprises a plate on which the connector is captively received for movementthere along,thesupply conductors being mounted on the face of the plate remote from the con nector when mountedthereon,theconnectorterminals extending through a slot in the plate for engagement with the supply conductors.

5. A system as claimed in Claim 4, in which the slot in the plate is covered by displaceable dust excluding means which are moved as the connector terminals move along the slot.

6. Asystem as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the connectorterminals engage the supply conductors by means of rollers carried bythe connec- torterminalsand spring biassed into engagement with the supply conductors.

7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the track is composed of a plurality of interconnected lengths.

8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in whichthetrackisterminated by end caps which in use preventaccesstothe supply conductors atthe ends of thetrack.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which onlythesurfacesofthe supply conductors engaged by the connector terminals are accessible on the track.

10. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the track serves forthe supply of power andlor data signals.

11. Asystem as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the connector is a socket connector.

12. An electrical supply system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing.