WO2001015298A1 - Base power feed integral surge and spike protector - Google Patents

Base power feed integral surge and spike protector Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001015298A1
WO2001015298A1 PCT/US2000/023133 US0023133W WO0115298A1 WO 2001015298 A1 WO2001015298 A1 WO 2001015298A1 US 0023133 W US0023133 W US 0023133W WO 0115298 A1 WO0115298 A1 WO 0115298A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
protective
electrical
line
power
circuit board
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/023133
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Harry C. Bassilakis
Original Assignee
Bassilakis Harry C
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bassilakis Harry C filed Critical Bassilakis Harry C
Priority to CA002381986A priority Critical patent/CA2381986A1/en
Publication of WO2001015298A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001015298A1/en

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Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/66Structural association with built-in electrical component
    • H01R13/665Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in electronic circuit
    • H01R13/6666Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in electronic circuit with built-in overvoltage protection
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04BUILDING
    • E04BGENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
    • E04B2/00Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls
    • E04B2/74Removable non-load-bearing partitions; Partitions with a free upper edge
    • E04B2002/7488Details of wiring
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/66Structural association with built-in electrical component
    • H01R13/665Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in electronic circuit
    • H01R13/6691Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in electronic circuit with built-in signalling means
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01RELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R25/00Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits
    • H01R25/006Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more circuits the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H02GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02GINSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
    • H02G13/00Installations of lightning conductors; Fastening thereof to supporting structure
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H02GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02HEMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
    • H02H9/00Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection
    • H02H9/04Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection responsive to excess voltage
    • H02H9/044Physical layout, materials not provided for elsewhere

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to apparatus for protecting equipment from surges and spikes in the electrical power supply. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for protecting equipment from surges and spikes in the electrical base power supply.
  • Surge protector and noise filtration devices variously known as voltage spike protectors or voltage surge and noise suppressors, are well known and in widespread use. These devices include electronic circuitry to protect sensitive electronic equipment from high energy transient disturbances that may occur on an alternating current (AC) power line.
  • AC alternating current
  • Conventional surge protectors and noise filters are typically found in two types of installations. The first type of installation is an electrical panel mount model.
  • An electrical panel mount surge protector is typically installed in the main service panel connecting the panel to the external power supply.
  • This "whole building" surge protector isolates the entire building from extremely large external voltage surges, such as those produced by lightening, that are introduced over the power supply line.
  • a whole building surge protector does not protect the equipment within the building from internally generated power surges and transients.
  • a whole building surge protector does not protect the equipment within the building from power surges having a magnitude which is not extremely large.
  • Electrical panel mount surge protectors may also be mounted in the electrical sub-panels located between the main service panel and the electrical loads. These surge protectors are intended to suppress power surges having a magnitude which is somewhat less than that of the whole building surge protector.
  • the second type of installation is a point-of-use surge protector which is an integral part of a local power supply.
  • Such local power supplies protect the devices which are plugged into the female receptacles of the local power supply from external power surges and transients generated outside of the building in which the device is located and from internal power surges and transients generated inside of the building.
  • local power supplies of this type do not provide surge protection to any device which does not receive its electrical power via the local power supply.
  • the number of devices which may be supplied via a single local power supply is limited by the capacity of the power supply, the number of female receptacles, and the lengths of the power cords of the various devices. Consequently, a typical office building generally requires a separate surge protected local power supply for each of the work stations contained therein.
  • the best known surge protected local power supply is a power supply strip which includes an electrical power cord which acts as an extension cord, a male plug mounted on one end of the power cord, and a receptacle box mounted on the other end of the power cord.
  • the receptacle box has one or more female receptacles and houses the surge suppression circuitry. Indicating lights and a reset switch may also be located on the receptacle box.
  • the male electrical power plug of the device to be protected is plugged into one of the female receptacles of the receptacle box to provide power to the device.
  • surge protected local power supply may be found in some office buildings where some of the individual circuits within the building may have integral surge protective apparatus. In buildings having such surge protected circuits, it is often difficult to differentiate between the outlets which are served by the surge protected circuits and which outlets are not served by the surge protected circuits. Consequently, devices requiring surge protection may be accidently plugged into non-surge protected circuits.
  • the surge protection capabilities of conventional local power supplies vary greatly from brand-to-brand and from model-to-model within the product line of any given manufacturer.
  • the average conventional local power supply is rated at 1 3,000 amps, has clamping voltages of 500 to 600 volts, and protects only one or two of the three power lines.
  • Lower cost "bargain" local power supplies may have lower amperage ratings and clamping voltages and higher cost
  • the invention in a preferred form is a base power feed integral surge and spike protector for use in a building having modular office cubicles disposed therein.
  • the surge protector comprises a protective module including a circuit board having a plurality of protective circuits, with each of the protective circuits having at least one electrical terminal. Each wire of the power distribution network of the modular office cubicles is connected electrically to one of the terminals of the circuit board.
  • the circuit board of the surge protector includes a plurality of line protective circuits, with each of the line protective circuits having a hot terminal and a neutral terminal.
  • the circuit board also includes a first ground protective circuit having a system ground terminal and a second ground protective circuit having an isolated ground terminal.
  • the protective module of the surge protector also includes means for providing an alarm when any one of the protective circuits ceases to function.
  • the alarm may be provided by a plurality of indicating lights, with each of the lights being associated with one of the protective circuits, or by an audible alarm associated with all of the protective circuits.
  • the surge protector may also include a conventional base power in connector which has been adapted to provide electrical communication between the electrical conductors of the circuit board and the wires of the power distribution network.
  • An inlet connector portion of the base power in connector is hard-wired to the wires of the building power supply system and a base power in connector portion is inserted into the receptacle of the power distribution network to connect the circuit board to the power distribution network.
  • Figure 1 is perspective view of a first embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the invention installed on a modular office cubicle wall panel;
  • Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 is side view of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 is a schematic view of the circuit board of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 1 , illustrating the wiring arrangement for a SteelcaseTM "3 + D" 8-wire modular office cubicle wall panel;
  • Figure 5 is a schematic view of the circuit board of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 1 , illustrating the wiring arrangement for a SteelcaseTM "P-3" 5-wire modular office cubicle wall panel;
  • Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
  • a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10.
  • modular office cubicles 1 2 formed of substantially identical wall panels 1 4 are utilized to form clusters of cubicles.
  • the wall panels 14 of the modular office cubicles 1 2 include 1 20 volt AC pre-wired raceways 1 6 which may be easily connected during the setup of the cubicles 1 2 to form the distribution system 1 8.
  • the raceways 1 6 carry three to six electrical circuits for providing power to the cubicle cluster
  • the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10 includes at least one connector 20 carrying a plurality of electrical service wires and a protector module 22 to provide power surge and power transient protection to each of the electrical circuits of the power distribution system 1 8 served by the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10.
  • a first embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0 is an "in-line" device that in part provides an interface between the building electrical supply system 24 and the modular office cubicle power distribution system 1 8.
  • the in-line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0 is commonly used in new construction for cubicle clusters that have a portion adjacent to a wall 26 through which the building power supply system 24 may be routed.
  • the power distribution system 1 8 of many types of modular office cubicles 1 2 utilize modular "base power in" connectors 28. Generally, one end of such a connector 28 is hard-wired to five to twelve electrical service wires of the building electrical supply system 24 and the other end plugs into an appropriate receptacle in a modular office cubical 1 2 to connect the service wires to the panel power distribution system 1 8.
  • the in-line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0 includes what is essentially an elongated base power in connector 28 comprising an inlet connector portion 30 which is hard- wired into the electrical supply system 24 running through the building wall 26, a "base power in” connector portion 32 which is plugged into a receptacle of the power distribution system 1 8 of the modular office cubicles 1 2, and a bridge portion 34 defined by the portion of the wires 36 which extend between the inlet connector portion 30 and the base power in connector portion 32.
  • the wires 36 of the bridge portion 34 are disposed within the housing 38 of a protector module 22 which provides power surge and power transient protection to each of the electrical circuits of the power distribution system 1 8 served by the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0.
  • the housing 38 has a first opening 40 for receiving and mounting a proximal end portion 42 of the base power connector portion 32 and a second opening 44 for receiving and mounting a proximal end portion 46 of the inlet connector portion 30.
  • the first and second openings 40, 44 may be located in oppositely disposed first and second end panels 48, 48' of the housing.
  • one of the openings may be located in an end panel of the housing and the other of the openings may be located in a side panel of the housing, or one of the openings may be located in an end panel of the housing and the other of the openings may be located in a rear panel of the housing, or both of the openings may be located in one of the end panels of the housing, depending on the particular installation requirements.
  • the housing 38 may also have openings 50 for receiving and mounting multiple pairs of connectors 52 for inserting a surge suppression device located within the housing 38 into the circuit of low voltage electrical signal circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster.
  • a surge suppression device located within the housing 38 into the circuit of low voltage electrical signal circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster.
  • three to six pairs of RJ 1 1 connectors 52 may be mounted in openings 50 on a first side 54 of the housing 38 to act as input and output connectors for the telephone circuits servicing the work stations.
  • three to six pairs of RJ1 1 connectors 52 may be mounted in openings 50 in the second side 56 of the housing 38 to act as input and output connectors for the data circuit of a local area network servicing the work stations.
  • three to six pairs of coaxial cable connectors may be provided for connecting a video system servicing the work stations. It should be appreciated that surge suppression devices appropriate for any electrical circuit, and associated connectors for inserting the device into the electrical circuit, may be included in the protector module.
  • the housing 38 will preferably include one opening 58 for receiving and mounting an indicating light 60 for each of the electrical circuits which is powered through the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0.
  • the openings 58 for the indicating lights 60 are located in the front panel 62 of the housing 38, as shown in Figure 2.
  • the housing 38 will preferably include a single opening 64 for receiving and mounting an audible alarm 66 associated with all of the electrical circuits which are powered through the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10.
  • the indicating lights 60 are lit when the line protective circuit 70 serving the associated electrical circuit is operating properly.
  • the indicating lights 60 go out and the audible alarm 66 sounds if the line protective circuit 70 serving the associated electrical circuit ceases to function.
  • each circuit board 68 includes two ground protective circuits 69, 71 , as explained further below.
  • Each of the protective circuits 69, 70, 71 includes conventional transient voltage, surge suppression, spike suppression, noise, and harmonic filtration protection circuit elements.
  • the circuit board 68 shown if Figures 4 and 5 has four line protective circuits 72, 74, 76, 78.
  • the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10 is designed such that a single circuit board design accommodates the requirements of every electrical distribution system found within the modular office cubicle industry.
  • the wiring interface 80 between the protective circuits 70 and the power distribution system 1 8 provides the flexibility that is required to adapt a single circuit board design to any specific application.
  • Each line protective circuit 72, 74, 76, 78 of the circuit board 68 has a "hot" terminal, H 1 , H2, H3, H4 for the illustrated circuit board 68, and a "neutral terminal", N 1 , N2, N3, N4 for the illustrated circuit board 68.
  • the circuit board 68 has two ground protective circuits
  • the system ground terminal SG is connected via the circuit board 68 to only the first protective circuit 72 while the isolated ground terminal IGI is connected to all of the remaining protective circuits 74, 76, 78.
  • the circuit board 68 can be adapted to operate with any of the power distribution system 1 8 which may be offered by a vendor.
  • the appropriate terminals are connected via tap wires 82 to the wires 36 of bridge portion 34 to connect the protective circuits 72, 74, 76, 78 of the circuit board 68 to the power distribution system 1 8.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a circuit board 68 which is wired to interface with a SteelcaseTM "3 + D" power distribution system 1 8.
  • the "3 + D" power distribution system 1 8 has eight wires 84 providing four electrical circuits including three isolated circuits (three separate hot lines 86, 88, 90 color coded red, black and blue, a shared, or common, neutral line 92 color coded white, and a shared, or common, ground line 94 color coded green) and one dedicated circuit (separate hot line 96 color coded pink, separate neutral line 98 color coded grey, and separate ground line 1 00 color coded green with a yellow stripe).
  • three isolated circuits three separate hot lines 86, 88, 90 color coded red, black and blue, a shared, or common, neutral line 92 color coded white, and a shared, or common, ground line 94 color coded green
  • one dedicated circuit separate hot line 96 color coded pink, separate neutral line 98 color coded grey, and separate ground line 1 00 color
  • the first, second, and third hot lines 86, 88, 90 are connected via tap wires 82 to three of the "hot" terminals H1 , H2, H3, the fourth hot line 96 (pink) for the dedicated circuit is connected via a tap wire 82 to the fourth "hot” terminal H4, the common neutral line 92 (white) is connected via a tap wire 82 to neutral terminal N2, the dedicated neutral line 98 (grey) is connected via a tap wire 82 to neutral terminal N4, the common ground line 94 (green) is connected via a tap 82 wire to the system ground terminal SG, and the dedicated ground line 100 (green with yellow stripe) is connected via a tap wire 82 to the isolated ground terminal IGI.
  • the first line protective circuit 72 provides surge protection to the first hot line 86
  • the second line protective circuit 74 provides surge protection to the second hot line 88 and the common neutral line 92
  • the third line protective circuit 76 provides surge protection to the third hot line 90
  • the fourth line protective circuit 78 provides surge protection to the hot line 96 and the neutral line 98
  • the first ground protective circuits 69, 71 provide surge protection to the common ground line 94 and the ground line 100 of the dedicated circuit.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a circuit board 68 which is wired to interface with a SteelcaseTM "P-3" power distribution system 1 8'.
  • the "P-3" power distribution system 1 8' has five wires 1 02 providing three isolated circuits (three separate hot lines 104, 106, 1 08 color coded red, black and blue, a shared, or common, neutral line 1 1 0 color coded white, and a shared, or common, ground line 1 1 2 color coded green).
  • the first, second, and third hot lines 104, 106, 1 08 red, black and blue
  • tap wires 82 to three of the "hot" terminals
  • the first line protective circuit 72 provides surge protection to first hot line 1 04, the second line protective circuit
  • a parallel base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0' is most commonly used to provide surge protection to an existing cubicle cluster.
  • the circuit board 68 of the parallel base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10' is wired to the base power in connector 1 1 4 in the manner described above with the exception that the wires of the base power connector 1 1 4 are wired directly to the terminals of the circuit board 68.
  • the housing 1 1 6 has an opening for receiving and mounting a proximal end portion 1 1 8 of the base power connector 1 14.
  • the housing 1 1 6 will include one opening for receiving and mounting an indicating light 1 20 for each of the electrical circuits which is served by the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0' . If the parallel base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0' is to be mounted out of eyesight, the housing 1 1 6 will preferably include a single opening for receiving and mounting an audible alarm 1 22. The housing 1 1 6 may also have openings for receiving and mounting multiple pairs of connectors 1 24 for inserting a surge suppression device located within the housing into the circuit of low voltage electrical signal circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster.
  • a power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10 is most commonly used to provide surge protection in new construction for cubicle clusters receive power from the building power supply system via a power pole.
  • the circuit board 68 of the power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector is most commonly used to provide surge protection in new construction for cubicle clusters receive power from the building power supply system via a power pole.
  • the housing 1 26 has an opening for receiving and mounting an inlet 1 28 for receiving the wires of the electrical supply system 24. If the power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10" is to be mounted within eyesight, the housing will include one opening for receiving and mounting an indicating light 1 30 for each of the electrical circuits which is powered through the base power feed integral surge and spike protector. If the power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10" is to be mounted out of eyesight, the housing 1 26 will preferably include a single opening for receiving and mounting an audible alarm 1 32.
  • the housing 1 26 may also have openings for receiving and mounting multiple pairs of connectors 1 34 for inserting a surge suppression device located within the housing into the circuit of non-power electrical circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster.
  • a surge suppression device located within the housing into the circuit of non-power electrical circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster.
  • each of the circuit elements in the protective circuit 70 is of conventional design, the protective limits of the circuit elements are significantly higher than those found in conventional protective devices.
  • the surge current capacity for conventional devices is generally about 1 3,000 amps while that of the subject protective circuit is 33,000 amps. The higher the surge current capacity the better the protection.
  • each protective circuit 70 has a UL 1 449 clamping voltage of 330 volts while conventional devices have clamping voltages of 500 to 600 volts.
  • the clamping voltage establishes the point at which the surge suppression circuit components will begin to suppress a voltage surge. The higher the value of the clamping voltage, the higher the level of the voltage surge which will be passed by the surge suppression circuit. If the value of the clamping voltage is too high, surges will be let through which may damage hardware and/or corrupt data. The lower the value of the clamping voltage, the more often the surge suppression circuit component will be actuated, resulting in accelerated age-related deterioration.
  • Surge suppression circuit components having a low clamping voltage value must be composed of superior grade components or be subject to premature failure, leaving equipment vulnerable to future surges and spikes.
  • a 330 volt clamping provides the best protection for sensitive electronic equipment.
  • Each base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0, 10', 1 0" protects all three lines (L-N, L-G, N-G), while conventional devices allow surges along the ground and/or neutral line.
  • Each base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10, 1 0', 1 0" provides thermal fusing for all three lines, while conventional devices generally provide thermal fusing for only the L-G. If there is a catastrophic surge in a circuit protected by a conventional device, the device goes into thermal runaway and can melt or catch fire.
  • the base power feed integral surge and spike protector's thermal fusing and all metal housing prevent thermal runaway and any potential damage from occurring.
  • a base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10, 1 0', 1 0" provides many benefits beyond simply providing superior surge and transient protection. With the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10, 1 0', 1 0", all workstation outlets are protected. Consequently, users at the workstations do not have to know which outlets are surge protected and all possibility of plugging equipment into an unprotected outlet is eliminated.
  • the base power feed integral surge and spike protector's prominent indication lights 60, 1 20, 1 30 and single location point allow it to be easily monitored for correct operation. Using surge receptacles and plug strips require multiple units to be monitored, many of which may be in hard to reach places with no physical warning signs of failure.
  • the audible alarm 66, 1 22, 1 32 provides similar protection for power pole and between panel skin applications. Because the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0, 1 0', 1 0" is integrated into the base power of the workstations, it requires no additional labor to install or replace. This limits downtime and lowers maintenance costs. One base power feed integral surge and spike protector unit 1 0, 1 0', 1 0" will protect up to eight workstations. To protect the same amount of workstations would require 24-36 surge receptacles.

Abstract

A base power feed integral surge and spike protector (10) for use in a building having modular office cubicles (14) includes a protective module including a circuit board having a plurality of protective circuits, with each of the protective circuits having at least one electrical terminal. Each wire (30) of the power distribution network of the modular office cubicles is connected electrically to one of the terminals of the circuit board.

Description

BASE POWER FEED INTEGRAL SURGE AND SPIKE PROTECTOR
Background of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for protecting equipment from surges and spikes in the electrical power supply. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for protecting equipment from surges and spikes in the electrical base power supply.
Surge protector and noise filtration devices, variously known as voltage spike protectors or voltage surge and noise suppressors, are well known and in widespread use. These devices include electronic circuitry to protect sensitive electronic equipment from high energy transient disturbances that may occur on an alternating current (AC) power line. Conventional surge protectors and noise filters are typically found in two types of installations. The first type of installation is an electrical panel mount model.
An electrical panel mount surge protector is typically installed in the main service panel connecting the panel to the external power supply. This "whole building" surge protector isolates the entire building from extremely large external voltage surges, such as those produced by lightening, that are introduced over the power supply line. A whole building surge protector does not protect the equipment within the building from internally generated power surges and transients. In addition, a whole building surge protector does not protect the equipment within the building from power surges having a magnitude which is not extremely large. Electrical panel mount surge protectors may also be mounted in the electrical sub-panels located between the main service panel and the electrical loads. These surge protectors are intended to suppress power surges having a magnitude which is somewhat less than that of the whole building surge protector. The second type of installation is a point-of-use surge protector which is an integral part of a local power supply. Such local power supplies protect the devices which are plugged into the female receptacles of the local power supply from external power surges and transients generated outside of the building in which the device is located and from internal power surges and transients generated inside of the building. However, local power supplies of this type do not provide surge protection to any device which does not receive its electrical power via the local power supply. The number of devices which may be supplied via a single local power supply is limited by the capacity of the power supply, the number of female receptacles, and the lengths of the power cords of the various devices. Consequently, a typical office building generally requires a separate surge protected local power supply for each of the work stations contained therein.
The best known surge protected local power supply is a power supply strip which includes an electrical power cord which acts as an extension cord, a male plug mounted on one end of the power cord, and a receptacle box mounted on the other end of the power cord. The receptacle box has one or more female receptacles and houses the surge suppression circuitry. Indicating lights and a reset switch may also be located on the receptacle box. The male electrical power plug of the device to be protected is plugged into one of the female receptacles of the receptacle box to provide power to the device.
Another type of surge protected local power supply may be found in some office buildings where some of the individual circuits within the building may have integral surge protective apparatus. In buildings having such surge protected circuits, it is often difficult to differentiate between the outlets which are served by the surge protected circuits and which outlets are not served by the surge protected circuits. Consequently, devices requiring surge protection may be accidently plugged into non-surge protected circuits.
The surge protection capabilities of conventional local power supplies vary greatly from brand-to-brand and from model-to-model within the product line of any given manufacturer. For example, the average conventional local power supply is rated at 1 3,000 amps, has clamping voltages of 500 to 600 volts, and protects only one or two of the three power lines. Lower cost "bargain" local power supplies may have lower amperage ratings and clamping voltages and higher cost
"professional" local power supplies may have higher amperage ratings and clamping voltages, although sometimes the "professional" local power supplies simply have higher costs with no additional protection. Consequently, users of such surge protected local power supplies may not be receiving the protection that they require. Summary of the Invention
Briefly stated, the invention in a preferred form is a base power feed integral surge and spike protector for use in a building having modular office cubicles disposed therein. The surge protector comprises a protective module including a circuit board having a plurality of protective circuits, with each of the protective circuits having at least one electrical terminal. Each wire of the power distribution network of the modular office cubicles is connected electrically to one of the terminals of the circuit board. The circuit board of the surge protector includes a plurality of line protective circuits, with each of the line protective circuits having a hot terminal and a neutral terminal. The circuit board also includes a first ground protective circuit having a system ground terminal and a second ground protective circuit having an isolated ground terminal. The protective module of the surge protector also includes means for providing an alarm when any one of the protective circuits ceases to function. The alarm may be provided by a plurality of indicating lights, with each of the lights being associated with one of the protective circuits, or by an audible alarm associated with all of the protective circuits.
The surge protector may also include a conventional base power in connector which has been adapted to provide electrical communication between the electrical conductors of the circuit board and the wires of the power distribution network. An inlet connector portion of the base power in connector is hard-wired to the wires of the building power supply system and a base power in connector portion is inserted into the receptacle of the power distribution network to connect the circuit board to the power distribution network.
It is an object of the invention to provide a single modular device that will provide surge and spike protection to the power distribution network of modular office cubicles.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a base power feed integral surge and spike protector which has a single circuit board design which is adaptable to all configurations of the power distribution networks found in modular office cubicles. It is further an object of the invention to provide a base power feed integral surge and spike protector which provides a visible or audible indication when the surge suppression circuitry has ceased to function. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and specification.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The present invention may be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is perspective view of a first embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the invention installed on a modular office cubicle wall panel;
Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is side view of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a schematic view of the circuit board of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 1 , illustrating the wiring arrangement for a Steelcase™ "3 + D" 8-wire modular office cubicle wall panel;
Figure 5 is a schematic view of the circuit board of the base power feed integral surge and spike protector of Figure 1 , illustrating the wiring arrangement for a Steelcase™ "P-3" 5-wire modular office cubicle wall panel;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the invention; and
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures, a base power feed integral surge and spike protector in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10. In many conventional office buildings, modular office cubicles 1 2 formed of substantially identical wall panels 1 4 are utilized to form clusters of cubicles. Typically, the wall panels 14 of the modular office cubicles 1 2 include 1 20 volt AC pre-wired raceways 1 6 which may be easily connected during the setup of the cubicles 1 2 to form the distribution system 1 8. The raceways 1 6 carry three to six electrical circuits for providing power to the cubicle cluster The base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10 includes at least one connector 20 carrying a plurality of electrical service wires and a protector module 22 to provide power surge and power transient protection to each of the electrical circuits of the power distribution system 1 8 served by the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0 is an "in-line" device that in part provides an interface between the building electrical supply system 24 and the modular office cubicle power distribution system 1 8. The in-line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0 is commonly used in new construction for cubicle clusters that have a portion adjacent to a wall 26 through which the building power supply system 24 may be routed.
The power distribution system 1 8 of many types of modular office cubicles 1 2 utilize modular "base power in" connectors 28. Generally, one end of such a connector 28 is hard-wired to five to twelve electrical service wires of the building electrical supply system 24 and the other end plugs into an appropriate receptacle in a modular office cubical 1 2 to connect the service wires to the panel power distribution system 1 8. The in-line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0 includes what is essentially an elongated base power in connector 28 comprising an inlet connector portion 30 which is hard- wired into the electrical supply system 24 running through the building wall 26, a "base power in" connector portion 32 which is plugged into a receptacle of the power distribution system 1 8 of the modular office cubicles 1 2, and a bridge portion 34 defined by the portion of the wires 36 which extend between the inlet connector portion 30 and the base power in connector portion 32. The wires 36 of the bridge portion 34 are disposed within the housing 38 of a protector module 22 which provides power surge and power transient protection to each of the electrical circuits of the power distribution system 1 8 served by the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0.
The housing 38 has a first opening 40 for receiving and mounting a proximal end portion 42 of the base power connector portion 32 and a second opening 44 for receiving and mounting a proximal end portion 46 of the inlet connector portion 30. As illustrated in Figure 2, the first and second openings 40, 44 may be located in oppositely disposed first and second end panels 48, 48' of the housing. Alternatively, one of the openings may be located in an end panel of the housing and the other of the openings may be located in a side panel of the housing, or one of the openings may be located in an end panel of the housing and the other of the openings may be located in a rear panel of the housing, or both of the openings may be located in one of the end panels of the housing, depending on the particular installation requirements.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, the housing 38 may also have openings 50 for receiving and mounting multiple pairs of connectors 52 for inserting a surge suppression device located within the housing 38 into the circuit of low voltage electrical signal circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster. For example, three to six pairs of RJ 1 1 connectors 52 may be mounted in openings 50 on a first side 54 of the housing 38 to act as input and output connectors for the telephone circuits servicing the work stations. In addition three to six pairs of RJ1 1 connectors 52 may be mounted in openings 50 in the second side 56 of the housing 38 to act as input and output connectors for the data circuit of a local area network servicing the work stations. Alternatively, three to six pairs of coaxial cable connectors (not shown) may be provided for connecting a video system servicing the work stations. It should be appreciated that surge suppression devices appropriate for any electrical circuit, and associated connectors for inserting the device into the electrical circuit, may be included in the protector module.
If the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0 is to be mounted within eyesight, the housing 38 will preferably include one opening 58 for receiving and mounting an indicating light 60 for each of the electrical circuits which is powered through the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0. Preferably, the openings 58 for the indicating lights 60 are located in the front panel 62 of the housing 38, as shown in Figure 2. If the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10 is to be mounted out of eyesight, the housing 38 will preferably include a single opening 64 for receiving and mounting an audible alarm 66 associated with all of the electrical circuits which are powered through the in line base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10. The indicating lights 60 are lit when the line protective circuit 70 serving the associated electrical circuit is operating properly. The indicating lights 60 go out and the audible alarm 66 sounds if the line protective circuit 70 serving the associated electrical circuit ceases to function.
It should be appreciated that there are many manufacturers of modular office cubicles 1 2 and that there is no industry standard that dictates the requirements for the power distribution system 1 8 serving the cubicle clusters, other than the applicable safety standards. Consequently, the requirements of the power distribution systems 1 8 (for example the use of system grounds versus isolated grounds or common neutrals versus dedicated neutrals) can and do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. In addition, several of the larger manufacturers of modular office cubicles 1 2 offer several product lines where the requirements of the power distribution systems 1 8 are different between the various product lines. With reference to Figures 4 and 5, elements mounted to a circuit board 68 disposed within the housing 38 provide surge protection for each of the electrical circuits serviced by the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0. To accommodate the circuit combinations which are most commonly utilized in modular office cubicles 1 2, base power feed integral surge and spike protectors 1 0 having circuit boards 68 with three, four, five, or six line protective circuits 70 are provided, where there is a separate line protective circuit 70 for each of the electrical circuits of the power distribution system 1 8. In addition to the line protective circuits 70, each circuit board 68 includes two ground protective circuits 69, 71 , as explained further below. Each of the protective circuits 69, 70, 71 includes conventional transient voltage, surge suppression, spike suppression, noise, and harmonic filtration protection circuit elements. The circuit board 68 shown if Figures 4 and 5 has four line protective circuits 72, 74, 76, 78. To minimize manufacturing costs, the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10 is designed such that a single circuit board design accommodates the requirements of every electrical distribution system found within the modular office cubicle industry. The wiring interface 80 between the protective circuits 70 and the power distribution system 1 8 provides the flexibility that is required to adapt a single circuit board design to any specific application.
Each line protective circuit 72, 74, 76, 78 of the circuit board 68 has a "hot" terminal, H 1 , H2, H3, H4 for the illustrated circuit board 68, and a "neutral terminal", N 1 , N2, N3, N4 for the illustrated circuit board 68. In addition, the circuit board 68 has two ground protective circuits
69, 71 with a single system ground terminal SG connected to the first ground protective circuit 69 and a single isolated ground terminal IGI connected to the second ground protective circuit 71 . The system ground terminal SG is connected via the circuit board 68 to only the first protective circuit 72 while the isolated ground terminal IGI is connected to all of the remaining protective circuits 74, 76, 78. Depending on which terminals are utilized, the circuit board 68 can be adapted to operate with any of the power distribution system 1 8 which may be offered by a vendor. The appropriate terminals are connected via tap wires 82 to the wires 36 of bridge portion 34 to connect the protective circuits 72, 74, 76, 78 of the circuit board 68 to the power distribution system 1 8.
For example, Figure 4 illustrates a circuit board 68 which is wired to interface with a Steelcase™ "3 + D" power distribution system 1 8. The "3 + D" power distribution system 1 8 has eight wires 84 providing four electrical circuits including three isolated circuits (three separate hot lines 86, 88, 90 color coded red, black and blue, a shared, or common, neutral line 92 color coded white, and a shared, or common, ground line 94 color coded green) and one dedicated circuit (separate hot line 96 color coded pink, separate neutral line 98 color coded grey, and separate ground line 1 00 color coded green with a yellow stripe). To interface the circuit board 68 with the "3 + D" power distribution system 1 8, the first, second, and third hot lines 86, 88, 90 (red, black and blue) are connected via tap wires 82 to three of the "hot" terminals H1 , H2, H3, the fourth hot line 96 (pink) for the dedicated circuit is connected via a tap wire 82 to the fourth "hot" terminal H4, the common neutral line 92 (white) is connected via a tap wire 82 to neutral terminal N2, the dedicated neutral line 98 (grey) is connected via a tap wire 82 to neutral terminal N4, the common ground line 94 (green) is connected via a tap 82 wire to the system ground terminal SG, and the dedicated ground line 100 (green with yellow stripe) is connected via a tap wire 82 to the isolated ground terminal IGI.
When the circuit board 68 is connected to the power distribution system 1 8 in this manner, the first line protective circuit 72 provides surge protection to the first hot line 86, the second line protective circuit 74 provides surge protection to the second hot line 88 and the common neutral line 92, the third line protective circuit 76 provides surge protection to the third hot line 90, the fourth line protective circuit 78 provides surge protection to the hot line 96 and the neutral line 98, and the first ground protective circuits 69, 71 provide surge protection to the common ground line 94 and the ground line 100 of the dedicated circuit.
Figure 5 illustrates a circuit board 68 which is wired to interface with a Steelcase™ "P-3" power distribution system 1 8'. The "P-3" power distribution system 1 8' has five wires 1 02 providing three isolated circuits (three separate hot lines 104, 106, 1 08 color coded red, black and blue, a shared, or common, neutral line 1 1 0 color coded white, and a shared, or common, ground line 1 1 2 color coded green). To interface the circuit board 68 with the "P-3" electrical distribution system, the first, second, and third hot lines 104, 106, 1 08 (red, black and blue) are connected via tap wires 82 to three of the "hot" terminals
H 1 , H2, H3, the common neutral line 1 1 0 (white) is connected via a tap wire 82 to neutral terminal N2, and the common ground line 1 1 2 (green) is connected via a tap wire 82 to the system ground terminal SG.
When the circuit board 68 is connected to the power distribution system 1 8' in this manner, the first line protective circuit 72 provides surge protection to first hot line 1 04, the second line protective circuit
74 provides surge protection to the second hot line 106 and the common neutral line 1 1 0, the third line protective circuit 76 provides surge protection to the third hot line 108, and the ground protective circuit 69 provides surge protection to the common ground line 1 1 2. With reference to Figure 6, a parallel base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0' is most commonly used to provide surge protection to an existing cubicle cluster. The circuit board 68 of the parallel base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10' is wired to the base power in connector 1 1 4 in the manner described above with the exception that the wires of the base power connector 1 1 4 are wired directly to the terminals of the circuit board 68. The housing 1 1 6 has an opening for receiving and mounting a proximal end portion 1 1 8 of the base power connector 1 14. If the parallel base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0' is to be mounted within eyesight, the housing 1 1 6 will include one opening for receiving and mounting an indicating light 1 20 for each of the electrical circuits which is served by the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0' . If the parallel base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0' is to be mounted out of eyesight, the housing 1 1 6 will preferably include a single opening for receiving and mounting an audible alarm 1 22. The housing 1 1 6 may also have openings for receiving and mounting multiple pairs of connectors 1 24 for inserting a surge suppression device located within the housing into the circuit of low voltage electrical signal circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster.
With reference to Figure 7, a power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10" is most commonly used to provide surge protection in new construction for cubicle clusters receive power from the building power supply system via a power pole. The circuit board 68 of the power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector
1 0" is hard-wired to the wires of the electrical supply system 24 in the power pole in the manner described above. The housing 1 26 has an opening for receiving and mounting an inlet 1 28 for receiving the wires of the electrical supply system 24. If the power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10" is to be mounted within eyesight, the housing will include one opening for receiving and mounting an indicating light 1 30 for each of the electrical circuits which is powered through the base power feed integral surge and spike protector. If the power pole base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10" is to be mounted out of eyesight, the housing 1 26 will preferably include a single opening for receiving and mounting an audible alarm 1 32. The housing 1 26 may also have openings for receiving and mounting multiple pairs of connectors 1 34 for inserting a surge suppression device located within the housing into the circuit of non-power electrical circuits associated with the work stations in the cubicle cluster. Although each of the circuit elements in the protective circuit 70 is of conventional design, the protective limits of the circuit elements are significantly higher than those found in conventional protective devices. For example, the surge current capacity for conventional devices is generally about 1 3,000 amps while that of the subject protective circuit is 33,000 amps. The higher the surge current capacity the better the protection.
Similarly, each protective circuit 70 has a UL 1 449 clamping voltage of 330 volts while conventional devices have clamping voltages of 500 to 600 volts. The clamping voltage establishes the point at which the surge suppression circuit components will begin to suppress a voltage surge. The higher the value of the clamping voltage, the higher the level of the voltage surge which will be passed by the surge suppression circuit. If the value of the clamping voltage is too high, surges will be let through which may damage hardware and/or corrupt data. The lower the value of the clamping voltage, the more often the surge suppression circuit component will be actuated, resulting in accelerated age-related deterioration. Surge suppression circuit components having a low clamping voltage value must be composed of superior grade components or be subject to premature failure, leaving equipment vulnerable to future surges and spikes. A 330 volt clamping provides the best protection for sensitive electronic equipment. Each base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0, 10', 1 0" protects all three lines (L-N, L-G, N-G), while conventional devices allow surges along the ground and/or neutral line. Each base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10, 1 0', 1 0" provides thermal fusing for all three lines, while conventional devices generally provide thermal fusing for only the L-G. If there is a catastrophic surge in a circuit protected by a conventional device, the device goes into thermal runaway and can melt or catch fire. The base power feed integral surge and spike protector's thermal fusing and all metal housing prevent thermal runaway and any potential damage from occurring.
It should be appreciated the use of a base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10, 1 0', 1 0" provides many benefits beyond simply providing superior surge and transient protection. With the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 10, 1 0', 1 0", all workstation outlets are protected. Consequently, users at the workstations do not have to know which outlets are surge protected and all possibility of plugging equipment into an unprotected outlet is eliminated. The base power feed integral surge and spike protector's prominent indication lights 60, 1 20, 1 30 and single location point allow it to be easily monitored for correct operation. Using surge receptacles and plug strips require multiple units to be monitored, many of which may be in hard to reach places with no physical warning signs of failure. The audible alarm 66, 1 22, 1 32 provides similar protection for power pole and between panel skin applications. Because the base power feed integral surge and spike protector 1 0, 1 0', 1 0" is integrated into the base power of the workstations, it requires no additional labor to install or replace. This limits downtime and lowers maintenance costs. One base power feed integral surge and spike protector unit 1 0, 1 0', 1 0" will protect up to eight workstations. To protect the same amount of workstations would require 24-36 surge receptacles.
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.

Claims

What is claimed is:
1 . An electrical surge protection apparatus for use in a building having modular office cubicles disposed therein, the building having a power supply system including a plurality of wires defining a plurality of power lines and the modular office cubicles having an integral power distribution network including a plurality of wires defining a plurality of power lines, the surge protection apparatus comprising: a protective module including a circuit board having a plurality of protective circuits each having at least one terminal; and a plurality of electrical conductors, each of the electrical conductors being adapted for providing electrical communication between one of the terminals of the circuit board and an associated wire of the power distribution network.
2. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the protective circuits of the circuit board include a plurality of line protective circuits, each having a hot terminal and a neutral terminal.
3. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 2 wherein the protective circuits of the circuit board also include a first ground protective circuit having a system ground terminal.
4. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 3 wherein the protective circuits of the circuit board further include a second ground protective circuit having an isolated ground terminal.
5. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the protective module further includes alarm means for providing an alarm when any one of the protective circuits ceases to function.
6. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 5 wherein the alarm means comprises a plurality of indicating lights, each of the lights being associated with one of the protective circuits.
7. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 5 wherein the alarm means comprises an audible alarm associated with all of the protective circuits.
8. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a base power in connector adapted to provide electrical communication between the electrical conductors and the wires of the power distribution system.
9. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 8 wherein the power distribution network includes at least one receptacle for receiving power from the building power supply system and the base power in connector includes an inlet connector portion which is connectable to the wires of the building power supply system and a base power in connector portion which is insertable into the receptacle of the power distribution network.
10. The electrical surge protection apparatus of claim 9 wherein the protective module further has a housing disposed around the circuit board and the base power in connector further includes a bridge portion defined by wires extending within the housing between the inlet connector portion and the base power in connector portion, the wires of the bridge portion being in electrical communication with the electrical conductors.
1 1 . An electrical surge protection apparatus for use with modular office cubicles having an integral power distribution network including a plurality of wires defining a plurality of power lines, the surge protection apparatus comprising: a protective module including a circuit board having a plurality of line protective circuits each having a hot terminal and a neutral terminal, a first ground protective circuit having a system ground terminal, and a second ground protective circuit having an isolated ground terminal; and a plurality of electrical conductors, each of the electrical conductors being adapted for providing electrical communication between one of the terminals of the circuit board and an associated wire of the power distribution network.
1 2. A modular office cubicle system for use in a building having a power supply system including a plurality of wires defining a plurality of power line circuits, the system comprising: at least one modular wall panel having a raceway and a plurality of wires carried in the raceway, at least some of the wires defining a power distribution network, the wires of the power distribution network including at least one ground line, at least one neutral line, and a plurality of hot lines, each of the hot lines defining a power line circuit; and an electrical surge protection assembly having a protective module including a circuit board having a plurality of protective circuits each having at least one terminal; wherein each of the wires of the power distribution network is in electrical communication with one of the terminals.
1 3. The modular office cubicle system of claim 1 2 wherein the protective circuits of the circuit board include a plurality of line protective circuits, each having a hot terminal, each of the hot lines being in electrical communication with the hot terminal of a different one of the line protective circuits.
14. The modular office cubicle system of claim 1 3 wherein each of the line protective circuits also has a neutral terminal and the neutral line is in electrical communication with the neutral terminal of one of the line protective circuits.
1 5. The modular office cubicle system of claim 1 2 wherein the ground line is a system ground line and the protective circuits of the circuit board include a first ground protective circuit having a system ground terminal, the system ground line being in electrical communication with the system ground terminal.
1 6. The modular office cubicle system of claim 1 5 wherein the wires of the distribution network also include an isolated ground line and the protective circuits of the circuit board include a second ground protective circuit having an isolated ground terminal, the isolated ground line being in electrical communication with the isolated ground terminal.
1 7. The modular office cubicle system of claim 1 2 wherein the ground line is an isolated ground line and the protective circuits of the circuit board include a ground protective circuit having an isolated ground terminal, the isolated ground line being in electrical communication with the isolated ground terminal.
1 8. The modular office cubicle system of claim 1 2 wherein the protective module further includes alarm means for providing an alarm when any one of the protective circuits ceases to function.
1 9. The modular office cubicle system of claim 1 2 wherein the power distribution network includes at least one receptacle and the electrical surge protection assembly further has a base power in connector connected to the receptacle, the receptacle and the base power in connector providing electrical communication between the wires of the power distribution network and the terminals.
PCT/US2000/023133 1999-08-23 2000-08-23 Base power feed integral surge and spike protector WO2001015298A1 (en)

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5071367A (en) * 1989-10-06 1991-12-10 Pacomex Industries, Inc. Power strip with adjustable cord
US5579201A (en) * 1995-08-23 1996-11-26 Karageozian; Vicken H. Modified electrical strip for energizing/de-energizing secondary devices simultaneously with a main device

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5071367A (en) * 1989-10-06 1991-12-10 Pacomex Industries, Inc. Power strip with adjustable cord
US5579201A (en) * 1995-08-23 1996-11-26 Karageozian; Vicken H. Modified electrical strip for energizing/de-energizing secondary devices simultaneously with a main device

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