# US 10,873,167 B2 · Electrical receptacle for furniture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,167 B2 - Document ID: US10873167B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/004,865 - Filed: 2018-06-11 - Published: 2018-12-13 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-12 - Applicants: Norman R. Byrne; Daniel P. Byrne; Joseph D. Ward; Aaron G. Lautenbach; Roger D. Burdi - Inventors: Norman R. Byrne; Daniel P. Byrne; Joseph D. Ward; Aaron G. Lautenbach; Roger D. Burdi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873167B2 ## CPC - H01R 25/006: {the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle} - A47B 21/06: characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables - H01R 13/73: Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall - A47B 2021/066: {with power or communication connection interface} - A47B 2200/0081: Auxiliary apparatus with electrical connections for office furniture - A61G 13/101: {Clamping means for connecting accessories to the operating table (supports as part of surgical instruments A61B90/50)} - A61G 15/10: Parts, details or accessories (A61G15/14 takes precedence; dental instruments A61C) - H01R 13/6675: {with built-in power supply} - H01R 13/7175: {Light emitting diodes (LEDs)} - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B) - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract A furniture electrical system includes an electrical power unit including a housing that is mountable to a furniture article and that defines an interior cavity, with a low voltage DC electrical outlet positioned in the interior cavity. An electrical power cord is in electrical communication with the electrical outlet and exits the housing, the power cord extending to a higher voltage DC power supply associated with an electric motor for raising and lowering a furniture article. An electrical power converter in the housing reduces the voltage from the higher voltage DC power supply to the low voltage DC electrical outlet. Optionally, an indicia lamp associated with each outlet illuminates at a first luminous intensity when the outlet is energized, and illuminates at a different second luminous intensity when the outlet is energized and supplying power to an electrical power consumer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical power unit for furniture, said electrical power unit comprising: a housing that is mountable to a furniture article and that defines an interior cavity; an electrical outlet positioned in said interior cavity and accessible through an opening formed in said housing; an indicia lamp associated with said electrical outlet; an electrical circuit disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with a power source and with each of said electrical outlet and said indicia lamp; said electrical outlet comprising a grounded conductor having a resistor disposed in line therealong; wherein said electrical circuit is operable to develop a voltage along said grounded conductor in response to said electrical outlet supplying electrical power to an electrical power consumer; wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a first luminous intensity when said electrical outlet is energized by the power source and said electrical outlet is not supplying electrical power to the electrical power consumer; wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a second luminous intensity that is different from said first luminous intensity when said electrical outlet is energized by the power source and said electrical outlet is supplying electrical power to the electrical power consumer; and wherein said electrical circuit comprises a voltage comparator and a first transistor, wherein said voltage comparator is operable to output a signal to said first transistor when said voltage comparator detects a voltage along said grounded conductor, wherein said first transistor is configured to cause a first voltage to develop along a first resistor in parallel with a second resistor when the signal is received, and wherein said first transistor is further configured to cause a second voltage to develop along only the second resistor when the signal is not received, and wherein the luminous intensity of said indicia lamp is variable according to whether the first voltage or the second voltage has developed along the second resistor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical power unit of claim 1, further comprising an electrical converter disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with the power source and with said electrical outlet, wherein said electrical converter is configured to convert a high voltage AC or DC input received from the power source to a low voltage DC output at said electrical outlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrical power unit of claim 2, further in combination with a furniture electrical system including an electric motor adapted to adjust a height or configuration of a furniture article. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrical power unit of claim 3, wherein said electrical converter is configured to receive a high voltage DC input from said furniture electrical system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electrical power unit of claim 4, wherein the high voltage DC input from said furniture electrical system comprises about 12V to 48V, and wherein the low voltage DC output at said electrical outlet comprises about 5V. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electrical power unit of claim 5, wherein said electrical outlet comprises a low voltage USB charging outlet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrical power unit of claim 1, comprising at least two of said electrical outlets in spaced arrangement and at least two of said indicia lamps corresponding to respective ones of said electrical outlets, wherein said electrical circuit is configured to independently illuminate a first of said indicia lamps according to operation of a first of said electrical outlets, and said electrical circuit is configured to independently illuminate a second of said indicia lamps according to operation of a second of said electrical outlets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrical power unit of claim 7, wherein said electrical circuit comprises a voltage comparator and a field effect transistor (FET) associated with each of said indicia lamps, wherein said voltage comparator is in electrical communication with said grounded conductor of each of said low voltage DC electrical outlets, said voltage comparing a voltage along the grounded conductor to a fixed voltage to determine when the electrical power consumer is connected and drawing power from one or more of said at least two electrical outlets. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrical power unit of claim 1, further comprising an edge-mount clamp or an under-mount bracket for securing said housing to a furniture article. ### Claim 10 A furniture electrical system comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity; a mounting bracket for securing said housing to a furniture article; a low voltage DC electrical outlet positioned in said interior cavity and accessible through an opening formed in said housing; an electrical power cord passing through said housing and adapted to engage and receive high voltage DC electrical power from an AC-to-DC electrical supply that supplies the high voltage DC electrical power directly to an electric motor for adjusting a height or configuration of the furniture article; an electrical converter disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with said electrical power cord and with said low voltage DC electrical outlet, wherein said electrical converter is configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power from the electrical supply to a low voltage DC output at said low voltage DC electrical outlet; an indicia lamp associated with said low voltage DC electrical outlet; and an electrical circuit board disposed in said interior cavity and in electrical communication with said electrical converter, wherein said electrical circuit board supports said low voltage DC electrical outlet and said indicia lamp; wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a first luminous intensity when said low voltage DC electrical outlet is energized and said low voltage DC electrical outlet electrical outlet is not supplying electrical power to an electrical power consumer, and wherein said electrical circuit is operable to illuminate said indicia lamp at a second luminous intensity that is different from said first luminous intensity when said low voltage DC electrical outlet is energized and said low voltage DC electrical outlet is supplying electrical power to an electrical power consumer; and wherein said electrical circuit board comprises a first voltage comparator and a first transistor, wherein said first voltage comparator is operable to output a first signal to said first transistor when said first voltage comparator detects said low voltage DC electrical outlet supplying electrical power to the electrical power consumer, and wherein said first transistor is configured to cause a voltage to develop along a first resistor in parallel with a second resistor when the signal is received, otherwise, the voltage only develops along the second resistor, and wherein a change in luminous intensity is defined by whether said low voltage DC electrical outlet is supplying electrical power to the electrical power consumer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The furniture electrical system of claim 10, comprising at least two of said low voltage DC electrical outlets in spaced arrangement and at least two of said indicia lamps corresponding to respective ones of said low voltage DC electrical outlets, wherein said electrical circuit board is configured to independently illuminate a first of said indicia lamps according to operation of a first of said low voltage DC electrical outlets, and said electrical circuit board is configured to independently illuminate a second of said indicia lamps according to operation of a second of said low voltage DC electrical outlets. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The furniture electrical system of claim 10, wherein said second luminous intensity is greater than said first luminous intensity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The furniture electrical system of claim 12, wherein said electrical circuit comprises a voltage comparator and a field effect transistor (FET) associated with each of said indicia lamps. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The furniture electrical system of claim 13, wherein each of said low voltage DC electrical outlets comprises a grounded conductor having a resistor disposed in line therealong, wherein a voltage is developed along said grounded conductor in response to said low voltage DC electrical outlet supplying electrical power to an electrical power consumer, and wherein said voltage comparator is in electrical communication with said grounded conductor of each of said low voltage DC electrical outlets. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The furniture electrical system of claim 10, further comprising said electric motor and said electrical supply associated with said electric motor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The furniture electrical system of claim 10, wherein the high voltage DC electrical power comprises about 12V to 48V, and wherein an output of said low voltage DC electrical outlet comprises about 5V. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The furniture electrical system of claim 10, further comprising an edge-mount clamp or an under-mount bracket for securing said housing to a furniture article. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The furniture electrical system of claim 10, wherein said low voltage DC electrical outlet comprises a USB charging outlet.