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US 12,444,875 B1Granted
AC power transfer modules
AssigneeHappy Little Pigs, LLC
InventorsChristopher A. Winch, Rockne E. Grimes, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An AC power transfer module includes at least one adapter and at least one grabber, the AC power transfer module operable to enable uninterrupted delivery of power to a demand unit. The adapter is configured to plug into an original power source and supply electricity to the demand unit which is plugged into the adapter, and the grabber is configured to plug into the adapter and separately engage with a transfer power source. The adapter includes a mechanical switch that is actuated by engagement of the adapter with the grabber to switch the supply of power from the original power source to the transfer power source, whereby the AC power transfer module enables switching to a new power supply without power disruption to the demand unit.
Claims20
An AC power transfer module comprising at least one adapter and at least one grabber, the AC power transfer module operable to enable uninterrupted delivery of power to a demand unit, the adapter configured to plug into an original power source and supply electricity to the demand unit which is plugged into the adapter, the grabber configured to plug into the adapter and separately engage with a transfer power source, the adapter comprising a mechanical switch that is actuated by engagement of the adapter with the grabber to switch the supply of power from the original power source to the transfer power source without power disruption to the demand unit.
An AC power transfer module configured to enable switching to a transfer power source from an original power source without power disruption, the module comprising:
- an adapter including:
- an adapter housing;
- adapter prongs extending from the adapter housing and including adapter pins configured to receive power from an original power source;
- an adapter receptacle disposed on the adapter housing and configured to receive a demand cord extending from a demand unit, the demand cord including a demand cord housing and demand cord prongs extending from the demand cord housing, wherein the demand cord prongs include demand cord pins;
- an adapter slot disposed on a side of the adapter housing;
- and
- a toggle disposed inside the adapter housing, the toggle including toggle pins having an end, connector pins, and a toggle bumper, the toggle bumper disposed on the end of the toggle pins, wherein the connector pins are configured to make contact with the demand cord pins when the demand cord pins are inserted in the adapter receptacle, and the toggle pins are configured to rotate about a toggle rotation axis by an angle;
- and
- a grabber including:
- a grabber housing having ends;
- a diverter extending from and disposed on one end of the grabber housing, the diverter including conductors disposed thereon;
- and
- a grabber receptacle formed and disposed on the opposing end of the grabber housing, the grabber receptacle configured to receive an extension cord receptacle of an extension cord from a transfer power source, the grabber receptacle including grabber receptacle pins configured to be inserted into extension cord receptacle slots disposed within the extension cord receptacle;
- wherein the diverter is configured to be inserted through the adapter slot thereby pushing the toggle bumper and moving the toggle pins from a first position to a second position by causing the toggle pins to rotate about the toggle rotation axis by a predetermined angle;
- and
- wherein the toggle pins in the first position make contact with the adapter pins and the connector pins thereby providing electricity from the original power source to the demand unit when the adapter pins are inserted in a receptacle of the original power source, and the demand cord prongs are inserted in the adapter receptacle, and wherein the toggle pins in the second position make no contact with the adapter pins and the connector pins, and the conductors make contact with the connector pins thereby providing electricity from the transfer power source to the demand unit when the extension cord receptacle is inserted in the grabber receptacle.
13 more elements
An AC power transfer module configured to enable switching to a transfer power source from an original power source without power disruption, the module comprising:
- an adapter including:
- an adapter housing;
- adapter prongs extending from the adapter housing and including adapter pins configured to receive power from an original power source and an adapter ground wire;
- an adapter receptacle disposed on the adapter housing and configured to receive a demand cord extending from a demand unit, the demand cord including a demand cord housing and demand cord prongs extending from the demand cord housing, wherein the demand cord prongs include demand cord pins and a demand ground wire;
- an adapter slot disposed on a side of the adapter housing;
- and
- a toggle disposed inside the adapter housing, the toggle including toggle pins having an end, connector pins, and a toggle bumper, the toggle bumper disposed on the end of the toggle pins, wherein the connector pins are configured to make contact with the demand cord pins when the demand cord pins are inserted in the adapter receptacle, and the toggle pins are configured to rotate about a toggle rotation axis by an angle;
- and
- a grabber including:
- a grabber housing having ends;
- a diverter extending from and disposed on one end of the grabber housing, the diverter including conductors disposed thereon and a grounding conductor configured to connect with the demand cord ground wire;
- and
- a grabber receptacle formed and disposed on the opposing end of the grabber housing, the grabber receptacle configured to receive an extension cord receptacle of an extension cord from a transfer power source, the grabber receptacle including grabber receptacle pins configured to be inserted into extension cord receptacle slots disposed within the extension cord receptacle and a grabber receptacle ground wire extending from the grounding conductor and configured to be inserted into the extension cord receptacle slots;
- wherein the diverter is configured to be inserted through the adapter slot thereby pushing the toggle bumper and moving the toggle pins from a first position to a second position by causing the toggle pins to rotate about the toggle rotation axis by a predetermined angle;
- and
- wherein the toggle pins in the first position make contact with the adapter pins and the connector pins thereby providing electricity from the original power source to the demand unit when the adapter pins are inserted in a receptacle of the original power source, and the demand cord prongs are inserted in the adapter receptacle, and wherein the toggle pins in the second position make no contact with the adapter pins and the connector pins, and the conductors make contact with the connector pins thereby providing electricity from the transfer power source to the demand unit when the extension cord receptacle is inserted in the grabber receptacle.
13 more elements
An AC power transfer module configured to enable switching to a transfer power source from an original power source without power disruption, the module comprising:
- an adapter including:
- an adapter housing;
- adapter prongs extending from the adapter housing and including adapter pins configured to receive power from an original power source and an adapter ground wire;
- an adapter receptacle disposed on the adapter housing and configured to receive a demand cord extending from a demand unit, the demand cord including a demand cord housing and demand cord prongs extending from the demand cord housing, wherein the demand cord prongs include demand cord pins and a demand ground wire;
- an adapter slot disposed on a side of the adapter housing;
- and
- a toggle disposed inside the adapter housing, the toggle including toggle pins having an end, connector pins, and a toggle bumper, the toggle bumper disposed on the end of the toggle pins, wherein the connector pins are configured to make contact with the demand cord pins when the demand cord pins are inserted in the adapter receptacle, and the toggle pins are configured to rotate about a toggle rotation axis by an angle;
- and
- a grabber including:
- a grabber housing having ends;
- a diverter extending from and disposed on one end of the grabber housing, the diverter including conductors disposed thereon and a grounding conductor configured to connect with the demand cord ground wire;
- a grabber receptacle formed and disposed on the opposing end of the grabber housing, the grabber receptacle configured to receive an extension cord receptacle of an extension cord from a transfer power source, the grabber receptacle including grabber receptacle pins configured to be inserted into extension cord receptacle slots disposed within the extension cord receptacle and a grabber receptacle ground wire extending from the grounding conductor and configured to be inserted into the extension cord receptacle slots;
- and
- a grabber safety cover configured to cover the diverter and limit the exposure of the diverter, wherein the grabber safety cover includes grabber relief slots, the grabber relief slots configured such that as the diverter is inserted in the adapter, the grabber relief slots pass the demand cord pins while keeping the demand cord pins in the grabber relief slots;
- wherein the diverter is configured to be inserted through the adapter slot thereby pushing the toggle bumper and moving the toggle pins from a first position to a second position by causing the toggle pins to rotate about the toggle rotation axis by a predetermined angle, wherein the predetermined angle is about 45°;
- wherein the toggle pins in the first position make contact with the adapter pins and the connector pins thereby providing electricity from the original power source to the demand unit when the adapter pins are inserted in a receptacle of the original power source, and the demand cord prongs are inserted in the adapter receptacle, and wherein the toggle pins in the second position make no contact with the adapter pins and the connector pins, and the conductors make contact with the connector pins thereby providing electricity from the transfer power source to the demand unit when the extension cord receptacle is inserted in the grabber receptacle;
- wherein the adapter includes an original power light configured to turn on and off, the original power light when turned on indicates that electricity operating the original power light is coming from the original power source, and the original power light is a red LED light;
- and
- wherein the adapter includes an aux power light configured to turn on and off, the aux power light when turned on indicates that electricity operating the aux power light is coming from the transfer power source, and the aux power light is a green LED light.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.