# US 4,394,706 A · Power converter for recreational vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,394,706 A - Document ID: US4394706A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/056,605 - Filed: 1979-07-11 - Granted: 1983-07-19 - Earliest claimed: 1979-07-11 - Assignees: Progressive Dynamics, Inc. - Inventors: Daniel J. Crafts - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4394706A ## CPC - H01F 27/06: Mounting, supporting, or suspending transformers, reactors, or choke coils {not being of the signal type} - H05K 5/0247: {Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring} - H05K 7/1432: {specially adapted for power drive units or power converters} - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A power converter for recreational vehicles comprises a two-part housing construction having the ends of the electrical components of the converter telescopically received in aligned sockets formed in each of the mating housing members, whereby the electrical components are captured therebetween and securely mounted in the housing without separate or special fasteners. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power converter for recreational vehicles, comprising: (a) at least two electrical components being electrically interconnected for altering the characteristics of a source of electrical power; (b) a housing adapted for mounting in said recreational vehicle, and including first and second portions; each of said housing portions having an interior surface with sockets positioned thereon for said electrical components; each of said sockets being shaped to telescopically receive therein one end of an associated electrical component and surround said component end on each side thereof to retain the same in place; said sockets being arranged in pairs with one member of each pair disposed in said first and second housing portions, respectively, and the members of each socket pair being aligned for receiving the associated electrical component therebetween; each of said sockets having a central axis which is disposed in a mutually parallel relationship; and (c) said first and second housing portions being interconnected with alignment of said socket pairs, and convergence of the same along an axis parallel with the axes of said sockets, with opposing ends of said electrical components positioned between and aligned with the associated socket pair, whereby each of said electrical components is captured therebetween to securely mount said electrical components in said housing without separate fasteners. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A power converter as set forth in claim 1, wherein: (a) said electrical components include a conventional, household circuit breaker; and (b) said circuit breaker is captured between an associated one of said socket pairs for mounting the same in said housing without special fasteners. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A power converter as set forth in claim 1, wherein: (a) said electrical components include a transformer, a rectifier, and a circuit breaker, each being captured between an associated pair of said sockets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A power converter as set forth in claim 3, including: (a) a partition disposed within said housing along a plane substantially parallel with said socket axes, and dividing said housing into two separate compartments; and wherein (b) said transformer and said rectifier are mounted within one of said compartments and said circuit breaker is mounted within the other of said compartments to isolate the same. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A power converter as set forth in claim 4, wherein: (a) said partition includes forward and rearward end edges which are telescopically received in an associated pair of said sockets disposed in an aligned relationship on the interior surface of said first and second housing portions, respectively, whereby said partition is captured therebetween to mount the same in said housing without separate fasteners. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A power converter as set forth in claim 1, wherein: (a) said first and second housing portions are interconnected with permanent fasteners to form a tamperproof, utilized housing construction which securely mounts said electrical components therein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A power converter as set forth in claim 6, wherein: (a) said housing includes an access aperture and removable cover therefor disposed adjacent to a terminal component of said converter for electrically interconnecting said converter with a recreational vehicle without disturbing the mounting of said electrical components within said housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A power converter as set forth in claim 1, wherein: (a) said housing is constructed of a non-metallic material for alleviating the hazard of electrical shock. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A power converter as set forth in claim 1, wherein: (a) said electrical components include a conventionally shaped transformer having first and second opposing ends; and including (b) first and second adapters having a marginal interior surface which is substantially identical in shape with said first and second transformer ends, respectively, and telescopically receives said ends therein, and a marginal exterior surface which is substantially identical in shape with the associated socket pair and telescopically receives the same therein, whereby the conventionally shaped transformer is securely mounted within said housing without special fasteners. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A power converter as set forth in claim 8, wherein: (a) said electrical components include a conventional, household circuit breaker; and (b) said circuit breaker is captured between an associated one of said socket pairs for mounting the same in said housing without special fasteners. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A power converter as set forth in claim 10, including: (a) a partition disposed within said housing along a plane substantially parallel with said socket axes, and dividing said housing into two separate compartments; and wherein (b) said transformer is mounted within one of said compartments, and said circuit breaker is mounted within the other of said compartments to isolate the same; and (c) said partition includes forward and rearward end edges which are telescopically received in an associated pair of said sockets disposed in an aligned relationship on the interior surface of said first and second housing portions, respectively, whereby said partition is captured therebetween to mount the same in said housing without separate fasteners. ### Claim 12 A recreational vehicle power converter housing for electrical components, comprising: (a) first and second housing portions; each of said housing portions having an interior surface with sockets positioned thereon for said electrical components; each of said sockets being shaped to telescopically receive therein one end of an associated electrical component and surround said component end on each side thereof to retain the same in place; said sockets being arranged in pairs with one member of each pair disposed in said first and second housing portions, respectively, and the members of each socket pair being aligned for receiving the associated electrical component therebetween; each of said sockets having a central axis which is disposed in a mutually parallel relationship; and (b) said first and second housing portions being interconnected with alignment of said socket pairs, and convergence of the same along an axis parallel with the axes of said sockets, with opposing ends of said electrical components positioned between and aligned with the associated socket pair, whereby each of said electrical components is captured therebetween for securely mounting said electrical components in said housing without separate fasteners. ### Claim 13 A recreational vehicle power converter housing for electrical components, comprising: (a) first and second housing portions; each of said housing portions having an interior surface with socket means positioned thereon for each of said electrical components; each of said socket means being shaped to receive therein one end of an associated electrical component and surround said component end on each side thereof to retain the same in place; said socket means being arranged in pairs with one member of each pair disposed in said first and second housing portions, respectively, and the members of each socket means pair being aligned for receiving the associated electrical component therebetween; each of said socket means having a central axis which is disposed in a mutually parallel relationship; and (b) said first and second housing portions being interconnected with alignment of said socket means pairs, and convergence of the same along an axis parallel with the axes of said socket means, with opposing ends of said electrical components positioned between and aligned with the associated socket means pair, whereby each of said electrical components is captured therebetween for securely mounting said electrical components in said housing without separate fasteners. ### Claim 14 A recreational vehicle power converter housing for electrical components, comprising: (a) first and second housing portions; at least one of said housing portions having an interior surface with socket means positioned thereon for each of said electrical components; said other housing portion having retaining means for holding said electrical components in said socket means; said socket means being shaped to receive therein one end of an associated electrical component and surround said component end on each side thereof to retain the same in place; said socket means and retaining means being arranged in pairs with one member of each pair disposed in said first and second housing portions, respectively, and the members of each said pair being aligned for receiving the associated electrical component therebetween; (b) said first and second housing portions being interconnected by alignment of said socket means and retaining means pairs, and convergence of the same, with opposing ends of said electrical components positioned between and aligned with an associated socket means and retaining means pair, whereby each of said electrical components is captured therebetween for securely mounting said electrical components in said housing without separate fasteners. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12, 13) A power converter housing as set forth in claims 12, 13, or 14 wherein: (a) said electrical components include a conventional, household circuit breaker; and (b) said circuit breaker is captured between an associated one of said pairs for mounting the same in said housing without special fasteners. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12, 13) A power converter housing as set forth in claims 12, 13, or 14 wherein: (a) said electrical components include a transformer, a rectifier, and a circuit breaker. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A power converter housing as set forth in claim 16, including: (a) a partition disposed within said housing along a plane substantially parallel with said socket, and dividing said housing into two separate compartments; and wherein (b) said transformer and said rectifier are mounted within one of said compartments and said circuit breaker is mounted within the other of said compartments to isolate the same. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A power converter housing as set forth in claim 17, wherein: (a) said partition includes forward and rearward end edges which are telescopically received in an associated pair of said sockets disposed in an aligned relationship on the interior surface of said first and second housing portions, respectively, whereby said partition is captured therebetween to mount the same in said housing without separate fasteners. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12, 13) A power converter housing as set forth in claims 12, 13, or 14, wherein: (a) said first and second housing portions are interconnected with permanent fasteners to form a tamperproof, unitized housing construction which securely mounts said electrical components therein. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A power converter housing as set forth in claim 19, wherein: (a) said housing includes an access aperture and removable cover therefore disposed adjacent to a terminal component of said converter for electrically interconnecting said converter with a recreational vehicle without disturbing the mounting of said electrical components within said housing. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12, 13) A power converter housing as set forth in claims 12, 13, or 14, wherein: (a) said housing is constructed of a non-metallic material for alleviating the hazard of electrical shock. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12, 13) A power converter housing as set forth in claims 12, 13, or 14, wherein: (a) said electrical components include a conventionally shaped transformer having first and second opposing ends; and including (b) first and second adapters having a marginal interior surface which is substantially identical in shape with said first and second transformer ends, respectively, and telescopically receives said ends therein, and a marginal exterior surface which is substantially identical in shape with the associated socket pair and telescopically receives the same therein, whereby the conventionally shaped transformer is securely mounted within said housing without special fasteners. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A power converter housing as set forth in claim 21, wherein: (a) said electrical components include a conventional, household circuit breaker; and (b) said circuit breaker is captured between an associated one of said pairs for mounting the same in said housing without special fasteners. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A power converter housing as set forth in claim 23, including: (a) a partition disposed within said housing along a plane substantially parallel with said socket axes, and dividing said housing into two separate compartments; and wherein (b) said transformer is mounted within one of said compartments, and said circuit breaker is mounted within the other of said compartments to isolate the same; and (c) said partition includes forward and rearward end edges which are telescopically received in an associated pair of socket disposed in an aligned relationship on the interior surface of said first and second housing portions, respectively, whereby said partition is captured therebetween to mount the same in said housing without separate fasteners.