US 4,546,418 AGranted

Mini center for electrical power distribution

AssigneeWoodhead Industries, Inc.

InventorsHoracio Baggio, George R. Eckart, Louis A. DeBeradinis

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Abstract

A power distribution center for use at marinas, trailor camps and the like includes a housing adapted to receive power feed cable from an external power source, the cables being connected to terminal blocks mounted within the housing and to which are connected terminals of electrical receptacles mounted within the housing. The housing includes a cover which when opened provides access to the receptacles. A light source including a diffusing lens mounted within the upper portion of the housing is effective to illuminate the front portion of the housing both when the cover is closed and when it is opened. The housing and cover are of a corrosion resistant synthetic material, and internal metallic brackets and plates which mount the terminals, receptacles and light source are electrically connected to the ground terminal which provides a unitized ground on a single ground lug.

Claims10

Dependent claims

In a power distribution center assembly for outdoor use in distributing electrical power to electrical equipment, the combination comprising:

a housing having a forward open end and a cover pivotally mounted at one edge of said housing for hinging movement between a closed position in which said cover closes the open end of said housing and an open position for permitting access within said housing;
a cover plate mounted in said housing at least one electrical receptacle mounted on said cover plate within said housing and adapted to receive a plug of an electrical power cord associated with said electrical equipment;
said receptacle being enclosed within said housing and said power cord passing through an aperture in said housing when said cover is in its closed position;
said receptacle being exposed for access when said cover is in its open position;
and illuminating means mounted within said housing, said cover including a downwardly and rearwardly sloped surface having a slot defining a light port in said cover adjacent to said illuminating means wherein when said cover is in its closed position, light diffused through the light port in said cover is transmitted downwardly and illuminates a front portion of the power distribution center assembly and areas beneath the assembly, and when said cover is in its open position, light from said illuminating means directly illuminates the forward open end of said housing and said receptacle mounted within said housing.

2 more elements

In a power distribution center assembly for outdoor use in distributing electrical power to electrical equipment, the combination comprising:

a housing having a forward open end, a cover, and mounting means for pivotally mounting said cover at the top of said housing for hinged movement between a closed position in which said cover closes the open end of said housing and an open position to permit access within said housing, a cover plate mounted within said housing adjacent to its open end and having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined mounting surface, at least one electrical receptacle, receptacle mounting means for mounting said receptacle to said mounting surface within said housing, said receptacle having an outlet portion adapted to receive a plug of an electrical power cord associated with said electrical equipment and having a terminal portion adapted for connection to a power feed cable, one of said terminal assemblies including a single ground terminal connected to said receptacle mounting means and to said cover plate to define a unitary ground system for the power distribution center assembly, a circuit breaker mounted on said cover plate, said receptacle and said circuit breaker being enclosed within said housing, said housing adapted to pass therethrough a cord connected to said receptacle when said cover is closed and being exposed for access when said cover is pivoted to its open position, and illuminating means mounted within said housing in the upper portion thereof, said cover including a downwardly and rearwardly inclined surface having a slot defining a light port in said cover beneath said illuminating means wherein when said cover is in its closed position, light diffused through the light port in said cover illuminates a front portion of the power distribution center assembly and the area beneath the assembly, and when said cover is in its open position, light from said illuminating means directly illuminates the forward open portion of said housing and said receptacle and circuit breaker mounted therewithin.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.