Modular electrical distribution system for a building

A modular power distribution system for distributing power to a building structure comprising a plurality of removably engagable system components which carry electrical power through each of said system components for supplying power throughout said building structure, each of said system components being provided with at least one plug connector, wherein said plug connectors of said system components each have a common plug section with common electrical contacts therein for completing an electrical connection between two mated plug sections by mating engagement of said plug sections of said mated plug sections and said respective electrical contacts together, said plug sections having slotted ends defined by axially projecting portions which define alignment slots therebetween so as to be engagable together in plugging engagement with said contacts being accessible through the mating engagement of said projecting portions and said alignment slots of mating said plug sections, said plug sections each including a stack of spaced contact receiving slots oriented transverse to said alignment slots which each receive one of said contacts therein, wherein said contacts are disposed in said projecting portions but partially project transversely into said alignment slots so as to transversely contact said contacts of one of said system components being mated therewith, said contacts being formed planar in a contact plane substantially within the thickness of a sheet of contact material and being received in tight fitting engagement with a respective one of said contact-receiving slots, each of said contact-receiving slots closely confining opposite faces of said contact disposed therein with each adjacent pair of said contact-receiving slots being separated by a common thin wall of insulative material to reduce the dimension of said plug portion along said slot.

A plug connector for system components of a modular power distribution system for distributing power to a building structure which said plug connector is engagable with other plug connectors of other system components which carry electrical power throughout said building structure, said plug connectors of said system components have a common plug section with common electrical contacts therein for completing an electrical connection between two mated plug sections by mating engagement of said plug sections and said respective electrical contacts together, said plug sections having slotted ends so as to be engagable together in plugging engagement with said contacts being accessible through the mating engagement of said projecting portions and alignment slots, said plug sections including contact receiving slots oriented transverse to said alignment slots which each receive one of said contacts therein, wherein said contacts are disposed in said projecting portions but have edgewise contact edges with side-facing edge faces which partially project into said alignment slots so as to opposingly contact the edge faces of said contacts of one of said plug connectors being mated therewith, said contacts being formed planar in a contact plane substantially within the thickness of a sheet of contact material and being received in tight fitting engagement with a respective one of said contact-receiving slots, each of said contact-receiving slots closely confining opposite faces of said contact received therein such that said contacts have said opposing edge faces in contact together in the contact plane to reduce the dimension of said plug connector in a connector dimension transverse to said contact plane.

In a plug connector for system components of a modular power distribution system for distributing power to a building structure which said plug connector is engagable with other plug connectors of other system components which carry electrical power throughout said building structure, said plug connectors of said system components have a plug section with electrical contacts therein for completing an electrical connection between two mated plug sections by mating engagement of said plug sections and said respective electrical contacts together, said plug sections comprising insulative terminal blocks formed of an insulative material which includes contact-receiving slots, which each have a slot mouth that opens end-wise in an end direction and extends sidewardly across said terminal block and each are configured to receive one of said contacts therein, wherein said contacts are positioned to contact other of said contacts of another of said plug connectors being mated therewith, comprising the improvement wherein said contact receiving slots are configured as flat slots configured to receive contacts formed as a planar blade so as to be formed in a contact plane substantially within the thickness of a sheet of contact material, each of said contact-receiving slots having opposed, spaced apart, planar slot surfaces which are configured to closely confine opposite faces of said contact when received therein, said terminal block having elongate end slots which are recessed end-wise into said terminal block to define side-ward opening mouth portions of said contact receiving slot to provide access to one of said contacts disposed in said contact receiving slot by other of said contacts of another of said plug sections.

A plug connector for system components of a modular power distribution system for distributing power to a building structure which said plug connector is engagable with other plug connectors of other system components which carry electrical power throughout said building structure, said plug connectors of said system components have a plug section with electrical contacts therein for completing an electrical connection between two mated plug sections by mating engagement of said two mated plug sections and said respective electrical contacts together, said plug sections including contact receiving slots which each receive one of said contacts therein, wherein said contacts contact other of said contacts of another of said plug connectors being mated therewith, said contacts being formed planar in a contact plane substantially within the thickness of a sheet of contact material and being received in tight fitting engagement with a respective one of said contact-receiving slots, each of said contact-receiving slots closely confining opposite faces of said contact received therein, each of said contacts having a first contact member lying in said contact plane and a movable second contact member which is movable in said contact plane to separate and grippingly receive one of said contacts in gripping engagement between said first and second contact members within said contact plane.

A plug connector for system components of a modular power distribution system for distributing power to a building structure which said plug connector is engagable with other plug connectors of other system components which carry electrical power throughout said building structure, said plug connectors of said system components have a plug section with common electrical contacts therein for completing an electrical connection between two mated plug sections by mating engagement of said mated plug sections and said respective electrical contacts together when said mated plug sections are in oppositely opposed orientations, said plug connector and said contacts thereof being configurable to carry a plurality of voltage levels of line power;

• said plug connector including a settable keying feature which sets said plug connector in one of a plurality of keying conditions to structurally limit connection of said plug connector to only a further plug connector which is keyed to a like keying condition, said plurality of keying conditions corresponding to a respective plurality of voltage levels, wherein setting of said keying feature to a selected keying condition restricts use of said plug connector to the voltage level corresponding thereto;
• said keying feature comprising a rotatable key which includes first connector parts engaged to said plug section to permit rotation of said rotatable key while preventing removal thereof from said plug section, alignment parts which prevent rotation of said key upon displacement of said key into said plug section from a rotatable adjustment position to a non-rotatable fixed position, said alignment parts defining a plurality of key orientations which define said plurality of keying conditions corresponding to said voltage levels, and a non-disengagable lock structure which locks said key in said fixed position upon displacement to said fixed position to prevent subsequent resetting of said key condition.

A modular power distribution system for distributing power to a building structure comprising:

• a plurality of removably engagable system components which carry electrical power through each of said system components for supplying power throughout said building structure, each of said system components being provided with at least one plug connector, wherein said plug connectors of said system components have a common plug section with common electrical contacts therein for completing an electrical connection between two mated plug sections by mating engagement of said plug sections and said respective electrical contacts together;
• said plug sections having slotted ends defined by longitudinally projecting portions separating alignment slots which said projecting portions and alignment slots in a first one of said system components are oriented oppositely to said respective projecting portions and alignment slots of a second one of said system components so as to be engagable together in plugging engagement with said contacts being accessible through the mating engagement of said projecting portions and alignment slots, said plug sections including contact receiving slots which each receive one of said contacts therein, wherein said contacts are disposed in said projecting portions but partially project into said alignment slots so as to contact said contacts of another of said system components being mated therewith, said contacts being formed planar in a contact plane substantially within the thickness of a sheet of contact material and being received in tight fitting engagement with a respective one of said contact-receiving slots;
• said system components comprising:
• power distribution assemblies mountable in raceways of office furniture components installed within an interior of said building structure, said power distribution assemblies comprising an elongate main body having elongate main conductors extending longitudinally therethrough, said power distribution assemblies further including end ones of said plug connectors at each opposite end thereof for serial connection to additional system components, and side ones of said plug connectors which are disposed intermediate the opposite ends of the power distribution assembly for the connection of receptacles thereto;
• and
• receptacles connectable to said power distribution assemblies for supplying power outlets within said building structure, each of said receptacles including a further one of said connector plugs for connection to a respective one of said side plug connectors.