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US RE36,030 EGranted
Electric distributing system
AssigneeIntermatic Incorporated
InventorJacques Nadeau
Life of this patent
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AssigneeIntermatic Incorporated
InventorJacques Nadeau
Estimating the term…
An electrical distribution system comprising one or more tracks having current-carrying conductors and ground conductor for mounting on wall surfaces. The tracks are slidingly received in connecting slots of electrical connector housings to connect the tracks to electrical outlets, or to interconnect sections of tracks together. More particularly, with the present invention it is not necessary to strip the ends of the tracks to expose connector ends to interconnect them with terminals in the connector housings. An end portion of the track is merely slid within a connecting slot of the housing. Electrical receptacles are also connected at any desired location along the track. The electrical distribution track can also be incorporated in an extruded baseboard together with a telephone line track to permit connection thereto of electrical receptacles as well as alarm systems, telephone jacks, fire detectors, surge protectors, etc.
An electrical distribution system comprising one or more electrical tracks, each track being formed of a substantially flat elongated rectangular strip of electrical insulating material, each strip having two current-carrying conductors retained in undercut channels formed in side ribs extending end to end along opposed side edges of said strip with said channels facing one another inwardly of a top face of said strip, a ground conductor retained in said top face intermediate and parallel to said conductors, guide means spaced closer to one of said side ribs to permit proper polarity connection to said current-carrying conductors, and an electrical connector housing slidingly receiving an end portion of said track in a connecting slot in an end wall thereof in polarity alignment with a pair of electrical side contacts engaging with a respective one of said current-carrying conductors through said undercut channels and an intermediate electrical contact engaging with said ground ..conductors.!. conductor retained in said top face ..through said slot in said intermediate rib.!.;
An electrical distribution system as claimed in claim ..1.!. 2 wherein said intermediate electrical contact engaging with said ground conductor comprises a flexible metal ground strip having an attaching portion held securely in said connector housing, a flexible arm portion and a ground contact blade portion extending transversely of said connecting slot, said ground contact blade portion being biased downwardly when said ground contact blade protrude in said slot of said intermediate rib to electrically engage said ground conductor and maintain contact pressure.
An electrical distribution system as claimed in claim ..4.!. 1 wherein said side contacts and said intermediate electrical contact are constructed from copper alloy material.
An electrical distribution system as claimed in claim ..21.!. 1 wherein said electrical connector housing is a feeder housing for connection to a socket of a wall electrical outlet receptacle, said feeder housing having a flat rear wall section with a pair of contact blades and a grounding prong protruding therefrom to connect to said electrical socket of said electrical outlet receptacle, a predetermined one of said contact blades connecting to a hot slot of said electrical socket and the other blade connecting to a neutral slot of said electrical socket while said grounding prong is received in a ground slot of said electrical socket, said feeder housing having said connecting slot at at least one free end thereof for positioning adjacent an edge of said electrical outlet receptacle.
An electrical distribution system as claimed in claim ..30.!. 22 wherein said feeder housing is of rectangular shape and provided with a connecting slot in opposed end walls of said housing.
An electrical distribution system as claimed in claim ..38.!. 1 wherein said housing is provided with foot extensions protruding from a base of said housing to maintain said base spaced a predetermined distance above said top face of said strip.
A power feed receptacle for detachable securement to an electrical track, said track having two-current-carrying conductors each retained in an undercut channel and a ground conductor retained in a top face of said track intermediate and parallel to said current-carrying conductors, said receptacle having a pair of contact blades and a grounding prong extending from an accessible face thereof for connection to a female connector of an electrical extension cord, means establishing electrical contact with said current-carrying conductors, and locking means to arrest said power feed receptacle at a desired location along said track.
A power feed receptacle for detachable securement to an electrical track as claimed in claim ..45.!. 41 wherein said housing is provided with foot extensions protruding from a base of said housing to maintain said base spaced a predetermined distance above said top face of said strip.
An electrical feed housing for connection to an electrical socket of an electrical receptacle and capable of maintaining the phase of the current in a pair of conductors secured to said feed housing regardless if said socket is inverted, said feed housing having a pair of blade receiving through slots and a ground prong receiving through slot intermediate said blade receiving through slots and disposed on a respective side thereof, said feed housing further having a connector block, said connector block having a pair of contact blades and a grounding prong for removable connection to said socket of said feed housing, said contact blades and grounding prong of said connector block extending through said feed housing and projecting from a rear wall of said housing to engage within the electrical socket of the electrical receptacle, said connector block having contact terminal means to engage with two conductor means in said feed housing to connect a hot slot of said electrical socket to one of said two conductor means and the neutral slot of said electrical socket to the other of said two conductor means, regardless if said socket of said electrical receptacle is inverted.
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In combination:
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The invention of 57 wherein said surface mount-electrical track is received in a slot in an end of said electrical feed housing.
An electrical distribution system comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.