Electrical Outlet Strip

The present invention relates generally to electrical outlet strips and, more particularly, to an electrical outlet strip which can receive an oversized plug or adapter in one of its outlets without interfering with the use of the remaining outlets of the strip.

Electrical outlet strips provide a major convenience by increasing the number of outlets available in a minimum of space. However, when a pronged plug or adapter having a large body is received by one of the outlets of a conventional outlet strip, the oversized plug or adapter generally precludes the use of the adjacent outlet in the strip.

Most conventional electrical outlets strips include an independently housed circuit breaker unit which is placed and wired into the housing of the outlet strip during its assembly. The use of such circuit breaker units, however, is disadvantageous in that it first requires the assembly of the unit into its housing and then a second, additional assembly of the housing into the outlet strip at an increased cost.

The housings of some conventional outlet strips are also provided with keyhole apertures in the back of the housing to provide means for attaching the strip to a surface with screws or nails. However, this method of attachment makes it difficult to attach and remove the outlet strip and is disfiguring to the surface to which the strip is attached.

Thus, it would be desirable to provide an electrical outlet strip which can receive an oversized pronged plug or adapter without sacrificing the use of any of the remaining outlets. It would also be desirable to provide an outlet strip with a built-in circuit breaker. It would further be desirable to provide an electrical outlet strip with improved means for removably mounting the strip to a surface.

The present invention provides an electrical outlet strip generally comprising a serially-arranged plurality of outlets within an elongated housing. The terminal outlet of the strip is spaced a distance sufficient from the outlet adjacent thereto to receive an oversized plug or adapter without interfering with the receipt of a standard-sized pronged plug by the adjacent outlet.

Each outlet fo the electrical strip of the present invention is preferably adapted for receipt of a three-pronged plug, the outlet including two elongated prong-receiving apertures and a ground prong-receiving aperture. Preferably, the elongated apertures of the outlet are arranged with their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing of the outlet strip.

The internal wiring of the electrical outlet strip of the present invention includes a circuit breaker built directly into the outlet strip housing and connected in series with the "hot" feed wire providing alternating current to the outlets of the strip.

The electrical outlet strip of the present invention is also provided with improved means for removably mounting the strip to a wall, floor or other surface. Mounting means generally comprises a U-shaped outlet strip cradle for retaining the outlet strip which can be attached to any desired surface. Preferably, the cradle includes a cord channel with cord guide grooves to prevent cord tangle.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the electrical outlet strip of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of another preferred embodiment of the electrical outlet strip of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the internal wiring of the outlet strip of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an electrical outlet strip cradle for removably mounting an electrical outlet strip to a surface.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an electrical outlet strip of the present invention is shown and indicated generally by the numeral 10. Outlet strip 10 generally comprises an elongate housing 12 encasing a plurality of socket bodies 14 serially arranged therewithin. As shown in FIG. 1, extending from the housing 12 is outlet strip cord C which connects the internal wiring of outlet strip 10 to an electrical source, e.g. a wall or floor electrical outlet. Housing 12 may be made of plastic, metal or any other suitably rigid material. Preferably, housing 12 is constructed of moldable plastic, such as ABS or polystyrene.

As shown in FIG. 1, each socket body 14 provides an individual electrical outlet 16 having two elongated apertures 16A, 16B adapted for the receipt of a pronged plug having prongs of different polarities. Each outlet also preferably includes an aperture 16C adapted for receipt of a ground prong of the plug. Preferably, the longitudinal axes of elongated apertures 16A, 16B are arranged so that they are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of housing 12. However, the longitudinal axes of the elongated apertures may instead be arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, or a combination of perpendicular and parallel arrangements may be employed.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a terminal outlet 18 of the outlet strip 10 of the invention is spaced from its adjacent outlet a center-to-center distance d, distance d being sufficient to allow receipt of an oversized plug or adapter by terminal outlet 18 without interfering with the use of adjacent outlet 19. The remaining outlets are evenly spaced from one another a distance d', which is less than distance d between terminal outlet 18 and adjacent outlet 19. Oversized plugs and adapters are hereinafter collectively referred to as "adapters", and include transformers used for computer hook-ups or modems, for converting current, for recharging batteries, for supplying electrical current to direct current-powered devices and the like. Suitable distances d between terminal and adjacent outlet are, for example, from about 1.8 to about 2.6 inches. Preferably, distance d is about 2.2 inches. Suitable distances d' between the remaining evenly-spaced outlets are, for example, from about 0.9 to about 1.3 inches. Preferably, distance d' is about 1.1 inches.

Referring now to FIG. 2, another preferred embodiment of the electrical outlet strip of the present invention is shown and denoted by the numeral 20. As shown in FIG. 2, outlet strip 20 comprises a serially-arranged strip of outlets 22 within a housing 24. Although not shown this way in FIG. 2, housing 24 may be molded or stamped to give the appearance of individual socket bodies encased in a housing. Alternatively, the housing surface may have generally planar surface portions between outlets as shown in FIG. 2, to give the housing an attractive appearance.

Referring again to FIG. 2, each outlet 22 of outlet strip 20 includes a pair of elongated apertures 26A, 26B and, preferably, a ground plug aperture 26C adapted for receipt of a three-pronged plug. As in the preferred embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, a terminal outlet 28 of outlet strip 20 of FIG. 3 is spaced from its adjacent outlet 29 a center-to-center distance d greater than a distance d' between the remaining evenly-spaced outlets. As discussed above with respect to the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, distance d is sufficient to allow receipt of an adapter by terminal outlet 28 without interfering with the use of the outlet 29 adjacent thereto. Suitable distances d and d' are the same as those given for outlet strip 10 shown in FIG. 1.

It should be appreciated that, although the outlet strips of FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrated as having six outlets, any number of outlets can be employed in the practice of the present invention. The number of outlets in an electrical outlet strip of the invention will be limited solely by the length of the housing, the electrical load the strip is designed to handle, customer demand and other practical considerations. It should also be appreciated that, although only one terminal outlet in the embodiments depicted in the Figures is shown being spaced a distance d from its adjacent outlet, the terminal outlets at both ends of the outlet strip or any two or more outlets of the outlet strip of the invention can be spaced a distance d from adjacent outlets to accommodate receipt of an oversized plug or adapter according to the principles of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the internal wiring of the outlet strip of the present invention is shown. The internal wiring of the outlet strip generally comprises three electrically conductive bus bars 30, 32, 34, each of which provides the internal side walls of its respective outlet aperture. As shown in FIG. 3, the bus bars are constructed and arranged so that each prong of a pronged plug received by an outlet of the outlet strip will make good contact with its respective bus bar.

Referring again to FIG. 3, one end of each bus bar is connected in series with a respective feed wire; ground wire 36, common wire 38, or "hot" wire 40 which feeds electricity to the outlets. As shown in FIG. 3, the feed wires are bundled together into an insulated outlet strip cord C which passes through cord aperture 42 in housing wall 44 and terminates in a three-pronged cord plug (not shown) for connecting the outlet strip to its electrical source. Although in FIG. 3, outlet strip cord C is shown emerging from cord aperture 42 in a side wall of the housing, the exact position of cord aperture 42 in housing 44 is not critical.

As shown in FIG. 3, switch 46 is connected in series with "hot" feed wire 40 for turning off the electrical current supplied by the outlet strip. Switch 46 is also connected in series with a built-in circuit breaker 48. The housing and mounting support of circuit breaker 48 of the present invention is molded unitary with the housing of the outlet strip. The functioning parts of circuit breaker 48, however, are generally standard components.

As shown in FIG. 2, circuit breaker 48 comprises connectors 50, 52 which connect circuit breaker 48 in series with switch 46 and hot wire 40. The ends of connectors distal from their point of attachment to hot wire 40 provide contact points 54, 56 which are bridged by a bimetal strip 58. Upon overheating, bimetal strip 58 differentially expands, allowing insulator 60 of spring-loaded reset button 62 to slip between contact point 54 and bimetal strip 58 to break the circuit. Depression of reset button 62 will displace insulator 60 and allow bimetal strip and contact point 54 to re-establish contact and restore the circuit.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the electrical outlet strip of the present invention is further provided with improved mounting means for removably mounting the outlet strip to a desired surface. As shown in FIG. 4, mounting means of the present invention generally comprises an outlet strip cradle denoted generally by the numeral 70. Cradle 70 is generally U-shaped in cross-section with base 72 and side walls 74 and 76 integrally molded together to define a channel 78.

As shown in FIG. 4, wall 76 of cradle 70 further comprises an adhesive pad 80 which provides attachment means for attaching the cradle to the desired surface. Suitable attachment means include, for example, any suitable adhesive tape, backing or pad, which will minimize any damage to the surface adhesive tape, backing or pad, which will minimize any damage to the surface to which the cradle is attached. Alternately, any suitable fastener can be employed through an aperture (not shown) in cradle 70.

Referring again to FIG. 4, wall 74 of cradle 70 preferably comprises an inner wall 82, and an outer wall 84 jointed by web 86 to define a cord channel 88. The adjacent surfaces of inner and outer walls also preferably include one or more cord guide grooves 90 through which cords of plugs received by the outlet strip can be threaded to eliminate loose cords or cord tangle.

In use, an electrical outlet strip is placed into strip channel 78 of cradle 70 which holds the outlet strip in place. If desired, more than one cradle 70 can be used to hold one outlet strip. As is clear from the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, an outlet strip can be easily removed from and replaced into cradle 70. Cradle 70 of the present invention can be constructed of any suitably rigid material which can be shaped into the desired form. Suitable materials include plastics, rubber and metal, and, more preferably, moldable plastics.

It should be appreciated that a latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and, in certain instances, some features of the invention will by employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and the scope of the invention herein.