US4814941A — Power receptacle and nested line conditioner arra…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 229 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement for office partition systems, and the like, comprising: a power receptacle having a front face, a rear face, upper and lower walls and opposite ends; said front face of said receptacle having at least one outlet therein; said rear face of said receptacle having a first coupling means for selectively coupling said outlet to a source of line voltage associated with an office partition system, and a second coupling means disposed between the ends of said receptacle; a line conditioner having means for conditioning power supplied from the source of line voltage, and means on said line conditioner for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with the second coupling means on said receptacle to position said line conditioner between the ends of said receptacle, and condition power to said outlet; said line conditioner including a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween; said housing flanges being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the distance between the upper and lower walls of said receptacle to closely receive said receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about the rear face, and upper and lower walls of said receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for increased space efficiency.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 229 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement for office partition systems, and the like, comprising: a power receptacle having a front face, a rear face, upper and lower walls and opposite ends; said front face of said receptacle having at least one outlet therein; said rear face of said receptacle having a first coupling means for selectively coupling said outlet to a source of line voltage associated with an office partition system, and a second coupling means disposed between the ends of said receptacle; a line conditioner having means for conditioning power supplied from the source of line voltage, and means on said line conditioner for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with the second coupling means on said receptacle to position said line conditioner between the ends of said receptacle, and condition power to said outlet; said line conditioner including a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween; said housing flanges being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the distance between the upper and lower walls of said receptacle to closely receive said receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about the rear face, and upper and lower walls of said receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for increased space efficiency.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said web and said flanges of said housing are each hollow, and each retain therein at least a portion of said power conditioning means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 49 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said web and said flanges each have a depth, with the depth of said web being substantially less than the depth of said flanges to permit reduced overall thickness of the office partition system.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 59 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 3, wherein: said receptacle includes a face plate defining the front face thereof in which said outlet is disposed; said flanges of said line conditioner housing include end walls which are disposed adjacent to said face plate when said line conditioner is assembled on said receptacle.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 100 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said receptacle has a modular construction adapted for use throughout the office partition system to supply either conditioned or unconditioned line voltage thereto; said first coupling means on said receptacle comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate coupling said receptacle to the office partition system; and said second coupling means on said receptacle and said coupling means on said line connector comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate interconnecting said receptacle and said line conditioner.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said channel in said line conditioner housing has a substantially rectangular side elevational shape that is substantially uniform along its length.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 6, including: a removable fastener positively interconnecting said receptacle and said line conditioner when assembled.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 73 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said receptacle includes switch means for isolating at least one of said outlets from the remaining outlets, comprising a pair of normally closed contacts extending within said second coupling means to be opened and reconnected to said line conditioner upon connection of said line conditioner to said receptacle, whereby said one outlet is conditioned by said line conditioner.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 48 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 8, wherein: said line conditioner includes a cam engaging and separating said pair of switch contacts, and contact means for engaging said pair of switch contacts for electrically coupling said line conditioner to said receptacle.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 67 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 9, wherein: said receptacle includes an indicator aperture through the front plate thereof; said line conditioner includes a post aligned with and extending through said indicator aperture when said receptacle and said line conditioner are assembled to provide indicia visible from the exterior of the partition system indicating that said line conditioner is installed.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 44 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said power conditioning means comprises a filter for filtering out E.M.I. and R.F.I. frequency interference, and a surge protection circuit coupled to said filter for preventing excessive voltage surges.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 48 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said web and said flanges each have a depth, with the depth of said web substantially less than the depth of said flanges to permit reduced overall thickness of the office partition system.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 59 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said receptacle includes a face plate defining the front face thereof in which said outlet is disposed; said flanges of said line conditioner housing include end walls which are disposed adjacent to said face plate when said line conditioner is assembled on said receptacle.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 100 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said receptacle has a modular construction adapted for use throughout the office partition system to supply either conditioned or unconditioned line voltage thereto; said first coupling means on said receptacle comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate coupling said receptacle to the office partition system; and said second coupling means on said receptacle and said coupling means on said line connector comprises one-half of a quick-disconnect, mating plug and socket arrangement to facilitate interconnecting said receptacle and said line conditioner.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said channel in said line conditioner housing has a substantially rectangular side elevational shape that is substantially uniform along its length.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 28 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, including: a removable fastener positively connecting said receptacle and said line conditioner when assembled.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 73 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said receptacle includes switch means for isolating at least one of said outlets from the remaining outlets, comprising a pair of normally closed contacts extending within said second coupling means to be opened and reconnected to said line conditioner upon connection of said line conditioner to said receptacle, whereby said one outlet is conditioned by said line conditioner.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 48 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 17, wherein: said line conditioner includes a cam engaging and separating said pair of switch contacts, and contact means for engaging said pair of switch contacts for electrically coupling said line conditioner to said receptacle.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 68 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said receptacle includes an indicator aperture through the front face thereof; and said line conditioner includes a post aligned with and extending through said indicator aperture when said receptacle and said line conditioner are assembled to provide indicia visible from the exterior of the partition system indicating that said line conditioner is installed.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 44 words

A power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said power conditioning means comprises a filter for filtering out E.M.I. and R.F.I. frequency interference, and a surge protection circuit coupled to said filter for preventing excessive voltage surges.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 237 words

In an office partition system of the type having electrical power therein, the improvement of a power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement comprising: a power receptacle having a front face, a rear face, upper and lower walls and opposite ends; said front face of said receptacle having at least one outlet therein; said rear face of said receptacle having a first coupling means for selectively coupling said outlet to a source of line voltage associated with said office partition system, and a second coupling means disposed between the ends of said receptacle; a line conditioner having means for conditioning power supplied from the source of line voltage, and means on said line conditioner for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with the second coupling means of said receptacle to position said line conditioner between the ends of said receptacle, and condition power to said outlet; said line conditioner including a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween; said housing flanges being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the distance between the upper and lower walls of said receptacle to closely receive said receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about the rear face, and upper and lower walls of said receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for improved space efficiency.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 237 words

In an office partition system of the type having electrical power therein, the improvement of a power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement comprising: a power receptacle having a front face, a rear face, upper and lower walls and opposite ends; said front face of said receptacle having at least one outlet therein; said rear face of said receptacle having a first coupling means for selectively coupling said outlet to a source of line voltage associated with said office partition system, and a second coupling means disposed between the ends of said receptacle; a line conditioner having means for conditioning power supplied from the source of line voltage, and means on said line conditioner for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with the second coupling means of said receptacle to position said line conditioner between the ends of said receptacle, and condition power to said outlet; said line conditioner including a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween; said housing flanges being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the distance between the upper and lower walls of said receptacle to closely receive said receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about the rear face, and upper and lower walls of said receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for improved space efficiency.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 136 words

A line conditioner for power receptacles of the type used in office partition systems, and the like, said line conditioner comprising: means for conditioning power supplied from a source of line voltage; means for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with an associated power receptacle to position said line conditioner between opposite ends of the power receptacle, and a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration, comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween; said housing flanges being space apart a distance slightly greater than the height of the power receptacle to closely receive the power receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about rear, upper, and lower walls of the receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for increased

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 136 words

A line conditioner for power receptacles of the type used in office partition systems, and the like, said line conditioner comprising: means for conditioning power supplied from a source of line voltage; means for mechanically and electrically coupling said line conditioner with an associated power receptacle to position said line conditioner between opposite ends of the power receptacle, and a housing encasing said power conditioning means, and having a substantially C-shaped side elevational configuration, comprising a web and opposite flanges defining a channel therebetween; said housing flanges being space apart a distance slightly greater than the height of the power receptacle to closely receive the power receptacle in the channel of said line conditioner, such that said line conditioner nests about rear, upper, and lower walls of the receptacle, wholly within the ends thereof, for increased

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-03-20	1992-09-19	1993-03-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-03-20	1996-09-19	1997-03-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-03-20	2000-09-19	2001-03-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Power receptacle and nested line conditioner arrangement

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