Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-11
2001-01-30
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S131000, C439S142000, C439S719000, C439S491000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179665
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an outlet strip designed to supply power to a plurality of devices in an organized manner. More particularly, the present invention relates to an outlet strip having a cable manager shaped to maintain cables of powered devices in an organized manner, and formed to permit coupling of a variety of devices thereto in an organized manner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Accompanying the increasing use of powered devices is the increasing use of outlet strips permitting a plurality of devices to be powered through the same wall outlet. However, the connection of a plurality of power cables of various devices to the same outlet strip tends to result in the power cables extending in varying directions in a disorganized manner. Accordingly, there has been an ongoing need to provide an outlet strip with the capability of maintaining order among the various power cables coupled to and extending therefrom. For example, U.S. Patent Des. 350,940 to Rossman et al. provides a surge protector having a cable management element and outlets along two faces of the housing.
Moreover, there has been an increase in the variety of electric, electronic, telecommunication devices used, such as computers, monitors, printers, telephones, facsimile machines, dictation equipment, and lamps, which devices have different power requirements. If the outlet strip only provides one type of outlet, then several different outlet strips must be provided, increasing the disorder of the environment of the powered devices. Accordingly, there has been an ongoing need for the appropriate connections for such differently configured powered devices to be provided in an orderly manner on the same outlet strip. Moreover, in a surge protected outlet strip it would be desirable to provide similar surge protection for devices, such as communication devices and devices utilizing coaxial cable connections, which cannot be electrically connected to the surge protector circuit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an outlet strip which includes a plurality of electronic device receptacles for receiving electrical plugs or jacks. A cable manager comprising a plurality of cable management devices is associated with the housing of the outlet strip for ordering power cables along the housing. Each of the device receptacles provided on the outlet strip may be surge protected to protect the device coupled thereto against power surges.
Additionally, the present invention provides an outlet strip which has a top surface and two side surfaces. An electronic device receptacle for receiving electrical plugs or jacks is present on each of the housing surfaces. Thus, the number of devices which may be coupled to the outlet strip of the present invention is greater than the number of devices which may be coupled to an equivalently sized outlet strip not formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Preferably, a cable manager is provided on the outlet strip housing to order the cables coupled thereto.
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Clay Michael P.
Hotaling Bryan R.
Rossman Jon R.
Curtis Computer Products, Inc.
Donovan Lincoln
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Webb Brian S.
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