Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
POWER UNITS WITH POWER OUTLETS AND USB PORTS
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No.
62/500,663, entitled Power Strip with USB Ports, filed May 3, 2017.
Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to power units or strips.
More
particularly, the present invention relates to power units with universal
serial bus (USB)
ports.
Background of the Invention
[0003] Power units and/or power strips are used to provide power to one
or more
electronic devices, such as tools, tool chargers, computers, and other
electrical devices.
However, in certain areas, such as work areas, the location and ease of access
of the ports
on the power strip can be a concern.
Summary of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to a power unit that includes a
first surface with
one or more power outlets, and a second surface angularly disposed with
respect to the first
surface. The second surface has one or more universal serial bus (USB) ports,
and a power
switch disposed thereon. The angled nature of the second surface provides ease
of access
to the USB port(s) and power switch.
[0005] In an embodiment, a power unit includes a housing having a first
surface and a
second surface disposed at an angle with respect to the first surface. A power
outlet is
disposed on the first surface, and a universal serial bus port is disposed on
the second
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surface. The angle may be about 20-60 degrees, about 30-50 degrees, and more
particularly,
about 45 degrees.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0006] For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject
matter sought to
be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments
thereof, from
an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following
description, the
subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and
many of its
advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
100071 FIG. 1 is a top view of a power unit according to an embodiment of
the present
invention; and
[0008] FIG. 2 is a side view of the power unit of FIG. I.
Detailed Description
[0009] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many
different forms,
there is shown in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, a
preferred
embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure
is to be
considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not
intended to
limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated. As used
herein, the term
"present invention" is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed
invention and is instead
a term used to discuss exemplary embodiments of the invention for explanatory
purposes
only.
[0010] The present application discloses a power unit that includes a
first surface with
one or more power outlets, and a second surface angularly disposed with
respect to the first
surface. The second surface has one or more universal serial bus (USB) ports,
and a power
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switch disposed thereon. The angled nature of the second surface provides ease
of access
to the USB port(s) and power switch.
[0011] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a power unit 100 includes a housing
102 having first
and second opposing ends 104, 106, respectively. The power unit 100 includes a
first
surface 108 that includes one or more power outlets 110 disposed thereon, and
a second
surface 112 that extends from and is angularly disposed with respect to the
first surface 108.
One or more universal serial bus (USB) ports 114, and a power switch/circuit
breaker 116
may be disposed on the second surface 112.
[0012] As illustrated, the first and second ends 104, 106, include first
and second flanges
118, 120, respectively. Each of the first and second flanges 118, 120 includes
first and
second fastener apertures 122, 124. The power unit may have a length of about
eight inches,
from the first end 104 to the second end 106. A distance between a center of
the first fastener
apertures 122 on the first and second flanges 118, 120 may be about 7.5
inches. Further, a
distance (width wise) between a center of the first and second fastener
apertures 122, 124
on the first flange 118 may be about 1.5 inches. Similarly, a distance (width
wise) between
a center of the first and second fastener apertures 122, 124 on the second
flange 120 may be
about 1.5 inches. These dimensions may allow the power unit 100 to couple to
standard
tool storage cabinets and tool boxes.
[0013] The first surface 108 extends from proximate to the second end
106, along a
length of the power unit towards the first end 104, and terminates at the
second surface 112.
The second surface 112 extends from the first surface 108 at an angle with
respect to the
first surface 108, and along the length of the power unit towards the first
end 104.
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[0014] The one or more power outlets 110 are disposed on or in the
housing 102 and
accessible by a user on the first surface 108. As illustrated, five power
outlets 110 may be
disposed on the first surface 108. The power outlets 110 may be aligned with
one another
and disposed next to one another along a length of the first surface 108. Each
power outlet
110 may include a neutral port 126, a hot port 128, and a ground port 130.
However, it
should be appreciated that more or less than five power outlets 110 may be
included, and
the dimensions of the power unit 100 may be modified accordingly.
[0015] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the power outlets 110
are oriented in a
same direction and spaced from one another to provide clearance between the
power outlets
110. However, it should be appreciated that the power outlets 110 may have
differing
orientations.
[0016] As described above, the second surface 112 extends from the first
surface 108 at
an angle a with respect to the first surface 108, and along the length of the
power unit
towards the first end 104. The angle a may be about 20-60 degrees, about 30-50
degrees,
and more particularly, about 45 degrees with respect to the first surface 108.
[0017] The USB ports 114 and power switch/circuit breaker 116 may be
disposed in or
on the housing 102 and accessible by a user on the second surface 112. The
power
switch/circuit breaker 116 may be disposed on a first side of the second
surface 112, and the
USB ports 114 may be disposed next to the power switch/circuit breaker 116, on
a second
side of the second surface 112. As illustrated, there are two USB ports 114
disposed on the
second surface, and have a length oriented to extend along a width of the
power unit 100.
[0018] However, it should be appreciated that the orientation of the USB
ports 114 and
power switch/circuit breaker 116 may be altered to suite a particular need.
For example, the
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orientation of the USB ports 114 and power switch/circuit breaker 116 may be
rotated (from
the orientation illustrated in FIG. 1) by about 90, 180, or 270 degrees with
respect to the
second surface 112.
100191 Referring to FIG. 2, the power outlet may also include a power
inlet port 132
that is adapted to couple to a power source for supplying power to the power
outlets 110,
USB ports 114, and power switch/circuit breaker 116. The power inlet port 132,
may also
be a corded plug extending from the power unit 100. Power may be provided into
the power
unit 100 via the power inlet port 132, and to the power switch/circuit breaker
116. When
the power switch/circuit breaker 116 is in an ON position, power is provided
to the power
outlets 110 and USB ports 114. When the power switch/circuit breaker 116 is in
an OFF
position, power is prevented from flowing to the power outlets 110 and USB
ports 114. The
power switch/circuit breaker 116 may also include a circuit breaker adapted to
protect the
power outlets 110 and USB ports 114, as well as any electrical device plugged
into the
power outlets 110 and/or USB ports 114 from power surges, etc.
100201 As illustrated, the power inlet port 132 is disposed on a third
surface 134 or
bottom of the power unit 100. However, the power inlet port 132 may be
disposed on any
other surface, such as side surface 136.
100211 The power unit 100 may be coupled to a tool storage cabinet or
tool box, by
installing fasteners through the fastener apertures 122 and 124. The power
unit 100 may be
directly coupled onto a surface of the tool storage cabinet or tool box.
Alternatively, the
first and second surfaces 108, 112 may be extended through an aperture in a
surface of the
tool storage cabinet or tool box, with the flanges 118 and 120 disposed
adjacent to a side of
the surface opposite that of the first and second surfaces 108, 112. This
allows the power
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unit 100 to be coupled to the tool storage cabinet or tool box, with the
fasteners and flanges
118 and 120 hidden from view.
[0022] As used herein, the term "coupled" and its functional equivalents
are not
intended to necessarily be limited to direct, mechanical coupling of two or
more
components. Instead, the term "coupled" and its functional equivalents are
intended to
mean any direct or indirect mechanical, electrical, or chemical connection
between two or
more objects, features, work pieces, and/or environmental matter. "Coupled" is
also
intended to mean, in some examples, one object being integral with another
object. As
used herein, the term "a" or "one" may include one or more items unless
specifically
stated otherwise.
[0023] The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying
drawings is
offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular
embodiments
have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art
that changes
and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of
the inventors'
contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be
defined in the
following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior
art.
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