Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02503182 2005-04-19
A SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING FIBER OPTIC CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND AN AC RECEPTACLE IN A
BUILDING
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to providing an improved method and system for
establishing fiber optic connectivity within a building with a view to
providing an increased
bandwidth capability for electrical and electronic devices therein, and, more
specifically, to
providing electrical and fiber optic connectivity between two points, these
being the electrical
0 and electronic devices and the AC Receptacles in a residential, commercial
or industrial
buildings, or the like.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The fast development of communication links has increased the demand for
faster and
more reliable transmission systems drastically. The use of optical fiber
systems for carrying large
S quantities of information with low distortion and low cost over great
distance has revolutionized
transmission and communications possibilities in recent years, in that these
fibers allow a large
number of signals to be transferred in one and the same fiber with the speed
of light. Fiber-optic
communication and transmission links, because of their ability to carry vastly
more information
than equivalent sizes of electrical wires, will be the "infrastructure" of the
much talked about
'0 information highway now and in the future. In optical communication,
sources of light, such as
lasers, are connected to optical fibers that carry the signal over both long
and short distances to
optical receivers.
In the average home, and with the development of continually improving
electrical and
'.5 electronic devices that are rapidly and increasingly demanding high-
bandwidth communication
links. These electrical and electronic devices can include, for example, high
speed Internet, cable,
computers and printers, local area network, cameras and security systems,
telephone, signals for
audio and video over IP, satellite, intercoms, and all other network
communication technologies
used in electrical and electronic devices, apparatuses and appliances.
SO
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CA 02503182 2005-04-19
In the near future, because of the bandwidth available in fiber optic
communications, fiber
optic connectivity will allow us to obtain our telephone, cable, satellite,
high speed Internet and
many other signals on one single fiber optic connection, for use in electrical
and electronic
devices and appliances. To accomplish this, it would be preferable to provide
an improved
system for establishing fiber optic connectivity to a building with a view to
providing an
increased bandwidth capability for electrical and electronic devices therein,
through the use of
only one power cord connected to a fiber optically compatible power
receptacle. While power
cords are well known in the art, as evidenced by U.S. Patents Nos. 6,851,960
(Bain et a~ and
6,805,579 (Marchand et al), in order to effectively provide fiber optic
connectivity to electronic
0 and electrical devices, what would be preferable is to provide a power cord
having a integral fiber
optic link therein, to work in combination with a fiber optic compatible power
receptacle.
Further, for the sake of simplicity, it would be preferable to bring
electrical power and fiber optic
connectivity to electronic and electrical devices through the use of only one
power cord
connected to a fiber optically compatible power receptacle.
5
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and
system for
establishing fiber optic connectivity within a building with a view to
providing an increased
bandwidth capability for electrical and electronic devices therein.
'.0
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method
and system for
establishing fiber optic connectivity, wherein electronic and electrical
devices can be provided
with fiber optic connectivity through the use of a fiber optic link integrated
into a power cord, in
combination with a fiber optically compatible power receptacle.
'.5
It is another object of the present invention to bring electrical power and
fiber optic
connectivity to electronic and electrical devices through the use of only one
power cord
connected to a fiber optic compatible power receptacle, and which can be used
in conjunction
with any and all types of conventional electrical plugs and receptacles.
t0
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CA 02503182 2005-04-19
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system
for providing
an electrical and fiber optic connection between Electronic Devices and an AC
Receptacle in a
building comprising the steps of (a) installing an optical converter or
transmitter within the
building, whereby an incoming communications signal to the building can be
converted by the
optical converter or transmitter to a transferable fiber optic communications
signal; (b) securing
fiber optic connectors to the AC Receptacle in the building so as to conduct
the converted
transferable fiber optic communications; and (c) connecting an ACFO Power Cord
to each of the
Electronic Devices and the AC Receptacle, the ACFO Power Cord having at least
two conductors
therein for conducting electrical signals and electrical power, and at least
one fiber conductor for
0 conducting the fiber optic communications signal, whereby, when the AFCO
Power Cord is
connected between the Electronic Devices and the AC Receptacle, the electrical
and fiber optic
connection is established for transferring electrical power and the fiber
optic communications
signal there between.
5 A further aspect of the present invention provides for a system for
providing an electrical
and fiber optic connection between Electronic Devices and an AC Receptacle in
a building
comprising the steps of: (a) installing a copper to fiber optic converter
within the building,
whereby an incoming electrical communications signal to the building can be
converted by the
copper to fiber optic converter to a transferable fiber optic communications
signal; (b) securing
'0 fiber optic connectors to the AC Receptacle in the building so as to
conduct the converted
transferable fiber optic communications; and (c) connecting an ACFO Power Cord
to each of the
Electronic Devices and the AC Receptacle, the ACFO Power Cord having at least
two conductors
therein for conducting electrical signals, and at least one fiber conductor
for conducting the fiber
optic communications signal, whereby, when the AFCO Power Cord is connected
between the
'.5 Electronic Devices and the AC Receptacle, the electrical and fiber optic
connection is established
for transferring electrical power and the fiber optic communications signal
there between.
A still further aspect of the present invention relates to a system for
providing an electrical
and fiber optic connection between Electronic Devices and an AC Receptacle in
a building
SO comprising the steps of:(a) securing fiber optic connectors to the AC
Receptacle in the building
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CA 02503182 2005-04-19
so as to be operable to receive and conduct the converted transferable fiber
optic communications
signal; (b) installing an optical converter or transmitter within the
building, whereby an incoming
communications signal to the building can be converted by the optical
converter or transmitter to
a transferable fiber optic communications signal; (c) routing the transferable
fiber optic
communications signal from the optical converter or transmitter to the AC
Receptacle; and (d)
connecting an ACFO Power Cord having a power cord plug at one end and a device
connector at
the opposite end, the power cord being placed between the Electronic Devices
and the AC
Receptacle, wherein the power cord plug is connected into the AC Receptacle
and the device
connector is attached to the Electronic Devices, and wherein the ACFO Power
Cord has at least
0 two conductors therein for conducting electrical signals and electrical
power, and at least one
fiber conductor for conducting the fiber optic communications signal, whereby,
when the AFCO
Power Cord is connected between the Electronic Devices and the AC Receptacle,
the electrical
and fiber optic connection is established for transferring electrical power
and the fiber optic
communications signal there between.
5
The advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved method
and system
for establishing fiber optic connectivity to a building with a view to
providing an increased
bandwidth capability for electrical and electronic devices therein.
'0 A still further advantage of the present invention is that it provides an
improved method
and system for establishing fiber optic connectivity, wherein electronic and
electrical devices can
be provided with fiber optic connectivity through the use of a fiber optic
link integrated into a
power cord, in combination with a fiber optically compatible power receptacle.
?5 Yet another advantage of the present invention is to bring electrical power
and fiber optic
connectivity to electronic and electrical devices through the use of only one
power cord
connected to a fiber optically compatible power receptacle, and which can be
used in conjunction
with any and all types of conventional electrical plugs and receptacles.
SO
4
CA 02503182 2005-04-19
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for establishing electrical and
fiber optic connectivity
between the electrical and electronic devices and the AC Receptacle in a
building according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 1A is a diagram of the preferred embodiment of the ACFO Power Cord, ;
0
Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the ACFO Receptacle, according to one
embodiment of the
present invention;
Figure 3 illustrates a diagram of the use of a conventional "copper to fiber"
converter in the
5 system of the present invention, whereby incoming electrical and digital
signals coming into the
building can be converted through use of this converter to a fiber optic
signal that is then
forwarded through the ACFO Receptacles;
Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the connection between the ACFO plug of
the ACFO Power
'0 Cord and the ACFO Receptacle, according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 5 illustrates a further side view of the connection between the ACFO
plug of the ACFO
Power Cord and the ACFO Receptacle shown in Figure 6;
'.5 Figure SA illustrates an exploded side view of the ACFO plug of the ACFO
Power Cord,
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure SB illustrates an exploded side view of the ACFO Receptacle fiber optic
adapter,
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
SO
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Figure SC illustrates an exploded side view of the fiber optic cable
connector, according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure SD illustrates an exploded side view of the connection between the AFCO
plug of the
ACFO Power Cord and the ACFO Receptacle, according to one embodiment of the
present
invention, and illustrates the completed fiber optic link between the AFCO
plug of the ACFO
Power Cord and the ACFO Receptacle;
Figure 6 illustrates an overview of the connection between the ACFO Power Cord
and a generic
0 fiber optic connector, the fiber optic connector being placed for attachment
between the ACFO
Power Cord and an electrical or electronic device so as to terminate the fiber
optic link, according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 7 illustrates an exploded side view of the AFCO plug of the ACFO Power
Cord, and
5 which illustrates an exploded view of the termination of the fiber optic
cable within the ACFO
Power Cord;
Figure 8 illustrates a further exploded side view of the AFCO plug of the ACFO
Power Cord
shown in Figure 7, and which illustrates an exploded view of the termination
of the fiber optic
'0 cable within the ACFO Power Cord;
Figure 9 illustrates a cut away, cross sectional view of the cord cable of the
ACFO Power Cord,
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
'S Figure 10 illustrates a cut away view of one type of the ACFO Power Cord
and device
connection, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 11 illustrates an exploded side view and cross sectional view of the
female adapter socket
of the ACFO Power Cord encompassing the same technology as the ACFO
Receptacle,
SO according to one embodiment of the present invention;
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CA 02503182 2005-04-19
Figure 12 illustrates a further exploded side view of the completed fiber
optic link and electrical
connections between the ACFO plug of the ACFO Power Cord and the ACFO
Receptacle,
according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 13 illustrates a further exploded side view of the completed fiber
optic link between the
ACFO plug of the ACFO Power Cord and the ACFO Receptacle shown in Figure 12,
according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
0 The present invention, as noted previously, essentially provides electrical
and fiber
optic connectivity between two points, these being the Electrical and
Electronic Devices and the
AC Receptacle. This comprises having an ACFO Power Cord, and an AFCO
Receptacle that
connects the power cord to the electrical and electronic devices in the
building, whereby the
devices can be provided with fiber optic connectivity to increase an amount of
bandwidth they
5 can receive, such as Giga-Speed Communication bandwidth. It will, of course,
be understood that
buildings can encompass residential, commercial and industrial buildings, or
the like. It should
also be noted that the ACFO Power Cord (as hereinafter described), refers
essentially to an AC
Powered Fiber Optic power cord, for use in the present invention, and the ACFO
Receptacle (as
hereinafter described), refers to the typical electrical receptacle, but
having the addition of a fiber
?0 optic link, through which fiber optic communications can be transmitted to
an ACFO Power Cord
connected thereto and ultimately on to the electrical or electronic devices.
The present invention is designed to bring fiber optic communication signals
to electrical
and electronic devices in the building such as, but not limited to, computers
and printers,
'.S automation and control systems, high speed Internet, cable, local area
network, cameras and
security systems, telephone, signals for audio and video over IP, satellite,
intercoms, and all other
network communication technologies using a fiber optic link.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention will establish fiber optic
network
SO connection which is embedded in a standard of the shelf AC Receptacle
outlet, and which will
enable fiber optic connectivity for electrical and electronic devices in a
building, without the need
7
CA 02503182 2005-04-19
for an external network connection. Of course, incoming communication signals
to a home or
building are typically electrical analog and digital. The present invention is
designed to operate
through use of a conventional optical transmitter or converter such as
Fiberlink TM, or such as a
copper to fiber optic converter, whereby the transmitter or converter converts
the electrical
analog or digital signal into a corresponding optical signal, as can be seen
with reference to
Figure 3. Preferably, the optical transmitter or converter is installed
within, or in close proximity
to, the electrical or breaker panel (80) for the building, where the
electrical analog or digital
signals can be converted to fiber optic signals, the source of the optical
signal being either a light
emitting diode, or a solid state laser diode, before these signals are
transferred through the ACFO
0 Receptacles (7) of the present invention to any ACFO Power Cords connected
thereto, and
ultimately onward to the electrical and electronic devices.
Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein
electrical
and fiber optic connectivity is provided between two points, these being the
Electrical and
.5 Electronic Devices and the AC Receptacle. In Figure 1, the ACFO plug (5) of
the ACFO Power
Cord, which is located at an end of the power cord cable (4), is secured into
the ACFO
Receptacle (7) to provide fiber optic and electrical links (6) there between.
At an opposite end of
the power cord cable (4) is the ACFO Device Receptacle (3) (essentially, the
"female" end of the
power cord), which is connected to the electrical and electronic devices via
the ACFO Device
'0 Receptacle ( 1 ) to provide fiber optic and electrical link (2) there
between, and complete the
electrical and fiber optic connectivity between the Electrical and Electronic
Devices (1) and the
AC Receptacle (7).
With reference to Figure 1A, the ACFO Power Cord of the present invention
consists of a
'S power cord cable (4) having a plastic or rubber insulated electrical male
ACFO plug (5) at one
end and a female adapter socket (3) at the other end. The cable can, of
course, be secured to the
ACFO plug (5) by a cable securing device (19), conventional means for which
are well known in
the art. Of course, the ACFO plug (5) will have the usual two or three metal
prongs disposed
therein for insertion in an AC Receptacle (not shown). Neutral prong (12) is
used to conduct
SO electrical neutral signal to the electrical and electronic devices,
electrical prong (13) is used to
conduct electrical line power to the electrical and electronic devices, and
ground prong (16) is
8
CA 02503182 2005-04-19
used to conduct the electrical ground signal to the electrical and electronic
devices. The prongs
are connected to respective wires or conductors (not shown) that extend within
the cord cable (4)
in a conventional manner through the cord to female adapter socket (3).
The power cord cable (4) consists of at least, but not limited to, three
conductors enclosed
in an environmental type protective jacket. In a preferred embodiment, in the
case of the
conventional 120 V power cord cable used for computers and residential
appliances, for example,
the power cord cable would consist of three conductors that would be used for
conducting
electrical signals, and one conductor that would be used to conduct fiber
optic communications. It
0 will of course, be understood that the power cord cable can vary in length
in order to suit any
applications. In essence, the AFCO Power Cord of the present invention is
distinguishable as
encompassing any and all types of fiber-optic conductor that is inserted into
a
mechanical/electrical protective jacket, the fiber optic conductor being
considered as an
additional and separate conductor (distinct from electrical conductors) that
is used to transport
5 and/or conduct a fiber optic signal. By way of illustration only, the four
conductors that could be
used in the preferred embodiment of the ACFO Power Cord cable are:
1 ) Electrical Line Conductor
2) Electrical Neutral Conductor
3) Electrical Ground Conductor
'0 4) Fiber Optic Line Conductor
With reference to Figure 9, there is illustrated power cord cable (4) having
Fiber Optic
Line Conductor (21), Electrical Neutral Conductor (23), Electrical Line
Conductor (22), and
Electrical Ground Conductor (24), the fiber optic conductors being sheathed in
protective
'.5 material (26) and collectively encased in insulating material (25).
Of course, a worker skilled in the art would understand that the Fiber Optic
line
Conductor mentioned above could conceivably comprise one or more, or any
number, of physical
fiber optic conductors. In a preferred embodiment, the ground prong (16) is
used to carry the
SO Fiber Optic line. Preferably, the fiber optic line will be located in a
center of the electrical ground
plug (16), as can be seen with reference to Figure 7, though it will be
understood that it is not
9
CA 02503182 2005-04-19
absolutely essential that this be so. It will also be understood that a
plurality of fiber optic lines
could be placed within the power cord cable, or in the ground plug. The fiber
optic line
terminates at the end of the ground plug. When the ground plug is inserted
into the fiber optically
compatible power receptacle ACFO Receptacle (as hereinafter described), this
connection
ensures an electrical connection and fiber optic link between the AFCO Power
Cord and the
AFCO Receptacle.
Upon the physical connection of the power cord to the receptacle, fiber optic
links would
be made between the number of physical fiber optic conductors in the power
cord cable (4) of the
0 AFCO Power Cord and the AFCO Receptacle (7), it being understood that the
fiber optic
connection between the AFCO Power Cord and the AFCO Receptacle will be
established
following the physical connection of the ACFO plug (5) between the AFCO Power
Cord and the
AFCO Receptacle (7). It will also of course be understood that the bandwidth
of any fiber optic
link so created would be equivalent to the bandwidth capabilities of the
specific type of fiber
5 optic conductor that is used in the power cord cable (4) of the present
invention. It will also be
understood that the bandwidths of any fiber optic data communications so
influenced will be
limited by the conductivity of the connectors, adapters, and conductivity
path, and, as noted
above, by the conductivity of the fiber optic conductors. In addition, it will
be further understood
that the electrical current capacity of the ACFO Power Cord will be dictated
by the gauge of
'0 electrical wires that are to be used.
With reference to Figures 2, and 4, the ACFO Receptacle of the present
invention can be
described as being somewhat similar to a conventional AC Receptacle which is
presently used in
the electrical and electronics industry, only also having a fiber optic link
in the center of the
'S electrical grounding socket (female type connector located on all
receptacles that carry electrical
ground connectivity). As can be seen in Figure 2, this fiber optic link can be
provided through use
of fiber-optic connectors (70,73) which is secured to a back of existing AC
Receptacles, wherein
(68, 71) is the screws for electrical neutral, and (69, 72) are the screws for
the electrical line, and
(74) being the screw for electrical ground.
In this manner, the ACFO Receptacle is designed to allow electricians to wire
up existing
houses and buildings in the same manner they have conventionally been doing.
The fiber optic
CA 02503182 2005-04-19
links (77) can be added after the electrical work has been completed. In use,
the ACFO plug (not
shown) having the metal prongs for conducting the electrical line, electrical
neutral and electrical
ground are inserted into the ACFO Receptacle, whereby electrical line female
receiving slots
(60) receive electrical line prongs, electrical neutral female receiving slots
(61 ) receive electrical
neutral prongs, and the electrical ground female receiving slot (62) receives
the ground prong, a
center of which is used to carry the Fiber Optic line (14). With further
reference to Figure 2, it
can be seen that, in this example, when the ground prong having the fiber
optic line therein is
inserted into the electrical ground female receiving slot (62), the fiber
optic line in each of these
continues through the fiber optic connectors (70,73), an axis of which can
each be seen with
0 reference to fiber optic axis (66,67). The insertion of the ground prong
having the fiber optic line
(14) therein can also be seen with reference to Figure 7, where the ACFO plug
(5) at an end of
the cable (4), and having electrical ( 12), neutral ( 13) and ground plug (
16) thereon, can be seen
approaching the ACFO Receptacle of the present invention.
5 With reference to Figure 4, in connecting the ground prong (16) having the
fiber optic line
( 14) therein into the ACFO Receptacle, the mechanical securing device ( 17),
as the user pushes
the ground prong into the ACFO Receptacle, biases the spring (18) to compress,
as can be seen at
(19), whereby sufficient tension is provided to enable the ground prong to
breach the fiber optic
safety device (75) at (75A), thus safely inserting the ground prong and fiber
optic line into and
'.0 through the fiber optic connector, where an end of the fiber optic line of
the ground prong (shown
generally as termination point "15 in Figure 7) comes into contact with and
abuts an end of the
fiber optic line contained within the fiber optic connector (77). In this
manner, the positive
pressure created by virtue of this connection being spring loaded keeps these
joined together.
With further reference to Figure 5, this connection can be seen where "A"
represents the face to
'.5 face connection between the ACFO plug and the ACFO Receptacle; "B"
illustrates the ACFO
fiber optic adapter ( 14) in its most forward position; "C" illustrates the
tip of the fiber optic line
(14) prior to insertion of the ACFO plug; "D" illustrates the tip of the fiber
optic line (14) after
insertion of the ACFO plug into the ACFO Receptacle; and "E" to "F" is the
allowable amount of
"play" required to ensure a positive connection between the fiber optic line
(14) and the fiber
SO optic line or circuit (15) in the ACFO Receptacle. In a preferred
embodiment, the amount of this
"play" is approximately 1 to 2mm, and is provided (with reference again to
Figure 4 or 7) when
the mechanical securing device (17) biases the spring (18). The amount of this
gap is identical to
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CA 02503182 2005-04-19
the distance between "C" and "D" in Figure S. Figure SD provides a snapshot
view of the
finalized connection of the connection between the fiber optic line in the
ground prong and the
fiber optic line or circuit in the ACFO Receptacle (see Figure SC) once the
ACFO plug of the
ACFO Power Cord (as seen in Figure SA) is inserted into the ACFO Receptacle
(as seen in
Figure 5B). Figure 12 provides a further overview of the finalized connection
of the connection
between the fiber optic line in the ground prong and the fiber optic line or
circuit in the ACFO
Receptacle, where (40) represents the connection of the screw for electrical
neutral; (43)
represents the connection of the ground prong (and fiber optic line therein)
to the ACFO
Receptacle; (43) represents the connection of the screw for the electrical
line; and (70) represents
0 the fiber-optic connector in place within the ACFO Receptacle.
At an opposite end of the power cable (4), in a preferred embodiment, is the
ACFO
Device Receptacle (3), as can be seen in Figure 1 and 1A. As noted previously
herein, the ACFO
Device Receptacle (3) (essentially, the "female" end of the power cord), is
connected to the
5 electrical and electronic devices ( 1 ) to provide fiber optic and
electrical link (2) there between,
and complete the electrical and fiber optic connectivity between the
Electrical and Electronic
Devices ( 1 ) and the AC Receptacle (7). As with conventional female ends of
power cords, this
acts as a connector or adapter to connect the female end of the power cord to
the electrical and
electronic devices ( 1 ). Preferably, the ACFO Device Receptacle (3) will
connect the electrical
'0 and electronic devices and appliances to the ACFO Power Cord, the device
receptacle being
compatible with any and all existing devices for electrical power supply. It
will, of course, be
preferably designed as a female connector or adapter, as can be seen with
reference to Figures 10
and 11.
'.5 Of course, it should be noted, in connecting the ACFO Device Receptacle
(3) to any
electrical or electronic devices, that this may be accomplished in multiple
methods. Firstly, the
ACFO Device Receptacle may be physically connected to a ACFO plug of the
electrical or
electronic device, provided that the device is compatible so as to receive
fiber optic data. For
conventional devices, the ACFO Device Receptacle (3) may be connected, in a
further
SO embodiment seen in Figure 6, to a conventional unit, such as, for example,
an RJ45 Ethernet
10/100/1000 Mbps adapter (the conventional unit then also being connected to
the electrical or
electronic devices) whereby the fiber optic communications signal carned by
the ACFO Power
12
CA 02503182 2005-04-19
Cord can be converted into an electrical or digital signal for use by the
electronic or electrical
conventional devices.
In Figure 11, it can be seen that the ACFO Device Connection (3), (30)
represents the
electrical ground female receiving slot, for receiving a corresponding
electrical prong having a
fiber optic line therein. Reference Numeral (32) represents the electrical
line female receiving
slot, and (33) represents the electrical neutral female receiving slot, all of
which are encased
within the ACFO Device Receptacle Casing (34). With further reference to
Figure 10, the fiber
optic connector (27) is at an end of the power cable (4), the cord being
encased in protective
0 material or jacket (26) such as rubber, for example, and insulating material
(25). Of course, also
provided are electrical line (22), electrical neutral line (23), and
electrical ground line (24). The
fiber optic connector (27) will, of course, provide the fiber optic link
between the ACFO Power
Cord Device Receptacle and the ACFO Power Cord. The ACFO Device Receptacle
(3),
essentially, completes the closed circuit to provide the fiber optic link
between the ACFO Power
5 Cord and the ACFO Receptacle.
With reference to Figure 13, in connecting the AFCO Plug (5) to the ACFO
Receptacle
(7), the spring loaded mechanical securing device (56) can provide a secure
mechanical
connection between the AFCO Plug (5) and the ACFO Receptacle (7). As the user
pushes the
'.0 ACFO Plug (5) to abut the ground prong (51) having the fiber optic line
(50) therein, and, in
making the connection, biases the spring (58) to compress, as can be seen in
Figure 13, whereby
sufficient tension is provided to cause an end of the fiber optic line of the
ground prong (shown
generally as termination point "52" in Figure 13) comes into contact with and
abuts to the fiber
optic conductor provided by the Fiber Optic Connector (59) which as been
secured in the back of
'S the ACFO Receptacle. In this manner, the positive pressure created by
virtue of this connection
being spring loaded keeps these joined together.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred
embodiments.
However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of
variations and
f 0 modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the
invention as described herein.
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