US20110109211A1

US20110109211A1 - Furniture Product with Power Port Feature

Info

Publication number: US20110109211A1
Application number: US12/617,646
Authority: US
Inventors: Bob Kirkeby; Stephen Ardis
Original assignee: Furniture Traditions Inc
Current assignee: Furniture Traditions Inc
Priority date: 2009-11-12
Filing date: 2009-11-12
Publication date: 2011-05-12

Abstract

A furniture product is provided comprising a power port disposed on an exterior side surface of the furniture product, for providing regulated and unregulated power for electronic devices disposed external to the furniture product. The power port comprises a variable attenuator providing a regulated power output, a regulated power output cord having a first end connected to the attenuator and a second end extending exterior to the furniture product and an electrical power receptacle provided a first unregulated power output.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to the construction of furniture products and, more particularly, to the construction of furniture products, such as a coffee table or a night table, including an exterior mounted power outlet for providing regulated and unregulated power to adjacent devices, such as a light fixture or other appliance.
Night stands, end tables, coffee tables, display tables and other furniture products have long been made in a variety of styles to accommodate various functional and aesthetic considerations. Functional considerations include matters such as size, shape, drawer functions, and display features.
More recently, furniture products such as consoles and cabinets have incorporated functional features for accommodating electronic devices, such as televisions or stereo systems. Those features commonly include interior electrical outlets for powering electronic devices disposed within the console or cabinet. Some cabinets also include mechanisms for elevating and retracting view screens, so that the cabinet may serve dual functions, i.e., as a traditional looking cabinet, and as an entertainment center. Others include one or more accent lights to highlight collectibles or other products arranged within the cabinet or console.
While such cabinets or consoles with electrical features enhance the functionality of the product, they typically function to achieve a dedicated purpose, e.g. to light the interior display areas of a cabinet, to elevate or retract a view-screen, or to provide power to televisions or stereo components within the cabinet. Such products do not provide regulated and unregulated electrical power functionality that is convenient and useful to power or regulate the operation of devices disposed outside of the cabinet or console. In particular, such products may not facilitate the powering and regulation of external components that can be used on or nearby the furniture product, such as table lamps, cell phone chargers or laptop computers. Such components require an AC power source that is convenient to the furniture product and readily accessible without moving furniture to access outlets, or extending power cords from the external component to the interior of the furniture.
The present invention is directed to providing a furniture product that incorporates a power port feature that provides a regulated output power to regulate the operation of exterior devices such as a table lamp, and an unregulated power supply for powering adjacent electrical devices such as laptop computers, cell phone chargers, vacuum cleaners, etc.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A furniture product is provided comprising a power port disposed on an exterior side surface of the furniture product, for providing regulated and unregulated power for electronic devices disposed external to the furniture product. The power port comprises a variable attenuator providing a regulated power output, a regulated power output cord having a first end connected to the attenuator and a second end extending exterior to the furniture product and an electrical power receptacle provided a first unregulated power output.
The power port also includes a power input cord having a first end connectible to an external power source and a second end extending within the furniture product and in electrical communication with the variable attenuator and the power receptacle, within the furniture product. The power port further includes a regulated power output cord having a first end connected to the attenuator and a second end extendable exterior to the furniture product, the regulated power output being variable in response to adjustment of the attenuator. The regulated power output cord preferably extends exterior to the furniture product, and is connectible to an appliance, such as a lamp, disposed exterior to the furniture product.
The power port may further comprise an unregulated power output cord, in electrical communication with the power input cord and extendable to a retractable portion of the furniture product, for providing a second unregulated source of power. The retractable portion may be implemented as a pull out tray.
The unregulated power output cord also preferably extends exterior to the furniture product and is connectible to an appliance disposed exterior to the furniture product.
The power receptacle is also connectible to an appliance disposed external to the furniture product.
In one embodiment the furniture product is implemented as a night stand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front prospective view of a night stand formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the night table;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the night table,

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the night table, with the upper pull out drawer partially extended; and

FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram of the power port feature of the night stand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a furniture product in accordance with the present invention is shown, implemented as a night stand 10. However, it is to be understood that the furniture product may be implemented as an alternate furniture product, without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention.
Night stand 10 is formed to include sidewall 11, pull out tray 13 and top surface 15. Multiple drawers may be formed in the night stand 10 as shown.
Power port 20 is disposed on the exterior of side surface 11. The power port 20 includes a variable attenuator 21 and a receptacle 23. The attenuator 21 is operative to output a variable electrical power signal to regulated output cord 33, e.g. 0-120 volts. Receptacle 23 is operative to output an unregulated electrical power signal, e.g. 120 volts. Input to the power port 20 is provided by power input cord 31.
As shown in FIG. 2, unregulated power output cord 35 may also be provided to provide an additional unregulated power output, e.g. 120 volts, for appliances that may be placed on tray 13, such as cell phone 50. The cell phone 50 may be charged by connecting the cell phone charging plug 51 to plug 36, connected to unregulated power output cord 35. (See FIG. 4).
Returning to FIG. 1, appliances such as lamp 40 may be powered by the regulated power output, or unregulated power output of the present invention.
Where plug 41 of lamp 40 is connected to receptacle 23, or unregulated power output cord 35, the lamp will receive constant power to allow for lighting consistent with the bulb used in lamp 40.
Where plug 41 of lamp 40 is connected to port 34 of regulated power output cord 33, the intensity of the lamp, when turned on, will vary in accordance with the location of variable attenuator 21.
Accordingly, the invention of the present invention allows for the powering of appliances exposed external to the furniture product in either a regulated or unregulated manner, as may be most useful. Appliances such as lights, vacuums, computers, cell phone chargers and other devices may be disposed external to the furniture product and powered by unregulated power outputs disposed on the power cord 20, or connected to the power port 20, e.g. unregulated power output cord 35.
Alternatively, appliances such as lamps may be powered by connection to the regulated power output cord 33, to facilitate control of the lamp from the variable attenuator 21, conveniently disposed on side surface 11 of the furniture product 10.
As a result, a user in a bed or chair proximate the night stand may have convenient access to electrical power and controls, including variable power controls, without having to access electrical receptacles that may be behind furniture or located remote from where user may be sitting or laying. The invention also avoids myriad of unsightly electrical cords extending to a wall receptacle or the like, which may otherwise create safety hazards, particularly when a room is dimly lit, such as at night in a dimly lit bedroom.
FIG. 5 provides an exemplary wiring diagram that may be utilized in relation to power port 20. As shown, input power is provided by power input cord 31, via plug 32. The input power is communicated to variable attenuator 21, receptacle 23 by any convenient means. As shown in the embodiment illustrated at FIG. 5, power input cord 31 is communicated to a connector box 38, which in turn is connected to variable attenuator 21 and receptacle 23 via connectors 37 and 39, respectively. Unregulated power output cord 35 is also shown as connected to connector block 38, to receive the same input power communicated via input power cord 31.
Regulated power output cord 33 is connected to and out put of variable attenuator 21. Operation of variable attenuator 21 will allow regulated power output at plug 34 to vary between units defined by the input power and the range of output power allowed by variable attenuator 21, e.g. 0-120 volts.
As will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the particular technique for implementing the wiring of power port 20 may be varied as is convenient and economical. Moreover, additional receptacles or output power cords may be provided as useful for a particular application.

Claims

1. A furniture product comprising:

a power port disposed on an exterior side surface of the furniture product for providing regulated and unregulated power for electronic devices disposed external to the furniture product, the power port comprising

a variable attenuator disposed on an external side wall of the furniture product for providing a regulated power output; and

an electrical power receptacle, disposed on the exterior side wall of the furniture product, for providing a first unregulated power output.

2. The furniture product as recited in claim 1, wherein the power port further comprises:

a power input cord having a first end connectable to an external power source and a second end extending within the furniture product and in electrical communication with the variable attenuator and the power receptacle within the furniture product; and

a regulated power output cord having a first end connected to the attenuator and a second end extendable exterior to the furniture product, the regulated power output being variable in response to adjustment of the attenuator.

3. The furniture product as recited in claim 2 wherein the power port further comprises an unregulated power output cord in electrical communication with the power input cord and extending to a retractable portion of the furniture product, for providing a second unregulated source of.

4. The furniture product as recited in claim 3 wherein the retractable surface comprises a pull out tray, extendable from the table interior.

5. The furniture product as recited in claim 4 wherein the furniture product comprises a night stand.

6. The furniture product as recited in claim 2 wherein the regulated power output cord extends exterior to the furniture product.

7. The furniture product recited in claim 6 wherein the regulated power output cord is connectable to an appliance disposed exterior to the furniture product.

8. The furniture product as recited in claim 3 wherein the unregulated power output cord extends exterior to the furniture product.

9. The furniture product as recited in claim 8 where in the unregulated power output cord is connectible to an appliance disposed exterior to the furniture product.

10. The furniture product as recited in claim 2 wherein the power receptacle is connectable to an applicant disposed external to the furniture product.