Programmable Power Distribution Box for Alternating Load Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the water damage restoration industry, existing power distribution solutions often require accessing external power sources, leading to safety risks, privacy concerns, and electrical overload issues, as they cannot efficiently power all necessary equipment within a room without exceeding available power limits.
Innovation Solution
A power distribution box with continuous-powered receptacles and alternating power receptacles, featuring a programmable power switching module that alternates the energized and de-energized states of the alternating receptacles, allowing continuous power to essential devices like dehumidifiers while cycling power to air movers, thus optimizing power usage without overloading the internal electrical supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If extension cords are used to connect to external power sources, then power availability is improved, but safety risks and privacy concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power distribution function from external sources and relocates it within the room through a power distribution box. The system includes multiple receptacles (continuous-powered and power-alternating) that are internally managed, eliminating the need for extension cords and external power connections while maintaining adequate power supply to all equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The power distribution box acts as an intermediary device between the room's internal power source and multiple pieces of equipment. It manages power allocation through continuous-powered receptacles for essential equipment and power-alternating receptacles for other equipment, providing safe internal power distribution without external connections.
2Productivity
If all equipment is powered simultaneously, then operational effectiveness is improved, but electrical overload occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power distribution system into two distinct types of receptacles: continuous-powered receptacles for equipment requiring constant operation (e.g., dehumidifiers) and power-alternating receptacles for equipment that can operate intermittently (e.g., air movers). This segmentation allows the system to maintain operational effectiveness by keeping essential equipment running while cycling other equipment to prevent electrical overload.
Solution Approach 2:
The power-alternating receptacles implement periodic action by cycling power to connected equipment on and off at predetermined intervals. This allows the system to distribute power over time to multiple devices without exceeding the available power capacity, preventing electrical overload while still providing operational effectiveness through rotational operation of equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A power distribution box is disclosed. The power distribution box includes one or more continuous-powered receptacles and a plurality of power-alternating receptacles. The continuous-powered receptacle is in a constant energized state during operation of the power distribution box. At least one of the plurality of power-alternating receptacles is in a de-energized state during operation of the power distribution box at any instance while at least one of the plurality of power-alternating receptacles is in an energized state at any instance. The power distribution box disclosed herein allows for electronic devices that should remain constantly on to be electrically coupled to the one or more continuous-powered receptacles, and for electronic devices that don't require constant power to be electrically coupled to the plurality of power-alternating receptacles in order to control power consumption and prevent electrical overload.