Abstract: A receptacle for coupling electrical equipment and communications equipment to electrical and communications transmission lines is retractably mounted in an opening in a furniture unit, and in particular, the top surface of an office conference table. The receptacle is vertically displaceable so that it is elevated above the top surface of the furniture unit in which it is mounted to provide access for coupling electrical equipment such as lap top computers, or communications equipment such as telephones and fax machines, which are supported on the top surface of the furniture unit. When the equipment is coupled to the elevated receptacle unit, the unit is then displaced downwardly into the furniture such that the top surface of the receptacle unit is planar with the top surface of the furniture unit in its fully retracted position.

Abstract: A box for electrical and communication receptacles is mounted in an opening in a furniture unit, and in particular, the top surface of an office conference table. The box has an opened top, and a cover is pivotably mounted to the opened top and movable between an opened position for providing access to the electrical and communications receptacles within the box, and a closed position in which access to within the box is restricted. The electrical receptacles within the box are coupled to an external source of electrical power by an electrical cord, and the communication receptacles within the box are coupled to external communication lines. The box is electrically grounded by the electrical cord coupling the box to the external source of electrical power. A wire is coupled between a surface of the grounded box and the pivotable cover to be in permanent engagement with the pivotable cover for providing continuous electrical grounding of the cover.

Abstract: A modular electrical power block assembly includes four ports for receiving up to four individual circuit modules to simultaneously provide up to four separate electrical circuits. The four electrical circuits are formed from eight separate conductors arranged such that each electrical circuit has a separate live conductor, two of the electrical circuits have a first common neutral and a first common ground conductor, and two of the electrical circuits have a second common neutral and a second common ground conductor. The individual circuit modules are selectively removable and insertable into the four ports to complete one or more of the four electrical circuits, at the selection of the user.

Abstract: An electrical receptacle unit is formed from a housing having a top section, a bottom section, and a recessed portion separating the top and bottom sections. The top section includes receptacles for removably receiving electrical plugs and other communication lines and cords. The housing is connectable to sources of electrical line power and existing communication lines for activating the receptacles in the upper section of the housing. The recessed portion of the housing receives the edge of a supporting structure, as for example, a table top, for removably mounting the housing to the supporting structure.

Abstract: An electrical receptacle unit is formed from a housing having a top section, a bottom section, and a recessed portion separating the top and bottom sections. The top section includes receptacles for removably receiving electrical plugs and other communication lines and cords. The housing is connectable to sources of electrical line power and existing communication lines for activating the receptacles in the upper section of the housing. The recessed portion of the housing receives the edge of a supporting structure, as for example, a table top, for removably mounting the housing to the supporting structure.

Abstract: An electrical receptable unit includes a mounting element extending from a housing for removably mounting the unit to a working surface, as for example, a desktop. A tensioning adjustment element associated with the mounting element removably secures the housing to the working surface to provide access to a plurality of electrical receptacles, each of which is electrically connected to line power. The unit includes a surge suppressor within the housing and disposed between the line power entering the housing and the electrical receptacles provided within the housing. The unit may also include an isolated compartment for accommodating lines connected to sensitive equipment, such as computers, for isolating these lines from electrical interference generated in other portions of the housing.

Abstract: A modular electrical power block assembly has sixteen separate electrical conductors divided equally into two separate halves of the total assembly. The two half sections are electrically isolated from each other in a single housing. Each half of the assembly contains three live electrical conductors, three neutral electrical conductors, and two ground electrical conductors for forming three different electrical circuits. The input end of each half section of the power block is separately electrically coupled to a different electrical power feed for energizing the live electrical conductors in each half section of the power block to provide a total of six separate electrical circuits for the entire power block.

Abstract: The present invention provides a modular electrical power block assembly including a plurality of ports for receiving individual modular circuits. The power block assembly includes seven separate electrical conductors, three of which are hot, two of which are neutral and two of which are ground, for providing three separate and independent circuits. The hot wire of one of the circuits is advantageously separated from the hot wires of the remaining two circuits by two grounds and two neutrals and one circuit may be shielded to prevent penetration of electro-magnetic interference from the other circuits. Individual circuit modules are adapted to be received within individual ports of the power block for selectively completing one or more of the three independent circuits provided by the power block assembly. The contacts extending from the individual circuit modules are arranged to engage only preselected wires within the power block assembly for completing a predetermined circuit.

Abstract: A lighting fixture which may be installed under a shelf or cabinet positioned above a working area or positioned above any area in which illumination is sought. The lighting fixture is capable of easily and effectively directing the light to specific locations within the working area. A florescent tube is disposed along the length of the fixture. It has a reflector located above it. Below the florescent tube there is an elongated perforated metal panel covering approximately one-third of the light opening below the tube. The panel may be moved transverse to the length of the tube along the opening to direct the light from the tube. The panel is preferably formed of one fixed and one identical overlapping, movable, perforated metal panel. The movable panel may be moved parallel to the length of the tube to control the amount of light passing through the panels. The fixture is provided with cord storage in the middle of the back of the fixture. The ballast is mounted via a closed cell foam pad.

Abstract: A blank for constructing a crush-tolerant container includes a first side panel, a bottom panel, a second side panel, and a top panel coupled together in series. At least one cutout and at least one bridge portion are defined along a first fold line between the top panel and the first side panel. The at least one bridge portion and the at least one cutout are configured to maintain the top panel in a plane spaced above a top edge of the first side panel when the container is formed and the top panel is not under a stacking load, and to allow the top panel to move downwardly such that at least a portion of the top panel is substantially co-planar with the top edge of the first side panel when the container is formed and the top panel is under the stacking load.