Modular Power Strip Concept: Volt-tron
November 8th, 2011
We’ve seen a variety of takes on the power strip that address not only the need for more outlets but the awkward fit of different plugs and adapters. Designer Chih-Yao Chen’s solution is simple: break the power strip apart so that you can re-arrange the parts as needed.
As expected, each module can work independent of the others. A power strip with only one outlet may sound like a joke, but as you’ll see in the second picture in the gallery below it’ll still come in handy in some instances. But again, the important thing is that you can rearrange the bricks and that they come in different sizes, making it easy to fit all kinds of plugs.
I’m sure that this concept still has its limits though. There has to be a limit to the number of devices that can be strung together in one mega power strip. And as commenters at Yanko Design have pointed out, if you insert even one plug that had no ground prong, it would negate the point of the ground prongs on the other plugs.
I wonder if this concept really is feasible, and if so, if it could be taken to the extreme: skip the bricks and convert plugs and adapters themselves into modular power strips.
[via Yanko Design]
Back in the ’80s, there were standard PC power cables whose business end was molded like the first concept photo above. The cord was at a 90-degree angle, and the plug had a daisy-chaining outlet on the backside. This was probably to allow a PC and monitor to get power from a single outlet. I’m sure someone’s still selling that design today.
I’ve also seen a similar set up but with an air conditioner. The AC’s plug had an extra outlet where you’re supposed to plug in an electric fan. If you use the timer on the AC, the electric fan will automatically turn on as soon as the AC turns off.
Such products will never be produced as it gets very fast dangerous because of the electrical load. There is a reason why you should not connect several power strips together.