The PowerCube is a multiple
electrical socket adaptor manufactured by the Allocacoc Corporation in Shanghai, China. Unlike a conventional
power strip, the device is arranged like a cube, which can solve the problem of multiple
AC adapter
An AC adapter or AC/DC adapter is a type of external power supply, often enclosed in a case similar to an AC plug. Other common names include wall wart, power brick, wall charger, and power adapter. Adapters for battery-powered equipment may ...
s fighting for space.
History
The PowerCube was created by two graduates of industrial design engineering at the
Delft University of Technology (TU) in the Netherlands. They noticed that people had problems using conventional multi-socket adaptors and started a company,
Allocacoc in 2011, to produce an alternative.
Features
The PowerCube is a cubic shaped power socket equipped with multiple sockets. This allows differently shaped
AC adapter
An AC adapter or AC/DC adapter is a type of external power supply, often enclosed in a case similar to an AC plug. Other common names include wall wart, power brick, wall charger, and power adapter. Adapters for battery-powered equipment may ...
s to be plugged in next to each other, which is not necessarily possible on a conventional powerboard due to shape and geometry.
[ A typical scenario may be a ]laptop
A laptop, laptop computer, or notebook computer is a small, portable personal computer (PC) with a screen and alphanumeric keyboard. Laptops typically have a clam shell form factor with the screen mounted on the inside of the upper li ...
, a tablet computer and multiple smartphones charging simultaneously. The device is available in several different modules, including an optional extension cord and USB outlet, and catering for the target country's appropriate power supply.
Several magazines criticised the PowerCube for its lack of a suitable surge protection
A 'surge protector'' (or spike suppressor, surge suppressor, surge diverter, surge protection device (SPD) or transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS) is an appliance or device intended to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes in alt ...
, noting that the device has been manufactured solely for convenience.
Awards
The PowerCube has won several awards:
* The PowerExtension was in the MKB Innovation top 100 at the fifth place in 2014
* Red Dot Design Award 2014
External links
*
Ukraine shop
Danish shop
References
{{reflist
Electrical connectors
Chinese inventions