GB2390491A

GB2390491A - Sealed Shuttered socket outlet

Info

Publication number: GB2390491A
Application number: GB0215455A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chao-Chi Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-07-04
Filing date: 2002-07-04
Publication date: 2004-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2022-07-04
Also published as: GB2390491B; GB0215455D0

Abstract

A dust-sealed shuttered socket outlet has a rotary shutter which forms a dust seal. A set of holes in the shutter are biassed to be misaligned with corresponding set of holes in the socket for receiving plug pins. Pins of a mating plug engage the set of holes in the shutter and rotate the shutter against the bias to align the sets of holes and allow the plug to mate. The rotation may be limited by a peg and acuate slot and the shutter may be biassed by a spring. Alternatively, two opposed sets of peg and arcuate slot may be provided. Plural outlets may be provided with a trailing lead.

Description

1 2390491

DUSTPROOF ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electrical receptacle, more specifically to an electrical receptacle protected from dust in the air by a dustproof device.

2. Description of Related Art

Electrical receptacles, sockets, power outlets, etc. exposed to the environment are often the cause of fires in houses and factories. Fires start in these devices when a hot lead shorts inside the device.

The accumulation of airborne dust and grime between conductive elements in an electrical receptacle when electrical receptacle is not in use forms a conductive path with a hot element in the receptacle, which shorts the receptacle. Therefore a conventional electrical receptacle that has not been otherwise protected fiom airborne contaminants is not safe.

Therefore, the present invention provides a dustproof electrical receptacle that can protect the hot elements of a receptacle from dust and contaminants in the air to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a dustproof electrical receptacle to protect internal components of He receptacle from dust and contaminants in the air. Therefore, the electrical receptacle is safer.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with

the accompanying drawings.

THIS DRA.WINGS

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a dustproof electrical receptacle in accordance with the present invention;

Figs. 2 A and B are operational front plan views of the dustproof electrical receptacle in Fig 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a dustproof electrical receptacle in accordance with the present invention in a power strip; Fig. 4 is an enlarged operational front plan view of the dustproof electrical receptacle in Fig 3; Fig. S is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a dustproof electrical receptacle in accordance with the present invention; and Figs. 6A and B are operational front views of the dustproof electrical receptacle in Fig 5.

With reference to Fig. 1, a first embodiment of a dustproof electrical receptacle comprises a body, a dust cover (40), a spring (50) attached to the dust cover (40), a limiting means to limit the dust cover (40) and a decorative plate (30).

The body is comprised of a housing (10) and a cover (20). Three electrical contacts (not shown) are mounted in the housing (10). The cover (20) attached to the housing (10) is essentially rectangular with a rectangular tab (not numbered) extending from one side and has a top and a bottom. Three prong slots (21, 22, 23) are defined through the cover (20), and a circular recess (25) is defined in the top of the cover (20).

The three prong slots (21. 22, 23) correspond to the electrical contacts in the housing (10). The limiting means to limit the dust cover (40) comprises an arced slot (24) and a shaft (441). In this embodiment, the arced slot (24) is formed in the rectangular tab concentric with the recess (25). The shaft (411) is moveably mounted in the arced slot (24). The decorative plate (30) has a bottom face (not numbered), a rod (32) and an opening (31). The rod (32) is connected to one end of the spring (SO) and is formed integrally with and extends from the bottom face of the decorative plate (30). The

opening (31) is defined through the decorative plate (30).

The dust cover (40) is rotatably mounted in the recess (25) in the cover (20) and the opening (31) in the decorative plate (30). The dust cover (40) has a front, a back, a circular base (41) and a raised face (42) formed integrally on the base (41). The base (41) is mounted in the recess (25) in the cover (20) such that the rod (32) is mounted in the arced slot (24), and the raised face (42) is held in the opening (31) in the decorative plate (30) so that the dust cover (40) can rotate between the cover (20) and the decorative plate (30). Three prong hoses (421, 422, 423) are defined through the raised face (42) and the base (41) and correspond to the prong slots (21, 22, 23) in the cover (20) The limiting means to limit the rotation of the dust cover (40) and to attach the spring (50) comprises a shaft (411) formed on and extending perpendicular from the back of the of the dust cover (40) to correspond to the arced slot (24) when me dust cover (40) is mounted in the recess (25). The spring (50) has two ends (not s numbered). One end is connected to the rod (32) extending from the decorative plate (30), and the other end is connected to the shaft (411) extending from the dust cover Id (4o). With reference to Fig. 2A, the spring (50) holds the shaft (411) on the dust cover (40) close to the rod (32) on the decorative plate (30) when the dustproof electrical receptacle is not in use so that the dust cover (40) completely covers the three prong slots (21, 22, 23) in the cover (20). With reference to Fig. 2B, the dust cover (40) is rotated such that the shaft (411) moves along the arced slot (24) until the prong through holes (421, 422, 423) align with the corresponding prong slots (21, 22, 23) so the prongs on a plug (not shown) can be inserted into the dustproof electrical receptacle. With reference to Fig. 2A, the spring (50) automatically rotates the dust cover (40) to its original position when the plug is removed so the dust cover (40)

closes the prong slots (21, 22, 23) in the cover (20).

With reference to Figs.3 and 4, another embodiment of dustproof electrical receptacles in accordance with Me present invention is used with a powa strip (not numbered) that has multiple electrical receptacles (not numbered). The power strip has a housing (10), a cover (20), multiple sets of electrical contacts (not numbered) and a wire (not numbered). The sets of electrical contacts are mounted in the housing (10) , and the wire connects to the sets of electrical contacts.

Each dustproof electrical receptacle is fundamentally the same as the embodiment previously described and the operation is the same. Consequently, only the di inferences in the embodiment will be described. The cover (20) has a top and a bottom and covers all We sets of electrical contacts rather than a single set of contacts.

An elongated recess (25) is formed in the top of the cover (20) over all the electrical contacts. A set of prong slots (21, 22, 23) are formed in the recess to correspond to each set of electrical contacts. The limiting means to limit the rotation of the dust covers (40) comprise shafts (411) and arced slots (24). An arced slot (24) is formed in the recess (25) to correspond to each set of electrical contacts. A shaft (411) is formed on the bottom of the dust cover (40) to correspond to each arced slot (24) and to connect to one end of the spring (SO). Rods (32a) are formed on the bottom of the cover (20) to correspond to each set of electrical receptacles and to connect to the other end of the spring (50). One end of the spring (50) connects to the rod (32a), and We other end connects to the shaft (411) that extends down from the bottom of the dust cover (40) through the arced slot (24). The decorative plates (30) are sized to be mounted securely in the recess (25) in the cover (20) and hold the dust covers (40) in place. With reference Fig. 4, the operation of this embodiment of the dustproof electrical receptacle is exactly the same as the previously described embodiment so no

s further description of the operation is provided.

With reference to Fig. S. another embodiment of the dustproof electrical receptacle in accordance with the present invention is adapted for use with a wall socket. In this embodiment, the dust cover (40a) is rotatably mounted on the decorative plate (30a). Two wings (43) are formed on and extend radially from the base (41) of the dust cover (40a). The limiting means to limit the rotation of the dust cover (40) comprises two arced limit slots (431) and two limit shafts (34). An arced limit slot (431) is formed in each wing (43). A limit shaft (34) corresponding to each arced limit slot (431) is formed on the back of the decorative cover (30a). The moveable shaft (412) is formed on the back of the dust cover (40a) to connect to one end of the spring (50). The rod (32) is formed on the back of the decorative plate (30a) to attach to the other end of the spring (50). Two hooks (33) are formed near the opening (31) of the decorative plate (30a) to hook edges of the base (41) and hold the raised face of the base (41) in the opening (31) of the decorative plate (30a). Win reference to Fig. 6A and B. the operation of this embodiment of Me dustproof electrical receptacle is the same as the previous embodiments and is not included here.

As described, all the embodiments of the dus;tproof electrical receptacle in accordance with the present invention protect the inside of the electrical receptacle from dust and other solid contaminants in the air. Therefore all the embodiments are safer than conventional electrical receptacles without a dustproof device.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,

together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is

illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent

indicated by Me broad general meaning of the teens in which Me appended claims are expressed.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A dustproof electrical receptacle, comprising a body having a housing (lo); a cover (20) attached to the housing ( 10) and having three prong slots(2 l, 22, 23); and a decorative plate (30) attached to the body and having an opening (31); a dust cover (40) rotatably mounted between the cover (20) and the decorative plate (30), wherein three through prong holes (421, 422, 423) are defined in the dust cover (40) and correspond to the three prong slots (21, 22, 23) in the cover (20); and a spring (50) connected to the dust cover (40) to provide a recoil force to the dust cover (40) to close through prong holes (421, 422, 423).

2. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim l, wherein further comprises a limiting means between the dust cover (40) and the body to limit the rotation of the dust cover (40).

3. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the dust cover (40) comprises a base (41) and a raised face (42) formed integrally on the base (41), wherein the raised face (42)is held in the opening (3 l) of the decorative plate (Jo).

4. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim 3, wherein a recess (25) is defined in the cover (20) to hold the base (41) of the dust cover (40).

5. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the limiting means comprises: an arced slot (24) defined in the cover (20); and a shaft (411) corresponding to the arced slot (24) and formed integrally on the

dust cover (40) to move in the arced slot (24).

6. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim S. wherein the decorative plate (30) has a rod (32) connected to one end of the spring (50), wherein the other end of the spring (50) is connected to the shaft (411).

7. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cover (20) of the body has a rod (32a) connected to one end of the spring (50), wherein the other end of the spring (50) is connected to the shaft (411).

8. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the limiting means comprises: at least two wings (43) integrally extending out radially from an edge of the base (41), wherein an arced slot (431) is defined in each wing (43); and at least one shaft (34) corresponding to each arced slot (431) and formed integrally on the back of the decorative plate (30a) to move along the corresponding the arced slot (431).

9. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim 8, wherein a rod (32) is formed on the back of the decorative plate (30a) and a moveable shaft (412) formed on the back of Me dust cover (40a), wherein one end of the spring (50) connects to the rod (32) and the other end connects to Me moveable shaft (412).

10. The dustproof electrical receptacle as claimed in claim 9, wherein two hooks (33) extends down from the decorative plate (30a) on opposite sides of Me opening (31) to hold the dust cover (40a) in the opening (31) in the decorative plate (30a).