Electrical connectors – Including arc suppressing or extinguishing means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-01
2001-01-23
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Including arc suppressing or extinguishing means
C361S042000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176717
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to providing safety protection for electrical extension cords and namely to an electrical extension cord having immersion detection circuit interrupter (IDCI) safety protection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One known electrical extension cord provides safety protection in the form of a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). The cord is surrounded by a shield layer which monitors any leakage and operates the GFCI in response to predetermined leakage levels.
However, no extension cords are known which employ safety protection in the form of an IDCI.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention provides safety protection for an electrical extension cord in the form of an IDCI. Electrical extension cords are commonly used throughout a home and in the grounds of such home for a variety of purposes. Some of these purposes involve using the extension cord in wet surroundings, such as the garden, the bath, the basement and similar places. Also the extension cord is often left out in the rain. The use of a wet extension cord could cause significant injury to the user and/or damage to equipment and property. An extension cord constructed in accordance with the instant invention can prevent such matters by opening the phase and neutral conductors of the extension cord at the plug end in the event moisture is detected at the receptacle end of the extension cord.
The electrical extension cord uses a four conductor electrical cable, consisting of individually insulated conductors all surrounded by an insulating jacket. One conductor is the phase conductor, one conductor is the neutral conductor, one is the ground conductor and the fourth is the sense conductor. A plug housing has three blades, one each for the phase, neutral and ground conductors. The plug housing further comprises electrical switches in said phase and neutral conductors which can be used to open the phase and neutral lines and prevent the passage of current through the extension cord. An operating device coupled to the electrical switches controls their positions in response to a signal provided by a pair of contacts at the receptacle end via the sense conductor. The pair of contacts are placed in a recess in the face of the receptacle and can be bridged by a conducting media such as water to provide the signal. It is an object of this invention to provide an electrical extension cord with IDCI safety protection.
It is an object of this invention to provide an electrical extension cord that can sense moisture and open the conductors of such cord.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an electrical extension cord that can sense moisture at its receptacle end and cause the phase and neutral conductors of the cord to be opened at its plug end.
Other objects and features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention, and the best mode, which is presently contemplated for carrying them out.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3426342 (1969-02-01), De Langis
patent: 3659152 (1972-04-01), De Langis
patent: 4709293 (1987-11-01), Gershen et al.
patent: 4712154 (1987-12-01), Madsen
patent: 4751603 (1988-06-01), Kwan
patent: 4797772 (1989-01-01), Kaplanis
patent: 4851951 (1989-07-01), Foster, Jr.
patent: 5102345 (1992-04-01), Stanwick et al.
Campolo Steve
Gershen Bernard
Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Prasad Chandrika
Sircus Brian
Sutton Paul J.
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