Electrical connectors – With magnet
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-02-06
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With magnet
C438S039000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06183264
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety electrical receptacle for installation into a standard electrical outlet box, in particular, a safety electrical receptacle utilizing a magnetic switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
Child safety is an ever-present concern to families and the public at large. Electrical outlets in the home as well as any environment to which children and any adult who may be mentally impaired are likely to encounter present a serious danger. Items that are electrically conductive, such as pins, scissors, needles or other pointed objects, have been inserted into ‘live’ electrical wall outlets causing serious if not fatal electrocution. This danger from electrocution is especially great in countries or in places where 220 volts is being used. In other instances, in both commercial and industrial settings, improper maintenance or care of electrical outlets have caused electrocution.
In response to this problem, numerous attempts have been made to prevent such occurrences. Devices have been made to obstruct the electrical connection ports so that foreign objects cannot be inserted. However, in order to make the outlet receptacle useful, such devices must be reasonably easy to remove or the outlet receptacle cannot be used. Therefore, the safety provided by this type of device is limited to very young children or others who cannot remove the device from the outlet connection port.
However, either through repeated use or time, the devices either fail to operate properly or can be easily removed by hand and, therefore, are not absolutely “childproof” even for very young children or substantially impaired adults.
Other more complex attempts have been made to deactivate the outlet receptacle if it is not being properly used. Many of these devices use various configurations of a magnetic switch in order to deactivate the outlet receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,657, issued to Chaillot on Dec. 30, 1980, discloses two matched pairs of a magnet and a ferro-magnetic material member that is attracted by a magnet but retains little magnetism once the magnet is removed such a soft iron. One pair is used to bias the device in an inactive state so that the electrical connection ports are not alive. A second pair having a magnet substantially stronger than the magnet in the first pair is used to activate the outlet receptacle when a plug is inserted therein. The permanent magnet is attached to the plug and the attractable material is attached to outlet receptacle. This arrangement is expensive to produce and requires that the magnets be precisely calibrated in order for the device to function.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,969, issued to Riegler et al. On Mar. 2, 1982, discloses an electrical line connector. This design also features two magnets. A biasing spring is used to hold the distributor part in an inactive state. A permanent magnet affixed to the collector port attracts a holding magnet which causes the distributor part to become active. A contact plate is disposed between the two magnets. This device is also expensive to produce and cannot be used as a replacement for standard outlet receptacles and standard plugs.
Still another variation is disclosed by Kersman in U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,160, issued on Feb. 25, 1975. This design features a flexible member having a contact adjacent to each end with the flexible member being connected to a magnet or ferro-magnetic material nearer to one end of the flexible member than to the other end. The flexible member is biased so that it is bent such that the two contacts do not activate the outlet receptacle. A corresponding permanent magnet in the plug causes the flexible member to activate the outlet receptacle once the plug is inserted into the outlet receptacle. The device is dependent on the critically adjusting the ease of flexing the flexible member in comparison with the magnetic force provided by the magnet.
The above described devices do not meet the requirement of a simple to build, magnetically operated switch within a plug/outlet receptacle that can be used within any standard sized outlet box or with any electrical system configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aspect of the invention to provide a safety receptacle that prevents a child or an impaired adult from receiving a shock by placing a foreign object into one or more of the electrical connection ports of an outlet receptacle.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a safety receptacle that is simple and inexpensive to make and can be easily installed in any household or commercial setting and used with standard outlet boxes.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a safety receptacle that is only electrically active when a specially adapted companion plug is inserted into the outlet receptacle.
Still another aspect of the invention is to provide a safety receptacle that requires only a single matched pair of magnets or a single matched pair of a magnet and a ferro-magnetic material member.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide a safety receptacle that has a spring biased piston that activates or deactivates the safety receptacle.
Still another aspect of the invention is to provide a safety receptacle that can be used with all currently used voltage, amperages, and cycles combinations.
Finally, it is another aspect of the invention to provide a safety receptacle that provides a visual indicator that indicates if the safety receptacle is not functioning safely.
The invention is a safety apparatus for selectively placing an electric outlet either in an active or an inactive position. An outlet receptacle is provided that has at least two electrical connection ports. At least two electrical feeds are also provided. Each one of the electrical connection ports corresponds to one of the electrical feeds. At least one of the feeds being designated as “hot”, that is, electric current will flow if the feed is connected to a ground. The feeds connect the outlet receptacle to an electrical system such as the 110-volt, 60 cycle AC which is typically used in United States residences. A slideable piston is mounted within the outlet receptacle. The piston has a contact end and an activation end. At least one contact is attached to the contact end of the slideable piston and is in electrical communication with hot feed. A compression spring is positioned around said slideable piston and is used for biasing said piston. An outlet plug is provided that has a mounting surface. The outlet plug also has at least two electrical pins protruding substantially perpendicular from the mounting surface. The electrical pins correspond to the electrical connection ports of the outlet receptacle. The electrical pins of the outlet plug and the corresponding electrical connection ports of the outlet receptacle are aligned so that the outlet plug can be inserted into the outlet receptacle. A magnet member is provided. A matching member made from a ferro-magnetic material capable of being attracted by the magnet is also provided. The magnet and its corresponding matching member define a single matched pair. One member of the matched pair is mounted on the mounting surface of the outlet plug. The other member of the matched pair is mounted on the activation end of the slideable piston. The magnet and its matching member are aligned such that when said outlet plug is inserted into said outlet receptacle, the matched pair is immediately adjacent to one another. If the outlet plug is out of the outlet receptacle, the spring biases the slideable piston causing the at least one contact to be disengaged from its corresponding electrical connection port. This places the outlet receptacle in the inactive state. This results in at least the hot feed of the outlet receptacle to be isolated from the corresponding electrical connection port. In this manner, the outlet receptacle is unable to transmit an electrical current. When the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the matched pair are attracted toward one another resulting in
Bradley Paula
Gilman Alexander
Ritchie William B.
LandOfFree
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