SAFETY ELECTRICAL OUTLET

PRISE ELECTRIQUE SECURITAIRE

English Abstract

A safety electrical outlet for receiving metallic prongs of an electrical
plug. The
outlet has a housing with at least two plug passages being sized for receiving
the metallic prongs of the electrical plug, and two metallic connectors
mounted
on the housing for connection to an electrical power source. At least two
transverse channels communicate with the corresponding plug passages and
extend toward the corresponding metallic connectors with at least two spring-
biased members being inserted in each corresponding transverse channel
and being movable between an extended position where the spring-biased
member partially extends within the corresponding plug passage and a
retracted position where the corresponding metallic prong that is inserted
inside the passage pushes against the spring-biased member so that it
touches the corresponding metallic connector for establishing an electrical
contact between the metallic prong and the corresponding metallic connector.

Claims

6
CLAIMS:
1. A safety electrical outlet for receiving metallic prongs of an electrical
plug, comprising:
a housing having at least two plug passages being sized for receiving
the metallic prongs of the electrical plug;
at least two metallic connectors mounted on the housing for connection
to an electrical power source;
at least two transverse channels, each channel having an opening
communicating with the corresponding plug passage and extending toward
the corresponding metallic connector; and
at least two spring-biased members having a top end and a bottom
end, each spring-biased member being inserted in each corresponding
transverse channel and being movable between an extended position where
the first end of the spring-biased member partially extends within the
corresponding plug passage and the second end is spaced apart from the
metallic connector and a retracted position where the corresponding metallic
prong that is inserted inside the passage pushes against the top end of the
spring-biased member so that the second end of the spring-biased member
touches the corresponding metallic connector for establishing an electrical
contact between the metallic prong and the corresponding metallic connector.
2. The safety electrical outlet according to claim 1, wherein each
channel has a first and second abutment portions spaced apart from each
other for receiving each spring-biased member and wherein each spring-
biased member comprises:
a metal ball for abutting against the first abutment potion of the
channel;
a hollow rod having first and second openings and inner and outer
abutment portions, the metal ball abutting against the first opening of the
hollow rod;

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a metal pin inserted inside the rod, the pin having an enlarged head
portion for abutting against the inner abutment of the rod and a tip portion
sized to extend through the second opening of the rod;
an inner spring inserted inside the hollow rod, the inner spring having a
first end for contacting the ball and a second end for contacting the head
portion of the pin; and
an outer spring coiled around the rod, the outer spring having a first
end for abutting against the outer abutment portion of the rod and a second
end for abutting against the second abutment portion of the channel.
3. The safety electrical outlet according to claim 1, wherein each
transverse channel extends perpendicularly with respect to the corresponding
plug passage and is located on a rear part thereof.
4. The safety electrical outlet according to claim 1, wherein the housing
has a front face and a back face, and wherein the outlet comprises a cover
connected to the front face of the housing and the metallic connectors are
located on the back face of the housing.
5. The safety electrical outlet according to claim 1, wherein the electric
power source comprises a connector circuit having at least two passages for
receiving the metallic connectors.
6. The safety electrical outlet according to claim 1, comprising four plug
passages, four corresponding transverse channels and four spring-biased
members.

Description

CA 02434615 2003-07-08
1
SAFET'~ ELECTRICAL OUTLET
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a safety electrical outlet, and more
particularly to a safety electrical outlet that can prevent children from
becoming shocked or electrocuted by inserting metallic objects vrherein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is a well known fact that children have become shocked by inserting
metallic objects, such as nails, utensils, small pliers or the like, into
electrical
outlets, particularly those that are located near the 'floor. This potential
danger
has been taken care of in different forms. One solution is to insert a plastic
cover with two plastic prongs into the outlet, thereby preventing a child from
touching or inserting objects into the openings of the outlet. Flowever, when
an adult uses the outlet, he or she has to remove the plastic cover, which is
generally cumbersome, and remember to plug it back in. Furthermore, it is
still
possible that older children may be able to remove the plastic plug and insert
objects into the outlet.
Known in the art, there are the following L!S patent reos. 2,770,786
{CHELTON); 2,898,413 (GALLAGHER); 4,072,382 (RESCH~;E); 5,113,045
{CROFTON); 6,183,264 {HARSANYI); and 6,111,210 (ALL.ISON), which
disclose different safety outlets. However, such devices typically use several
components and are therefore expensive or complicated to manufacture.
There is therefore a need for a safety electrical outlet that would be
simple and relatively inexpensive to manufacture compared to the safety
outlets known in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a safety electrical outlet that can
satisfy the above mentioned need and Thus that is relatively simple and
inexpensive to manufacture.

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According to the present invention, there is provided a ~~afety electrical
outlet for receiving metallic prongs of an electrical plug, compri~;ing:
a housing having at least two plug passages being sized for receiving
the metallic prongs of the electrical plug;
at least two metallic connectors mounted on the housing for connection
to an electrical power source;
at least two transverse channels, each channel having an opening
communicating with the corresponding plug passage and exi:ending toward
the corresponding metallic connector; and
at least two spring-biased members having a top end and a bottom
end, each spring-biased member being inserted in each corresponding
transverse channel and being movable between an extended position where
the first end of the spring-biased member partially extends within the
corresponding plug passage and the second end is spaced apart from the
metallic connector and a retracted position where the corresponding metallic
prong that is inserted inside the passage pushes against the top end of the
spring-biased member so that the second end of fhe spring-biased member
touches the corresponding metallic connector for establishing an electrical
contact between the metallic prong and the corresponding metallic connector.
The invention, its use and its advantages will be betl:er understood
upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of preferred
embodiments thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which like numbers refer to like elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective partially exploded view of a safety electrical
outlet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a section view of the safety electrical outlet shown in Figure
1, taken along lines II-II of Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a partial cross section view of the safety e~lectricaf outlet
shown in Figure 2 along lines ill-III, with internal elements being shown in a
first position.

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Figure 4 is a partial cross section view of the safety electrical outlet
shown in Figure 2 along lines III-ill, with internal elements being shown in a
second position.
Figure 5 is top view of an connector circuit according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention for connecting the safety electrical
outlet
shown in Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, there is shown a safety electrical outlet 1
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for receiving the
metallic prongs 3 of an electrical plug, as shown with dotted lines in Figure
4.
The outlet 1 includes a housing 5 with at least two plug passages 7 that are
sized for receiving the metallic prongs 3 of the electrical plug. ,As best
shown
in Figure 2, the outlet 1 includes at least two metallic connectors 9 mounted
on the housing 5 for connection to an electrical power source. The outlet 1
also includes at least two transverse channels 11 ~ Each channel 11 has an
opening 12 communicating with the corresponding plug passage 7 and
extends toward the corresponding metallic connector 9. Furthermore, the
outlet 1 includes at least two spring-biased members 13 having a top end 15
and a bottom end 17, which are shown in Figure 1. Each spring-biased
member 13 is inserted in each corresponding transverse channel 11 and is
movable between an extended position where the first end 15 of the spring-
biased member 13 partially extends within the corresponding plug passage 7
and the Second end 17 is spaced apart from the metallic connector 9, as
shown for example in Figure 3, and a retracted position where the
corresponding metallic prong 3 that is inserted inside the passage 7 pushes
against the top end 75 of the spring-biased member 13 so that the second
end 17 of the spring-biased member 13 touches the corresponding metallic
connector 9 for establishing an electrical contact between the metallic prong
3
and the corresponding metallic connector 9, as shown for exarnple in Figure
4.

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The channels 11 are preferably located toward the back of the plug
passage so that the plug is energized only when the plug is fully inserted
into
the outlet. Preferably, each channel 11 extends perpendicularly with respect
to the corresponding plug passage 7.
Preferably, each channel 11 has first and second abutment portions 19,
21 spaced apart from each other for receiving each spring-biased member 13,
as shown for example in Figure 4. Each spring-biased member 13 may
include a metal ball 23 for abutting against the first abutment potion 19 of
the
channel 11. The metal ball 23 comes into contact with the metallic prong 3
when it is inserted in the plug passage 7, as shown in Figure 4. The spring-
biased member 13 also has a hollow rod 25 with first and se~;,ond openings
27, 29, and inner and outer abutment portions 31,33, which are best shown in
Figure 1. The metal ball 23 abuts against the first opening 27 of the hollow
rod
25. A metal pin 35 is inserted inside the rod 25, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
The pin 35 has an enlarged head portion 37 for abutting against the inner
abutment 31 of the rod 25 and a tip portion 39 sized to extend through the
second opening 29 of the rod 25. The tip portion 39 makes contact with the
metallic connector 9 when the metallic prong 3 is inserted in thE: plug
passage
7, as shown in Figure 4. An inner spring 41 is inserted inside the hollow rod
25. The inner spring 41 has a first end 43 for contacting the ball 23 and a
second end 45 for contacting the head portion 37 of the pir~ 35. An outer
spring 47 is coiled around the rod 25. The outer spring 47 has a first end 49
for abutting against the outer abutment portion 33 of the rod 25 and a second
end 51 for abutting against the second abutment portion 21 of t>',e channel
11.
It should be noted that the spring-member may take imany different
shapes and forms. For example, the metallic ball may be ireplaced by a
rounded cap which is mounted on a spring loaded rod. Several other
functional equivalents may be conceived as those skilled iin the art will
understand.
Preferably, as shown in Figure 1 and 2, the outlet 1 has a cover 53
connected to the front face of the housing 5 via screws 55 arid the metallic
connectors 9 are located on the back face of the housing 5.

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Preferably, referring to Figure 5, the electric power source includes a
connector circuit 57 having at least two passages 59, 61 for receiving the
metallic connectors 9 of the housing 5. Those skilled in the art will
understand
that other configurations than those illustrated may be used for the same
5 purpose to achieve the same result of energizing the metallic connectors 9.
The metallic connectors are preferably plugged and unplugged to the power
source, but it is also possible to provide for a permanent connection.
Preferably, as shown in Figure 1, the outlet 5 has four plug passages 7,
four corresponding transverse channels 11 and four spring-biased members
13. Of course, the number of plug passages and other components may vary
as those skilled in the art will understand.
The outlet 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention may be used as a 15 ampere, 125 AC, grounded duplex outlet. Of
course, the principle of operation of the present invention may be applied in
other types of outlets with different specifications.
The present invention protects against insertion of foreign metallic
objects, such as nails, pins or the like. If the channels 11 are located
sufficiently towards the back of the plug passages 7, then the outlet also
protects against someone touching the side of the prongs which are partially
inserted in the plug passages 7.
While embodiments of this invention have been illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and described above, it will be evident to those
skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made i;herein without
departing from the essence of this invention. All such modifications or
variations are believed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by
the claims appended hereto.

Representative Drawing