AU2003202618B2

AU2003202618B2 - Extension lead device

Info

Publication number: AU2003202618B2
Application number: AU2003202618A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Edward Joseph Khoury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-02-10
Filing date: 2003-02-10
Publication date: 2008-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-10
Also published as: WO2004070891A1; AU2003202618A1

Description

WO 2004/070891 PCT/AU2003/000133 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The modern householder often uses a number of corded remote electric appliances, power tools, electrically powered garden equipment, etc. Tradesmen in a multitude of occupations use many different types of corded power tools in their day to day business practices. Most of these corded appliances, power tools and other electrical goods are often fitted with a cord that is too short and the cord is usually lengthened by an extension cord.

It is a common occurrence that the cord of the appliance power tool and the extension cord become disconnected during operation. This usually occurs while the operator user is moving from one position to another pulling the cord behind the appliance to the new desired position.

It is the object of this invention to address this phenomenon.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) ROIAU WO 2004/070891 PCT/AU2003/000133 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided an independent device which is used to hold the male and female connectors of a cord and extension cord together.

The device is usually shaped consisting of two shaped structures located a short distance apart from each other and joined together by material, transversely positioned, which is substantially the same and of similar sectional shape between the two "C" shaped structures at the openings of the shapes. The sectional shape of the "C" shape structures can be round, square, rectangular, triangular or any other shape.

The device is usually spring loaded and can be made from suitable injection moulded plastic materials such as acetal or the like, alternatively it can be made from metal, carbon fibre, wood or any other suitable material. The method for production may be injection moulding, casting, extruding, bending, forming, pressing, punching or die casting, to name a few.

The device being spring loaded in its nature of construction and choice of material is shaped to form two shaped elements, joined together by two smaller shaped elements, transversely positioned, allowing a double spring action in transverse directions in order to expand and contract over a male and female cord connector of different sizes and configurations within reason, causing a clamping action in one direction, keeping the male and female connectors together and transversely keeping itself wrapped around the joint.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 and Figure 2 are perspective views of the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the invention indicating the device SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) ROIAU WO 2004/070891 PCT/AU20031000133 3 being attached to a male and female connector; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device indicating the spring action; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device assembled to the male and female connector.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The device 10 illustrated in Figure 1 is in a relaxed state and consists of two shaped structures I located a short distance apart from each other and joined together by material 9, transversely positioned, which is substantially the same and of similar sectional shape between the two shaped structures 1 at the openings 3 and 4 of the shapes 1 and 2.

The device 10 illustrated in Figure 2 is in a relaxed state indicating the two shaped structures 1 and the two shaped structures 2 and where the two shaped structures 1 are moveable away from each other in the directions 5 and 6 and by the nature of their shape and material characteristics, are able to move in the direction 5 and 6 and return to the rest position as shown in Figure 1; and where the two shaped structures 2 are moveable away from each other in the directions 7 and 8 and by the nature of their shape and material characteristics, are able to move in the direction 7 and 8 and return to the rest position as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the invention indicating the device 10 attached to a connected male connector 11 and female connector 12.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device 10 indicating the spring action of the device where the arrow 13 indicates the two shaped sections 1 spread apart to position 14 allowing the assembled male connector 11 and female connector 12 to pass between SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) ROIAU WO 2004/070891 PCT/AU20031000133 4 the shaped structures 1 in the direction of the arrows 17. The arrow 15 indicates the two shaped sections 2 spread apart to position 16 allowing the assembled male connector 11 and female connector 12 to pass between the shaped structures 2 in the direction of the arrows 17.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device 10 in the rest position assembled in position keeping the male connector 11 and female connector 12 together. The arrows 18 and 19 show the direction of the force produced by the spring action of the device 10 on the male connector 11 and female connector 12 keeping them together. The arrows 20 and 21 show the direction of the force produced by the spring action of the device 10 on the male connector 11 and female connector 12 keeping them together.

It will be appreciated that the exact shape and configuration of the inventions described above, the connectors used and other elements and configurations and locations of male and female connectors is purely exemplary and that numerous variations are possible as shown in Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

100 105 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) ROIAU

Claims

1. A device for keeping together interconnected male and female electrical connectors, which comprises a pair of transversely spaced apart elongated resilient C-shaped members each having first and second ends, the first and 00 second ends of each C-shaped member being connected with corresponding ends of the other C-shaped member, the connected first ends being spaced apart from but adjacent to the connected second ends, the C-shaped members being moveable away from one another transversely, the C-shaped members being sufficiently resilient that after the aforementioned transverse away movements the device is able to move back towards its initial position.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the respective first and second ends of the C-shaped members are connected by means of further C-shaped members.

3. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the connected ends are moveable away from one another longitudinally.

4. A device for keeping together interconnected male and female electrical connectors substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.