AU743828B2

AU743828B2 - Power outlet

Info

Publication number: AU743828B2
Application number: AU32360/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Cullen
Original assignee: AUSTEC WAGGA Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Australec Switchgear Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1998-06-02
Filing date: 1999-05-28
Publication date: 2002-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-28
Also published as: AU3236099A

Description

Regulation 3.2 -1-

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 C'J~E I'E S F~E C IF I C1~L~ I c~N S 'I~1~N D~F~ D EN 'I~ APPLICANT: AUSTEC (WAGGA) PTY LTD NUMBER: PP3877 FILING DATE: 2/ 6/98 Invention Title: POWER OUTLET The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 "POWER OUTLET" TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a power outlet.

BACKGROUND ART Power outlets having several (usually three) pinreceiving sockets are well known. A safety drawback with existing power points is the fact that the pins of a plug become "live" whilst they are only partially inserted in the sockets and they remain live when they are only :-...partially withdrawn from the sockets. Thus, there exists 15 the possibility of electrical shock through a bridging of the exposed live pins.

The present invention endeavours to provide a safer power point which retains a substantially conventional appearance.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION This invention in one aspect resides in a power outlet including:- S. 25 a facia including a recess accommodating one or more electrical sockets; a reciprocating member adapted to receive one or more electrical pins and reciprocable within the recess between a forward position whereat it is substantially co-planar with the facia and a rearward position.

In one embodiment the reciprocating member is apertured and the apertures align with the one or more sockets. The apertures are sized to receive the one or more pins therethrough in a clearance fit such that the reciprocating member is urged to the rearward position in response to abutment of the reciprocating member by the plug mounting the electrical pins. The reciprocating member is preferably resiliently biased.

In another embodiment the reciprocating member includes electrically conductive sleeves which receive the electrical pins. The sleeves are then received in the electrical sockets. Such an arrangement may require the interference fit between the electrical pins and sleeves to be greater than the interference fit between the sleeves and electrical sockets to ensure that the reciprocating member is returned to the forward position during withdrawal of the electrical pins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will 15 now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:- FIG 1 is a frontal elevation view of a double power outlet; FIG 2 is an exploded reverse perspective view of a power outlet; :.".FIGS 3 to 5 are sequential side sectional views of a power outlet showing a plug having three pins being inserted into the power outlet.

25 BEST MODE With reference to FIG 1 there is illustrated a double power outlet 10 having conventional switches 12 mounted on a planar facia 14.

Co-planar with facia 14 are a pair of reciprocating members 16 which are circular in frontal elevation and each reciprocating member includes three apertures 18 adapted to receive the pins 20 of a plug 22.

As shown best in FIG 2, reciprocating member 16 includes three rearwardly extending guide pins 24, each of which coaxially mounts a compression spring 26.

Guide pins 24 are slidably received in guide sockets 28. It will be noted that the guide socket 28 includes a 4 countersunk portion which accommodates the compression spring 26 when the spring 26 is compressed as best shown in FIG It will be understood that guide sockets 28 are located at 12 o'clock, 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock within the recess. In contrast, electrical sockets 30, which are adapted to receive electrical pins 20, are located at 2 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 10 o'clock within the recess.

As best shown in FIGS 3 to 5, the electrical pins are initially received in the apertures 18 (FIG 4).

Thereafter, the body of the plug 22, which mounts the electrical pins 20, abuts the reciprocating member 16 thereby urging the reciprocating member 16 rearwardly within the recess against the resilient spring bias of 15 springs 26. The rearward reciprocation of the reciprocating member within the recess is guided by the guide pins 24 which are slidably received with the guide sockets 28.

As the plug 22 and reciprocating member 16 travel rearwardly within the recess, the electrical pins penetrate the electrical sockets 30 thereby establishing electrical contact and becoming live (FIG The depth of the recess may be greater than or equal to the length of the electrical pins 20 in which case the 25 electrical pins 20 cannot become live before they are fully received within the apertures 18. Alternatively, the depth of the recess may be less than the length of the pins in which case the pins may become live before they are fully received in the apertures. However, it will be understood that the pins are not substantially exposed or readily accessible when they become live.

Withdrawal of the electrical pins from the electrical sockets follows the reverse procedure. That is, as the plug 22 is initially withdrawn, the reciprocating member 16 continues to abut the plug 22 and moves forwardly within the recess due to the spring bias of the springs 26. The forward reciprocation of the reciprocating member 16 is limited by a shoulder which is formed on the reciprocating member and/or facia and, once the reciprocating member 16 has reached the limit of its forward travel, the electrical pins 20 are then withdrawn from the apertures 18.

It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

1. A power outlet including:- a facia including a recess accommodating one or more electrical sockets; a reciprocating member adapted to receive one or more electrical pins and reciprocable within the recess between a forward position whereat it is substantially co-planar with the facia and a rearward position.

2. A power outlet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reciprocating member is resiliently biased to the forward position. S-

3. A power outlet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reciprocating member is apertured and the apertures align with the one or more sockets.

4. A power outlet as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the apertures are sized to receive the one or more pins therethrough in a clearance fit such that the reciprocating member is urged to the rearward position in response to abutment of the reciprocating member by the 25 plug mounting the electrical pins.

A power outlet as claimed in claim i, wherein the reciprocating member includes guide means for guiding the reciprocation of the reciprocating member.

6. A power outlet as claimed in claim 5, wherein the guide means is one or more rearwardly extending guide pins which are received in one or more guide sockets.