EP2555336B1 - Socket provided with two shutters - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION REFERS

The present invention relates generally to the safety of electrical installations.

It relates more particularly to a socket as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND

Document is known FR 2,886,775 a socket as aforesaid wherein the hubcap defines a receiving well of an electrical plug and comprises a flap movable in translation in the well. When no electrical plug is engaged in the socket, this mobility allows the shutter to come aesthetically flush with the wall in which the socket is installed.

In this document, it is expected that the housing houses a cradle which is open towards the front and which accommodates the rear shutter. The cradle is biased against the rear face of the hubcap, so that the rear shutter is held in the cradle by the rear face of the hubcap itself.

Currently, it offers hubcaps of different kinds, including different colors. It often happens that the user wants to change the hubcap of a wall socket already installed on a wall, to adapt for example to a new color wall paint.

In the case of the aforementioned socket, if the user removes the hubcap, it releases a direct access to the connection terminals.

Thus, if the user wishes to change the hubcap of the socket, it is necessary beforehand that it cuts off the power supply to the socket, that it pulls the socket from its wall bracket, which it unclips the hubcap of the housing by keeping the latter horizontally so that the rear shutter does not pour out of the housing, and then it replaces the hubcap with a new hubcap of adequate color.

It is therefore understood that the hubcap change operation is long and tedious to implement.

It is also known from the document FR2833111 a take-out hood current comprising a hubcap which has a well for receiving an electric plug, a coding pin which is fixed at the rear of the bottom of the well, a support which "adjoins the rear face" of the bottom of the well, a shutter which comprises two wings each having a flat portion and a ramp and which is movably mounted in a recessed housing at the rear of the support, and a plate which closes the housing delimited by the support at the rear.

In this document, the shutter is mounted integral with the insulating housing.

It is also known from the document FR2833111 a socket cover comprising a hubcap which has a well for receiving a plug, a coding pin which is fixed at the rear of the bottom of the well, a support which adjoins the rear face of the bottom of the well, a shutter which has two wings and which is movably mounted in a recessed housing at the rear of the support, and a plate which closes the housing delimited by the support at the rear.

Document is also known FR2876508 a socket comprising a housing which houses two connection terminals, and a hubcap which has a receiving well of a plug. In one embodiment of this socket, there is provided a shutter which is housed in the housing itself, under the hood. In another mode, the shutter is mounted movably between two plates fixed on the housing.

We finally know of the document WO2010076906 a power socket comprising a base which delimits a insertion well of an electrical plug and which supports in its bottom a terminal block, a guide then extends to the center of the well and which is fixed to the terminal block, a shutter which is mounted rotating on the guide, and a hubcap having a circular facade engaged in the well delimited by the base and a rod which extends to the rear of the facade and which is engaged in the guide to guide the sliding of the hubcap in the well.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the aforementioned drawback of the state of the art, the present invention proposes a new modular and scalable socket.

More particularly, there is provided according to the invention a socket as defined in claim 1.

Note first of all that the adjective "solidaire" is used in claim 1 to indicate that if the hubcap is removed from the housing, the rear shutter remains housed in the housing regardless of the position of the latter, and the front shutter remains attached to the hubcap regardless of the position of the latter.

The fastening of the rear shutter to the housing thus prevents the rear shutter from pouring out of the housing during disassembly of the hubcap. It also allows the rear shutter to remain active even when the hubcap is disassembled. Therefore, the hubcap can be disassembled when the plug is still electrically powered and is in a vertical position on a wall.

The rear shutter is then positioned at a distance from the hubcap, there is a gap between the wings of the rear shutter and the openings provided in the hubcap for the passage of the pins of an electrical plug. This space may especially be important when the bottom of the receiving well is mounted movably on the side wall of the well.

The front shutter, which is located directly behind the openings provided in the hubcap, then prevents dust particles from entering the housing through this space.

The fastening of the front shutter to the hubcap makes it possible to prevent the front shutter from falling during disassembly of the hubcap.

Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the socket according to the invention are defined in claims 2 to 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be achieved.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective semi-éclatée de la prise de courant selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective éclatée de l'enjoliveur de la prise de courant de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue schématique en perspective du socle de l'enjoliveur de la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique en perspective de l'obturateur avant de la prise de courant de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue schématique en perspective du ressort principal de la prise de courant de la figure 1 ;
• les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues schématiques en perspective de la prise de courant de la figure 1, sur lesquelles le volet mobile de l'enjoliveur est respectivement représenté en position d'attente et en position enfoncée ;
• les figures 8 et 9 sont des vues schématiques en coupe selon les plans A-A et B-B des figures 6 et 7 ; et
• la figure 10 est une vue schématique en coupe de la prise de courant de la figure 7 sur laquelle le volet mobile est en position enfoncée et l'obturateur arrière est en position basculée.

In the accompanying drawings:

• the figure 1 is a schematic perspective view semi-exploded of the socket according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a schematic perspective exploded view of the hubcap of the socket of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the base of the hubcap of the figure 2 ;
• the figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the shutter before the power outlet of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the mainspring of the socket of the figure 1 ;
• the Figures 6 and 7 are schematic perspective views of the power outlet of the figure 1 , on which the movable flap of the hubcap is respectively shown in the waiting position and in the depressed position;
• the Figures 8 and 9 are schematic sectional views according to plans AA and BB of Figures 6 and 7 ; and
• the figure 10 is a schematic sectional view of the socket of the figure 7 on which the movable flap is in the depressed position and the rear shutter is in the tilted position.

In the description, the terms "front" and "rear" respectively designate the side of the electrical equipment facing the user when this equipment is used and the opposite side. For example, when the electrical equipment will be installed in a wall wall of a room, the front of an element of the electrical equipment will designate the side of this element which is turned towards the interior of the room and the back will point to the side of this element that is facing the outside of the room.

On the figure 1 , there is shown a socket 1 comprising a receiving well 101 for receiving an electrical plug for the connection of this plug to the local electrical network.

As will be explained in more detail later in this presentation, the socket 1 shown in the figures is adapted to be housed in an electrical box (not shown) recessed or reported projecting on any wall. Alternatively, it could be a power socket located at the end of an extension or a socket belonging to a power strip. The principle of the invention described here would not be modified.

As shown in figure 1 , this socket 1 comprises a housing 10 closed at the front by a hubcap 100 to define therewith a receiving housing 15 of at least two connection terminals 20, 30.

To allow the connection of the electric plug in this socket 1, the trim 100 has at least two access openings to the connection terminals 20, 30.

For the electrical safety of the power outlet 1, in particular to prevent a child from engaging a pencil in one or the other of the connection terminals 20, 30, the housing 10 houses a rear shutter 60 which comprises two wings 62, 63 and which is movable between a closed position in which its wings 62, 63 are interposed between the access openings of the hubcap 100 and said connection terminals 20, 30 to prohibit access to said terminals. connection 20, 30 and an open position in which they deviate from said access openings to allow this access.

According to particularly advantageous features of the invention, this rear shutter 60 is secured to the housing 10, and the socket 1 comprises a front shutter 150 which comprises two wings 152, 153 ( figure 2 ), which is secured to the hubcap 100 and which is movable between a closed position in which its wings 152, 153 are interposed between the access openings provided in the hubcap 100 and said connection terminals 20, 30 for prohibiting access to said connection terminals 20, 30 and an open position in which they deviate from said access openings to allow this access.

By "secured" is meant that the front shutter 150 is connected to the hubcap 100 and the rear shutter 60 is connected to the housing 10 so that, when the hubcap 100 is removed from the housing 10, the front shutter 150 remains assembled to the hubcap 100 and the rear shutter 60 remains assembled to the housing 10.

Thanks to these characteristics, the rear shutter 60 thus retains its electrical protection role when the hubcap 100 is removed from the housing 10. The assembly and reassembly of the socket 1 is also easier.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the housing 10 has an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape open on the front face.

As shown in figure 1 , it thus comprises a bottom 11 bordered by a side wall 12 having four opposite two sides raised from the bottom 11, substantially perpendicular to it.

Two opposite sides of the side wall 12 of the housing 10 have, at about one-third of their height, a shoulder 17. These two shoulders 17 together induce an enlargement of the section of the housing 10 forwards.

This housing 10 also comprises mounting means on a frame-shaped equipment support (not shown), which is itself arranged to be fixed on the electrical box.

These mounting means comprise, on the one hand, a peripheral sidewalk 13 which runs along the edge of the front opening of the housing 10 and which is adapted to bear against the front face of the fitting support, and, on the other hand, on the one hand, latching means 14 which are formed in two opposite faces of its side wall 12 and which are adapted to hook onto the rear face of the equipment support.

The housing 10 also has two internal partitions 16 which rise from its bottom 11, orthogonally to it, about a third of its height.

These two internal partitions 16 extend in parallel, so that their front edges 16A extend from the top of one of the shoulders 17 to the top of the other of the shoulders 17 of the housing 10.

The housing 10 is here made in one piece with its internal partitions 16 and its mounting means, of insulating material, for example by molding a plastic material.

As it appears on the figure 1 , the two internal partitions 16 delimit with the side wall 12 of the housing 10 three receiving housings of the connection terminals 20, 30, 40 of the socket 1.

In fact, three connection terminals are provided, including two identical phase and neutral terminals, and a ground terminal 40.

As shown, these connection terminals are conform to the Franco-Belgian standard. Alternatively, these connection terminals could be in accordance with another standard, for example the "shuko" German standard, without this affecting the operation of the present invention.

Each of these connection terminals 20, 30, 40 comprises a base 22, 32, 42 by which it is fixed to the housing 10 and connected to the local electrical network, and a functional part through which the electrical plug can connect to the socket. current 1.

The functional parts of the phase and neutral terminals 20, 30 each comprise two metal strips folded so that they delimit between them a receiving cell 21, 31 of a pin of the electric plug.

The functional portion of the earth terminal 40 comprises a cylindrical pin 41 which rises from its base 42 metal.

As shown on the figure 1 , the rear shutter 60 is mounted to move in translation in the housing 10 along a transverse axis A2 parallel to the front edges 16A of the internal partitions 16 of the housing 10, to close or open access to the phase 20 and neutral 30 terminals.

This rear shutter 60 has a global shape of rectangular plate, with a recess 61 hollow in the center of one of its longitudinal edges 67B.

The two wings 62, 63 of this rear shutter 60 are then defined on either side of this notch 61.

To prevent access to the phase and neutral terminals 30 when the rear shutter 60 is in the closed position, the wings 62, 63 of this rear shutter 60 are interposed between the access openings of the hubcap 100 and the phase and neutral terminals 30 housed in the housing 10.

To open access to these terminals, the rear shutter 60 is translated along the transverse axis A2 until its wings 62, 63 release the passage to the phase and neutral terminals 20 and 30.

The rear shutter 60 rests by its rear face on the front edges 16A of the two internal partitions 16 of the housing 10, so that it extends parallel to the bottom 11 of the housing 10. It is disposed in the housing 10 of such so that its two lateral edges 66A, 66B extend parallel to the internal partitions 16.

This rear shutter 60 comprises guiding means translation along the transverse axis A2.

These guide means are here formed by two ribs 68 provided projecting from its rear face, at a distance from one another equal, with the clearance, to the distance separating the outer faces of the two internal partitions 16 of the housing 10 .

Thanks to these guide means, the rear shutter 60 is perfectly guided in translation along these internal partitions 16.

The housing 10 also comprises first stop means, for blocking the translation of the rear shutter 60 to its open position, when tilted, and second stop means for blocking the translation of the rear shutter 60 to its closed position, when it closes.

These first and second abutment means will be described in more detail later in this presentation.

For its drive from its closed position to its open position when the electrical plug is engaged in the socket 1, the rear shutter 60 has on both wings 62, 63 two inclined faces 64, 65.

These two inclined faces 64, 65 are arranged on either side of the notch 61, along the corresponding longitudinal edge 67B of the rear shutter 60, so that they interpose between the access openings. provided in the hubcap 100 and the phase terminals 20 and neutral 30 housed in the housing 10 when the rear shutter 60 is in the closed position.

The inclination of these inclined faces 64, 65 is provided in such a way that, when the pins of the electrical plug are engaged through the access openings provided in the hubcap 100 and bear on these inclined faces, they cause the displacement from the rear shutter 60 to its open position, which allows these pins to freely access the phase 20 and neutral terminals 30 of the socket 1.

In order for the rear shutter 60 to return to the closed position when the pins of the electric plug are extracted from the socket 1, elastic return means 50 are provided for this rear shutter 60.

These return means comprise in this case a compression spring 50 which rests on a groove provided on the front face of one of the shoulders 17 of the housing 10 and which is interposed between the inner face of the side wall 12 of the housing 10 and a projection (not visible) provided on the rear face of the rear shutter 60.

To lock the rear shutter 60 in the closed position when an element is engaged through only one of the access openings provided in the hubcap 100, this rear shutter 60 is mounted to tiltably move in the housing 10 around at least one axis parallel to said transverse axis A2 and there is provided means for blocking the shutter when it is inclined.

It is more precisely here mounted mobile tilting about two distinct axes and parallel to the transverse axis A2.

It is provided for this purpose, on both sides of the front edges 16A of the internal partitions 16 of the housing 10, clearances that allow the rear shutter 60 to switch on one side or the other of these edges before 16A, from an upright position parallel to the bottom 11 of the housing 10 ( figure 9 ) to one or the other of two tilted positions ( figure 10 ).

To limit its tilting, the rear shutter 60 has teeth 69 projecting from its lateral edges 66A, 66B, which are adapted to bear against the front edges of additional partitions 18 provided in the housing 10.

To prevent the rear shutter 60 from moving into the open position when it is tilted, the front edges of these additional partitions 18 have lugs 19 (visible on the figure 8 ) projecting forward, which block the teeth 69 of the rear shutter 60 along the transverse axis A2. These lugs 19 form here the first stop means.

To avoid interfering with the teeth 69 of the rear shutter 60 when it is in the upright position, these lugs 19 have reduced heights which leave the rear shutter 60 free to slide towards its open position.

In this way, the rear shutter 60 releases access to the phase and neutral terminals 30 only when the two pins of the electrical plug are simultaneously engaged in the socket 1.

The rear shutter 60 is here made in one piece by molding an insulating plastic material.

As shown in figure 1 , there is also provided a cassette 80 designed to maintain the rear shutter 60 supported by its rear face against the free edges 16A of the internal partitions 16 of the housing 10.

This cassette 80, made of insulating material, comprises for this purpose a rectangular front wall 81 which extends parallel to the bottom 11 of the housing 10, and a falling edge 85 which borders this front wall 81.

This front wall 81 and this falling edge 85 thus form a housing for the rear shutter 60, which is designed to hold the latter against the front edges 16A of the internal partitions 16 of the housing 10, without hindering the mobility in translation. of this shutter along the transverse axis A2.

The front wall 81 of this cassette 80 has three openings 82, 83, 84, located in the axis of the access openings provided on the hubcap 100, for the passage of the cylindrical pin 41 of the earth terminal 40 and for the passage of the pins of the electric plug.

The falling edge 85 of the cassette 80 is in turn provided for resting by its rear free edge on the front faces of the shoulders 17 of the housing 10 and on the front edges of the additional partitions 18.

This cassette 80 also comprises means for fixing the housing 10.

These fixing means are here formed by four anti-tearing hooks 86 located at the four corners of the cassette 80, which extend in the extension of the falling edge 85 and which are folded U forwardly, to cooperate by snapping with ribs 12A provided projecting from the inner face of the side wall 12 of the housing 10.

As the figure 1 , to ensure a good docking and good maintenance of the anti-tearing hooks 86 on the ribs 12A, the latter are each bordered by two flanks which extend orthogonally to the corresponding pan of the side wall 12 of the housing 10.

The second stop means for blocking the translation stroke of the rear shutter 60 when it passes into its closed position, are carried by this cassette 80.

These second abutment means comprise in particular here ribs (not visible) projecting from the rear face of the front wall 81 of the cassette 80, against which one of the longitudinal edges 67B of the rear shutter 60 is supported when the shutter is in the closed position.

The hubcap 100 and the shutter before 150 are shown in detail on the figure 2 .

The hubcap 100 here comprises two parts, a base 110 and a movable flap 170 movably mounted on the base 110.

The base 110 comprises a cylindrical side wall 112 of revolution about the insertion axis A1, which is open towards the front and which is closed at the rear by a bottom wall 111 to define an insertion well 101. of the plug.

As shown in figure 3 , the bottom wall 111 has two openings 118 for the passage of the pins of the electrical plug in the phase and neutral terminals 30 and an opening 118A for the passage of the cylindrical pin 41 of the earth terminal 40.

As shown in figure 2 , the side wall 112 is externally bordered on its front end by an annular flange 114, itself bordered by a falling edge 115 arranged to bear on the front face of the peripheral sidewalk 13 of the housing 10.

The base 110 of the hubcap 100 then comprises mounting means on the housing 10, which make it possible in particular to maintain the falling edge 115 of the base 110 in abutment against the front face of the peripheral sidewalk 13 of the housing 10.

These mounting means here comprise two projecting elements 119 (see figure 8 ) of the outer face of the side wall 112 of the base 110, which are situated opposite to the axis of engagement A1 and which are adapted to catch on attachment zones provided in correspondence in the wall lateral 12 of the housing 10.

As shown in figure 2 , the movable flap 170 comprises meanwhile a disk-shaped main plate 171, the dimensions of which are designed so that it closes the section of the insertion well 101 and thus forms the bottom of this well.

The three access openings 172, 173, 174 mentioned above in the hubcap 100 are formed in this main plate 171. Their dimensions and their positions are adjusted to allow the passage of the pins of the electrical plug.

This movable flap 170 is movably mounted in translation in this insertion well 101 along the insertion axis A1, between two extreme positions. represented on the Figures 6 and 7 .

As shown in figure 2 , the main plate 171 is partially bordered by a falling wall 175 designed to be applied against the internal face of the side wall 112 of the base 110 in order to guide the translation of the movable flap 170 along this side wall 112, between its two extreme positions.

In one of these extreme positions, called in the following position ( figures 7 and 9 ), the main plate 171 of the movable flap 170 extends back from the front face of the annular flange 114 of the base 110 of the hubcap 100.

In this depressed position, the rear edge of the falling wall 175 of the movable flap 170 abuts against the bottom wall 111 of the base 110. The access openings 172, 173 provided in the movable flap 170 for the passage of the spindles the electrical plug extend near the wings 62, 63 of the rear shutter 60, and the cylindrical pin 41 of the earth terminal 40 passes through the access opening 174 of the movable flap 170.

In the other extreme position, called in the following waiting position ( figures 6 and 8 ), the main plate 171 of the movable flap 170 extends to the outcrop of the front face of the annular flange 114 of the base 110 of the hubcap 100.

As shown by figures 2 and 8 , to lock the main plate 171 in forward abutment when it moves from its depressed position to its standby position, the movable flap 170 has two tabs 176 which extend in the extension of the falling wall 175, towards the rear, over a length greater than the distance separating the two extreme positions of the movable flap 170.

These two tabs 176 each have an outer face arranged to bear against the inner face of the side wall 112 of the base 110, and an inner face which carries, near the free end of the tongue 176, a retaining tooth 177.

The bottom wall 111 of the base 110 has, in correspondence, two slots 116 ( figures 3 and 8 ) in which the two tabs 176 are engaged.

In this way, the two retaining teeth 177 abut against the rear face of the bottom wall 111 of the base 110 when the movable flap 170 reaches its waiting position, which makes it possible to retain the movable flap 170 in this position. .

As represented on the figure 2 , the front shutter 150 is rotatably mounted relative to the hubcap 100 about the engagement axis A1, to close or open access to phase 20 and neutral 30 terminals.

This front shutter 150 has for this purpose a T shape, with a tubular foot 151 of axis coinciding with the engagement axis A1, surmounted by a rectangular flat plate 156 which extends in a plane orthogonal to this axis commitment A1.

The two wings 152, 153 of this front shutter 150 are then formed by the two ends of this flat plate 156.

These wings 152, 153 are arranged relative to one another so that they can be interposed between the access openings 172, 173 of the movable flap 170 and the phase and neutral terminals 20 and 30 housed in the housing 10 to prohibit access to these terminals when the front shutter 150 is in the closed position.

To allow access to these terminals, the front shutter 150 pivots about the engagement axis A1 until its wings 152, 153 completely release the passage to the phase and neutral terminals 30.

The base 110 includes means for rotating the shutter before 150 about the engagement axis A1.

These guide means are here formed by a tubular shaft 113 which is extruded from the center of the bottom wall 111 of the base 110, towards the rear, and which has an internal diameter equal, with the clearance, to the diameter of the foot 151 of the shutter before 150. This tubular shaft 113 is here closed at the rear and open at the front to allow the foot 151 of the shutter before 150 to engage.

Thanks to these guide means, the front shutter 150 is perfectly guided in rotation and in translation with respect to the hubcap 100 along the engagement axis A1.

The base 110 further comprises stop means for blocking the rotation of the shutter before 150 in one direction (in the closed position) as in the other direction (in the open position).

As shown in figure 3 , these stop means in the open position comprise in this case two opposite grooves 117 which extend recess in the side wall of the tubular shaft 113, parallel to the axis of engagement A1, and which have cross sections trapezoidal.

As shown in figure 4 , the foot 151 of the front shutter 150 carries in correspondence two opposed ribs 157 which project from the lateral wall of the foot 151, parallel to the axis of engagement A1, and which have trapezoidal cross-sections, of reduced widths compared to those of the grooves 117.

The widths of the ribs 157 and grooves 117 are more precisely provided so that the lateral faces of the ribs 157 of the foot 151 of the front shutter 150 come into abutment against the inner side faces of the grooves 117 of the tubular shaft 113 of the base 110 when the shutter before 150 reaches its open position.

As it appears on the figure 8 , the stop means of the shutter before 150 in the closed position are formed by ribs 179 which are provided projecting from the rear face of the main wall 171 of the movable flap 170, and against which the longitudinal edges of the front shutter 150 rest when the shutter is in the closed position.

As shown in figure 2 , for its drive in rotation from its closed position to its open position when the electrical plug is engaged in the socket 1, the front shutter 150 has on both wings 152, 153 two inclined faces 154, 155.

These two inclined faces 154, 155 are located on the wings 152, 153 such that they interpose between the access openings 172, 173 of the movable flap 170 and the phase and neutral terminals 20 housed in the housing 10 when the front shutter 150 is in the closed position.

They are arranged on either side of the A1 engagement axis and each open on one of the longitudinal edges of the flat plate 156.

The inclination of these inclined faces 154, 155 is provided such that, when the pins of the electrical plug are engaged through the access openings 172, 173 and they press on these inclined faces, they cause the pivoting from the shutter before 150 to its open position, which allows these pins to freely access the phase 20 and neutral terminals 30 of the socket 1.

As shown in figure 4 these inclined faces generate extra thicknesses on the rear faces of the wings 152, 153 of the front shutter 150.

In order to avoid that, when the movable flap 170 is in the depressed position, the wings 152, 153 of the front shutter 150 do not interfere with the bottom wall 111 of the base 110 of the hubcap 100, the openings 118 provided in this wall of background 111 are enlarged. They are here sufficiently enlarged so that said oversizes can freely navigate there when the front shutter 150 pivots between its open and closed positions.

Here, advantageously, the front shutter 150 comprises locking means of the movable flap 170 in the waiting position, which can be unlocked only by the movement of the shutter 150 from its closed position towards its open position. .

These locking means prevent a simple pressing on the movable flap 170 does not push back when the front shutter 150 is still in the closed position.

In the present case, these locking means are formed by the rear end faces 157A of the ribs 157 provided along the foot 151 of the shutter before 150 ( figure 2 ), which are adapted to abut against the bottom wall 111 when the front shutter 150 is in the closed position and that, the movable flap 170 is in the waiting position, a force is applied to the front face of its main wall 171.

These ribs 157 are, however, oriented so that, when the front shutter 170 has pivoted in the open position, they are located in the axis of the grooves 117 of the tubular shaft 113 of the base 110, so that they can engage therein and thus release the driving mobility of the movable shutter 170.

The front shutter 150 is here made in one piece by molding an insulating plastic material.

As shown in figure 2 so that the front shutter 150 returns to the closed position when the pins of the electrical plug are extracted from the socket 1, there is provided elastic return means 130 of the shutter before 150.

Here, advantageously, these return means 130 also make it possible to recall the mobile flap 170 in the waiting position.

As shown by figures 2 and 5 these return means comprise for this purpose a single main spring 130 of compression and torsion, which is engaged inside the tubular foot 151 of the shutter before 150 and which is thus interposed between the bottom of the tubular shaft 113 of the base 110 and the part of the rear face of the flat plate 156 which closes the front end of the foot 151 of the front shutter 150.

This main spring 130 then acts in compression to maintain the front face of the flat plate 156 of the front shutter 150 resting against the rear face of the main wall 171 of the movable flap 170 and thus recall the movable flap 170 in the position of when no effort is exerted on it.

The ends 131, 132 of this main spring 130 are further respectively locked in rotation about the engagement axis A1 with respect to the front shutter 150 and relative to the base 110.

They are for this purpose folded to extend along a diameter of the main spring 130. Correspondingly, the bottom of the tubular shaft 113 of the base 110 and said portion of the rear face of the flat plate 156 of the shutter before 150 each carries two ribs 113A, 151A which delimit between them a receiving groove of the end 131, 132 corresponding to the main spring 130.

This main spring 130 then acts in torsion about the engagement axis A1, to return the shutter before 150 in the closed position when no force is exerted on it.

We can describe, with reference to Figures 6 to 9 , the movements of the various components of the socket 1 when inserting an electrical plug into the insertion well 101 of this socket 1.

Initially, as shown by figures 6 and 8 the movable flap 170 is held in the waiting position by the main spring 130.

The front shutter 150, which is held in the closed position by the main spring 130, then makes it possible to prevent dust particles from entering the interior of the socket 1 and to prevent a simple bearing on the main wall 171 of the movable flap 170 causes the latter to sink into the insertion well 101.

The rear shutter 60 is in turn kept in the closed position by the spring 50.

Then, when a user engages an electrical plug in the socket 1, the pins of this electrical plug pass through the access openings 172, 173 of the mobile shutter 170 and bear against the inclined faces 154, 155 of the shutter before 150, which causes the pivoting of the latter. The ribs 157 of the front shutter 150 are then found in the axis of the grooves 117 provided along the tubular shaft 113 of the base 110 of the hubcap 100.

The electrical plug is then free to penetrate deeper into the socket 1, until its base comes to bear against the front face of the movable flap 170 and pushes the latter towards its depressed position (see figures 7 and 9 ).

During this movement, the pins of the electrical plug through the openings 82, 83 of the cassette 80 and bear against the inclined faces 64, 65 of the rear shutter 60, which causes the sliding of the latter.

The electrical plug is then free to penetrate deeper into the socket 1 until its pins engage in the cells 21, 31 of the phase and neutral terminals 30.

Extraction of the electrical plug out of the socket 1 causes the reverse movement of the various components of this socket 1, thanks in particular to the springs 50, 130.

Finally, it should be noted that during disassembly of the trim 100, the rear shutter 60 remains attached to the housing 10, in that the cassette 80 holds it in position to ensure the electrical safety of the plug 1. The shutter before 150 remains integral with the hubcap 100, which facilitates the disassembly of the latter.

Alternatively, it may be provided that the hubcap is devoid of movable flap. In this variant, the front shutter can then for example be secured to the hubcap by a cassette snapped to the rear of the bottom of the receiving well.

Claims (15)

1. A power outlet (1) comprising:

   • a casing (10) housing at least two connection terminals (20, 30);

   • a trim plate (100) mounted at the front of the casing (10) and presenting two access openings (172, 173) for accessing said connection terminals (20, 30);

   • a rear shutter (60) comprising two flaps (62, 63), which rear shutter is movable between a closed position in which its flaps (62, 63) are interposed between the access openings (172, 173) and said connection terminals (20, 30) so as to prevent access to said connection terminals (20, 30), and an open position in which they are moved away from said access openings (172, 173) so as to allow such access;

   the power outlet being characterized in that it further comprises a front shutter (150), distinct from the rear shutter (60), and comprising two flaps (152, 153), which front shutter is movable between a closed position in which its flaps (152, 153) are interposed between the access openings (172, 173) and said connection terminals (20, 30) so as to prevent access to said connection terminals (20, 30), and an open position in which they are moved away from said access openings (172, 173) so as to allow such access; and
   in that the rear shutter (60) and the front shutter (150) are secured respectively to said casing (10) and to said trim plate (100), such that when the trim plate (100) is removed from the casing (10), the front shutter (150) remains assembled to the trim plate (100) and the rear shutter (60) remains assembled to the casing (10).
2. A power outlet (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein one of the front and rear shutters (60, 150) is movable in rotation between its open position and its closed position, while the other is movable in translation between its open position and its closed position.
3. A power outlet (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said trim plate (100) comprises:

   • a base (110) that includes mounting means for mounting on the casing (10), and that presents a side wall (112) defining an insertion well (101) for inserting an electric plug along an engagement axis (A1); and

   • a movable insert (170) that is mounted to move in translation relative to the side wall (112) of the base (110) along said engagement axis (A1), in which insert said access openings (172, 173) are provided, and which insert forms the movable bottom wall of said insertion well (101).
4. A power outlet (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said front shutter (150) is mounted to move in rotation relative to the trim plate (100) about the engagement axis (A1), so as to close or open access to said connection terminals (20, 30).
5. A power outlet (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein return means (130) are provided for automatically returning said shutter (150) to its closed position.
6. A power outlet (1) according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein, said movable insert (170) being movable between a depressed position and a stand-by position, the front shutter (150) includes blocking means for blocking the movable insert (170) in its stand-by position, which blocking means are unlockable by moving the front shutter (150) from its closed position to its open position.
7. A power outlet (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein, at the rear of its side wall (112), the base (110) includes an end wall (111) that presents through openings (118) for passing the pins of the electric plug into said connection terminals (20, 30), and wherein said front shutter (150) is interposed between the movable insert (170) and the end wall (111) of the trim plate (100).
8. A power outlet (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein return means (130) are provided for automatically returning said front shutter (150) into bearing against the movable insert (170).
9. A power outlet (1) according to any one of the two preceding claims, wherein the end wall (111) of the base (110) carries a tube (113) that is closed at the rear by an end wall, and wherein said front shutter (150) includes a leg (151) that is mounted to move in translation and in rotation in the tube (113) along and about said engagement axis (A1).
10. A power outlet (1) according to claims 5, 8, and 9, wherein said return means for returning said front shutter (150) against the movable insert (170) and said return means for returning said front shutter (150) into its closed position comprise a single spring (130) interposed between the end wall of the tube (113) of the base (110) and the leg (151) of the front shutter (150), and having ends (131, 132) that are prevented from turning relative to the front shutter (150) and relative to the trim plate (100) respectively.
11. A power outlet (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein said rear shutter (60) is mounted to move in translation in the casing (10) along a transverse axis (A2) that is inclined or orthogonal relative to said engagement axis (A1), so as to close or open access to said connection terminals (20, 30).
12. A power outlet (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein return means (50) are provided for automatically returning said rear shutter (60) to its closed position.
13. A power outlet (1) according to either one of the two preceding claims, wherein said rear shutter (60) is mounted to tilt in the casing (10) about an axis that is parallel to said transverse axis (A2), between an untilted position and two tilted positions, and wherein the casing (10) includes abutment means (19) that are adapted to block said movement in translation of the rear shutter (60) when said rear shutter is in a tilted position.
14. A power outlet (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said rear shutter (60) is mounted to tilt about two axes that are distinct and parallel to the transverse axis (A2).
15. A power outlet (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said casing (10) includes two parallel ribs (16) having free edges that extend parallel to said transverse axis (A2), and wherein said rear shutter (60) bears via its rear face against the two parallel ribs (16).

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