EP3764478B1 - Safety socket - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a safety socket with a shaft for a safety plug, a current, a neutral and an earth conductor, which are arranged in the shaft, the dimensions of the shaft being matched to the safety plug. The safety socket is in particular a multiple socket for mobile use.

Safety sockets have been known for decades and in numerous variants, the variants mostly being designed and standardized according to country-specific requirements. In Germany, the Schuko system is common, in which the safety socket on the one hand and the safety plug on the other hand are dimensionally matched, the current conductor and the neutral conductor are arranged below a cover plate and earth contacts are arranged on the periphery of the socket outlet for safety. These safety sockets have generally proven their worth, but there is a risk when young children - mostly driven by curiosity - deal with them and explore how they work. For this case, safety mechanisms have been developed that range from the complete blockage of the socket to the installation of a child safety device. When the socket is blocked, a "pseudo plug" is used, which is difficult to remove in the event that the socket is activated. A child safety device usually requires the twisting of a glued-in protective plate in order to align the openings in the safety element of the protective plate with the plug-in holes in the socket, which is tedious and time-consuming, especially with sockets close to the floor area. Removing the protective plate is difficult.

The same applies to multiple sockets and mobile multiple sockets or socket strips.

A safety socket according to the preamble of claim 1 is from EP 2 456 021 A1 known.

The object of the invention is to provide a safety socket, also for multiple sockets and socket strips, which has a built-in child protection, which is easy to bypass even for "tinkering" toddlers, easy to manufacture and easy to use.

This object is achieved with a safety socket of the type mentioned at the beginning

a cover for concealing the contact sleeves, which is divided into two halves in the middle along the line of the plug contacts, the cover being displaceable in the vertical direction under the pressure of a safety plug,

an upper locking plate with openings for the plug contacts of a safety plug, which can be moved vertically together with the cover,

a lower locking plate with openings for the plug contacts of a safety plug, which can be moved vertically together with the cover and the upper locking plate, and with a return spring,

a blocking element which is arranged between the upper blocking plate and the lower blocking plate and which covers the openings in the lower blocking plate with a bolt running along the line of the plug contacts, the blocking element being horizontally displaceable and through the contacts of a safety plug, releasing the openings in the lower blocking plate the return spring can be reset to the starting position,

a contact receptacle arranged in the shaft for contact sleeves for the plug contacts of a safety plug and earth conductor contacts.

In their starting position, the earth conductor contacts are preferably arranged under the side covers of the safety socket and, when a safety plug is inserted, are moved reversibly into the contact position with the downward movement of the locking plates and the locking element.

In particular, the earth conductor contacts have foot elements which point into the interior of the safety socket and which, when a safety plug is inserted, move into the contact position through the downward movement by means of release elements arranged on the underside of one of the locking plates to be brought. When the safety plug is pulled out, the cover and the locking plates move back to their original position.

According to the invention, the terms "vertical" and "horizontal" are understood as "in the direction of insertion of a mains plug" or "in the direction of the contact sleeves" and "transversely to the direction of insertion of a mains plug".

The safety socket according to the invention has the usual contacts for the current and neutral conductors, which are arranged in a central shaft. The dimensions of the slot are matched to a standard safety plug, for example a Schuko plug in Germany, and thus not only allows such a safety plug to be inserted, but also the usual flat plugs.

In order to meet the safety requirements, it is necessary to conceal the contact sleeves of the socket. In this context, concealment means that they cannot be easily perceived optically and cannot be easily reached even with pointed objects. This is achieved by a multiple cover, locking plates and a locking element.

The safety socket according to the invention has an upper cover which is divided into two halves in the middle along the line of the plug contacts and which can be displaced in the vertical direction under the pressure of a safety or flat plug. When inserting a plug, this cover should be pressed into the central slot of the safety socket.

In the area of its central subdivision, the cover expediently has at least one elastic element, for example a flexible lip, which yields under the pressure of the plug contacts of an inserted plug. Preferably, each of the two halves of the cover has such a flexible element, which can consist of rubber or a flexible plastic, for example.

Below the cover there is an upper locking plate which has two openings for the plug contacts of an inserted plug. These openings are aligned with the contact sleeves arranged within the safety socket for the plug contacts of the plug. The locking plate is altogether vertically movable and can be pushed into the central slot of the safety socket when a plug is inserted. The top locking plate serves primarily as a guide for the plug contacts in order to guide them precisely to the locking element arranged below and to move the locking element laterally.

Below the upper blocking plate there is a second lower blocking plate, which also has two openings for the contacts of a power plug. This lower locking plate is used to guide the contacts of the power plug, but in particular also as a bearing for the locking element, which covers the two openings in the lower locking plate and blocks the way to the contact sleeves in its starting position. A return spring arranged from the lower locking plate, preferably a leaf spring, serves to fix the locking element in its starting position, that is to say the position before a mains plug is plugged in.

The locking element is movably arranged on the lower locking plate in such a way that it can be moved horizontally or laterally. It has a bolt with two arms which runs along the line of the plug contacts or openings in the locking plates and which covers the openings in the lower locking plate. For this purpose, the locking bar is rotatably mounted about an axis between the openings in the lower locking plate. When a mains plug is inserted, the locking bar is rotated so that the arms move sideways and the contacts of the mains plug can reach the openings in the lower locking plate.

In order to displace the arms of the locking bolt horizontally, it is necessary to design the surface in such a way that the power plug can exert lateral pressure with the curves of its plug contacts. This is expediently done by a spatial configuration of the surface of the arms of the locking bolt, for example by arranging bevels that force the locking bolt to move to the side. The slopes of the two arms point in different directions.

According to the invention, the locking bar is in contact with the return spring, which, when the power plug is pulled out, resets the locking bar to its starting position, ie. H. above the openings in the lower locking plate. Furthermore, it can be useful to provide stops for the arms of the locking bolt, which limit the return rotation into the starting position. These stops can also serve as guides for the plug contacts with which the power plug displaces the locking bolt.

The receptacles for the plug contacts of the inserted mains plug are arranged on a contact receptacle on the bottom of the central shaft. Appropriately is the Contact recording stored in a base which, like the locking plates, has openings for contact pins.

The earth conductor contacts of the safety socket according to the invention are in the rest position under a lateral cover strip or cover of the socket body of the safety socket. Only when a power plug is plugged in are they moved into their contact position with the downward movement of the locking plates and the sideways movement of the locking element. The earth conductor contacts can be designed as spring elements which are put under tension when a mains plug is inserted and which they lose again when the mains plug is pulled out. One of the locking plates, expediently the upper one, is provided with release elements which move the earth conductor contacts into the contact position.

These release elements are expediently arranged at the edge on the underside of the upper blocking plate in such a way that they point into a first vertically arranged shaft which is arranged on both sides of the base with the contact strip. The earth conductor contacts protrude with foot elements into this first shaft and are contacted by the release elements when the first locking plate moves downwards, so that the earth conductor contacts move from the rest position into the contact position.

In order to prevent the locking system from locking plates and locking bolt from being able to be moved downwards without inserting a power plug, the locking bolt has wings at the ends of its two arms which point in opposite directions and which are provided with feet on their underside. In the initial state, these feet rest on the central base with the skirting board, but when a power plug is plugged in, they are turned sideways out of this position and over a second slot, into which they dip when the power plug is plugged in. The mains plug can only be plugged in again after the locking bar has been turned.

It goes without saying that the first shaft and the second shaft, which are used to hold the release elements and the feet, can also be combined. However, these two shafts are expediently separated by a wall, which at the same time serve as a guide and abutment for the release elements.

It is also understood that the lower and the upper locking plate are connected to one another, whereby there must be sufficient space to accommodate the locking element.

The terms "starting position" and "working position" or "contact position" used in the context of the description describe the position of the respective element before and after inserting a power plug.

The safety socket according to the invention can be designed as a conventional single or multiple wall socket. However, training as a mobile multiple socket is preferred.

The invention is exemplified by the following illustrations of the elements of a mobile multiple socket, without being restricted thereto.

Figur 1

eine erfindungsgemäße 6-fach Steckdose;

Figur 2

einen Querschnitt durch eine erfindungsgemäße Steckdose im Ruhezustand als Prinzipskizze;

Figur 3

einen Querschnitt durch die Steckdose nach Figur 2 nach Aktivierung;

Figur 4

eine obere Deckplatte;

Figur 5

eine untere Deckplatte;

Figur 6

ein Sperrelement;

Figur 7

einen Erdkontakt;

Figur 8

einen Sockel;

Figur 9

eine Kontakthalterung; und

Figur 10

ein Führungsteil.

Show it:

Figure 1

a 6-way socket according to the invention;

Figure 2

a cross section through a socket according to the invention in the idle state as a schematic diagram;

Figure 3

a cross section through the socket Figure 2 after activation;

Figure 4

an upper cover plate;

Figure 5

a lower cover plate;

Figure 6

a locking element;

Figure 7

a ground contact;

Figure 8

a base;

Figure 9

a contact holder; and

Figure 10

a guide part.

The multiple socket 1 according to Figure 1 has between two end caps 2 and 2 'a trough-shaped socket body, which offers two longitudinally extending laterally protruding covers 3 on its upper side and six juxtaposed receptacles for power plugs between the covers or strips 3, each of which has two covers 4 and flexible lips 5 is covered. The flexible lips 5 of the covers 4 of a receptacle meet in the middle and define the access for the plug contacts of a mains plug.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section through a safety socket according to the invention in the idle state, ie without the power plug inserted. The socket body is open on its upper side and shows the two strips 3, the covers 4 and the flexible lips 5, which leave a gap 6 in the middle for inserting the plug contacts of a mains plug. The covers 4 and the flexible lips 5 are connected to the upper locking plate 7 below at 41 and 51, respectively. It means that when the upper locking plate 7 moves downwards, the covers 4 and the flexible lips 5 automatically move downwards with it.

Below the covers 4 is the upper blocking plate 7, which has release elements 71 on both sides facing the socket body, which move into the slot 153 when the upper blocking plate 7 moves downward.

Below the upper blocking plate 7 is the lower blocking plate 8, which is expediently also firmly connected to the upper blocking plate 7. The lower locking plate 8 contains a locking element, of which only the downwardly projecting feet 91 are shown. These feet sit on the base 10.

The contact receptacle 11, in which the contact sleeves of the current conductor 12 and the neutral conductor 13 are arranged, is located below the base 10. The contacts of the earth conductor 14 are arranged laterally parallel to the side wall of the socket body under the covers or strips 3 and have the actual contact points 143, a bearing element 142 and a foot element 141. The contacts 14 are designed as a total of spring elements that can move in the direction of the interior of the multiple socket.

Inside the socket body 3 there is a guide element 15 with upstanding walls 151 and 152 which - together with the base 10, form two shafts 153 and 154.

The first shaft 153 with the wall 152 is used to guide the release elements 71 of the upper locking plate 7.

Figure 3 shows the schematic diagram of Figure 2 after inserting a power plug (not shown for the sake of clarity). The covers 4 and elastic lips 5 are lowered with the upper locking plate 7 into the interior of the socket body, the release elements 71, guided on the walls 152 of the guide element 15, have pressed the foot elements 141 of the earth conductor 14 downwards and the contacts 143 of the Have rotated earth conductor 14 into the contact position.

With the upper locking plate 7, the lower locking plate 8 has also lowered into the socket body. The feet 91 of the locking element 9 (covered by the lower locking plate 8), displaced by the plug contacts of the mains plug and displaced into a lateral position, have lowered into the second slot 154. The sideways movement of the feet 91 of the locking element 9 releases the openings for the plug contacts of the mains plug, which can thus reach the contact sleeves in the contact receptacle 11.

Figure 4 shows the upper locking plate 7 with the release elements 71 and openings 72 for the plug contacts of a power plug. A groove 73 is used to connect the locking plate 7 to the cover 4 via the projection 41 or, alternatively, to the flexible lip 5 via the projection 51. In the latter case, the cover 4 is firmly connected to the flexible lip 5. A bar 74 on the underside of the upper blocking plate 7 is used to connect to the lower blocking plate 8.

Figure 5 shows the lower locking plate 8 with openings 81 for the plug contacts of a power plug. In the center there is a round elevation 82 for fixing a locking element 9 (see Figure 6 ) which covers the openings 81 in the idle state. Two abutments 83 serve as stop points for the ends of a locking bolt 92 (see Figure 6 ). The recesses 86 receive the feet 91 of the locking element 9, the note 84 are used to fix the lower locking plate 8 to the upper locking plate 7.

The lower blocking plate 8 is partially surrounded by walls which, among other things, serve for stabilization and define an interior space into which the blocking element 9 is introduced. A curved wall 85 between an abutment 83 and an outer wall serves as an abutment for a return spring (not shown), preferably a leaf spring, which is attached to its the other end acts against the locking element 9, keeps it under tension and moves it back into the starting position when an inserted mains plug is pulled out. The spring element causes the entire system to return from the activated position to the rest position.

Figure 6 shows the locking element 9 with a central locking bolt 92 and a central opening 93, which corresponds to the elevation 82 of the lower locking plate 8. The locking element 9 is pushed onto this elevation 82 with the central opening 93.

The locking bar 92 has bevels or curves 94 at its ends (see FIG Figure 6b ) facing opposite sides. These bevels or rounded portions 94 are designed in such a way that they give way to the side of the contact pins of a mains plug when a certain pressure is applied and thus expose the perforations 81 of the lower blocking plate 8 underneath for the plug contacts.

The locking bar 92 has at its two ends on the sides opposite the bevels or curves 94 wings 96 which protrude at an angle of approximately 45 °. On the underside of both wings (see Figure 6b ) there are feet 91 which, in the rest position, are above the base 10 (see Figure 1 ) are located. The feet 91 protrude into the interior of the socket in the region of the recesses 86 of the lower locking plate 8. When a mains plug is plugged in, the wings 96 move with the feet 91 outwards and thus lose their contact with the base 10, which activates the socket and allows a mains plug to be inserted further.

Figure 7 shows a ground contact 14 which is suitable according to the invention and which is designed as a spring element. In the rest position, the contact point 14 is under the edge 3 of the socket body. The earth contact is fixed by a holding tube 142 (see Figure 7b ), from which the actual contact 143 protrudes and a foot element 141 protrudes in the direction of the socket interior. The tube 142 is mounted on the guide element 15. In the interior of the tube 142 there is a contact rod which connects the individual earth contacts 14 of the multiple socket 1 with one another, so that at the same time it contributes to stability and serves as a pivot.

Figure 8 shows the base 10 of the multiple socket 1 according to the invention in the form of a downwardly open U with a total of twelve openings 101 for the plug contacts of a total of six power plugs. The base 10 is therefore not individually designed for a connection, Instead, it encompasses the entire length of the multiple socket outlet 1. The base 10 is fixed to the bottom of the shaft of the multiple socket outlet 1.

It goes without saying that the openings in the two locking plates 7 and 8 and in the base 10 are aligned in order to enable a mains plug to be inserted.

Figure 9 shows the contact receptacle 11 of a multiple socket 1 according to the invention with mutually delimited individual receptacles 110 for the contact sleeves of the current conductor 12 and the neutral conductor 13, which are arranged alternately. The contact receptacle 11 is arranged within the base 10.

Figure 10 shows a guide element 15, which is arranged on the bottom of the socket body 1 and is used to fix the contact holder 11 and the base 10. The guide element 15 extends over the entire length of the multiple socket outlet 1 but is configured in segments such that a defined area is available for each of the plug-in options. There is an outer wall 151 and an inner wall 152 on both sides, the inner wall 152 protruding less than the outer wall 151 Lock plate 7 protrude. The foot elements 141 of the earth contacts 14 also protrude into this outer shaft 153.

A second shaft 154 adjoins the inner wall 152 on the inside, the second wall being formed by the side wall of the base 10. After activation, the feet 91 of the locking element 9 protrude into this second or inner shaft 154.

The elements of the multiple socket according to the invention, which are not shown, are more or less common and do not require any further explanation. This also applies in particular to the end caps, the conductor elements, the supply line and any switches and indicator lights that may be present.

Claims (15)

1. Safety socket with a central shaft for a safety plug, with a current, a neutral and an earth conductor, which are arranged in the central shaft, wherein the shaft and the safety plug are dimensionally adapted to one another, with

   - an upper locking plate (7) with openings (72) for the plug contacts of a safety plug,

   - a lower locking plate (8) with openings (81) for the plug contacts of a safety plug and with a reset spring,

   - a locking element (9), which is arranged between the upper locking plate (7) and the lower locking plate (8) and covers the openings (81) of the lower locking plate (8) with a locking bar (92) running along the line of the plug contacts, wherein the locking element (9) is horizontally movable by the contacts of a safety plug and releasing the openings (81) of the lower locking plate (8) and is able to be reset to the starting position by the reset spring,

   - a contact take-up (11), arranged in the central shaft, for the contact sleeves for the plug contacts of a safety plug and earth conductor contacts (14), characterised by

   - a cover (4) for concealing the contact sleeves, which is split centrally (6) along the line of the plug contacts into two halves, wherein the cover (4) is movable under the pressure of a safety plug in a vertical direction, the upper locking plate is vertically movable together with the cover (4) and the lower locking plate is vertically movable together with the cover (4) and the upper locking plate (7).
2. Safety socket according to claim 1, characterised in that the earth conductor contacts (14) are arranged in their starting position under lateral covers (3) of the safety socket (1) and upon insertion of a safety plug with the downward movement of the locking plates (7, 8) and the horizontal movement of the locking element (9) are moved reversibly into the contact position.
3. Safety socket according to claim 2, characterised in that the earth conductor contacts (14) have feet elements (141) protruding into the interior of the safety socket (1), which elements are moved, upon insertion of a safety plug, into the contact position by means of activation elements (71) arranged on the underside of one of the locking plates (7, 8) due to the downward movement.
4. Safety socket according to claim 3, characterised in that the activation elements (71) are arranged on the side facing the earth contacts (14) and are guided in first shafts (153), which are arranged vertically in the safety socket (1) and into which the earth conductor contacts (14) protrude with their feet elements (141).
5. Safety socket according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lower (8) and the upper locking plate (7) are connected to one another.
6. Safety socket according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the locking element (9) is supported in a horizontally rotatable manner on the lower locking plate (8) between the openings (81).
7. Safety socket according to claim 6, characterised in that the locking element (9) comprises a wing (94) extending laterally at each of its ends, wherein the two wings (94) point in opposite directions.
8. Safety socket according to claim 7, characterised in that each of the two wings (94) comprises a foot (91) pointing to the base of the safety socket (1), which foot is supported in the initial state on a pedestal (10) and can be sunk in the activated state into a second shaft (154) respectively.
9. Safety socket according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the locking element (9) is held in the initial position by the reset spring and is movable in a horizontally rotatable manner against the reset spring.
10. Safety socket according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the lower locking plate (8) comprises limit stops (83) for the locking bar (92) that define the initial position of the locking bar (92).
11. Safety socket according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the locking bar (92) of the locking element (9) is bevelled towards the insertion side of the safety plug, wherein the bevels (94) of the two ends point to different sides so that, upon insertion of a safety plug, the locking bar (92) must move to the side against the reset spring.
12. Safety socket according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the cover (4) is divided into two and comprises an elastic element (5) centrally, which under the pressure of the plug contacts of a safety plug releases the path to the openings (72) of the upper locking plate (7).
13. Safety socket according to claim 12, characterised in that each of the two halves of the cover (4) comprises an elastic element (5).
14. Safety socket according to any of the preceding claims as a multiple socket.
15. Safety socket according to claim 14 as a mobile multiple socket.

Images