GB2166911A

GB2166911A - Plug safety base

Info

Publication number: GB2166911A
Application number: GB08424656A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur Leonard Raplh Cork
Original assignee: LECORMEX Ltd
Current assignee: LECORMEX Ltd
Priority date: 1984-09-29
Filing date: 1984-09-29
Publication date: 1986-05-14
Also published as: GB8424656D0

Abstract

A safety device for an electrical plug comprises a rubber or plastics moulding having a base (1) with apertures (2,3,4) to receive the pins of the plug; the moulding is adapted to lie between the plug and an electrical socket into which the plug is pushed, and has a peripheral flange (7-12) which, on contact with the socket, is reformed to provide a protection skirt (9,10) surrounding at least the portion of the plug adjacent the socket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plug safety base We LECORMEX LIMITED a british Company of Abford House Wilton Road, London, SW1. do hereby declare, the invention for which we pray that a that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which if is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a device which when fitted to an electrical plug provides a novel method of reducing the possibility of receiving an electrical shock.

A well known 13 amp plug with three oblong pins, two carrying current and the third longer pin operating the earth connection in the socket, have been manufactured with an inherent safety hazard which is especially dangerous to children. The danger occurs when the plug has been inserted sufficeintly to make contact with the socket to deliver the current but not pushed into the final position, flush with the socket face. This gap left between the plug and the socket face has proved a hazard as children can place place fingers or objects into this space, contact the edges of the pins and receive an electrical shock. The object of this invention is to give a visual indication that the plug is not fully in the socket and even if it is only partiay in, still provide a protective surrounding mass occupying the space into which fingers or objects could penertrate.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings accompanying this specification in which, Figure 1 shows the typical layout of a 13 amp three pin plug the contact pins protruding from the plugs surface.

Figure 2 shows a cross section of the device.

Figure 3 shows the plug with the safety base fitted over the pins of the plug and entered into the socket.

The manner in which the device achieves its objective is as follows. A moulding is formed in plastic or rubber and consists of base 1 about 1 mm thick with three holes Fig. 2, 2,3,4, conforming with the shapes of the pins, Fig. 1 5,6,7, being a close fit. Sides Fig.

2, 7,8, should be longer than the gap between the surface Fig. 1 15 of the plug and surface Fig. 3 13, 14, of the socket, when the earth pin starts to operate and deliver the current to the pins.

Fig. 3 shows plug Fig. 1 pressed home into socket surface 13,14, and it will be noticed that Fig. 2, 7,9,11, and 8,10,12, have turned round 90 degrees whith sides 7,8, lying parallel and adjacent to socket surfaces 13, 14, cavities 9, 10, are at right angles with socket 14, 13, and surfaces 11,12, are parallel with the surface of the socket. Surface 11, 12, could have the leter S marked on it in several places and or a distictive ring both would be visible when the plug is pushed fully into the socket.

This base could be adapted for other types of plugs which are subject to this hazard.

1. A rubber or plastics moulding having apertures to receive the pins of an electric plug and adapted to lie between the plug and an electrical socket into which the plug is pushed, said moulding having a peripheral flange which, on contact with the socket, is reformed to provide a protective skirt surrounding at least that portion of the plug adjacent the socket.

2. A moulding as claimed in claim 1, adapted for use with a three-pin plug, wherein the length of the flange is greater than the distance between the adjacent surfaces of the plug and socket when the plug is pushed into the socket and the earth pin starts to operate.

3. An electrical plug provided with a rubber or plastics moulding as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2.

4. An electrical plug, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Plug safety base We LECORMEX LIMITED a british Company of Abford House Wilton Road, London, SW1. do hereby declare, the invention for which we pray that a that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which if is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a device which when fitted to an electrical plug provides a novel method of reducing the possibility of receiving an electrical shock. A well known 13 amp plug with three oblong pins, two carrying current and the third longer pin operating the earth connection in the socket, have been manufactured with an inherent safety hazard which is especially dangerous to children. The danger occurs when the plug has been inserted sufficeintly to make contact with the socket to deliver the current but not pushed into the final position, flush with the socket face. This gap left between the plug and the socket face has proved a hazard as children can place place fingers or objects into this space, contact the edges of the pins and receive an electrical shock. The object of this invention is to give a visual indication that the plug is not fully in the socket and even if it is only partiay in, still provide a protective surrounding mass occupying the space into which fingers or objects could penertrate. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings accompanying this specification in which, Figure 1 shows the typical layout of a 13 amp three pin plug the contact pins protruding from the plugs surface. Figure 2 shows a cross section of the device. Figure 3 shows the plug with the safety base fitted over the pins of the plug and entered into the socket. The manner in which the device achieves its objective is as follows. A moulding is formed in plastic or rubber and consists of base 1 about 1 mm thick with three holes Fig. 2, 2,3,4, conforming with the shapes of the pins, Fig. 1 5,6,7, being a close fit. Sides Fig. 2, 7,8, should be longer than the gap between the surface Fig. 1 15 of the plug and surface Fig. 3 13, 14, of the socket, when the earth pin starts to operate and deliver the current to the pins. Fig. 3 shows plug Fig. 1 pressed home into socket surface 13,14, and it will be noticed that Fig. 2, 7,9,11, and 8,10,12, have turned round 90 degrees whith sides 7,8, lying parallel and adjacent to socket surfaces 13, 14, cavities 9, 10, are at right angles with socket 14, 13, and surfaces 11,12, are parallel with the surface of the socket. Surface 11, 12, could have the leter S marked on it in several places and or a distictive ring both would be visible when the plug is pushed fully into the socket. This base could be adapted for other types of plugs which are subject to this hazard. CLAIMS