GB2202692A - Protective housing - Google Patents

Abstract

The housing which is suitable for protecting an intermediate plug and socket in an extension lead system against the entry of water is formed by at least two shell portions (2, 3) releasably connected together by catches (13-16), seals (10, 11) being disposed between abutting regions of the adjacent shell portions and where cables pass through channels (12) into the chamber defined by the shell portions. The device serves to make it difficult for water to approach the region of the electrical conductors within the intermediate plug and socket, but the device is water resistant rather than waterproof. <IMAGE>

Description

PROTECTIVE HOUSING DEVICE This invention relates to a protective housing device suitable for protecting an intermediate plug and socket in an extension lead system, against the entry of water.

Often an electrical appliance will have a cable or lead which is fitted with a plug but which is too short to reach a supply socket. It therefore becomes necessary to employ a so-called extension lead which has a cable, a plug at one end of the cable and capable of being fitted in the supply socket, and, at the other end of the cable, a socket into which the plug of the electrical appliance can be fitted. Sometimes, where the electrical appliance is to be used a long way away from the power socket, two or even more extension leads are required. When extension leads are used within a building they are normally reasonably safe but, when they are used out of doors, there can be some degree of danger associated with their use.Thus, if used in the garden, the intermediate connection in the extension lead system can be subjected to the entry of water, for example from wet grass or a garden pond, which can obviously cause a short circuit and the risk of electrocution. Moreover, when being used on a boat in a marina the intermediate connection can fall into water between the boat and the jetty or harbour wall.

According to the present invention, there is provided a protective housing device suitable for protecting an intermediate plug and socket in an extension lead system against the entry of water, the device comprising: two or more shell portions each capable of being located with respect to each other to form a shell which defines a chamber capable of accommodating the intermediate plug and socket of the extension lead system, the shell having channels through which cables of the extension lead system may pass; means for securing the shell portions with respect to each other, to form the shell; first sealing means for forming a seal between abutting regions of adjacent shell portions; and second sealing means for forming seals where cables pass in the channels through the housing.

Although the shell may be constituted by any reasonable number of shell portions, it is convenient for there to be two shell portions which, from the manufacturing and assembly points of view, are preferably identical, so that the two shell portions can be manufactured in the same mould.

The shell, when assembled, can be of any convenient shape, although of necessity it will often be generally elongate with opposing end regions which preferably taper towards their ends so that the device, when being pulled along the ground, is less likely to snag on anything.

The channels through which the cables of the extension lead system are to pass, can be provided in any convenient region of the shell but are preferably in the opposing end regions of the generally elongate shell referred to above.

The shell may have, but need not have, over a major intermediate portion of its length a cylindrical cross-section, which can be a circular cylindrical cross-section.

The shell portions are conveniently formed of a plastics material which is preferably resilient, not too brittle, and not too soft; if the shell portions were too soft they might flex too readily and cause a breakdown of the necessary seal. The shell portions can be formed from, for instance, a polypropylene or can be formed from the same type of material as slightly resilient plugs and sockets sold under the trade mark "Duraplug".

With regard to the means for securing the shell portions with respect to each other, in one possible embodiment where there are two shell portions, each shell portion can have one or more hinge on one side and one or more securing means on the other side so that the hinge components of the two shell portions can cooperate and the securing components of the two shell portions can cooperate.

In an alternative arrangement, one or more securing component can be provided on each side of the shell portions so that, when the shell portions are brought together, the securing components can cooperate with each other. In a preferred arrangement of this type, there is a male securing component and a female securing component on one side of the shell portion and a female securing component and male securing component on the opposite side af the shell portion.The arrangement is such that, when a shell portion with these securing components is brought face to face with an identical shell component, the two male components on the first shell portion can cooperate with the two female securing components on the second shell portion, and the two male securing components on the second shell portion can cooperate with the two female securing components on the first shell portion. The terms "male securing component" and "female securing component" are used broadly to embrace any securing system in which one securing component has to cooperate with another, different style of component.

The male securing component can take the form, for instance, of a stop with a step, and the female securing component can take the form of a loop hinged to an anchoring portion, the pivoted loop passing over the stop and engaging with the step.

Another means for securing the shell portions could be, for example, a band which passes around the external surfaces of the shell portions to keep the shell portions together, although this could suffer from the disadvantage of being a separate component which would make manufacture more difficult and would run the risk of that component being lost.

The purpose of the housing device of the present invention is to make it difficult for-water to approach the region of the electrical conductors within the intermediate plug and socket. Water is extremely penetrating and it is not claimed that the protective housing device of the present invention is entirely waterproof. The device is, however, intended to be water resistant so as to greatly reduce the chances of water reaching the electrical conductors within the intermediate plug and socket.

As regards the first sealing means, this can be provided in the edge regions of the shell portions which abut each other, by having a stepped configuration providing some degree of overlap.

However, it is felt that a more effective seal will be provided by the provision of a layer of a rubbery material along the edge of the wall of the shell portion which is to abut the opposing wall of the other shell portion. Each shell portion can be provided with its own seal of this nature, or a single first sealing means can be provided which is to be common to the two shell portions.

As regards the second sealing means, preferably these seals and the channels in which they are located are stepped, with a larger cross-sectional area being nearer the chamber and the smaller cross-sectional area being nearer the free ends of the housing device. The purpose of this is so that a cable of a normal diameter can be accommodated within the narrower cross-sectional area of seal, as well as passing loosely through the larger cross-sectional area. A-cable of conventional diameter can thus be secured sealingly within the narrower cross-sectional area of the seal.

If, however, the housing device is to be used with cables having a larger diameter than usual, the end portions of the housing device, and thus the smaller diameter channel portions and smaller diameter seal portions, can be cut off, thereby allowing the larger cable to the accommodated within the remaining larger diameter second sealing means.

Preferably the second sealing means is somewhat toothed in the regions where the sealing means is to engage the cable so as to bite" into the insulating layer on the exterior of the cable, thereby providing a good seal. This applies to both the narrower diameter and larger diameter regions of the second sealing means when the second sealing means is stepped.

For ease of assembly and of manufacture, when the first seal takes the form of a strip or strips lying between the edges of the wall regions of the shell portions, those strips can be integral with the second sealing means. The shape of the second sealing means at each end of the housing device depends, to some extent, on the magnitude of the shell portion which makes up the whole shell. Thus, where there are two identical shell portions, the second sealing means at each end of the housing device can be in the form of two generally semi-circular sealing components located in the respective channel portions.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view from one side of one embodiment of a device according to the present invention, the device having two half shells which are closed and secured with respect to each other to form a shell; Figure 2 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, towards one end of the device shown in Figure 1, but with the two half shells unsecured and slightly spaced apart; Figures 3 and 4 show, on an even more enlarged scale, the system for securing the half shells together, with Figure 3 being an end view and Figure 4 being a perspective view;; Figure 5 is a view towards the chamber of one of the half shells shown in Figure 1, with a combined first and second sealing component overlying the half shell; and Figure 6 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of the sealing means in the region of the channel by means of which the cable passes from the chamber to the exterior.

Referring first to Figure 1 the protecting housing device is indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The device 1 has two opposed half shells 2 and 3, which are identical and which are held together in the closed position with respect to each other. The half shell 2 has a generally circular cylindrical intermediate portion 4, a tapering portion 5 at one end region and a tapering portion 6 at the opposite end region. Similarly, the half shell 3 has a circular cylindrical intermediate portion 7, a tapering portion 8 at one end region and a tapering portion 9 at the opposite end region.

Positioned between the two half shells 2 and 3 are two seals 10 and 11, shown more clearly in Figure 2. The seal 10 is associated with the half shell 2, and the seal 11 is associated with the half shell 3.

The purpose of the seals 10 and 11 is to provide a water-resistant seal between the two half shells when they are secured together in the manner indicated in Figure 1-.

In order to assist in securing the two half shells 2 and 3 togetherthere are four securing systems, but only two are shown in Figure 1, the other two being on the far side of the device of Figure 1. In one of the securing systems there is a male securing component 13 provided on the half shell 2 which cooperates with a female securing component 14 mounted on the half shell 3. At the opposite end regions of the cylindrical portions 4 and 7 are a female securing component 15 mounted on the half shell 2 and, cooperating therewith, a male securing component 16 mounted on the half shell 3. The securing means are shown somewhat more clearly in Figure 2 where, in addition to the female and male components 15 and 16, there are also shown similar male and female components 17 and 18, respectively, on the opposite side of the shell.

One of the securing means is shown in even greater detail in Figures 3 and 4. Here it can be seen that the female securing component 14 has a plate 19 which is secured to the cylindrical portion 7 of the half shell 3 and which is joined by a weakened portion 20 which serves as a hinge to a plate 21 provided with an elongate aperture 22. The male securing component 13 is mounted on the cylindrical portion 4 of the half shell 2 and is generally wedge shaped and has at its thicker end a step 23.The arrangement is such that, when the two half shells 2 and 3 are squeezed together so that the seals 10 and 11 are compressed, the plate 21 can be positioned over the male securing component 13 which can move upwardly through the aperture 22 until such time as the plate 21 has been sufficiently depressed for an end region of plate 21, remote from the weakened portion 20, to engage a step 23 on the male securing component 13. The securing means can be released by squeezing the two half shells 2 and 3 together particularly tightly whereupon it is possible to release the plate 21 from the step 23.

Figure 5 shows in more detail the half shell 3 rotated through 900 with respect to the position in which it is shown in Figure 1, the half shell 2 being absent. A combined first and second sealing component 11 overlies the half shell 3, and thus partially obscures some components in the half shell 3. The sealing component 11 is shown as the lightly hatched component.

With regard to the various components shown in Figure 1 the components already mentioned will not be described in detail, but it can be seen that there are the two female securing components 14 and 18 offset with respect to each other and the two male securing components (one of which is 16) offset with respect to each other but opposite respective female securing components.

The half shell 3 includes within the tapered portion 8 half of a hemispherical wall portion 24 and, beyond that, an intermediate transverse wall 25 and, beyond that, a terminal wall 26. In a similar manner, there are provided within the tapered portion 9 half of a hemispherical wall 27 and, beyond that an intermediate transverse wall 28 and, beyond that, a terminal wall 29. The walls 24, 25 and 26 are provided with a channel to accommodate part of the seal 11 and within it one cable, and the walls 27, 28 and 29 are provided with another channel 12 to accommodate another part of the seal and within it another cable. The channel 12 defined by the seal 11 is stepped and there is a narrower channel 30 from the terminal wall 29 extending to the intermediate transverse wall 28, and a broader channel 31 which runs between, and through both of, the intermediate transverse wall 28 and the partially hemispherical wall 27.

Similarly, within the tapered portion 8 there is a broad channel 32 which runs between, and through both of, the partially hemispherical wall 24 and the intermediate transverse wall 25, as well as a narrow channel 33 which runs through and from the terminal transverse wall 26 to the intermediate transverse wall 25.

The seal 11 is a single unit which is generally planar except in the regions of the channels 30, 31, 32 and 33 where it is generally semi-cylindrical.

Shown in Figure 5 but seen more clearly in Figure 6, are teeth 34 which help to effect an efficient seal with regard to a cable passing through the channel.

The teeth 34 are parallel arcuate teeth which are intended to line up with similar teeth on the seal 10 associated with the other half shell 2. Located centrally within the half shell 3, and the corresponding half shell 2, is a chamber 35 intended to accommodate a plug and socket forming part of an extension lead system.

In order to protect a normal extension lead system in the region of an intermediate socket and plug, with the seals 10 and 11 in place within their half shells 2 and 3, the socket and plug (neither of which is shown) are laid in the chamber 35 of one half shell 2 or 3 with one of the cables being located in the passage 12 (30 and 31) and the other cable being located in the other channel (32 and 33). The other half shell 3 or 2 is then brought up against the first half shell 2 or 3 and firmly squeezed against it so that the cables are securely located within their respective channels (each of which is effectively made up of two opposed semicircular cross-section channels). Then, with the half shells 2 and 3 held firmly against each other, the four female securing components are forced down over the four male securing components to hold the two half shells 2rand 3 securely together.In this condition the seals 10 and 11 are somewhat under pressure to effect a good seal.

Instead of all the sealing components associated with one half shell being made as a single unit, and all the sealing components associated with the other half shell also being made as a single unit, the seals in the region of the channels 12 and 32/33 can be separate from the seals portions which lie between other adjacent portions of the half shells 2 and 3, but this arrangement may not be so convenient.

The tapered end regions of the device 1, provided by the tapered portions 5 and 8, and 6 and 9, allow the extension lead system to be dragged along the ground with less likelihood of the device 1 becoming snagged on any articles lying on the ground.

The half shells 2 and 3 and all the components associated with those half shells (other than the seals) can be formed of a polypropylene, and all the sealing components can be formed of a suitable rubber material.

Claims (19)

1. A protective housing device suitable for protecting an intermediate plug and socket in an extension lead system against the entry of water, the device comprising: two or more shell portions each capable of being located with respect to each other to form a shell which defines a chamber capable of accommodating the intermediate plug and socket of the extension lead system, the shell having channels through which cables of the extension lead system may pass; means for securing the shell portions with respect to each other, to form the shell; first sealing means for forming a seal between abutting regions of adjacent shell portions; and second sealing means for forming seals where cables pass in the channels through the shell.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the shell is constituted by two shell portions.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein the two shell portions are identical.

4. A device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the shell, when assembled from the shell portions, is generally elongate with opposing end regions which taper towards their ends.

5. A device according to Claim 4, wherein there are two channels in the opposing end regions of the shell, respectively.

6. A device according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein a major intermediate portion of the generally elongate shell has a cylindrical cross-section.

7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein the major intermediate portion of the shell has a circular cylindrical cross-section.

8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the shell portions are formed of a plastics material.

9. A device according to Claim 8, wherein the plastics material is resilient.

10. A device according to Claim 9, wherein the resilient plastics material is a polypropylene.

11. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein each shell portion has one or more hinge on one side and one or more securing means on the other side so that the hinge components of adjacent shell portions can cooperate and the securing components of adjacent shell portions can cooperate.

12. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the means for securing the shell portions takes the form of one or more securing component provided on each side of the shell portions so that, when the shell portions are brought together, the securing components can cooperate with each other.

13. A device according to Claim 12 when appendant directly or indirectly to Claim 2, wherein there is a male securing component and a female securing component on one side of the shell portion and a female securing component and a male securing component on the opposite side of the shell portion, the arrangement being such that, when a shell portion with these securing components is brought face to face with an identical shell component, the two male components on the first shell portion can cooperate with the two female securing components on the second shell portion, and a two male securing components on the second shell portion can cooperate with the two female securing components on the first shell portion.

14. A device according to Claim 13, wherein the male securing component is in the form of a step with a stop, and a female securing component is in the form of a loop hinged to an anchoring portion, the loop being capable of passing over the stop and engaging with the step.

15. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the means for securing the shell portions is a band which passes around the external surfaces of the shell portions to keep the shell portions together.

16. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first sealing means is provided in the edge regions of the shell portions which abut each other, there being a stepped configuration providing some degree of overlap.

17. A device according to any one'of Claims 1 to 15, wherein the first sealing means is a layer of a rubbery material along the edge of the wall of the shell portion which is to abut the opposing wall of the adjacent shell portion.

18. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the second sealing means and the channels in which they are located are stepped, with a larger cross-sectional area being nearer the chamber and a smaller cross-sectional area being nearer the free ends of the device.

19. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the second sealing means is toothed in the region where the sealing means is to engage a cable passing-through the channel.

20, A device according to any preceding claim, wherein part of the first sealing means and part of the second sealing means are integral.

A protective housing -device substantially and hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

19. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the second sealing means is toothed in the region where the sealing means is to engage a cable passing through the channel.

20. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein part of the first sealing means and part of the second sealing means are integral.

21. A protective housing device substantially and hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS

1. A protective housing device suitable for protecting an intermediate plug and socket in an extension lead system against the entry of water, the device comprising: two or more shell portions each capable of being located with respect to each other to form a shell which defines a chamber capable of accommodating the intermediate plug and socket of the extension lead system, the shell having channels through which cables of the extension lead system may pass, and the shell portions being displaceable with respect to each other such that, even when the plug is inserted in the socket of the extension lead system, the cables can be introduced into the chamber and the shell portions brought back together to form the shell; means for securing the shell portions with respect to each other, to form the shell;; first sealing means for forming a seal between abutting regions of adjacent shell portions; and second sealing means for forming seals where cables pass in the channels through the shell.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the shell is constituted by two shell portions.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein the two shell portions are identical.

4. A device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the shell, when assembled from the shell portions, is generally elongate with opposing end regions which tapertowards t-heir ends.

5. A device according to-Claim 4, wherein there are two channels-in the opposing end regions of the shell, respectively.

6. A deviceaecording to Claim 4 or~ 5, wherein a major intermediate portion of the generally elongate shell has a cylindrical cross-section.

7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein the major intermediate portion of the shell has a circular cylindrical cross-section.

8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the shell portions are formed of a plastics material.

9. A device according to Claim 8, wherein the plastics material is resilient.

10. A device according to Claim 9, wherein the resilient plastics material is a polypropylene.

11. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein each shell portion has one or more hinge on one side and one or more securing means on the other side so that the hinge components of adjacent shell portions can cooperate and the securing components of adjacent shell portions can cooperate.

12. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the means for securing the shell portions takes the form of one or more securing component provided on each side of the shell portions so that, when the shell portions are brought together, the securing components can cooperate with each other.

13. A device according to Claim 12 when appendant directly or indirectly to Claim 2, wherein there is a male securing component and a female securing component on one side of the shell portion and a female securing component and a male securing component on the opposite side of the shell portion, the arrangement being such that, when a shell portion with these securing components is brought face to face with an identical shell component, the two male components on the first shell portion can cooperate with the two female securing components on the second shell portion, and a two male securing components on the secorWshell - portion can cooperate with the two female securing components on the first shell portion.

14. A device according to Claim 13, wherein the male securing component is in the form of a step with a stop, and a female securing component is in the form of a loop hinged to an anchoring portion, the loop being capable of passing over the stop and engaging with the step.

15. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the means for securing the shell portions is a band which passes around the external surfaces of the shell portions to keep the shell portions together.

16. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first sealing means is provided in the edge regions of the shell portions which abut each other, there being a stepped configuration providing some degree of overlap.

17. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 15, wherein the first sealing means is a layer of a rubbery material along the edge of the wall of the shell portion which is to abut the opposing wall of the adjacent shell portion.

18. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the second sealing means and the channels in which they are located are stepped, with a larger cross-sectional area being nearer the chamber and a smaller cross-sectional area being nearer the free ends of the device.