GB2243726A

GB2243726A - Unplugging electric plugs

Info

Publication number: GB2243726A
Application number: GB9008295A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Frederick Ash Miles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-04-11
Filing date: 1990-04-11
Publication date: 1991-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-11
Also published as: GB9008295D0; GB2243726B

Abstract

A moulded plastics strip (10) is attached to a British Standard three-pin plug (15) to facilitate removal of the plug from a socket. The strip (10) has end portions (12) each of which is formed with three apertures (13) to receive the plug terminals (14). The strip (10) is flexible and has a length such that, when one end of the strip (10) has been attached to the terminals (14), the strip (10) can be wound round the body of the plug (15) and then the other end of the strip (10) attached to the terminals (14), with the body of the strip (10) defining a loop which can be grasped manually. Areas (16, 17, 18) of increased thickness resist flexing. <IMAGE>

Description

ELECTRIC PLUGS Field of the Invention This invention relates to electric plugs, e.g. to the standard three-pin plugs for normal domestic use.

Background to the Invention For most people, it is an extremely simple matter to insert a three-pin plug into a socket or to withdraw the plug from the socket. However, for the elderly and infirm, particularly those with arthritic fingers, withdrawal of the plug from the socket can be difficult to accomplish. Thus, to compensate for this, elderly people can deliberately not insert the terminals of a plug to their fullest extent, thereby creating a fire hazard.

There are, of course, many other instances where it is of advantage to facilitate the removal of a plug from a socket, for example, in a kitchen or in a workshop in which the workers' hands may be greasy.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide means for facilitating the withdrawal of an electric plug from its socket.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided the combination of an electric plug and a strip of insulating material, which strip is provided at each end with apertures through which the plug terminals can be passed, the length of the strip being such that, after one end of the strip has been attached to the terminals, the strip can be wound round the body of the plug and then the other end of the strip attached to the terminals in such manner as to provide a loop which can be grasped manually to facilitate removal of the plug from a socket into which, after attachment of the strip, the terminals of the plug have been inserted.

The strip is preferably formed of a flexible synthetic plastics material with the thickness of the strip, at least at the end portions thereof, less than 1 mm. such that, when both end portions of the strip have been engaged with the plug terminals, the presence of the strip does not interfere with proper insertion of the terminals in the socket.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a plastic strip, Figure 2 is a side view of the plastic strip, and Figure 3 shows the plastic strip attached to an electric plug.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment The plastic strip 10 shown in the drawings is produced as a moulding of a synthetic plastics material which is pliable and had excellent insulating characteristics. The strip 10 includes a parallel-sided main body portion 11 at each end of which enlargements 12 are provided, each enlargement 12 being formed with three apertures 13 positioned and dimensioned to correspond to the terminals 14 of a standard domestic three-pin plug 15 shown in Figure 3.

The majority of the strip 10, including the enlarged end portions 12, is of uniform thickness, being less than 1 mm. in thickness. A typical thickness is 0.75 mm. Parts 16, 17 and 18 of the parallel-sided main body portion 11 are, however, of increased thickness, for example 2 mm. in thickness so as to be of increased rigidity and so that, when the strip 10 is flexed, the parts 16, 17 and 18 will tend to remain planar and flexing of the strip 10 will take place in those areas of the strip between the parts 16, 17 and 18.

In use, one end portion 12 of the strip 10 is engaged with the three terminals 14 of the plug 15 and the strip 10 is then folded over the body of the plug 15 so that it will tend to adopt the configuration shown in Figure 3. The other end portion 12 of the strip is then engaged with the plug 15 by passing the terminals 14 through the apertures 13 in this other end portion 12 of the strip 10.

Thus, when the strip 10 is engaged with the terminals 14 of the plug 15, two thicknesses of the plastics material are located on top of the face of the plug. The total thickness of these two layers is, however, only 1.5 mm. which is not enough to interfere with engagement of the terminals with the corresponding fittings of the socket.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the parts 16, 17 and 18 of the strip 10 stand proud of the plug body making it extremely simple to insert a finger or fingers behind part 17 of the strip 10 and thereby withdraw the plug from the socket.

Claims

Claims:

1. The combination of an electric plug and a strip of insulating material, which strip is provided at each end with apertures through which the plug terminals can be passed, the length of the strip being such that, after one end of the strip has been attached to the terminals, the strip can be wound round the body of the plug and then the other end of the strip attached to the terminals in such manner as to provide a loop which can be grasped manually to facilitate removal of the plug from a socket into which, after attachment of the strip, the terminals of the plug have been inserted.

2. The combination as claimed in Claim 1, in which the strip is formed as a plastics moulding with the thickness of the strip, at least at the end portions thereof, less than 1 mm.

3. The combination as claimed in Claim 2, in which the end portions of the strip have a thickness of approximately 0.75 mm.

4. The combination as claimed in Claim 2, in which parts of the strip, intermediate the ends thereof, are of greater thickness than the end portions of the strip, said portions of greater thickness being so positioned that, when the strip is bent to form a loop, bending of the strip will take place at predetermined positions along the length of the strip so as to form a loop of predetermined configuration.

5. The combination of an electric plug and a moulded plastics strip for attachment to the terminals of the plug to facilitate removal of the plug from a socket, the configuration of said strip being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.