GB2293271A

GB2293271A - Power supply protector

Info

Publication number: GB2293271A
Application number: GB9418683A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Richard Bissell; Martin Michael Bailitis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-09-16
Filing date: 1994-09-16
Publication date: 1996-03-20
Also published as: GB9418683D0

Abstract

A power supply protector, formed from a single piece of non-conductive material, fits over the pins of an Figure 1. electrical plug, so that when the plug is inserted into a socket, the socket's switches are covered, and hence protected from accidental switching. Two switch covers 3, 4 are provided, and the power supply protector may be folded along pro-weakened lines 10 - 12 to display a warning symbol section 6 and a variable information section 7 in front of the plug. Unwanted features, such as the switch covers, or the warning symbol section 6 or the variable information section 7, may be removed by cutting along pre-weakened lines 10 - 14, allowing the power supply protection to be tailored to the type of socket being used, and the type and level of protection required. <IMAGE>

Description

POWER SUPPLY PROTECTOR This invention relates to electrical sockets.

Electrical sockets are well known and of many different types. Some sockets are available with an integral power switch, to isolate the socket from the power supply.

Sockets are convenient because they allow unqualified people to connect electrical devices to the mains power supply, via a plug, and also allow easy disconnection and relocation, without recourse to the services of a qualified electrician.

Many devices, fitted with a plug and drawing power through an electrical socket, perform crucial functions. There are many commercial and domestic examples of such devices, including computer equipment, refrigeration units, pumps, heaters etc.

Accidental disconnection of such devices may result in considerable damage and expense. Loss of power to a modem or file server may cripple a computer network, for example, and result in the loss of valuable data and services.

Further examples include the pumps and heaters used in tropical aquaria, which keep expensive fish alive.

The cost and loss of flexibility involved in having a qualified electrician change sockets so that the power supply, for devices needing protection against accidental power interruption, is permanently wired in, are prohibitive.

Plugs and power leads are generally quite similar in appearance and, where several occur together, it is easy to remove or isolate the wrong one.

Warnings placed on sockets or near them are often ineffective because the plug of an important device may be removed and inserted in another socket. Warning notes are also often obscured or simply fall off. Taping the plug and/or socket isolation switch(es) to prevent accidental disconnection is both unsightly, unprofessional and dangerous - should the plug need to be removed/isolated, in a emergency.

Existing power supply protectors are socket specific, that is to say they guard the isolation switch or plug for a particular socket, rather than a particular plug, and hence device. This could be considered a serious design flaw as it is the device, and hence its plug, which requires protection from power interruption, not the socket from which it draws its power. Existing devices are more or less permanently fixed to the socket they protect, which means, if the plug is removed from the protected socket its protection is lost.

EC regulations, regarding the regular testing of electrical equipment, mean that contractors are increasingly being asked to test equipment, whose function and importance they may be ignorant of. This increases the chances of accidental disconnection.

According to the present invention there is provided a plug specific, and hence device specific, Power Supply Protector fashioned from a non-conductive material and comprising: electrical socket switch covers; an area to fix warning symbols; an area to record variable information; a means of attaching the device to an electrical plug; a means of displaying the warning symbols and variable information areas in front of the body of the plug; and a means of easily removing unwanted features such as switch covers, the warning symbol area and the variable information area.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of the device; Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the device from the left side; Figure 3 shows a side elevation of the device from the right side; Figure 4 shows a front elevation of the device; Figure 5 shows the device folded and configured to protect the power source for a device with a plug inserted into a socket with a switch located to the right (including warning symbol and variable information areas); Figure 6 shows, in perspective, the device configured for a socket with a right hand switch (warning symbol and variable information affixed);; Figure 7 shows, in perspective, the device configured for a socket with a right hand switch as viewed from the socket side of the plug, before the warning symbol and variable information areas have been folded into position; Figure 8 shows, in perspective, the device as viewed from the left when configured for a socket with a right hand switch; Figure 9 shows, in perspective, the device configured to protect a power source to a device with a plug to be inserted into a socket with a switch located to the right (warning symbol and variable information areas have been removed); Figure 10 shows the various configurations achievable with the device.

Referring to figure 1, the Power Supply Protector comprises: a section used to mount the device on a plug 1, by inserting the plug's electrical pins 15 through the holes provided 2; a left hand switch cover 3; a right hand switch cover 4; a connecting section 5; a warning symbol area 6; and a variable information area 7. The material, from which the device is fabricated, thins at the lines indicated at points 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 to allow folding or cutting along said lines.

The device may be tailored to suit a variety of electrical sockets and situations with the removal of various removable sections (3, 4, 5, 6, 7) by cutting along the pre-weakened lines (10, 11, 12, 13, 14). Figure 10 shows some of the possible configurations achievable.

In figure 5, the device has been configured to protect the power supply to a device whose plug will be inserted into an electrical socket with a right hand switch. The left hand switch cover 3 has been removed by cutting along the pre-weakened line 13. Folds have been made along the preweakened lines 11 and 12 so that the warning symbol area 6 and the variable information area 7 will be displayed in front of the plug, when inserted into an electrical socket.

When the plug, with the Power Supply Protector fitted, is inserted into an electrical socket, as shown in figure 6, the socket switch is covered by the socket switch cover 4, preventing the switch from being thrown. In the example shown in figure 6 the user has elected to retain the warning symbol area 6 and the variable information area 7, and has affixed decals to the switch cover surface of the right hand switch cover 9, the warning symbol area 6 and the variable information area 7.

Figure 7 shows the device fitted to a three pin plug, whose electrical pins 15 have been forced through the holes 2 in the mounting section 1. In this figure we see that the left hand switch protector 3 has been removed but the device has not yet been folded at points 11 and 12 to display the warning symbol and variable information areas behind the plug.

In figure 8 the device is seen from the left hand side, after folding has occurred at points 11 and 12, showing the position of the warning symbol area 6 and the variable information area 7 in relation to the plug body 16.

Figure 9 shows the device in one of its simplest forms: configured to prevent accidental isolation of the power supply to a device drawing its power through a socket, with an isolation switch located to the right. Here, the user has removed the left hand switch cover 3, the warning symbol area 6 and the variable information area 7. The primary concern, in this instance, is to prevent the socket switch from being accidentally thrown, through inadvertent impact rather than ignorance of the importance of the device drawing power through the plug 16 and, so, only the right hand switch cover 4 is retained.

When a plug fitted with the device is removed from an electrical socket, the device stays on the plug's electrical pins 15 because the holes 2 cut into the mounting section 1 are slightly smaller than the electrical pins and, therefore, a tight fit.

In cases of emergency, access may be gained to an electrical socket switch, which is covered, by bending back the switch covers 3 and 4 which bend easily along the preweakened lines 13 and 14 respectively.

In all of the foregoing examples the warning symbol area and the variable information area have been triangular and rectangular respectively, but the shape and dimension of these sections may vary to suit the circumstances of the locations in which they are used.

Claims

1. A power supply protector, fashioned from a non-conductive material and comprising: electrical socket switch covers; an area to fix warning symbols; an area to record variable information; and a means of attaching the device to an electrical plug.

2. A power supply protector as claimed in claim 1, wherein a means is provided for the display of warning symbols in front of the body of the plug.

3. A power supply protector as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a means is provided of displaying any variable information in front of the body of the plug.

4. A power supply protector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a means is provided of easily removing unwanted features such as switch covers, warning symbol area and variable information area.

5. A power supply protector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the device is attached to an electrical plug by passing the pins of the plug through the body of the power supply protector.

6. A power supply protector substantially as described herein, with reference to figures 1 - 10 of accompanying drawings.