GB2354376A

GB2354376A - A detachable device for facilitating removal of an electrical plug

Info

Publication number: GB2354376A
Application number: GB9921843A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven Taylor
Original assignee: HILCREST DESIGN Ltd
Current assignee: HILCREST DESIGN Ltd
Priority date: 1999-09-15
Filing date: 1999-09-15
Publication date: 2001-03-21
Also published as: GB9921843D0

Abstract

An attachment for an electrical plug comprising: a front part (1) having a generally U shaped cross section and having a thin insulating front section (3) for engagement between a socket and the body of the plug. The front part includes holes (4) for receiving the prongs of the plug and two upstanding resilient side sections (5) protruding from the front section (1) such that, in position, the side sections (5) extend along the sides of the plug; and handle means (10) attached to the side sections.

Description

2354376 A DETACHABLE DEVICE FOR FACILITATING REMOVAL OF AN ELECTRICAL PLUG

The elderly and disabled, and in particular people with arthritis, often have difficulty inserting and removing electrical plugs from sockets. An attempt has been made to solve this problem by providing plugs having handles integrally molded onto their backs. An example of this type of plug is shown in WO 95/15597. The problem with this is that it is necessary to f it an entire new plug, particularly as appliances are now sold with plugs already f itted. Clearly, the replacement of a plug would be very difficult for someone with arthritis, and so it is desirable to provide a device which can be attached to an existing plug.

GB2227132A discloses a handle which may be attached to the back of a plug by adhesive. However, once attached this device will be difficult to remove, if desired.

According to the present invention an attachment for an electrical plug comprises: a front part having a generally U shaped cross section having a thin insulating front section for engagement between a socket and the body of the plug having holes for receiving the prongs of the plug and two upstanding resilient side sections protruding from the front section such that, in position, the side sections extend along the sides of the plug; and handle means attached to the side sections.

The attachment may be easily removed when the plug is out of the socket.

In one embodiment of the invention the handle means is formed integrally with the side sections. Preferably the side sections extend beyond the back face of the plug and the handle means comprises an opening in each of the side 2 sections which is large enough to receive at least one finger. The holes in the side sections may be used to grip whilst removing the plug from a socket or inserting the plug in a socket.

In a further embodiment the handle means is detachable from the side sections. This enables the handle means to be detached when the plug is in position in the wall. This is advantageous in that it reduces the profile of the plug so that it does not unnecessarily protrude from the wall, enabling items of furniture to be placed in front of the plug. Also, if young children are likely to have access to the plug, it is dangerous if the plug is easy for a small child to remove. If the handle means is easily detachable then an adult can attach it when necessary and then remove it and place it out of reach of children. Preferably the handle means comprises a back part having a generally U shaped cross section having a back section which fits adjacent the back face of the plug and two resilient side sections which releaseably engage the side sections of the front part, wherein the back part includes a handle means integrally molded with the back section.

Preferably the side sections of the front part engage the side sections of the back part by means of outwardly protruding lips on the side sections of the front part which engage with inwardly protruding lips on the side sections of the back part so that the back part may be slid into engagement with the front part. The back part may be detached from the front part by sliding it upwards and may be reattached by sliding it on from the top when the handle means is required.

More preferably the outwardly protruding lip and the inwardly protruding lip have opposing ramped surfaces such that when the two lips are pushed together the side sections of the parts deform and the lips clip into 3 engagement. The back part may therefore be clipped into place if the handle is required. This requires less dexterity than sliding it on. The back part may be removed by sliding it off the top of the plug. Either the front part or the back part may include a plurality of parallel outwardly or inwardly protruding lips respectively. This allows the back part to be clipped on at a number of positions to accommodate different sized plugs.

Alternatively the side sections of the front part may engage the side sections of the back part by means of inwardly protruding lips on the side sections of the front part which engage with outwardly protruding lips on the side sections of the back part wherein each outwardly protruding lip and each inwardly protruding lip have opposing ramped surfaces such that when the lips are pushed together the side sections of the parts deform and the lips clip into engagement. With this arrangement the lips on the front part protrude inwards such that, when the back part is detached, they do not provide means by which the plug may be easily gripped. In fact, when the back part of the device is detached, the sides of the front part cover the usual indentations which are provided on the sides of a plug for gripping and therefore the plug becomes more difficult to remove than if the device is not fitted. This is advantageous as it makes the plug more childproof.

Alternatively the side sections of the front part may engage the side sections of the back part by means of at least one hook on the side sections of the back part which engage with at least one hole in the side sections of the front part wherein each hook has a ramped surface such that when the hook is pushed against the side sections of the front part the hooks deform inwards and clip into engagement with the holes. As described above, the sides of the device are smooth and childproof when the front part of the device is detached. In this case the back part may 4 not be slid out of engagement with the front part. To detach the back part of the device, the side sections must be squeezed to bend them inwards such that the hooks are not engaged in the holes. This is facilitated if the hooks are joined to a common part of the side section such that it is not necessary to depress a number of hooks at the same time, but pressure need only be applied at one point on the side section to depress all the hooks.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1A to ID show the front part of a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figures 2A to 2C show the back part of a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to Figures 1A to 1D, the front part 1 of the device has a generally U shaped cross section and comprises a front section 3 formed from insulating material which is designed to fit between the plug and the socket when in position. The front section 3 has three holes 4 for receiving the three pins of a standard 3-pin 13 amp fused electrical plug. Integrally formed with the front section 3 are two resilient side sections 5, each side section 5 having an outwardly projecting lip 6 with a ramped surface 7.

The back part 2, as shown in Figures 2A to 2C also has a generally U shaped cross section and comprises a back section 8 formed integrally with two side sections 9. The back section 8 has a handle 10 formed integrally. Each side section 9 has an inwardly protruding lip 11 with a ramped surface 12. To f it the two parts 1, 2 to a plug, the front part 1 is fitted onto the front of the plug, with the prongs of the plug protruding through the openings 4.

The back part 2 is then clipped onto the front part 1 by pushing the opposed ramped surfaces 7, 12 together such that the resilient side sections 5, 9 deform to allow the lips 6, 11 to clip into engagement. The handle means 10 projects from the back of the plug to provide a grip for inserting and removing the plug from a socket.

Once the plug is in position in a socket, the back part 2 of the device may be removed by sliding it upwards to disengage the lips 6, 11. In this way the handle 10 may be removed. To replace the handle, the back part 2 may be clipped back on.

Figure 1D shows a variation in which the f ront part 1 has a plurality of parallel outwardly protruding lips 7 so that the back part 2 may be clipped on at a number of different positions to accommodate variations in plug size.

The back part 2 is pushed on until a tight fit is achieved when the inwardly protruding lips 11 engage with the appropriate one of the plurality of outwardly protruding lips 7. Each of the outwardly protruding lips 7 has a ramped surface 6.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention wherein the handle means 10 is formed integrally with the side sections 5 of the front part 1. The handle means comprises two finger holes formed in the side sections 5 which extend outwards from the front section such that when the device is in position on a plug, they extend beyond the back of the plug.

Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, but the direction in which the engaging lips 6, 11 project is reversed. In this embodiment the engaging lip 6 on the front part 1 projects inwards and the engaging lip 11 on the back part 2 projects outwards.

6 Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the front part 1 includes a plurality of slots 13 and the back part (not shown) includes a plurality of hooks which appear in cross section as the protruding lips of Figure 4. Each hook clips into one of the slots 13. To disengage the hooks, the sides of the back part must be depressed.

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Claims

1 An attachment for an electrical plug comprising: a front part having a generally U shaped cross section and having a thin insulating front section for engagement between a socket and the body of the plug, the f ront section having holes for receiving the prongs of the plug and two upstanding resilient side sections protruding from the front section such that, in Position, the side sections extend along the sides of the plug; and handle means attached to the side sections.

2. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 1, wherein the handle means is formed integrally with the side sections.

3. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 2, wherein the side sections extend beyond the face of the plug and the handle means comprises an opening large enough for at least one f inger in each of the side sections.

4. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 1., wherein the handle means is detachable from the side sections.

5. An attachment. for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 4, wherein the handle means comprises a back part having a generally U-shaped cross section having a front section which fits adjacent the face of the plug and two resilient side sections which releaseably engage the side sections of the front part, wherein the back part includes a handle integrally molded with the front section.

6. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 5, wherein the side sections of the front part engage the side sections of the back part by means of outwardly 8 protruding lips on the side sections of the front part which engage with inwardly protruding lips on the side sections of the back part so that the back part may be slid into engagement with the front part.

7. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 6, wherein the outwardly protruding lip and the inwardly protruding lip have opposing ramped surfaces such that when the two lips are pushed together the side sections of the parts deform and the lips clip into engagement.

8. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 7 wherein either the front part or the back part includes a plurality of parallel outwardly or inwardly protruding lips respectively.

9. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 5, wherein the side sections of the front part engage the side sections of the back part by means of inwardly protruding lips on the side sections of the front part which engage with outwardly protruding lips on the side sections of the back part wherein each outwardly protruding lip and each inwardly protruding lip have opposing ramped surfaces such that when the lips are pushed together the side sections of the parts deform and the lips clip into engagement.

10. An attachment for an electrical plug as claimed in claim 5, wherein the side sections of the front part engage the side sections of the back part by means of hooks on the side sections of the back part which engage with holes in the side sections of the front part wherein each hook has a ramped surface such that when the hook is pushed against the side sections of the front part the hooks deform inwards and clip into engagement with the holes.

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11. An attachment for an electrical plug substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.