GB2385215A

GB2385215A - Socket adaptor with branching spur

Info

Publication number: GB2385215A
Application number: GB0302797A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steven Thomas Flynn
Original assignee: ASCOT MAN SOLUTIONS Ltd
Current assignee: ASCOT MAN SOLUTIONS Ltd
Priority date: 2002-02-07
Filing date: 2003-02-07
Publication date: 2003-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-07
Also published as: GB0302797D0; GB2385215B; GB0202829D0

Abstract

An apparatus 10 for diverting current from an electrical socket to a spur 20 comprising; a fascia 14 for the socket; means for affixing the fascia to the socket; a spur extending from the fascia; and means mounted in the fascia for diverting electrical current from the socket to the spur. The fascia may additionally comprise safety features such as a fuse 30 or circuit breaker and secondary output terminals 24.

Description

TITLE: Electrical spurs DESCRIPTION : The present invention relates to electrical spurs.

Many electrical appliances such as alarm systems, security monitoring devices, lighting, domestic cookers etc. , require an independent power supply.

In many countries, there are regulations regarding the type of appliances that can be powered using a removable plug and socket arrangement hence, arises the need for certain appliances to be'hard wired'so that simply removing a plug or flicking a switch cannot disconnect it.

Commonly, a'spur'will be used to provide a'hard'connection from a mains supply to the appliance. The provision of such hard wiring requires skill and is often subject to statutory regulation.

Furthermore, building regulations in certain countries, stipulate a minimum number of sockets per room, depending on the intended use of the room. Thus, permanently using a plug socket to power a fixed appliance may sometimes be contrary to building regulations.

The time and cost associated with installing appliances that require hard wiring rather than a plug and socket arrangement are much greater because of the need for an electrically qualified person to install the spur.

Moreover, where appliances are supplied in kit form that require little time or skill to install, the cost of employing the services of an electrician is often the most expensive part of the installation process.

Hence, the prospect of using a standard wall socket to power some appliance is an attractive one owing to the simplicity of connecting the appliance in such a manner. Unfortunately, for reasons outlined above, it may not be possible, practicable or legal to use a standard wall socket as a means of providing power to some fixed appliances.

An object of the present invention is to provide straightforward means for obtaining a spur from an electrical socket.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for diverting current from an electrical socket to a spur comprising : a fascia for the socket; means for affixing the fascia to the socket; a spur extending from the fascia; and means mounted in the fascia for diverting electrical current from the socket to the spur.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for obtaining a spur from an electrical socket comprising the steps of; affixing to the electrical socket a fascia having means therein to divert electrical current from the socket to the spur.

Electrical connection of the fascia to the socket is preferably by way of electrically conductive pins that engage with the terminals of said socket. At least two such connections are provided, namely a live and a neutral connection, however an earth connection may also be provided for safety purposes.

There is also provided at least one set of output terminals. The output terminals may be connected to a length of electrical cable to provide a spur from the fascia. Additionally attached to the output terminals may be secondary connections for the attachment of a wall plug to the apparatus. The secondary output terminals are preferably accessible via apertures in at least one face of the fascia. Preferably also, the secondary output terminals are a replica of the original wall socket output terminals.

The fascia is preferably manufactured of an electrically insulative material such as a plastics material. Altematively, the fascia may be manufactured of a conductive material providing that the electrical connections are isolated both from one another, and from the fascia.

Electrical isolation is provided to prevent the user from receiving an electrical shock when the apparatus is touched. Preferably still, where the fascia is manufactured in a metal, the housing is electrically connected to an earth terminal of the wall socket, where provided.

Additional or optional safety features include a means for automatically switching off the current to the spur and or secondary output

terminals in the event of a malfunction or current overload. Automatic switching means may be provided by a fuse or other circuit breaker between the live terminal input and outputs. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a residual current circuit breaker (RCCB) may be provided instead of a fuse.

Preferably, there is provided means for affixing the fascia to an existing wall socket. Preferably, at least one aperture is provided in the fascia that pass all the way through the fascia and that coincides with a retaining screw aperture of the original wall socket.

The fascia is preferably affixed to the socket by; removing at least one of the socket's fascia retaining screws to expose at least one fascia retaining aperture; aligning at least one of the apertures of the new fascia with at least one of the retaining apertures in the socket; and inserting and screwing at least one elongate screw through at least one aperture of the fascia into a retaining aperture of the wall socket.

Additionally or alternatively, resiliently deformable clips are provided on the fascia, which engage with the existing wall socket to prevent the apparatus from being easily removed.

Where the fascia is larger than and or overhangs the original wall socket, a spacer or skirt may be provided to prevent foreign objects from entering the interface between the wall socket and the apparatus. Such spacers or skirts may also provide additional stability to the apparatus and

reduce the likelihood of it being broken away from the socket. Additionally or alternatively, means may be provided to secure the apparatus directly to the surface to which the wall socket is attached.

Additional or optional features include manual switching means for the spur and or secondary output terminals and self-adhesive means for affixing the fascia to the socket or surrounding surface.

A preferred embodiment of the invention shall now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following figures: Figures 1 and 1 a show a preferred embodiment of the present invention having a fused spur and secondary output terminals.

Figure 2 shows a section of the fascia, socket and back-box.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention having only a fused spur outlet.

Figures 4a and 4b show alternative embodiments of the present invention that can be fitted to a single socket.

Figures 5a and 5b show alternative embodiments of the present invention that can be fitted to a double socket.

Referring now to Figure 1, a fused spur apparatus, generally referred to a 10, is shown that engages with an electrical socket 12. The fused spur apparatus 10 has a fascia 14 that has connectors 16 protruding from its rear face that are slidably engagable with the output terminal apertures 18 of the socket 12. Also protruding from the fascia 12, is a length of electrical cable 20 forming a spur that provides an electrical

supply to an appliance. The fused spur apparatus 10, also provides a set of output terminals 22 to which a portable appliance may be electrically connected. On the front face of the fascia are apertures 24 that coincide with the fascia retaining screw apertures 26 of the socket 12. There is also a switch 28 that may be used to isolate the secondary output terminals 22 or the spur 20 from the electricity supply. Furthermore, a fuse 30 is provided between the live connector 16 and the live output of the spur 20.

Figure 2 is a section of figure 1 a on X-X and shows how an apparatus 10 as described in Figure 1 may be attached to a socket 12 using elongate screws 32. The socket, in this instance, is partially embedded in a wall 33. The screws 32 pass through the fascia 14 via apertures 24 into the fascia retaining apertures 26 or back-box 34 of the socket 12. Ideally, there is a selection of apertures 24 in the fascia 14 so that at least two such apertures 24 coincide with apertures 26 in the socket fascia 12. Thus, two or more screws 32 may be used for additional security. Also shown in Figure 2 is the power supply to the socket 36. The dotted lines 38 schematically show the electrical connections between the mains input 36, the spur 20 and the secondary output terminals 22 via the connector pins 16.

Figure 3 shows a fused spur apparatus 10 similar to that shown in Figure 1 without secondary output terminals.

Figures 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b show variations of an apparatus 10 as generally described in Figure 1 that have been adapted to fit single or double sockets respectively. Each variation of the apparatus 10 may have a fuse 30 and or a switch 28, as required.

Claims

Claims : 1. An apparatus for diverting current from an electrical socket to a spur comprising; a fascia for the socket; means for affixing the fascia to the socket; a spur extending from the fascia; and means mounted in the fascia for diverting electrical current from the socket to the spur.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein electrical connection of the fascia to the socket is by way of electrically conductive pins that engage with the terminals of said socket.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least two such connections are provided, namely a live and a neutral connection
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an earth connection.
5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fascia further comprises at least one set of output terminals.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the output terminals are connected to a length of electrical cable forming the spur.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the output terminals are connected to secondary connections for the attachment of a plug to the fascia.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the secondary output terminals are accessible via apertures in at least one face of the fascia.

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9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the secondary output terminals are replicas of the electrical socket output terminals.
10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fascia is manufactured of an electrically insulative material
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electrically insulative material is a plastics material.
12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fascia is manufactured of a conductive material and wherein the electrical connections are isolated both from one another, and from the fascia.
13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising means for automatically switching off the current to the spur and or secondary output terminals in the event of a malfunction or current overload.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the automatic switching means is a fuse
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the automatic switching means is a circuit breaker
16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the circuit breaker is a residual current circuit breaker.
17. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising means for affixing the fascia to an electrical wall socket.

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18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one aperture is provided in the fascia that passes all the way through the fascia and that coincides with a retaining screw aperture of the electrical socket.
19. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the fascia further comprises one or more resiliently deformable clips, which engage with the electrical socket to prevent the apparatus from being easily removed.
20. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the fascia further comprises a spacer or skirt to prevent foreign objects from entering the interface between the electrical socket and the fascia.
21. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, further comprising manual switching means.
22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the manual switching means controls the current to the spur.
23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the manual switching means controls the current to the secondary output terminals.
24. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23, further comprising self-adhesive means for affixing the fascia to the electrical socket.
25. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24 further comprising self-adhesive means for affixing the fascia to area surrounding the electrical socket.

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26. A method for obtaining a spur from an electrical socket comprising the steps of; affixing to the electrical socket a fascia having means therein to divert electrical current from the socket to the spur.
27. An method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the fascia is affixed to the socket by following the steps of; removing at least one of the socket's fascia retaining screws to expose at least one fascia retaining aperture; aligning at least one of the apertures of the new fascia with at least one of the retaining apertures in the socket; and inserting and screwing at least one elongate screw through at least one aperture of the fascia into a retaining aperture of the wall socket.
28. An apparatus for diverting current from an electrical socket to a spur substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
29. A method for obtaining a spur from an electrical socket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.