GB2435554A

GB2435554A - Watertight electric socket

Info

Publication number: GB2435554A
Application number: GB0603886A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chih-Lung Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-27
Filing date: 2006-02-27
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Also published as: GB0603886D0

Abstract

A watertight electric socket outlet has a face 12, receptacles 13 in the face for receiving the pins of a plug, a wall around this face with a notch 14 in it for the plug's cable, a pivoting cover 20 which together with the wall provides an accommodation chamber, and two flexible sealing members 30, 31 between the cover and the box. The mains inlet cable 15 is also sealed. The cover may be locked shut by female members (23, Fig 2) and projections (16, Fig 2) or by a swivel hook (24, Fig 5).

Description

WATERTIGHT ELECTRIC SOCKET BOX

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to an electric socket box and more particularly, to a watertight electric socket box that protects the connected electric plug against water.

2. Description of the Related Art:

Following prosperity of the society, more and more electric and electronic appliances such as lighting fixtures, air conditioners, refrigerators, TVs, washing machines, electric water heaters, computers and etc. are used daily, bringing convenience to our life. The use of an electric or electronic appliance must consider the safety. An improper circuit design and installation of an electric or electronic appliance may cause electric leakage or a short circuit, resulting in burning of the electric or electronic appliance or a fire accident. Therefore, it is suggested not to install an electric socket in a wet area or high moisture place. When an electric socket is used in a bathroom, kitchen or outdoor area, a circuit breaker may be installed in the electric socket to automatically break the circuit upon a short circuit. However, this method cannot prevent electric leakage.

Watertight design is better to prevent electric leakage. There are

I

spring-supported floor socket and retractable ceiling socket designs that prevent a short socket when washing the floor or the ceiling. For use in an outdoor place, an electric socket may be protected with a sealing cover. However, a sealing cover for this purpose still cannot absolutely prohibits penetration of rainwater into the inside of the electric socket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to a watertight electric socket box, which well protects the installed electric plug against outside water, preventing electric leakage. It is another object of the present invention to provide a watertight electric socket box, which is constructed subject to UK electric socket standards for receiving an electric plug of UK standards.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the watertight electric socket box comprises a socket box body, a box cover, and two flexible water sealing members.

The socket body has a top wall, a plurality of insertion slots formed in the top wall for the insertion of the pins of an electric plug into the inside of the socket box body, an accommodation chamber defined above the top wall, and a notch in an upright peripheral wall of the accommodation chamber for the passing of the cable of an electric plug to be installed in the socket box body. The box cover is pivotally coupled to the socket box body and adapted to close the accommodation chamber. The flexible water sealing members are respectively provided at the top side of the socket box body and the bottom side of the box cover and adapted to seal the gap between the socket box body and the box cover and to block the accommodation chamber and the notch of the socket box body against outside moisture when the box cover is closed on the socket box body.

Further, the socket box body has a notch in the upright peripheral wall of the accommodation chamber for the passing of the cable of the electric plug installed therein. The extending direction of the notch is perpendicular to the extending direction of the insertion slots to fit the extending direction of the cable of an electric plug of UK standards that is perpendicular to the extending direction of the pins (blades and grounding prong) of the electric plug of UK standards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a watertight electric socket box according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view of the present invention, showing the opened status of the watertight electric socket box.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention, showing a status of use of the watertight electric socket box.

FIG. 4A is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4B is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a status of use of an alternate form of the watertight electric socket box according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a watertight electric socket box in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a socket box body 10, a box cover 20, a first water sealing member 30 and a second water sealing member 31.

According to this embodiment, the socket box body 10 is en electric socket constructed subject to the related UK codes for electric socket. The socket box body 10 has an accommodation chamber 11 at one side, namely, the top side above the top wall 12 thereof (the top wall 12 forms the bottom wall of the accommodation chamber 11), three rectangular insertion slots 13 cut through the top wall 12 through which the blades and grounding prong of a UK standard electric plug can be inserted into the inside of the socket box body 10 to touch the respective terminals (not shown) in the socket box body 10, an arched notch 14 formed in the upright peripheral wall of the accommodation chamber 11 for the passing of the cable of the electric plug to be installed, and a power cable 15 extending out of peripheral side thereof for connection to city power supply.

The arched notch 14 extends in parallel to the extending direction of the top wall 12 of the socket box body 10 so that the cable of an UK standard electric plug can extend through the arched notch 14 when the perpendicular blades and grounding prong of the UK standard electric plug are respectively inserted into the insertion slots 13. The power cable 15 is wrapped with a waterproof material to prevent electric leakage.

The box cover 20 is pivoted to one side of the accommodation chamber 11 opposite to the arched notch 14 by a pivot pin 21 and turnable relative to the socket box body 10 to close/open the accommodation chamber 11, having an arched notch 22 formed in the vertical peripheral wall thereof at one side corresponding to the arched notch 14 of the socket box body 10. When the box cover 20 is closed on the socket box body 10, the arched notches 14 and 22 form a circular cable hole for the passing of the cable of the electric plug to be installed.

The first and second water sealing members 30 and 31 are respectively molded from a flexible waterproof material, for example, silicon rubber. The first and second water sealing members 30 and 31 are respectively fastened to the border area of the accommodation chamber 11 of the socket box body 10 and the border area of the bottom open side of the box cover 2 and covered over the arched notches 14 and 22.

Referring to FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4A-4C, when installing an electric plug 40 in the watertight electric socket box, the pins (blades and grounding prong) 41 of the electric plug 40 are respectively inserted into the insertion slots 13 and the cable of the electric plug 40 is set in between the arched notch 14 of the socket box body 10 and the box cover 20. After closed the box cover 20, the first and second water sealing members 30 and 31 are compressed to deform and to seal the gap between the accommodation chamber 11 of the socket box body 10 and the box cover 20. At the same time, the first and second water sealing members 30 and 31 are compressed against the periphery of the cable 42 to block the arched notches 14 and 22 in a watertight status.

Further, the socket box body 10 has two male retaining members 16 protruded from the outside wall adjacent to the arched notch 14 at two sides, and the box cover 20 has two female retaining members 23 disposed at two sides relative to the arched notch 22 for fastening to the male retaining members 16 to lock the box cover 20 to the socket box body 10 in the * close position. The female retaining members 23 are resilient and temporarily deformable. The user can bend the female retaining members 23 to disengage the female retaining members 23 from the respective male retaining membersl6.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternate form of the present invention. According to this embodiment, swivel hooks 24 are provided at the box cover 20 for hooking on the bottom edge of the socket box body 10 to lock the box cover 20 to the socket box body 10 in the close position.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A watertight electric socket box comprising: a socket box body, said socket body having a top wall, a plurality of insertion slots formed in said top wall for the insertion of the pins of an electric plug into the inside of said socket box body, an accommodation chamber defined above said top wall, and a notch in an upright peripheral wall of said accommodation chamber for the passing of the cable of an electric plug to be installed in said socket box body; a box cover pivotally coupled to said socket box body and adapted to close said accommodatjoi chamber; and flexible water sealing means provided set in between said accomrnodatioi chamber of said socket box body and said box cover and adapted to seal the gap between said socket box body and said box cover and to block said accommodatioji chamber and said notch against outside moisture when said box cover is closed on said socket box body.

2. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said socket box body is constructed subject to UK (United Kingdom) electric socket standards.

3. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible water sealing means is molded from silicon rubber.

4. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible water sealing means comprises a first flexible water sealing member fastened to said socket box body, and a second flexible water sealing member fastened to said box cover.

5. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said box cover has a peripheral notch disposed at one side corresponding to the notch of said socket box body for the passing of the cable of an electric plug to be installed in said socket box body and covered by said flexible water sealing means.

6. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 1, further comprising lock means adapted to lock said box cover to said socket box body after closing of said box cover on said socket box body.

7. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 6, wherein said lock means comprises a plurality of male retaining members provided at said socket box body, and a plurality of female retaining members provided at said box cover for fastening to said male retaining members.

8. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 7, wherein said female retaining members are resilient.

9. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 6, wherein said lock means comprises a plurality of swivel hooks respectively pivotally provided at said box cover and adapted to hook on a part of said socket box body.

10. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 6, wherein said lock means comprises a plurality of swivel hooks respectively pivotally provided at said socket box body and adapted to hook on a part of said box cover.

11. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said socket box body has a cable extending out of one side thereof for connection to city power supply.

12. The watertight electric socket box as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cable of said socket box body is sealed with a waterproof material.

13. A watertight electric socket box substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.