GB2449270A

GB2449270A - An electric plug removal aid

Info

Publication number: GB2449270A
Application number: GB0709374A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-16
Filing date: 2007-05-16
Publication date: 2008-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-16
Also published as: GB0709374D0; GB2449270B

Abstract

An electric plug removal aid comprises a planar member with a slit 22 forming two portions. The first portion 14 engages with the pins of the plug, and the second portion 16 can then be displaced to overlie the upper surface of the plug to form a handle. The continuous loop provides a handle to facilitate the removal of the plug from a socket, and a location for a label (24, Fig 4) that may be used to identify the appliance being unplugged, or for advertising purposes. A plurality of the aids can be produced by stamping from a single sheet.

Description

1 2449270 MElectric Plus Removal Aid

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to electrical plugs and particularly removal of electric plugs from corresponding electric supply sockets.

Electric plugs are typically bulbous and formed from a frictionless material. Electric plugs of this type are known to be difficult to remove from corresponding electrical sockets. The problem of removal of such plugs is particularly pronounced for elderly people and people with a disability which effects the gripping function of their hands> Additionally, the problem of removal of such plugs also exits where positioning of furniture restricts access to the plugs, or where a plug in a multi-gang extension lead is disposed between transformer plugs thereby leaving insufficient space to enable the plug to be gripped and removed.

Patent document number GB 2411779 A discloses an electric plug removal aid having a plurality of elongate sections, each section having an aperture for engagement with the terminals of an electric plug. The apertures are formed at opposing ends of the plug removal aid such that upon engaging the apertures with the terminals of a plug, the portion of the plug removal aid between extending between the apertures form a loop around the electric plug, thereby providing a handle to facilitate removal of the plug from a corresponding socket.

However, the above-mentioned known electric plug remover is disadvantaged in that it does not provide a firm handle to facilitate removal of the electric plug. The abovementioned known electric plug remover is further disadvantaged in that it is O 2 formed from a paper-like plastics material which creases easily and looks untidy after a relatively short period of use. Furthermore, it does not provide engagement with the body of the electric plug and therefore has a tendency to slip relative thereto.

It is desirable for there to be a relatively simple electric plug removal aid which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. It is also desirable for such a plug removal aid to provide a firm handle and have means to enable the plug removal aid to maintain its position relative to the electric plug.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an electric plug removal aid comprising a substantially planar member having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is displaceable relative to the second portion to form a continuous loop defined by the first and second portions, the continuous loop providing a handle to facilitate removal of a said electric plug.

The electric plug removal aid may further comprise engagement means for engaging with one or more portions of an electric plug. The engagement means may comprise at least one aperture for engagement with one or more electric terminals disposed on the said electric plug. The, or each, aperture is advantageously of a substantially circular shape. Alternatively, the, or each, aperture is advantageously of a substantially rectangular shape, which may be substantially square. However, it will be appreciated that the apertures may be of any other shape such as, for example, triangular within the working of the present invention. I 3

Circular apertures are advantageously used for rectangular terminals and rectangular (including square) apertures are advantageously used for round terminals, such that the frictional grip between the edges of the apertures are not excessive which makes the plug removal aid difficult to attach onto, and remove from, the plug.

In use, the first portion is advantageously displaceable in a generally perpendicular direction relative to the plane of the second portion, to form the Continuous loop. The first and second portions are advantageously resilient relative to each other.

The electric plug removal aid may further comprise a label.

The electric plug removal aid may further comprise cable engagement means.

The electric plug removal aid is advantageously formed from a plastics material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a sheet comprising a plurality of electric plug removal aids.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of attaching an electric plug removal aid to an electric plug comprising the steps of: providing an electric plug removal aid comprising a substantially planar member having a first portion and a second portion, displacing the first portion relative to the second portion to form a continuous ioop defined by the first and second portions, placing the continuous loop around the plug such that a part of the continuous loop engages one or more of the electric terminals of the electric plug and a part of the * 4 continuous loop extends over a side of the electric plug opposing the electric terminals, to thereby provide a handle for facilitating removal of the electric plug from an electric socket.

The first portion is advantageously displaced relative to the second portion in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the second portion.

The electric plug removal aid may be engage with the electric terminals by way of one or more apertures through which the one or more of the electric terminals extend respectively.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a drawing of an electric plug removal aid according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective drawing of the electric plug removal aid, of Figure 1, fitted to an electric plug, viewed from the underside of the plug; Figure 3 is a perspective drawing of the electric plug removal aid, of Figure 1, fitted to an electric plug, viewed from the upper side of the plug; Figure 4 is a drawing of the electric plug removal aid, of Figure 1, fitted to an electric plug comiected to an electric socket; and,

O

Figure 5 is a drawing of the electric plug removal aid, of Figure 1, fitted to an electric plug connected to an electric socket and showing method of removal of the plug from the socket.

Referring to Figure 1, an electric plug removal aid 10, according to the present invention, comprises a generally planar member 12. The removal aid is formed from a resilient plastics material such as, for example, polypropylene.

The planar member 12 has a first portion 14 and a second portion 16 which are integrally joined to each other at peripheral end portions 18 and 20. A slit 22 separates the first portion 14 from the second portion 16 between the peripheral end portions 18 and 20. The upper part of the slit 22 is formed into a label 24 and the lower end portion of the slit is formed into a curve, which prevents the planar member 12 splitting and thereby unintentionally lengthening the slit 22. In use, the lower end portion of the slit may function as a means for engaging a cable 26. The label 24 may be used to label the plug as to which appliance it relates to or for advertising purposes.

The second portion may also carry other information such as, for example, helpline telephone numbers or website addresses.

Engagement apertures 28a, 28b and 28c are extend through the first portion 14 and are specifically placed and arranged to correspond with the electrical terminals of an electric plug, as will become apparent below. The example of the present invention shown is specifically for use with an electric three-terminal plug as used in the United Kingdom. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention is equally * 6 applicable to other plugs having different numbers of terminals in different arrangements, as used in other countries. Furthermore, it will also be appreciated that means for engaging the electric terminals of a plug are not essential to the working of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, in use, the first portion 14 is displaced relative to the second portion 16, in the region of the slit 22, in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the portions, 14 and 16, such that a continuous loop is formed by the first and second portions, 14 and 16, by way of the peripheral end portions, 18 and 20. The electrical terminals 30a, 30b and 30c of an electric plug 32 are inserted into the corresponding engagement apertures 28a, 28b and 28c, of the first portion 14. The second portion is extended around the plug 32 to overlie an upper surface 34 of the thereof, as shown in Figure 3. The label 24 lies flat on the upper surface 34 and is urged onto the surface by the bias between the displaced first and second portions 14 and 16. The bias between the first and second portions also functions to keep the electric plug removal aid in position relative to the plug. The electric plug removal aid may also be kept in position relative to an electric cable 36 extending from the plug 32 by way of disposing the cable in the curvature of the cable engaging means 26, wherein the resilience of the material from which the plug removal aid is formed provides a bias between the first and second portions thereby engaging the cable therebetween.

Referring to Figure 4, with the electric plug removal aid 10 fitted on the electric plug 32 and the electric plug 32 connected into an electric socket, the second portion lies on the upper surface of the plug 32 and is urged to lie thereon by the resilience of the O 7 material, from which the plug removal aid is formed, and the bias created by separation of the first and second portions.

Referring to Figure 5, in normal use, to remove the plug 32 from the socket a user places one or more fingers 38 between the upper face 34 of the plug 32 and the second portion 16, such that the back of the fingers face the upper face 34 and the front of the fingers are face the second portion 16, such that the second portion 16 forms a handle to facilitate removal of the plug from the socket. The user then pulls their fingers in a direction away from the socket thereby removing the plug from the socket by way of the second portion 16. The resilience of the material and the bias caused by the separation of the first and second portions, 14 and 16, further facilitates the removal of the plug from the socket.

The electric plug removal aid, according to the present invention, may be manufactured by stamping the predefined pattern (as shown in Figure 1) with a die to define the overall external shape of the planar member 12, the engagement apertures 28a, 28b and 28c, the slit 22, the label 24 and the cable engagement means 26.

Furthermore, a plurality of electric plug removal aids may be stamped and printed on a single sheet during the manufacturing process. Alternatively, other known methods of forming products of plastics, such as, for example, injection moulding, may be used to manufacture the plug removal aid, The electric plug removal aid is therefore relatively inexpensive to manufacture. * 8

Claims

1. An electric plug removal aid comprising a substantially planar member having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is displaceable relative to the second portion to form a continuous loop defined by the first and second portions, the continuous loop providing a handle to facilitate removal of a said electric plug.

2. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in claim 1, further comprising engagement means for engaging with one or more portions of an electric plug.

3. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in claim 2, wherein the engagement means may comprise at least one aperture for engagement with one or more electric terminals disposed on the said electric plug.

4. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, in use, the first portion is advantageously displaceable in a generalJy perpendicular direction relative to the plane of the second portion, to form the continuous loop.

5. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second portions are advantageously resilient relative to each other.

6. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a label. * 9

7. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in claim 6, wherein the label is disposed on the second portion.

8. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising cable engagement means.

9. An electric plug removal aid as claimed in any preceding claim substantially formed from a plastics material.

10. A sheet comprising a plurality of electric plug removal aids as claimed in any of the preceding claims,

11. A method of attaching an electric plug removal aid to an electric plug comprising the steps of: providing an electric plug removal aid comprising a substantially planar member having a first portion and a second portion, displacing the first portion relative to the second portion to form a continuous loop defined by the first and second portions, placing the continuous loop around the plug such that a part of the continuous loop engages one or more of the electric terminals of the electric plug and a part of the continuous loop extends over a side of the electric plug opposing the electric terminals, to thereby provide a handle for facilitating removal of the electric plug from an electric socket. * 10

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first portion is displaced relative to the second portion in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the second portion.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the electric plug removal aid engages with the electric terminals by way of one or more apertures through which the one or more electric terminals extend respectively.