GB2453914A

GB2453914A - Rotatable electrical outlets

Info

Publication number: GB2453914A
Application number: GB0708586A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ray Mazzullo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-03
Filing date: 2007-05-03
Publication date: 2009-04-29
Also published as: GB0708586D0

Abstract

A box 12, 14 has rotatable electrical sockets 16 in it. In their operative position, the sockets make contact with arcuate live and neutral bus bars 52, 54, and are stopped from rotating by pillars 40 going into grooves on the sockets. A releasable latch 132 holds the sockets in the operative position. When this is released, a spring 116 moves the sockets to an inoperative position in which they can be rotated. There may be separate bus bars for normal and for clean power.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to electrical supply structures.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Boxes containing a number of electrical sockets in a side-by-side array are widely used to enable a number of pieces of equipment to be plugged in and supplied with power simultaneously.

Most plugs are of simple construction and have two or three pins.

They are small enough to be plugged into the sockets of a multi-socket box without interfering with one another. However, with the advent of equipment such as cell phones, using rechargeable batteries, the situation has changed. The plug pins now protrude in many instances from a bulky housing which contains a transformer, a rectifier and other components required to convert a.c. mains power to the lower voltage d.c. current needed for charging purposes.

The bulk of such a housing means that, once plugged into a socket, it can overlap an adjacent socket and prevent the adjacent socket being used.

To overcome this problem it has been proposed that the sockets should be rotatable in the socket box. This enables a socket to be rotated in its box so that a bulky plug can be positioned away from an adjacent socket.

In this regard reference can be made to UK Patent Specification No. 2330700B and to the PCI specification published as WO 2004/15824.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved electrical supply structure which includes multiple sockets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrical supply structure comprising a box with at least two plug receiving sockets rotatably mounted in apertures of the box, arcuate live and neutral bus bars, live and neutral contacts protruding from each socket, the contacts touching the bus bars in the operative positions of the sockets, means preventing the sockets from rotating whilst in their operative positions, releasable latching means for holding each socket in its operative position, and spring means for displacing each socket to its inoperative position thereby to separate the contacts and the bus bars and permit the sockets to be rotated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a pictorial view of a socket box with two sockets into which electrical plugs can be inserted to pick-up power; Figure 2 is a pictorial view of the components of the electrical socket box of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a pictorial view of the lid of the socket box; Figure 4 is a pictorial view of one half of a neutral bus bar; Figure 5 is a pictorial view of one half of a live bus-bar; Figure 6 is a pictorial view of the bus bars prior to assembly; Figures 7 and 8 are pictorial views of two electrical insulations; Figure 9 is a pictorial view of a bus bar assembly; Figure 10 is a pictorial view of two housings, the live bus bar being shown before insertion into the housings; Figure 11 shows the fully assembled bus bars and housings; Figure 12 is a pictorial view of the left hand one of the two housings shown in Figure 9; Figure 13 is a top plan view of a housing; Figure 14 is an inverted pictorial view of a socket and of a locking mechanism for the socket; Figure 15 is an inverted pictorial view showing the socket and locking mechanism in their assembled condition; Figure 16 is a side elevation showing two sockets and locking mechanisms, one locking mechanism being in its latched, operative condition and the other locking mechanism in its unlatched inoperative condition; Figure 17 is an "exploded" pictorial yew of two housings and two sockets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The socket box 10 of Figure 1 comprises a base 12 and a cover 14 which is fitted to the base. Two plug pin receiving sockets 16 are mounted in holes 18 in the cover 14. As will be described hereinafter, the sockets 16 are able to lift from the operative positions shown so that they can be turned. Once they have been turned to their desired positions, the sockets 16 are depressed and this results in them locking into their operative positions.

Each socket 16 has in it three plug pins holes 20. At one end of the box 10 there is a connector 22 with male plug pins in it and at the other end of the box there is a connector 24 with female receptacles for receiving the male pins in the connector 22. The pins and receptacles of adjacent boxes 10 fit into one another.

Alternatively cables each with a female connector at one end and a male connector at the other end can be used to interlink two boxes. These arrangements enable the illustrated box 10 to be connected to a power supply and also to be connected in series with other boxes of the same type.

Turning now to Figures 2 and 3, the first of these Figures shows the components of the socket box of Figure 1 and Figure 3 shows the cover 14 in detail.

The cover 14 has a top panel 26 and depending walls 28. Protrusions along the edges of the walls 28 limit penetration of the cover 14 into the base 12 when they encounter the top edges of the walls of the base 12.

Around the upper periphery of each hole 18 there are markings 32 in the panel 26 which indicate the positions of the sockets 16 in the holes 18.

Depending from the underside of the panel 26 are two sleeves 34 which form downward extensions of the holes 18. Diametrically opposed slots 36 are provided in the cover 14 and the sleeves 34.

Around the lower periphery of each sleeve 34 there is a circumferentially extending shelf 38 with locking pillars 40 protruding upwardly from the shelf 38.

The base 12 has bottom wall 42 and two slide walls 44. The end walls of the base comprise three spaced apart columns, the end columns (designated 46) being integral with the walls 44 and the centre column (designated 48) being free standing. This configuration provides two slots 50 which receive the connectors 22 and 24 which will be described in more detail.

A live bus bar is shown at 52 (Figure 2) and, a neutral bus bar at 54 and an earth bus bar at 56. Two housings 58 are shown, these serving to mount the bus bars 52 and 54.

The neutral bus bar 54 (Figures 4 and 6) comprises two identical components 60. Each component comprises two half rings 62 joined in series by a connecting strip 64. Each connecting strip 64 is of zig-zag configuration having a longer centre portion 66 and two shorter end portions 68.

At each end of each component 60 there is a connecting tab 70 which, as will be described, enables the neutral bus bar 54 to be electrically connected to the connectors 22, 24. The places at which the end portions 68 are located are diametrically opposed to the places at which the tabs 70 are located.

The live bus bar 52 (see particularly Figure 5) is similar in construction to the neutral bus bar 54. Like parts have been designated with the same reference numeral to which the suffix.1 has been added.

The two components 60 and the two components 60.1 are electrically isolated from one another. The insulators 72, 74 provided to achieve this isolation are illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.

The centre insulator 72 (Figure 7) is configured with a zig-zag central section 76 which matches the shape of the portions 66, 68 of the components 60.

The portions 66, 68 lie one on either side of the section 76. End extensions 78 of the section 76 are provided for a purpose to be described.

Below the section 76 the insulator 72 is configured with a zig-zag section 80 which is substantially a mirror image of the section 76 and is configured to fit between the portions 66.1, 68.1 of the live bus bar 52. The section 80 has extensions 82 the purpose of which will be explained.

Two insulators 74 (Figure 8) are provided. Each insulator 74 has an upper section 84 and a lower section 86 joined by a bar 88. The sections 84 and 86 are configured to fit between the pairs of tabs 70, 70.1 and isolate them from one another. Extensions 90 and 92 are also provided for a purpose to be described.

The rings of the live bus bar are smaller than the rings of the neutral bus bar and the tabs 70 of the bus bar 54 are offset by sixty degrees with respect to the tabs 70.1 of the bus bar 52 when the bus bars 52, 54 are located in the housings 58 as will be described.

A clip 72.1 (Figure 2) with four upstanding pins 72.2 can be provided for gripping the portions 66.1 of the bus bar 52 to hold them against the section 80 of the insulator 74. The section 80 and portions 66.1 pass between the pins 72.2.

One of the housings 58 and the components associated therewith will now be described with reference to Figures 10 to 13. The housing 58 comprises an outer sleeve 94, two intermediate sleeves 96 and 98 and an inner sleeve 100. The three annular wells 102, 104 and 106 are defined between the sleeves 94, 96, 98 and 100 are closed at their lower ends.

The sleeves 94, 96 and 98 each have two pairs of slits 108, 110 in them. The adjacent slits 108, 110 are sixty degrees apart and the slits 108, 110 of each pair are diametrically opposed one another. At the centre of the housing there is a hollow boss 112 which is joined to the sleeve 100 by a web 114.

The middle well 104 is deeper than the outer well 102 and receives one of the rings of the live bus bar 52. One of the portions 68. 1 and one of the tabs 70.1 are in the lower parts of the opposed slits 110. It will be understood that the other portion 68.1 and other tab 70.1 are in the slits 110 of the adjacent housing.

The outer well 102 receives one of the rings of the bus bar 54, one of the portions 68 and one of the tabs 70 being in the upper parts of the slits 108.

Likewise, the other portion 68 and other portion 70 are in the slits 108 of the adjacent housing.

As best seen in Figures 10 and lithe extensions 78, 82, 90 and 92 also enter the slits 108, 110 so as to locate the insulators 72, 74 and hence the bus bars 52, 54, with respect to the housings 58.

A spring 116 (shown in Figure 2) is provided between the sleeve 100 and the boss 112. The lower end of the spring seats on the web 114 and the upper end of the spring bears on the underside of the socket 16.

The bus bar 56 comprises a strip 118 (Figure 2) of electrically conductive material which is punched and bent to provide pairs of upstanding posts 120. On assembly these posts enter the boss 112.

Each socket 16 is a generally cylindrical moulding of electrically insulating synthetic plastics material. The plug pin holes 20 are in its circular top surface. Live, neutral and earth contacts 122, 124, 126 (see particularly Figures 14 and 15) are moulded into the material of the socket and protrude downwardly therefrom. The live contact 122 is longer than the neutral contact 124. Each is bifurcated at its lower end so that it can receive a respective one of the bus bars 52, 54 when the socket is pressed down from the raised position shown on the right in Figure 16 to the depressed position shown on the left of Figure 16. The earth contact 126 is in the form of a short rod which, as best seen in Figure 16, enters between, and makes a permanent connection with, a respective one of the pairs of posts 120.

Internally the socket 16 has electrically conductive receptacles (not shown) for the pins on a plug (not shown) which enter the socket through the holes 20. These receptacles are electrically connected to the contacts 122, 124 and 126.

Externally the socket 16 is stepped (see Figure 16) to provide two annular recesses 128 and 130 which respectively receive, in the depressed, locked condition of Figure 16, two pairs of locking clips 132 and 134. The recess 128 is wider, in the axial direction, than the recess 130 and the configuration of the clips 132, 134 is best seen in Figure 2.

On the underside of the cover 14 (see particularly Figure 14) there are sets of mounting posts 136 for the clips 132, 134.

Each clip 132 has an arcuate locking portion 138 and three parallel mounting bars 140 which pass through apertures in the posts 136. Springs 142 between the outer posts 136 and the portion 138 push the clips 132 towards their locked positions. Each clip 132 also includes an unlatching element 144 which extends upwardly from the centre bar 140 and terminates at the level of the top face of the socket 16 when the socket 16 as shown on the left of Figure 16. The elements 144 are in the slots 36.

The clips 134 are similarly constructed and similarly mounted on the posts 136. The clips 134, however, do not include unlatching elements equivalent to the elements 144. The clips 132 are above the clips 134 when the socket box is positioned with the cover 14 forming the top surface of the box.

Once the clips 132, 134 have been assembled to locate the socket 16 on the cover 14, and the bus bars 52, 54 and the housings 58 have been assembled, pressing the cover 14 onto the base 12 brings the contacts 122, 124, 126 into electrical contact with the bus bars 52, 54 and 56.

In normal operation all the sockets 16 are positioned with respect to the bus bars as illustrated on the left of Figure 16. The contacts 122, 124 and 126 are in electrical contact with the bus bars 52, 54 and 56. Power is thus available at all the sockets 16.

In Figure 1 the sockets 16 are shown as being identically orientated. If it is desired to rotate a socket 16 to a new position, sharp instruments such as screw drivers are inserted into the recesses 36. These engage the elements 144 and push the two clips 132 radially outwardly so that they come out of the recess 130. It will be noted that in the normal operative condition shown on the left of Figure 16, the clips 134 are at the upper ends of the recesses 128. Once the clips 132 are retracted, the spring 116 pushes the socket 16 upwardly to the position shown on the right in Figure 16. The arcuate portions 138 of the clips 132 now bear on the annular surface 146 which is between the recesses 128 and 130. As a consequence the clips 132 cannot move radially inwardly. Contact between the surface 148 of the socket 16 and the arcuate portion 138 of the lower clip 134 limits upward movement of the socket 16. The configuration is such that the live contact 122 separates from the live bus bar 52 before the neutral contact 124 separates from the bus bar 54.

The contact 126 and the bus bar 56 remain permanently in contact.

The socket 16 can now be rotated in the hole 18 of the socket box to a new position. Once it is in the desired position it is pressed down against the action of the spring 116. The arcuate portions 138 of the clips 132 slide over the surface 146 and then snap back into the recess 130 thereby locking the socket 16 in its depressed position.

To prevent the sockets 16 being rotated whilst they are in their depressed condition, their outer surfaces are formed with vertically extending grooves 150 (see Figure 2) which receive the pillars 40. Only after the grooves 150 and pillars 40 are disconnected by lifting of the socket 16 can the socket 16 be rotated.

The connectors 22, 24 each have two sets of plug pins and receptacles. This enables "clean" and normal power to be provided. One half of each bus bar 52, 54 is connected to the "clean" power and the other half to normal power. The sockets 16, depending on their orientation, pick up normal or "clean" power.

It will be understood that if the Iwo halves 60, 60.1 of each bus bar 52, 54 are electrically connected, then the socket box is adapted to supply only "clean" power or only normal power.

Claims

1. An electrical supply structure comprising a box with at least two plug receiving sockets rotatably mounted in apertures of the box, arcuate live and neutral bus bars, live and neutral contacts protruding from each socket, the contacts touching the bus bars in the operative positions of the sockets, means preventing the sockets from rotating whilst in their operative positions, releasable latching means for holding each socket in its operative position, and spring means for displacing each socket to its inoperative position thereby to separate the contacts and the bus bars and permit the sockets to be rotated.

2. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each socket comprises a circular body having plug pin receiving openings, plug pin receptacles within the body, and electrical connections between said contacts and the receptacles.

3. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 2, and including retaining clips for holding the sockets in their operative positions, the clips being manually displaceable to unlatch the sockets and permit the spring means to displace the sockets to their operative positions.

4. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 3 and including movement limiting clips for limiting movement of the sockets toward their inoperative positions when the retaining clips are displaced to unlatch the sockets.

5. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the retaining clips and motion limiting clips fit into circumferentially extending recesses in the outer surface of said body, the recess into which the motion limiting clips fit being wider in the axial direction than the recesses into which the retaining clips fit.

6. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 5. and including spring means for urging the clips into the recesses.

7. An electrical supply structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the part of each of said bus bars that co-operates with said contacts is circular.

8. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein one of said contacts is further from the axis of rotation of the socket than the other and the circular parts of the bus bars are of different diameters.

9. An electrical supply structure as claimed in any one of claims I to 8, wherein one of said contacts is longer than the other and one of said bus bars is closer to said socket than the other.

10. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claims 8 and 9, and including a bus bar housing having two concentric circular wells, the wells being of different depths, one of the bus bars being in one well and the other bus bar being in the other well.

11. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 or in claim 9 or claim 10 as appendant to claim 7, wherein said bus bar parts comprise two portions which are each substantially semi-circular in shape and are electrically isolated from one another.

12. An electrical supply structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each socket has an earth contact and the structure includes an earth bus bar, the earth contacts protruding downwardly from the bodies of the sockets, the earth bus bar being in electrical contact with said earth contacts both while the sockets are in their operative positions and in their operative positions.

13. An electrical supply structure as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each socket has surfaces which bear on surfaces of the box whilst the socket is in its operative position to prevent the socket being rotated.

14. An electrical supply structure as claimed in claim 13, and including circular arrays of locking pillars on the box and axially extending grooves in the outer surfaces of the bodies of the sockets, the pillars entering the grooves when the sockets are displaced to their operative positions.