GB2535188A

GB2535188A - Electrical socket

Info

Publication number: GB2535188A
Application number: GB1502285.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mcwilliams Liam
Original assignee: Scolmore International Ltd
Current assignee: Scolmore International Ltd
Priority date: 2015-02-11
Filing date: 2015-02-11
Publication date: 2016-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 2035-02-11
Also published as: GB201502285D0; GB2535188B

Abstract

An electrical socket 10 for receiving a plug which comprises at least one pin. The socket comprises a faceplate 14 having a substantially planar front face 15 which defines at least one aperture 11,12 for receiving a said pin. The faceplate is shaped to define a recess region 16,17 which surrounds the pin aperture. The recess region is defined by a surface 17,18 which is inclined at an acute angle, being an angle of less than 90 degrees, relative to the plane of the faceplate front surface surrounding the recess region and may increase in depth further from the aperture. The recess thereby aids alignment of a plug to the socket and may be particularly useful when sockets are not readily visible or accessible, or when used by a person with impaired sight.

Description

Electrical Socket This invention relates to an electrical supply socket and in particular, though not exclusively, to an electrical socket adapted to be connected to an electricity supply and to receive a plug connected to an electrical appliance that is to be connected to said electricity supply.

A commonly employed design of plug comprises three pins one of which is longer than the others and generally is provided for the purpose of an earth connection.

When inserting a plug into a socket the earth pin generally is arranged to engage with and enter a socket aperture prior to the other two pins fully engaging with other apertures.

One difficulty encountered in the use of the aforementioned plugs and sockets is that of alignment of the plug pins with the socket apertures. That is particularly relevant in respect of the longer earth pin; once that is aligned with an aperture the other two pins of the plug are relatively easily aligned with respective apertures in the socket, particularly in the case of pins and apertures of a rectangular cross sectional shape.

Achieving alignment can be a particular difficulty in the case of sockets that are located in a position where they are not readily visible or accessible to the user, or when being used by a person having impaired sight.

A proposal for assisting in location of a plug relative to a socket has been described in the specification of UK patent GB 818683. In that patent there is described a socket having a V shaped recess defined by two faces 13 which define the depth of the recess and extend from a front face 10 of the socket in a direction perpendicular to that face. The inclined faces 13 lead to a recessed flat surface 12 at one corner of which, being the apex region of the V shape, the earth pin aperture is positioned. A disadvantage of that construction is that the planar surface of the recess does not in itself serve to guide an earth pin towards the earth aperture. Instead there is reliance on the V surfaces 13. A further disadvantage of the construction of GB 818683 is that it is visually unattractive.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved electrical socket which overcomes or mitigates disadvantages of hitherto known sockets.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrical socket for receiving a plug of the kind comprising at least one pin, said socket comprising a faceplate having a substantially planar face which defines at least one aperture for receiving a said pin, wherein the faceplate is shaped to define a recess region which surrounds a said aperture, said recess region being defined by a surface which is inclined at an acute angle, being an angle of less than 90o, relative to the plane of the faceplate surface surrounding the recess region.

Preferably substantially all of the surface of the recess region lies at an acute angle, being an angle of less than 90°, relative to the faceplate surface. Preferably substantially all of that surface lies at less than 30 °and more preferably less than 15° relative to the faceplate surface. An angle less than 10° is considered generally suitable. It is preferred that the angle is greater than 5°. Preferably the recess region wholly surrounds the said aperture such that no part of the aperture is defined by that region of the faceplate which is not recessed. That is, the aperture lies wholly inwards from the front, substantially planar face of the faceplate.

It is further preferred, as considered relative to the plane of the faceplate surface, that the recess region is of an increasing depth in an edge direction from said aperture to an edge region of the faceplate. That edge region preferably is an edge which is intended to lie uppermost when the socket is installed on a vertical surface. Thus the recess region may define a relatively distinct position at the edge of the faceplate, and that may be particularly beneficial for assisting in identifying to a user the likely location of an earth pin aperture. That is advantageous both in relation to single gang type sockets and in relation to twin or triple gang type sockets, and which may be located at relatively inaccessible positions where they are not readily visible, and also for assisting visually impaired users.

The recess region may be of increasing depth over the whole or only a part of the length of the recess region in said edge direction. It may be of uniform depth over a first part of said length extending from said aperture and of increasing depth over a second part which extends to the edge region of the face plate.

The socket may be of the type comprising a group of three apertures each to receive a respective one of three pins of a three-pin plug. One of the apertures may be adapted for receiving an earth pin and said aperture preferably is the aperture positioned within the recess region. Preferably only one of a plurality of pin receiving apertures of the group lies within a recess region.

The socket may be of a safety type for receiving a three-pin plug and may incorporate a safety mechanism whereby it is necessary for the earth pin to have entered the earth pin aperture sufficiently before the other pins can fully enter the other socket apertures. Insertion of the earth pin may cause operation of the safety mechanism, for example to move sliding shutters which in the absence of a pin in the earth pin aperture prevent entry of pins into the other apertures.

Preferably the recess region surrounding an earth pin aperture of a three pin socket extends towards each of the other two apertures by at least 10% and more preferably by at least 40% of the distance between the earth pin aperture and a respective one of the other two apertures.

Preferably the recess region is symmetrical, as considered about an axis extending through the earth pin aperture and a position mid-way between the other two apertures.

The recess region may be of a shallow V, U or other similar shape as considered in cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the outer face of the faceplate and parallel with the direction with which the two other pins are spaced. Preferably the shallow shape is present at all said cross sectional positions between the earth pin aperture and that edge of the faceplate which lies spaced from the earth pin aperture in a direction opposite that at which the other said apertures lie relative to the earth pin aperture.

The recess region need not necessarily comprise a shallow V shape as considered in cross-section, and may be a depression of a substantially concave or other dish like shape. Preferably the recess region has a generally smooth profile and is devoid of any sharp changes of direction or sharp edges other than immediately adjacent an aperture surrounded by the recess region.

In addition or as an alternative to the recess region being of increasing depth in a direction towards an edge region of the faceplate, the recess may also be of increasing width as considered in a direction from the aperture to that edge region.

The recess may be of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape at positions alongside the aperture.

The recess region may be of substantially constant width at positions alongside the aperture and it may also be of substantially constant width both alongside the aperture and at positions either side of the aperture as considered in a direction which extends between the aperture and a position mid way between two other apertures of the faceplate.

The recess region may have the appearance of a substantially Y shape form when viewing the front surface of a faceplate for which the recess region has an increasing width towards an edge of the faceplate.

The faceplate may be of a conventional construction comprising moulded plastics or pressed metal and may have secured thereto in known manner, at the rear surface of the faceplate, conventional terminals and switch means for connection to an electricity supply.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a front view of a socket in accordance with the present invention: Figure 2 is a view in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 1: Figure 3 is a section on the line B -B of Figure 1: Figure 4 is a section on the line C -C of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a computer generated view of a socket in accordance with the present invention and including lines which indicate in a conventional manner boundaries of curved and flat surfaces.

An electrical socket 10 of the two-gang type comprises two arrays of three pin receiving apertures 11,12 and two control switches 13 positioned in a conventional layout.

The socket 10 comprises a faceplate 14 having a substantially planar face 15 provided with the aforementioned pin receiving apertures and also apertures for receiving rocker arms of the control switches 13.

The faceplate provides support for a conventional terminal module 21 which comprises electrical terminals and the control switches. The terminal module 21 (shown in outline in Figures 2 to 4) is secured in known manner to the rear of the faceplate. The faceplate additionally is provided with a pair of apertures 23 for receiving means such as screws for securing the socket to a supporting structure.

Although substantially planar, the front face 15 of the faceplate 14 is formed with two recess regions 16 each of which surrounds a respective one of the two apertures 11 which are designed to receive the earth pin of a three-pin socket. The front face 15 also comprises a lower bevelled region 15a for enhanced visual appeal.

Each recess region 16 comprises two surface regions 17,18 which are symmetrical about the line C -C of Figure 1. At that side of the aperture 11 closest to the apertures 12 of the array of three apertures the recess region comprises a surface region 19.

Each of the surface regions 17,18,19 lies substantially wholly at an angle in the range 5° to 10°, more particularly 8° relative to the substantially planar front face 15 of the socket.

Up to a position 22 approximately half way between the earth pin aperture 11 and an upper edge 20 of the socket the recess region is of a substantially uniform depth. However beyond that halfway point the recess region is of an increasing depth (see cross-sectional view of Figure 4) to a maximum depth of approximately three quarters of the depth of the faceplate at the upper edge 20. The increasing depth is associated with an increasing width of the recess region beyond that midway point whereby the recess region has a substantially Y shape profile as viewed in Figure 1.

Accordingly, the recess region has the profile shown in Figure 3, being a cross-section along the line B -B of Figure 1 and a profile as shown in Figure 2 when viewed in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 1.

In consequence of the aforedescribed shape of the recess region, the profiling of the upper edge 20 of the faceplate readily assists a user to ascertain approximately the side to side position at which the earth pin aperture is located. In addition the provision of the recess region, which is arranged to extend wholly around the earth pin aperture, assists in guiding the earth pin of a plug into engagement with the earth pin aperture even if initially the earth pin is brought into contact with the faceplate at a position further from the upper edge 20 than the earth pin aperture 11.

Accordingly, as will be appreciated from Figure 5, without detracting from the visual appearance of the socket the ease of locating a plug for engagement with the socket is beneficially assisted.

Claims

Claims 1. An electrical socket for receiving a plug of the kind comprising at least one pin, said socket comprising a faceplate having a substantially planar face which defines at least one aperture for receiving a said pin, wherein the faceplate is shaped to define a recess region which surrounds a said aperture, said recess region being defined by a surface which is inclined at an acute angle, being an angle of less than 90°, relative to the plane of the faceplate surface surrounding the recess region.
2. A socket according to claim 1 wherein substantially all of the surface of the recess region lies at an acute angle relative to the face plate surface.
3. A socket according to claim 2 wherein substantially all of the surface of the recess region lies at less than 30° relative to the face plate surface.
4. A socket according to claim 3 wherein substantially all of the surface of the recess region lies at less than 15° relative to the face plate surface.
5. A socket according to claim 4 wherein said acute angle is less than 10°.
6. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said acute angle is greater than 5°.
7. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recess region wholly surrounds the said aperture.
8. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein as considered relative to the plane of the face plate front surface, the recess region is of an increasing depth in an edge direction from said aperture to an edge region of the face plate.
9. A socket according to claim 8 wherein the recess region is of increasing depth over the whole of the length of the recess region in said edge direction.
10. A socket according to claim 8 wherein the recess region is of uniform depth over a first part of said length extending from said aperture and of increasing depth over a second part of said length which extends to the edge region of the face plate.
11. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising a group of three apertures each to receive a respective one of three pins of a three pin plug.
12. A socket according to claim 11 wherein one of the apertures is an earth pin aperture and the recess region surrounds an earth pin aperture and extends towards each of the other two apertures of the group by at least 10% of the distance between the earth pin aperture and a respective one of the other two apertures.
13. A socket according to claim 12 wherein the recess region surrounding the earth pin aperture extends towards each of the other two apertures by at least 40% of the distance between the earth pin aperture and a respective one of the other two apertures.
14. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the socket comprises a plurality of apertures each for receiving a pin and wherein only one of a plurality of pin apertures of a group of apertures lies within a recess region.
15. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of apertures each for receiving a pin, said socket further comprising a safety mechanism whereby it is necessary for an earth pin to have entered an earth pin aperture of a group of apertures sufficiently before the other pins can fully enter the other socket apertures.
16. A socket according to any one of claims 11 to 15 wherein the group of apertures comprises an earth pin aperture and the recess region is symmetrical as considered about an axis extending through the earth pin aperture and a position midway between the other two apertures.
17. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recess region is of a V shape as considered in cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the outer, planar face of the face plate.
18. A socket according to any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein the recess region is of a U shape as considered in cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the outer, planar face of the face plate.
19. A socket according to claim 18 wherein the recess region is a depression of a substantially concave or other dish like shape.
20. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recess region has a smooth profile devoid of sharp changes of direction or sharp edges other than immediately adjacent the aperture surrounded by the recess region.
21. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recess region is of increasing depth in a direction towards an edge of the face plate and of increasing width as considered in a direction from the aperture to that edge region.
22. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recess region is of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape at positions alongside the aperture.
23. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recess region is of substantially constant width at positions alongside the aperture.
24. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the recess region is of a Y shape when viewed from the front surface of the face plate.
25. A socket according to any one of the preceding claims ansd substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.