GB2596156A

GB2596156A - Electrical plug with movable earth pin

Info

Publication number: GB2596156A
Application number: GB2013846.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chen Hsing-Kuang; Chan Yu-Chaun
Original assignee: Phihong Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Phihong Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-06-18
Filing date: 2020-09-03
Publication date: 2021-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 2040-09-03
Also published as: GB2596156B; TW202201855A; TWI754306B; GB202013846D0; CN113823960A

Abstract

An electrical plug includes a plug body 101 having a pair of conducting pins 101a,101b and a sliding channel 101c formed between the pins. A pair of interlocking elements 103 on both sides of the channel act to constrain the movement of a sliding ground pin 105 between first and second positions along the channel. A cover 107, fixed to the body, also limits movement of the ground pin. The interlocking elements engage with either first or second positioning slots on both sides of the ground pin. A pair of guiding grooves may be on both sides of the ground pin and may contain the positioning slots. The first positioning slot may extend downwardly. The interlocking elements may be a pair of spring-type components. The cover may have hooks that snap and lock with corresponding hooks on the plug body.

Description

ELECTRICAL PLUG WITH MOVABLE EARTH PIN

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates to an electrical plug, and more particularly to an electrical plug with movable earth pin.

BACKGROUND

[0002] A conventional electrical plug typically has a pair of conductive power supply pins for nserting into corresponding female connectors in the socket. The plug generally also includes an earth or ground pin inserted into a corresponding female connector in the socket coupled to ground. In certain countries, the ground pin is longer than the pair of power supply pins and it also serves to open a spring loaded shutter in the socket to allow the power supply pins to be inserted into their respective female connectors in the socket. This safety feature is therefore requiring that an earth pin be included in all plugs even if there is no ground connection required.

[0003] One conventional method for resetting the ground pin in the electrical plug is to connect the ground pin to a pivot enabling the pin to be rotated between two positions, i.e., an open position and a stored position. The pin is rotated 90 degrees between around the pivot between these two positions.

[0004] The conventional electrical plug comprises an insulating body, two prongs projecting from one end of the insulating body, and a cord fastened to the other end of the insulating body. The two prongs are fixedly projected from the one end of the insulating body and can be therefore fitted into an outlet of certain specifications. In light of the outlet specifications being different from country to country, the conventional electrical plug is limited in its use. Such a limitation in use of the conventional electrical plug often brings about inconvenience to an international traveler.

[0005] Recently, consumers of electronic products expect more compact designs.

Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the amount of space occupied by the electrical plug when it is not in use, to enable the plug to be more compact.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention proposes a new design of the ground pin with a movable structure. Traditionally, to improve the design of connecting the ground pin to a pivot, the ground pin is further embedded in a groove formed in the body of the electric plug. However, due to space constraints, the structure of engagement interlocking assembly for the movable ground pin and the overall electrical plug configuration are not conducive to the miniaturization of electronic products and new product design.

[0007] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention proposes a new design of the ground pin with retractable structure. The engagement interlocking component of the sliding structure is consisting of a pair of springs, which are respectively arranged on the plug body for engaging the retractable ground pin structure by the guiding grooves on both sides of the ground pin base.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In this invention, an electrical plug is proposed, which includes a plug body having a first conductive pin and a second conductive pin, a sliding groove formed on the plug body between the first conductive pin and the second conductive pin, a pair of interlocking elements been corresponding configured into two side walls of the sliding groove, a movable ground pin having a sliding portion and a ground pin piece configured to be movable in the -2 -sliding groove, and a cover fixed with the plug body for limiting the movement of the movable ground pin, wherein the movable ground pin is manually movable in the sliding groove between a first and a second position through constrains from the cover and the pair of interlocking elements; wherein the movable ground pin is in the first position, a pair of a first positioning slots located on both sides of the sliding portion of the movable ground pin interlock with the corresponding pair of interlocking elements wherein the movable ground pin is in the second position, a pair of a second positioning slots located on both sides of the sliding portion of the movable ground pin interlock with the corresponding pair of interlocking elements.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the sliding portion of the movable ground pin having a pair of guiding grooves located on both sides of the sliding portion of the movable ground pin paralleling to the sliding direction for confining movement of the movable ground pin.

[0010] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, each of the guiding grooves is provided with the first positioning slot and the second positioning slot perpendicular to the guiding grooves and recessed into the bottom surface of the guiding groove.

[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the first positioning slot further includes an extended positing slot extended downwardly to assist installing the movable ground pin into the sliding grooves.

[0012] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the electrical plug further comprises a pair of fixing slots formed on the plug body on both sides of the side wall of the sliding groove, each fixing slot having a first groove, a second groove and an inter-connected region connecting the first groove, the second groove, and the sliding groove for fixing the pair of interlocking elements. -3 -

I00131 In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the pair of interlocking components are a pair of spring-type interlocking components, each of the spring-type interlocking components has a body and an elastic portion, the body and tail end of the elastic portion of the each of the spring-type interlocking components are correspondingly engaged and fixed to the plug body through the first groove and the second groove in each of the fixing slot of the plug body.

160141 In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, each of the spring-type interlocking components further includes a protruding portion bent by the elastic portion as a locking structure, the locking structure protrudes into the sliding groove through the interconnected region connecting with the sliding groove for interlocking with the movable ground pin through the first positioning slots and the second positioning slots located on the sliding portion of the movable ground pin accordingly enabling that the movable ground pin can be selectively locked at the first position or at the second position.

[0015] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the cover has a pair of first openings and a second opening, which respectively make the pair of conductive pins on the plug body and the movable ground pin mounted on the plug body to be assembled with the plug body through the pair of first openings and the second opening accordingly.

[0016] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the cover is assembled with the plug body by utilizing a plurality of pairs of hooks located inside the cover body to snap and lock with corresponding pairs of hooks located on the plug body.

[0017] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, material of the spring-type interlocking component includes stainless steel, copper alloy, carbon steel, or aluminum alloy, etc., and its thickness is 0.15-0.50 nun. -4 -

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The components, characteristics and advantages of the present invention may be understood by the detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments outlined in the specification and the drawings attached: [0019] FIG. I (a)-(b) illustrates a detailed structure of an electrical plug with a removable ground pin according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 1(c) illustrates a detail structure of a removable ground pin according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 2(a) illustrates the assembling of the cover, the movable ground pin, and the plug body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 2(3) illustrates two pairs of hooks designed at the interior of the cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2(c) illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 2(a) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3(a)-3(c) illustrate the method of assembling the electrical plug with a movable ground pin according an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 4(a) illustrates a perspective view of an electrical plug with a movable ground pin in the first position according an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 4(b) illustrates a perspective view of an electrical plug with a movable ground pin in the second position according an embodiment of the present invention. -5 -

[0027] FIG. 5(a)-5(b) illustrate a cross-sectional view showing that the movable ground pin of the electrical plug is at the first position and the second position, respectively, according an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail. However, it should he recognized that the preferred embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration rather than limiting the present invention. In addition, the present invention can be practiced in a wide range of other embodiments besides those explicitly described, and the scope of the present invention is not expressly limited except as specified in the accompanying claims.

[0029] FIG. 1(a)-(b) provide a detailed structure of an electrical plug with a removable ground pin, which show an exploded schematic view of the electrical plug with a removable ground pin. An electrical plug 100 with a movable ground pin includes a plug body 10 I, a pair of spring-type interlocking elements 103, a movable ground pin 105, and a cover 107. The plug body 101 includes a pair of conductive pins 101a and 101b for conducting electricity. The plug body 101 has a sliding groove 101c formed between the pair of conductive pins 101a and 101b for accommodating or engaging the interlocking elements 103 and the movable ground pin 105; a pair of fixing grooves 109 each include a first groove 109a, a second groove 109b, and a inter-connected region I 09c connecting the first groove 109a, the second groove 109h, and the sliding groove 101 c, formed accordingly on both side walls of the sliding groove 101c to fix and embed a pair of spring-type interlocking elements 103, where the inter-connected region 109c can be used to expose the bended elastic portion 103b of the spring-type interlocking elements -6 - 103 extended to the sliding groove 101c while embeds and fixes the spring-type interlocking elements 103 into the fixing groove 109 so that it can be coupled with the movable ground pin 105. As shown in FIG. 1(c), the movable ground pin 105 is composed of a sliding portion 105a and a ground pin piece 105h. The sliding portion 105a of the movable ground pin 105 is used to install and slide the movable ground pin 105 in the sliding groove 101c. The sliding portion 105a has guiding grooves 1051, which are located on both sides of the sliding portion 105a of the movable ground pin 105 and parallel to the sliding direction acted as sliding constrains. Each guiding groove 1051 is provided with a first positioning slot 1052 and a second positioning slot 1()53 perpendicular to the guiding groove 1051 and recessed into the bottom surface of the guiding slot 1051, wherein the first positioning slot 1052 further includes a downwardly extended positioning slot 1052a for assisting the installation of the movable ground pin 105 to the sliding groove 101c of the plug body 101.

[9630] Each spring-type interlocking element 103 has a body 103a and an elastic portion 103b, where the body 103a and tail end of the elastic portion 103b can be correspondingly engaged and fixed to the plug body 101 through the first groove 109a and the second groove 109h in the fixing groove 109 of the plug body 101. The elastic portion 103h of each spring-type interlocking components is bent to have a protruding portion 103c as a locking structure, and after installation, it can protrude into the sliding groove 101c via an interconnected region 109c interconnecting with the sliding groove 101c for interlocking with the movable ground pin 105 through the corresponding slots (first and second positioning slots 1052 and 1053) in the sliding portion 105a enabling that the movable grounding pin 105 can be locked at the first position or at the second position. In one embodiment, the material of each spring-type interlocking element 103 can be stainless steel, copper alloy (for example but not limited to -7 -phosphor bronze, beryllium copper), carbon steel, or, aluminum alloy, etc.. In one embodiment, the thickness of the spring-type interlocking element 103 is in a range of 0.15-0.50 mm [0031] Referring to FIG. 2(a), the cover 107 has a pair of first openings 107a and a second opening 107b, which can respectively make the pair of conductive pins 101a and 101b on the plug body 101 and the movable ground pin 105 mounted on the plug body 101 to be assembled with the plug body 101 through these openings. In one preferred embodiment, please refer to El-C.1.s 2(b)-2(c), where FIG. 2(h) shows two pairs of hooks 107c and 107d designed at the interior of the cover 107, and FIG. 2(c) is a schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 2(a). While assembles the cover 107, the plug body 101, and the mobile ground pin 105, the way of installing the cover 107 onto the plug body 101 is through two pairs of hooks 107c and 107d designed at the interior of the cover 107 to snap and lock another two corresponding pairs of hooks (not shown) located inside openings 1071 and 1072 on the plug body 101 to prevent the spring-type interlocking member 103 and the movable ground pin 105 from moving or popping out in the fastening direction (up and down direction) of the cover. However, there isn't just one way of assembling and therefore fixing the cover 107 onto the plug body 101, and the method is not limited to a snap-fit method. Other alternative embodiments, such as ultrasonic waves, locking screws, or adhesive bonding, can be implemented to assemble the cover 107 onto the plug body 101.

[0032] The method of assembling the electrical plug 100 with a movable ground pin is described below, as shown in FIG. 3: Step 1, as shown in FIG. 3(a), puts a pair of spring-type interlocking elements 103 into the fixing grooves 109 of the plug body 101. -8 -

Step 2, as shown in FIG. 3(b), inserts the movable ground pin 105 (the direction indicated by the arrow is the installation direction), enables the protruding portion 103c of the elastic portion of the spring-type interlocking member 103 being aligned with the extended positioning slots 1052a on both sides of the sliding portion I 05a extended downwardly from the first positioning slot 1052, and guides the movable ground pin 105 through the extended positioning slot I 052a into the sliding groove 101c of the plug body 101.

Step 3, as shown in FIG. 3(b), installs the cover 107 onto the plug body 101 by enabling a pair of conductive pins (101a, 1(11 b) on the body 107 and the movable ground pin 105 installed on the plug body 101 respectively passing through a pair of first openings 107a and a second opening 107b on the cover 107, buckles and fixes the cover 107 by two pairs of hooks (please refer to Figure 2(b)-(c)) located in the interior of the cover through the corresponding openings on the plug body (1071, 1072) onto another two pairs of hook located in these openings.

[9633] The locking method between the cover and the plug body described in step 3 is not limited to a snap-fit method, and other alternative embodiments can also be used, such as ultrasound, locking screws, or adhesive bonding.

[9634] As shown in FIG.s 4(a)-4(b), the movable ground pin 105 includes a sliding portion 105a and a ground pin piece 105b, which can be manually moved in the horizontal direction in the sliding groove 101c formed in the plug body 101 and located between the pair of conductive pins 101a. The ground pin piece 105b of the movable ground pin 105 in the electrical Mug 100 can be manually moved From ale riTSL (or storage) position Lo the second (or active) position, as shown in FIGS 4(a) and 4(b) respectively.

[00351 When the electrical plug 100 is not in use, the ground pin piece 105b of the movable ground pin 105 is located at the first or storage position, as shown in FIG. 4(a). When -9 -the electrical plug 100 is in use, the ground pin piece 105b of the movable ground pin 105 can be manually pushed to the second or active position, as shown in FIG. 4(b).

[0036] In the second position, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the ground pin piece 105b of the movable ground pin 105 is located at a position where the second end (facing outward) of the sliding portion 105a holds a sufficient distance from the plug body enabling the ground pin piece 105b located in the active position. That is, the movable ground pin 105 can be inserted into the corresponding female connector in the socket at the same time or before the conductive pins 101a, 10111 are inserted into the socket similar to the corresponding female connectors. The above plug/socket standard is clearly stated in the country where the plug is to be used.

[0037] Please refer to FIG.s 5(a)-(b), which respectively show sectional views of the ground pin piece 105 b of the movable ground pin 105 being in the first (or storage) position and in the second (or active) position. The elastic portion 103b of each spring-type interlocking element 103 is bent to have a protruding portion 103c as a locking structure, after installation, it can be used to engage with and lock with the corresponding slots (first and second positioning slots, 1052 and 1053) in the sliding part 105a of the movable ground pin 105 enabling the movable ground pin 105 been placed in first (or storage) position or in the second (or active) position. As shown in FIG. 5(b), when the ground pin piece 10511 of the movable ground pin 105 is manually pushed to the second position, the locking structure (protruding portion) 103c of the spring-type interlocking member 103 and corresponding slot (second positioning slot 1053) located in the sliding part 105a of the movable grounding pin 105 interlocks widi each oilier, and the sliding part 105a of the movable ground pin being locked at the second position. -10-

[0038] In one embodiment of the invention, after the removable ground pin has been inserted, the removable ground pin cannot be moved with a force that less than a specific safety reference.

[0039] One of the ordinary skilled in the art should recognize that the invention can be applied to different types of electrical plugs in various regions or countries. One suitable application is on plugs as used in the United Kingdom electrical adapter.

[9040] An embodiment is an implementation or example of the present invention.

Reference in the specification to "an embodiment," "one embodiment," "some embodiments," or "other embodiments means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments. The various appearances of "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "some embodiments" are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiments. It should be appreciated that in the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims are hereby expressly incorporated into this description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is: I. An electrical plug, comprising: a plug body having a first conductive pin and a second conductive pin; a sliding groove formed on the plug body between the first conductive pin and the second conductive pin; a pair of interlocking elements been corresponding configured into two side walls of the sliding groove; a movable ground pin having a sliding portion and a ground pin piece configured to be movable in the sliding groove; and a cover fixed with the plug body for limiting the movement of the movable ground pin; wherein the movable ground pin is manually movable in the sliding groove between a first and a second position through constrains from the cover and the pair of interlocking elements; wherein the movable ground pin is in the first position, a pair of a first positioning slots located on both sides of the sliding portion of the movable ground pin interlock with the corresponding pair of interlocking elements; wherein the movable ground pin is in the second position, a pair of a second positioning slots located on both sides of the sliding portion of the movable ground pin interlock with the corresponding pair of interlocking elements.
2. The electrical plug of claim I, wherein the sliding portion of the movable ground pin having a pair of guiding grooves located on both sides of the sliding portion of the movable ground pin paralleling to the sliding direction for confining movement of the movable ground pin.
3. The electrical plug of claim 2, wherein each of the guiding grooves is provided with the first positioning slot and the second positioning slot perpendicular to the guiding grooves and recessed into the bottom surface of the guiding grooves.
4. The electrical plug of claim 3, wherein the first positioning slot further includes an extended positing slot extended downwardly to assist installing the movable ground pin into the sliding grooves.
5. The electrical plug of claim 1, further comprising a pair of fixing slots formed on the plug body on both sides of the side wall of the sliding groove, each fixing slot having a first groove, a second groove and an inter-connected region connecting the first groove, the second groove, and the sliding groove for fixing the pair of interlocking elements.
6. The electrical plug of claim 5, wherein the pair of interlocking components are a pair of spring-type interlocking components, each of the spring-type interlocking components has a body and an elastic portion, the body and tail end of the elastic portion of the each of the spring-type interlocking components are con-espondingly engaged and fixed to the plug body through the first groove and the second groove in each of the fixing slot of the plug body.
7. The electrical plug of claim 6, wherein each of the spring-type interlocking components further includes a protruding portion bent by the elastic portion as a locking structure, the locking -13 -structure protrudes into the sliding groove through the inter-connected region connecting with the sliding groove for interlocking with the movable ground pin through the first positioning slots and the second positioning slots located on the sliding portion of the movable ground pin accordingly enabling that the movable ground pin can be selectively locked at the first position or at the second position.
8. The electrical plug of claim 1, wherein the cover has a pair of first openings and a second opening, which respectively make the pair of conductive pins on the plug body and the movable ground pin mounted on the plug body to be assembled with the plug body through the pair of first openings and the second opening accordingly.
9. The electrical plug of claim 8, wherein the cover is assembled with the plug body by utilizing a plurality of pairs of hooks located inside the cover body to snap and lock with corresponding pairs of hooks located on the plug body.
10. The electrical plug of claim 6, wherein material of the spring-type interlocking component includes stainless steel, copper alloy, carbon steel, or aluminum alloy, etc., and its thickness is 0.15-0.50 mm.