WO2000008714A2

WO2000008714A2 - Safety plug socket

Info

Publication number: WO2000008714A2
Application number: PCT/KR1999/000417
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chang Woo Lee
Original assignee: Jina S.P.S. Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 1998-08-01
Filing date: 1999-07-31
Publication date: 2000-02-17
Also published as: KR200256742Y1; KR20000004232U; AU5198499A; WO2000008714A3

Abstract

A safety plug socket equipped with a rotatable safety cover (3) rotatable only by inserting a plug into the safety plug socket, is disclosed. The safety plug socket comprises a main body (1) and a rotatable safety cover (3). In addition, a second locking means normally engages with a first locking means to lock the safety cover and selectively disengages from the first locking means to allow the safety cover to be rotatable. The main body (1) has one or more circular depressions (10) spacedly formed on an upper surface of the main body, a fixing hole (20) formed on the center of each of the depressions, and two insert holes (2) formed on the bottom surface of each of the depressions at diametrically positions around the fixing hole (20). The rotatable safety cover (3) has a rotatable snap shaft (21) vertically formed on a center of a lower surface of the cover, two openings (4) formed on the cover at positions corresponding to the insert holes (2), and an opening skirt (6) formed along an edge of each of the openings and used as the first locking means. And, the second locking means is arranged on the bottom surface of each of the depressions at a position on the circumference of a circle passing through the centers of the two insert holes (2) on the same horizontal plane.

Description

SAFETY PLUG SOCKET

Technical Field

The present invention relates, in general, to a safety plug socket designed to have a rotatable safety cover capable of preventing people, in particular, children, from being carelessly struck by electricity and, more particularly, to a plug socket with a safety cover designed to improve safety.

Background Art

As well known to those skilled in the art, a variety of safety plug sockets, designed to have rotatable safety covers capable of preventing people from accidental electric shock accident, are proposed. Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a conventional safety plug socket with a rotatable safety cover exploded. The conventional safety plug socket consists of a main body 1' and a rotatable safety cover 3'.

At least one circular depression 10', for example, two depressions 10' are formed on the upper surface of the main body 1'. A fixing hole 20' is formed on the center of each depression 10'. Two insert holes 2' are formed on the bottom surface of each depression 10' at diametrically opposite positions around the fixing hole 20' while being regularly spaced apart from the hole 20'. An electric terminal (not shown) is set in each insert hole 2'. Two projections 5' are formed on the sidewall of each depression 10' at diametrically opposite positions.

A rotatable snap shaft 21' is vertically formed on the center of the lower surface of the rotatable safety cover 3'. The cover 3' is perforated at the positions corresponding to the insert holes 2', thus having two openings 4'. An opening skirt 6', having a slit 61', is formed along the edge of each opening 4'. Two outer skirts 32' are formed along the edge of the lower surface of the cover 3' at diametrically opposite positions.

In use, the rotatable safety cover 3' is seated in each depression 10' of the main body 1' with the rotatable snap shaft 21' of the cover 3' rotatably inserted into the fixing hole 20' of the main body 1'. The cover 3' has to be rotated to align the openings 4' of the cover 3' with the insert holes 2' of the main body 1', before a plug 9' is inserted into the plug socket. On the other hand, when the plug is removed from the plug socket, the cover 3' has to be rotated in a reverse direction. When the cover 3' is rotated completely in the reverse direction, the projections 5' of the main body 1' engage with the opening skirts 6' of the cover 3', respectively.

However, the conventional safety plug socket has the following problems. That is, the socket cannot completely realize a desired degree of safety because the safety cover 3' is easily rotatable when a person carelessly inserts an elongated material, such as a nail, obtainable by children, into the insert holes 4' of the cover 3' and by rotation of the cover 3' with such material.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a safety plug socket equipped with a rotatable safety cover, the safety cover being rotated only by a desired manipulation of inserting a plug into the safety plug socket, thereby meeting a requirement for safety.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a safety plug socket, comprising: a main body including, at least one circular depression formed on an upper surface of the main body, a fixing hole formed on a center of the depression, and two insert holes formed on a bottom surface of the depression at diametrically opposite positions around the fixing hole while being regularly spaced apart from the fixing hole; a rotatable safety cover positioned in the depression, the cover including, a rotatable shaft vertically formed on a center of a lower surface of the cover, two openings formed on the cover at positions corresponding to the insert holes, and first locking means formed around an edge of each of the openings; and second locking means for normally engaging with the first locking means to lock the safety cover and selectively disengaging from the first locking means to allow the safety cover to be rotatable, the second locking means being arranged on the bottom surface of the depression at a position on the circumference of a circle passing through the centers of the two insert holes on a same horizontal plane.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, showing a conventional safety plug socket with a rotatable safety cover exploded;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing a safety plug socket according to the first embodiment of this invention with a rotatable safety cover exploded; Fig. 3 is a view, showing a second locking means of the first embodiment in a locking mode;

Fig. 4 is a view, showing the second locking means of the first embodiment in an unlocking mode;

Fig. 5 is a view, showing a safety operation of the second locking means of the first embodiment when inappropriate elongated materials are inserted into the openings of the safety cover;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, showing a safety plug socket according to the second embodiment of this invention with a rotatable safety cover exploded;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view, showing the second locking means of the third embodiment in a locking mode.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Figs. 2 to 5 illustrate a safety plug socket according to the first embodiment of this invention.

The construction of the embodiment is described as follows .

The safety plug socket includes a main body 1 and a rotatable safety cover 3.

One or more, for example, two circular depressions 10 are spacedly formed on the upper surface of the main body 1. A fixing hole 20 is formed on the center of each depression 10. Two insert holes 2 are formed on the bottom surface of each depression 10 at diametrically opposite positions around the fixing hole 20 while being regularly spaced apart from the fixing hole 20. A first spring stopper 32 and a guide slot 11 are respectively formed on the bottom surface of each depression 10 while being spaced apart from the fixing hole 20. The plug socket of this invention also has a second locking means, which is provided on the bottom surface of each depression 10 of the main body 1. The second locking means normally engages with a first locking means to lock the safety cover 3 and selectively disengages from the first locking means to allow the safety cover 3 to be rotatable. The construction and operation of the first and second locking means will be described in detail later herein. In the first embodiment, the second locking means comprises two locking yokes 5 that are mounted on the bottom surface of each depression 10 at two positions on the circumference of a circle that passes through the centers of insert holes 2 on the same horizontal plane. The locking arms of each yoke 5 are capable of being elastically and outwardly biased, and the web of each yoke 5 is fixed on the bottom surface of each depression 10. Two stoppers 7 are provided on the bottom surface of each depression 10 at positions outside both arms of each yoke 5 so as to limit the biased action of the arms .

A rotatable snap shaft 21 is vertically formed on the center of the lower surface of the rotatable safety cover 3. Two openings 4 are formed on the cover 3 at positions corresponding to the insert holes 2. The above first locking means is provided on the safety cover 3. In the preferred embodiment, the first locking means comprises two stoppers formed along the edge of each opening 4. In the primary embodiment, the two stoppers are embodied in the form of an opening skirt 6 having two slits 61, 62 at diametrically opposed positions thereof. A second spring stopper 33 is formed on the lower surface of the rotatable safety cover 3 while being spaced apart from the snap shaft 21. A coiled torsion spring 31 is fitted over the snap shaft 21 with one arm of the spring 31 supported on the first spring stopper 32 and the other arm supported on the second spring stopper 33. Hereinafter, the operation of the above plug socket is described.

In use, the rotatable safety cover 3 is positioned in each depression 10 of the main body 1 with the rotatable snap shaft 21 of the safety cover 3 rotatably inserted into the fixing hole 20 of the main body 1.

The cover 3 has to be rotated to align the openings 4 of the cover 3 with the insert holes 2 of the main body 1, before the plug socket is used. In order to rotate the cover 3 for achieving the alignment of the openings 4, each opening skirt 6 of the cover 3 has to be unlocked by inserting each prong 91 of a plug 9 into each opening 4 of the cover 3 since each opening skirt 6 of the cover 3 is locked in a normal state. The coiled torsion spring 31 is compressed during the rotation of the cover 3.

When the plug socket has been used and the plug 9 is removed from the plug socket, the cover 3 is elastically returned to its original locked position by the restoring force of the torsion spring 31. As the cover 3 has been rotated completely in a reverse direction, each locking yoke 5 locks an associated opening skirt 6, with each slit 61 or 62 of the opening skirt 6 engaging with each arm of the skirt 6.

Referring to Fig. 6, there is shown a safety plug socket according to the second embodiment of this invention.

In the second embodiment, the general shape of the plug socket remains the same as that described for the first embodiment, but the second locking means is altered as follows. Those elements common to both the first and second embodiments will carry the same reference numerals and, thus, further explanation is not deemed necessary.

In this second embodiment, the second locking means comprises two sets of elastic prongs 51 and 52 in place of the two locking yokes 5 of the first embodiment. The two sets of prongs 51 and 52 are mounted on the bottom surface of each depression 10 at two positions on the circumference of a circle that passes through the centers of two insert holes 2 on the same horizontal plane. The locking arm of each elastic prong 51 or 52 is designed to be elastically and outwardly biased. Each elastic prong 51 or 52 is fixed on the bottom surface of each depression 10 at one end thereof.

In Fig. 7, a safety plug socket according to the third embodiment of this invention is illustrated.

In this third embodiment, the two locking yokes 5 and the two stoppers 7 of the first embodiment are substituted with two semicylindrical inside supports 55, two arcuate outside walls 54, and two locking yokes 50. Each arrangement of one semicylindrical inside support 55, one outside wall 54, and one locking yoke 50 is arranged along the circumference of a circle that passes through the centers of openings 4 on the same horizontal plane. The locking yoke 50 is inserted into the gap between the semicylindrical inside support 55 and the outside wall 54.

Industrial Applicability

The foregoing invention provides a safety plug socket equipped with a rotatable safety cover. The safety cover is designed to be rotated only by a desired manipulation of inserting a plug into the safety plug socket, thereby meeting a requirement for safety.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims :

1. A safety plug socket, comprising: a main body including, at least one circular depression formed on an upper surface of said main body, a fixing hole formed on a center of said depression, and two insert holes formed on a bottom surface of said depression at diametrically opposite positions around said fixing hole while being regularly spaced apart from said fixing hole; a rotatable safety cover positioned in the depression, said cover including, a rotatable shaft vertically formed on a center of a lower surface of said cover, two openings formed on said cover at positions corresponding to said insert holes, and first locking means formed around an edge of each of the openings; and second locking means for normally engaging with said first locking means to lock the safety cover and selectively disengaging from the first locking means to allow the safety cover to be rotatable, said second locking means being arranged on the bottom surface of the depression at a position on the circumference of a circle passing through the centers of said two insert holes on a same horizontal plane.

2. The safety plug socket according to claim 1, wherein said first locking means comprises an opening skirt formed along an edge of each of said openings, said skirt having two opposed slits at its diametrically opposed positions.

3. The safety plug socket according to claim 1, wherein a first spring stopper is formed on said bottom surface of the depression while being spaced apart from said fixing hole, a second spring stopper is formed on said lower surface of said rotatable safety cover while being spaced apart from said rotatable shaft, and a coiled torsion spring is fitted over said shaft with a first arm of said spring supported on said first spring stopper and a second arm of said spring supported on said second spring stopper.

4. The safety plug socket according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said second locking means comprises two locking yokes, each of said locking yokes being fixed on said bottom surface of the depression at its web and being normally locked to the said first locking means of the safety cover at its arms, and capable of being elastically and outwardly biased at the arms .

5. The safety plug socket according to claim 4, wherein a stopper is positioned on said bottom surface of the depression at a position outside each of the arms so as to limit a biased action of said arm.