Safety device for the supply of power to electrical equipment

• US 20030100206A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ariete SPA
• Original Assignee: Ariete SPA
• Inventors: Picchi, Michele, Rosa, Carlo
• Application Number:
  US10/288,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20030100206A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/135
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4532 Rotating shutter
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5213 Covers

Abstract

Safety device for the supply of power to electrical equipment, and particularly to mobile domestic appliances, comprising two electrical connector elements which can be coupled together, of which a first electrical connector element is located on the said electrical equipment and is provided with openable means for covering in a liquid-tight way the portion of the said element to be used for connection, and a second electrical connector element is located at one end of the power supply cable of the said equipment and is provided with openable means for covering in a liquid-tight way the portion of the said element to be used for the connection, means being provided for the mutual locking of the coupling of the said first and second element.

Claims

1. Safety device for the supply of power to electrical equipment, and particularly to mobile domestic appliances, comprising two electrical connector elements which can be coupled together, a first electrical connector element of the device being located on the said electrical equipment and being provided with openable means for covering in a liquid-tight way the portion of the said element to be used for connection, while a second electrical connector element is located at one end of the power supply cable of the said equipment and is provided with openable means for covering in a liquid-tight way the portion of the said element to be used for connection, means being provided for the mutual locking of the coupling of the said first and second element.

2. Safety device according to claim 1, in which the said first connector element comprises a socket, in which are housed the conductors connected to the electrical circuit of the said equipment, located within the body of the said equipment, inside an aperture formed in the said body, the said aperture being provided with a liquid-tight cover, pivoted along one of its sides on the said body of the equipment, the said cover being provided with means of elastically loading it towards the closed position.

3. Safety device according to claim 2, in which an annular sealing element is positioned around the said aperture, the said cover being provided with an axial flange projecting towards the said sealing element and bearing on this element when the cover is in the closed position.

4. Safety device according to claim 3, in which the said second electrical connector element comprises a plug, having at one end a contact end in which are located the means for connection to the conductors of the power supply cable of the said equipment, the said plug being enclosed by a casing on whose end facing the said contact end there is pivoted a liquid-tight cover provided with a lever and means for elastically loading it towards the closed position.

5. Safety device according to claim 4, in which the said casing is provided with a radially projecting counter-element designed to interact with the said cover of the said aperture communicating with the said socket, in such a way as to keep this cover in the open position when the said contact end of the said plug is inserted into the said socket.

6. Safety device according to claim 5, in which the said means of mutually locking the said connector elements comprise a profile in the form of a catch projecting from the outer edge of the cover of the contact end of the said plug of the power supply cable, this profile being designed to interact with a projection in the form of a catch projecting from the body of the said equipment and located in the proximity of the said aperture.