Electrical receptacle

• US 3,957,336 A
• Filed: 10/07/1974
• Issued: 05/18/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Bromberg, Menashe
• Primary Examiner(s): Lake, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bicks, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US05/512,414
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 339/96, 339/99 R, 339/156 R, 339/157 R, 339/163, 339/164 R, 339/164 M, 339/191 R, 339/191 M
• US Class Current: 439/650
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls

Abstract

An electrical receptacle comprises an integrally molded body member and flanged face plate formed preferably as a duplex receptacle for the receipt of conventional two and three wire electrical plugs. The interior of the body member comprises a series of selectively positioned contact supports for engagement with novel contact means suitably aligned therewithin. A mating cover member designed to latch with the body member is provided with inwardly directed projections selectively aligned in a series of rows to provide discrete cradles for each of the conductors of a multiconductor electrical cable to be attached to the receptacle.

Claims

1. An electrical receptacle comprising, in combination, a body member formed from electrically insulating plastic material and including wall portions joined to one another to define a cable receiving cavity, said wall portions being seated upon a base portion molded intergrally therewith, said base portion having a flanged portion extending outwardly beyond the external perimeter of said wall portions for mounting said body member to a supporting surface, said base portion having contact supports selectively located within said cable receiving cavity for supporting at least a pair of spaced electrical contacts therewithin, said base member being suitably apertured to provide plug receiving slots arranged to accept the contacts of an electrical plug, said base member further having at least a pair of electrical contacts disposed within said contact supports and aligned with respective ones of said base member slots to receive the contacts of an electrical plug inserted within said base member apertures;

and a cover member formed from electrically insulating plastic material and arranged to selectively seat against said wall portions to provide a closure for the exposed opening of said body member cable receiving cavity, said cover member including cable support means disposed adjacent one surface thereof, said cable support means being selectively positioned on said cover member for alignment with said body member contact supports upon the selective seating of said cover member against said body member wall portions for urging the respective conductors of an electrical cable against respective ones of said electrical contacts located within said body member cable receiving cavity, said cover member further comprising latch means for selective engagement with said body member to permit said cover member to be releasably locked to said body member, said cover member latch means comprising a first latch portion and a second latch portion extending, respectively, from opposing sides of said cover member generally normal to the plane of said cover portion, said body member wall portions comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall arranged in generally parallel spaced relationship, each of said first and said second sidewalls having guide means cooperative with a respective one of said first and said second cover member latch portions to selectively locate said cover member on said body member, said body member wall portions further comprising a first end wall and a second end wall, each of said first and said second end walls being joined to a respective end of each of said first and said second sidewalls, at least one of said first and said second end walls having a notched portion arranged to provide clearance for an electrical cable received within said cable receiving cavity, said cover member further comprising an upstanding portion located generally adjacent one end of said cover member, said upstanding portion being selectively dimensioned to mate with said body member end wall notched portion to provide a closure thereat.

2. An electrical receptacle as defined in claim 1 wherein said upstanding portion is frangibly connected to said cover member for selective removal therefrom.