Safety sockets and loads

• US 4,156,265 A
• Filed: 02/22/1977
• Issued: 05/22/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Manning I. Rose
• Original Assignee: Manning I. Rose
• Inventors: Rose, Manning I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salce, Patrick R.
• Application Number:
  US05/770,568
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 361/179, 200/51.09, 200/51.1, 339/12 L, 339/12 R, 335/2, 335/132, 335/202, 335/205
• US Class Current: 361/179
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7037 making use of a magnetically operated switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/962 for screw type coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/915 Auxiliary device for existing plug

Abstract

Load and socket arrangements are disclosed wherein contacts within a socket are connected to an electrical energy source by a magnetic reed switch responsive to magnetic material carried by the load. The socket is disconnected from the source and incapable of producing electrical shock when the load is removed. In one embodiment, a lamp has a magnetic insulator separating its shell and base terminals. In another embodiment, a connector plug has a magnet carried within the body of the plug. Various sockets and circuits for connecting reed switches in the sockets are disclosed. Also disclosed are magnetic adapters for attachment to conventional lamps or plugs so that conventional loads may be used in the sockets.

Claims

1. In a load and socket arrangement wherein said load has a lamp base type cylindrical shell terminal and a lamp base type center base terminal, wherein said socket has a lamp socket type side contact for engaging said cylindrical shell terminal and a lamp socket type base contact for engaging said base terminal, and wherein said socket includes means connecting said socket to an electrical energy source,

the improvement wherein said load includes magnet means and said connecting means includes a magnetic reed switch responsive to said magnet means for disconnecting said socket from said source when said load is removed from said socket.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said source includes a source line and a return line, and wherein said reed switch is interconnected between said one of said socket contacts and said source line.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said connecting means includes a second reed switch interposed between the other of said socket contacts and said return line.

4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said load has a nonconductive portion separating said cylindrical shell terminal and said center base terminal and wherein said magnet means is located in said nonconductive portion.

5. In a socket for connecting a load having magnet means to an electrical energy source, said socket comprising a generally cylindrical lamp receiving socket having a side contact for engaging a cylindrical shell terminal of a lamp and a base contact for engaging a center base terminal of said lamp,

the improvement wherein said socket includes reed means comprising a reed switch located in said socket to be within the field of said magnet means when said lamp is inserted into said socket for disconnecting said socket from said source when said load is removed from said socket.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said socket includes a central wall dividing said socket into an upper, lamp or the like load receiving portion and a lower portion, and wherein said reed switch is located on the underside of said central wall.

7. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said socket includes a first socket terminal for connecting said base contact to a source line of said source and a second socket terminal for connecting said side contact to a return line of said source and wherein said reed switch is electrically interconnected between said first socket terminal and said base contact.

8. In a lamp for use in a socket having magnetically operable means, said lamp having two terminals and a nonconductive portion separating said two terminals, one of said terminals comprising a cylindrical shell terminal and the other of said terminals comprising a center base terminal, at least one of said terminals engaging said socket to mechanically secure said lamp in said socket, the improvement wherein said nonconductive portion comprises an annular member including magnet means between said shell terminal and said base terminal.

9. The lamp of claim 8 wherein said magnet means comprises ferromagnetic particles dispersed in said nonconductive portion.

10. An adapter for attachment to a load for use in a socket having magnet responsive means for connecting said socket to an electrical energy source, comprising:

a body of insulating material, said body having an annular shape with a bore so that said adapter may be attached to an insulating member separating a conventional cylindrical shell terminal and a conventional center base terminal of a lamp, with said center base terminal passing through said bore;

magnet means carried by said body; and

means for securing said body to said load.

11. The adapter of claim 10 wherein said means securing comprises contact adhesive on said body.

12. The adapter of claim 10 wherein said magnet means comprises ferromagnetic particles dispersed in said body.

13. For use with an electrical lamp socket having a center base socket contact and a side socket contact, the socket contacts being adapted to be engaged by the center base terminal and cylindrical terminal of a lamp or the like, the socket further having magnetically operated means for connecting at least one of the socket contacts to an electrical energy source, an adapter for enabling the use of a conventional lamp or the like with said socket comprising:

a nonconductive body at least a portion of which is magnetized, said body being sized and shaped to be connected to the base of a lamp or the like without interferring with the insertion of the lamp in the socket and the engagement of the lamp terminals with the socket contacts; and

means for securing said body to the base of a lamp.

14. The adapter of claim 13 wherein said adapter has a surface conforming to the exposed surface of an insulating member between the base terminal and the cylindrical terminal and wherein said means for securing said adapter to said lamp base comprises a layer of contact adhesive on said surface.

15. The adapter of claim 14 wherein said adapter has an annular body with a bore having a minimum diameter greater than the diameter of a conventional lamp base terminal, wherein said surface of said adapter is formed by said bore, and wherein the diameter of said adapter being no greater than the base diameter of the cylindrical terminal of the lamp with which the adapter is to be used.

16. An adapter for attachment to a load for use in a socket having magnet responsive means for connecting said socket to an electrical energy source, comprising:

a body of insulating material, said body being flat with two openings so that said adapter may be attached to a conventional connector plug having at least two prong-type terminals;

magnet means comprising ferromagnetic particles dispersed in said body; and

means for securing said body to said load.

17. The adapter of claim 16 wherein said means securing comprise contact adhesive on said body.

18. In a load and socket arrangement wherein said load has two terminals, wherein said socket has two socket contacts positioned and shaped for engagement by said load terminals so that said load terminals may be inserted into said socket, wherein said socket has a pair of socket terminals connected to said socket contacts and means for connecting said socket terminals and accordingly said load to an electrical energy source, and wherein said socket has a nonconductive body portion facing said load terminals as they are being inserted into engagement with said socket contacts, the improvement wherein said load includes magnet means and said connecting means includes a magnetic reed switch responsive to said magnet means for disconnecting said socket terminals from said source when said load is removed from said socket, and means mounting said reed switch within said socket adjacent said nonconductive body portion with said nonconductive body portion located between said reed switch and said magnet means.

19. In a socket for connecting a load to an electrical energy source, said load having a body, two terminals mounted on said body and having magnet means in said body, said socket being of a type having socket contacts engaged by said terminals upon insertion of said terminals into said socket and having insulating means facing said load body when said terminals are inserted into said socket,

the improvement wherein said socket includes reed means responsive to said magnet means to disconnect said socket from said source when said terminals are removed from said socket, said reed means comprising a reed switch mounted adjacent said insulating means.

20. In a load and socket arrangement wherein said load is of the type comprising a connector plug with prong type conductive terminals, wherein said socket is of the type having receptacle contacts for engagement by said prong type terminals, wherein said socket includes socket terminal means for connection to an electrical energy source, and wherein said load is connected by said socket terminal means to said source through said receptacle contacts, said socket having body means defining a face apertured to expose said receptacle contacts,

the improvement wherein said connector plug houses magnet means mounted adjacent the surface of said plug from which said prong type terminals extend and said socket includes magnetic reed means comprising a magnet reed switch mounted behind said face in position to be responsive to said magnet means and disconnecting said one of said receptacle contacts from said source when said plug is removed from said socket.

21. In a socket for connecting a load having magnet means to an electrical energy source, said socket comprising a receptacle having receptacle contacts for engagement by prong type terminals of a connector plug, face plate means having apertures through which said terminals may be inserted for engagement with said receptacle contacts, the improvement wherein said socket includes reed means responsive to said magnetic means to disconnect said socket from said source when said load is removed from said socket, said reed means comprising a reed switch located within said receptacle adjacent said face plate means to be within the field of said magnet means when said plug terminals are engaged with said receptacle contacts.