Dual functional, electrical plug use in conjunction with an electric appliance

• US 4,997,381 A
• Filed: 02/26/1990
• Issued: 03/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tae J. Oh
• Original Assignee: Tae J. Oh
• Inventors: Oh, Tae J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Application Number:
  US07/484,534
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 439/131, 439/166, 439/170, 439/171, 439/172, 439/173, 439/174, 439/175, 439/221
• US Class Current: 439/172
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90

Abstract

A dual functional, electrical plug use in connection with an electric appliance which includes a plug receiving member having a pair of cylindically shaped grooves and attached to the electric appliance, a casing member adapted to receive the plug receiving member, a first plug member having a pair of cylindrical shaped electrical pin member and a pair of rectangular shaped grooves and rotatably mounted to the plug receiving member, and a second plug member having a pair of rectangular shaped electrical pin member and rotatably mounted to the first plug member, whereby the first and second plug members form a composite structure enabling the selective use of either the first plug member or the second plug member depending upon high voltage usage or low voltage usage.

Claims

1. A dual functional, electrical plug used in conjunction with an electric appliance, which comprises:

a plug receiving member attached to said electric appliance, said plug receiving member containing a pair of cylindrically shaped grooves disposed in one side portion thereof and a first hollow portion disposed in the other side portion thereof,

a casing member having a tensible stopper provided at one end thereof, said casing member adapted to receive said plug receiving member with said tensible stopper extending through said first hollow portion,

a first plug member rotatably mounted to said plug receiving member, said first plug member containing a pair of rectangular shaped grooves and a pair of cylindrically shaped electrical pin members, said first plug member being rotatable between an inoperative position within said pair of cylindrically shaped grooves of the plug receiving member and an operative position where said pin members are rotatably removed from said grooves,

a second plug member rotatably mounted to said first plug member, said second plug member containing a pair of rectangular shaped electrical pin members, said second plug member being rotatable between an inoperative position within said pair of rectangular shaped grooves of the first plug member and a operative position where said pin members are rotatably moved from said grooves, whereby the first and second plug members form a composite structure enabling the selective use of either the first plug member or the second plug member depending upon high voltage or low voltage usage.

2. The dual functional, electrical plug of claim 1, wherein the plug receiving member is provided with a pair of flanges having a first aperture, respectively, said pair of flanges are extended from a pair of corner of said first hollow portion of the plug receiving member.

3. The dual functional, electrical plug of claim 1, wherein the first plug member is provided with a first plug body including a pair of pivotal pins disposed on the outside wall thereof for pivotably connecting to said pair of first apertures, a pair of second apertures disposed on the inside wall thereof, and a second hollow portion disposed in one side portion thereof.

4. The dual functional, electrical plug of claim 3, wherein the first plug member is further provided with a push button connecting to a slider and a spring disposed at both ends of said push button which is disposed within said first plug body and a containing groove disposed on the inside wall of one of said rectangular shaped groove for containing an L-shaped spring for holding the second plug member.

5. The dual functional, electrical plug of claim 1, wherein the second plug member is provided with a second plug body having a pair of second pivotal pins for pivotably connecting to the pair of second apertures of the first plug member, a projecting member disposed on the bottom thereof for tightly engaging with the plate clamp of the first plug member so as to hold the second plug member, and an engagement disposed on the top thereof for tightly receiving the slider of the push button.

6. The dual functional, electrical plug of claim 1, wherein the casing member is provided with a tensible stopper for tightly holding the plate clamp of the first plug member when the second plug member is popped up.

7. The dual functional, electrical plug of claim 1, wherein the plug receiving member is provided with a handle slot disposed between said pair of cylindrically shaped grooves for easily pulling the first plug member therethrough.