Extension cord connection housing

• US 5,129,839 A
• Filed: 11/20/1991
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dockocil Mfg. Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Doskocil Manufacturing Company Incorporated (Petmate Holdings Co.)
• Inventors: VanSkiver, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARROLL, KEVIN
• Application Number:
  US07/799,436
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 439/367, 439/369, 439/368, 439/371
• US Class Current: 439/367
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6392 for extension cord

Abstract

A device for maintaining an interconnection between male and female electrical extension cord plugs of a pair of extension cords. A generally elongate housing is provided having an upper half and a lower half which are hingeably coupled together along one edge in an axial direction. A latch is provided for selectively securing and maintaining the upper half and lower half of the housing together in an aubtting relationship, forming an enclosure therein suitable for enclosing an interconnected male and female extension cord plug. A first aperture at one end of the housing is sized to receive an electrical extension cord while retaining a first plug within the housing. A slideably mounted plug retaining bracket is utilized to retain a second plug within the housing and a ratchet arrangement of angled slots and teeth are utilized to permit movement of the plug retaining bracket toward the first aperture while restricting movement in the opposite direction, thereby maintaining an interconnection between male and female extension cord plugs after urging the second plug toward the first plug.

Claims

1. A device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords, said device comprising:

a generally elongate housing having an upper half and a lower half hingeably coupled together along one edge in an axial direction;

latch means for selectively securing and maintaining said upper half and said lower half in an abutting relationship forming an enclosure therein suitable for enclosing an interconnected first plug and second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords;

a first aperture axially located within said generally elongate housing and sized to surround an electrical extension cord while retaining a first plug within said generally elongate housing while said upper half and lower half are maintained in an abutting relationship;

plug retaining means slideably mounted within said generally elongate housing, said plug retaining means having a slot therein sized to receive an electrical extension cord while retaining a second plug while said upper half and lower half are maintained in an abutting relationship; and

ratchet means formed on said housing and said plug retaining means for permitting said plug retaining means to be slideably adjusted towards said first aperture while restricting movement of said plug retaining means away from said first aperture wherein an interconnection between said first plug and said second plug may be maintained.

2. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 1, wherein said generally elongate housing is substantially rectangular in shape.

3. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 1, wherein said generally elongate housing is constructed of molded thermoplastic.

4. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 1, wherein said latch means comprises at least one latch mounted to said upper half of said generally elongate housing and having an elongate slot therein and at least one elongate tab mounted to said lower half of said generally elongate housing, said at least one elongate tab sized to be received within said elongate slot.

5. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 1, further including a second aperture axially located within said generally elongate housing opposite said first aperture.

6. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 1, wherein said plug retaining means is slideably mounted within said lower half of said generally elongate housing.

7. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 6, wherein said ratchet means includes a plurality of angled slots formed on said lower half of said generally elongate housing and a plurality of angled teeth formed on said plug retaining means and adapted to engage said plurality of angled slots.

8. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 7, wherein said plug retaining means is constructed of a pliable plastic material wherein said plug retaining means may be manually distorted in order to selectively disengage said plurality of angled teeth from said plurality of angled slots.

9. The device for maintaining an interconnection between a first plug and a second plug of a pair of electrical extension cords according to claim 1, wherein said upper half and lower half of said generally elongated housing are hingeably coupled together utilizing a live hinge.