Safety electrical connection apparatus
First Claim
1. A safety electrical connection apparatus comprising:
- a connection box having sides and a bottom and being open at the top;
a cover having front and back surfaces and adapted to having said back surface removably engage said sides and substantially close said top, said cover having at least one opening therethrough adapted to receive a plug, said cover further comprising electrical conductor means on said back surface thereof, said electrical conductor means extending to a periphery of said opening;
electrical connection means within said box contacting electrical wiring external to said box;
conduit means within said box to provide an electrical path from said electrical connection means to said electrical conductor means on said back surface of said cover;
a plug having movable electrical contacts which retractably extend outwardly therefrom and are adapted, when said plug is inserted through said opening, to engage said electrical conductor means on said back surface of said cover at said periphery of said opening and complete and electrical circuit therewith; and
closure means adapted to be seated in and close said opening when said plug is not inserted through said opening and to be urged away from said opening when said plug is inserted therethrough.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A safety electrical outlet is disclosed which uses a covered outlet box in which the electrical contacts are on the back of the cover, and cannot easily be reached by a person (especially a child) poking into the socket. The contacts in turn form a portion of a circuit with electrically conductive leads and risers from the ordinary business power conduits. The corresponding plug has retractable contact prongs or blades which extend out from the sides of the plug, so that when the plug is inserted into the socket, the sideways-extending blades touch the contacts on the underside of the cover plate and the electrical connection is completed. When it is desired to disengage the plug, the blades are retracted and the plug removed from the socket. Built-in spring-loaded panels cover the plug openings in the cover plate when the plugs are not inserted. There may be a single socket/opening in the cover or there may be two or more ganged openings/sockets. The box, cover and plug may all be colored or decorated as desired.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A safety electrical connection apparatus comprising:
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a connection box having sides and a bottom and being open at the top; a cover having front and back surfaces and adapted to having said back surface removably engage said sides and substantially close said top, said cover having at least one opening therethrough adapted to receive a plug, said cover further comprising electrical conductor means on said back surface thereof, said electrical conductor means extending to a periphery of said opening; electrical connection means within said box contacting electrical wiring external to said box; conduit means within said box to provide an electrical path from said electrical connection means to said electrical conductor means on said back surface of said cover; a plug having movable electrical contacts which retractably extend outwardly therefrom and are adapted, when said plug is inserted through said opening, to engage said electrical conductor means on said back surface of said cover at said periphery of said opening and complete and electrical circuit therewith; and closure means adapted to be seated in and close said opening when said plug is not inserted through said opening and to be urged away from said opening when said plug is inserted therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification