Adjustable extension cord retaining device preventing accidental disengagement of male to female adaptor plugs

• US 5,685,732 A
• Filed: 09/26/1996
• Issued: 11/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FA Marketing And Sales, Lora Tod
• Original Assignee: Invo Marketing & Sales, Inc.
• Inventors: Lane, Arlo
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US08/719,288
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 439/369, 439/370, 24/523
• US Class Current: 439/369
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6392 for extension cord
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44581 Biased by distinct spring

Abstract

An extension cord retaining device for preventing accidental disengagement of male and female extension cord adapters. A first planar shaped member includes a flattened body portion and a first pair of angularly extending and spaced apart gripping members. A second planar shaped member includes a pair of spaced apart and axially extending legs which receive the flattened body portion of the first planar member in a coplanar fashion and a second pair of angularly extending and spaced apart gripping members which are arranged opposite the first pair of gripping members. An upper plate and a lower plate sandwich the first and second planar shaped members and fasteners secure the stacked arrangement together. The arrangement of the first and second planar shaped members is such that the first member is axially slidable relative to the second member and a coil spring is further employed to introduce an inward resilient bias to the opposing pairs of gripping portions to maintain contact with the male and female adapters.

Claims

1. An extension cord retaining device for preventing accidental disengagement of a male to female adapter plug connection, comprising:

a first substantially planar shaped member terminating at one end in a first pair of angularly extending and spaced apart gripping portions;

a second substantially planar shaped member terminating at another end in a second pair of angularly extending and spaced apart gripping portions which are arranged in opposing fashion relative to said first pair of gripping portions;

means for slidably connecting said first and second planar shaped members together so that at least one of said first pair of gripping portions and said second pair of gripping portions are capable of being axially adjustable in directions towards and away from each other, said first planar shaped member including a flattened body portion, said second planar shaped member including first and second axially extending and spaced apart legs which define therebetween an interior channel of sufficient dimension for receiving said flattened body portion of said first planar shaped member therebetween in an aligned and coplanar fashion, an upper plate and a lower plate sandwiching said first and second assembled and coplanar members and fasteners extending through aligned apertures at first and second ends in said upper and lower plates and said planar shaped members for securing said retaining device together, one of said first and second pairs of gripping portions being adjustable to engage a male adapter plug and the other of said pairs of gripping portions being adjustable to engage a female adapter plug connected to the mail adapter plug; and

means for resiliently biasing said first planar shaped member in a direction towards said second planar shaped member so that the adapter plugs are retained in operative engagement.

2. The extension cord retaining device according to claim 1, said first and second pairs of angularly extending and spaced apart gripping portions extending beyond said upper and lower plates at opposite ends thereof and each further comprising:

a first outwardly angled contour;

a second substantially level and upwardly extending contour;

a third inwardly angled contour, and

a channeled recess between said gripping portions for receiving an associated extension cord and for permitting said gripping portions to abut against the adapter plugs.

3. The extension cord retaining device according to claim 1, said means for resiliently biasing said first planar shaped member in a direction towards said second planar shaped member further comprising:

an axially extending slotted portion formed within said flattened body portion of said first planar shaped member;

an upper channel recess formed within an inner face of said upper plate and a lower channel recess formed within a face of said lower plate, said channel recesses aligning with said slotted portion upon assembly of said retaining device; and

a coil spring located axially within said extending slotted portion and, upon assembly of said upper plate and said lower plate, extending into said upper and lower channel recesses;

said coil spring introducing a reverse and biasing force in response to forces created by compressing said coil spring upon the axial displacement of said first planar shaped member away from said second planar shaped member.

4. The extension cord retaining device according to claim 1, said means for slidably connecting together said first and second planar shaped members further comprising:

a pair of elongated slotted recesses formed along inner surfaces of said axially extending and spaced apart legs of said second planar shaped member at said first end; and

a slotted aperture formed along said second planar shaped member at said second end;

wherein, upon assembly of said first planar shaped member and said upper plate and lower plate, said second pair of gripping members is capable of an additional degree of axial adjustment upon loosening and subsequent retightening of said fasteners.