Retention enclosure for in-line electrical plugs
First Claim
1. An enclosure for releasably retaining and enclosing a connection between a plug attached to a first electrical cord and a receptacle attached to a second electrical cord said enclosure comprising:
- a lower shell having an inside surface;
an upper shell including an inside surface, and means for matingly engaging said upper shell to said lower shell to form a closed enclosure having an interior space configured to surround the connection;
a hinge connecting said upper and lower shells, and adequate to allow said upper and lower shells to rotate into open and closed positions with respect to one another;
a latch adapter to releasably fasten said upper shell to said lower shell; and
a resilient engagement means formed on an inside surface of one of said upper and lower shell, said resilient engagement means formed as an integral, unitary piece with one of said upper and lower shells, said engagement means adapted to deformably engage first lateral surface of said plug and receptacle when the latch fastens the upper and lower shells into a closed position, whereby a frictional force created between the lateral plug and receptacle surfaces and the engagement means resists separation of the plug and receptacle when the first and second cords are in tension.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An enclosure for retaining an electrical connection between a receptacle from a first electrical cord and a plug from a second electrical cord comprises a lower shell hingedly attached to the upper shell and a latch for securing the upper and lower shells into a closed position. In a first embodiment, an inside surface of one or both of the shells may include an elongated protrusion extending into the enclosure interior space for deformably engaging lateral surfaces of the receptacle and plug, thereby creating a frictional force to resist connection separation. The enclosure may also include protrusions or sectional annuli for engaging the first and second cords for resisting cord movement during the application of tensile loads on the electrical connection. Finally, the enclosure may also include a sheath fixed to the receptacle or plug. The sheath includes a retractable protrusion for releasably engaging a crenelated portion on an side surface of the enclosure to secure on portion of the connection, and at least one gripping protrusion engages one of the electrical cords to secure the entire connection within the enclosure.
94 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An enclosure for releasably retaining and enclosing a connection between a plug attached to a first electrical cord and a receptacle attached to a second electrical cord said enclosure comprising:
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a lower shell having an inside surface; an upper shell including an inside surface, and means for matingly engaging said upper shell to said lower shell to form a closed enclosure having an interior space configured to surround the connection; a hinge connecting said upper and lower shells, and adequate to allow said upper and lower shells to rotate into open and closed positions with respect to one another; a latch adapter to releasably fasten said upper shell to said lower shell; and a resilient engagement means formed on an inside surface of one of said upper and lower shell, said resilient engagement means formed as an integral, unitary piece with one of said upper and lower shells, said engagement means adapted to deformably engage first lateral surface of said plug and receptacle when the latch fastens the upper and lower shells into a closed position, whereby a frictional force created between the lateral plug and receptacle surfaces and the engagement means resists separation of the plug and receptacle when the first and second cords are in tension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 32)
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20. An enclosure for releasably retaining and enclosing a connection between a plug attached to a first electrical cord and a receptacle attached to a second electrical cord, said enclosure comprising:
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a lower shell including an inside surface, and an upper shell having an inside surface, said upper shell including means for matingly engaging said lower shell to form a closed enclosure having an interior space configured around the connection; means for hingedly connecting said upper and lower shell, and adapted to allow said upper and lower shells to rotate into open and closed positions with respect to one another; a latch adapted to releasably fasten said upper shell to said lower shell; a first aperture formed at a first end of said enclosure, and a second aperture formed at a second end of said enclosure, for allowing the first and second cords to pass through said first and second ends of said enclosure, respectively; and least a pair of resilient, gripping protrusions wherein one protrusion is laterally offset from the other for defining a cord channel, said protrusions carried within said interior space of said enclosure near said first aperture, said protrusions being substantially flat and angled toward the center of said enclosure, whereby frictional forces created between said pairs of gripping protrusions and the first cord resists relative movement between the first cord and said enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 36)
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33. An enclosure for releasably retaining and enclosing a connection between a plug attached to a first electrical cord and a receptacle attached to a second electrical cord comprising:
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a lower shell having an inside surface; an upper shell including an inside surface, and means for matingly engaging said upper shell to said lower shell to form a closed enclosure having an interior space configured around the connection, said lower shell inside surface further including a crenelated portion; a hinge for connecting said upper and lower shells, and adapted to allow said upper and lower shells to rotate into open and closed positions with respect to one another; a latch adapted to releasably fasten said upper shell to said lower shell; and a sheath for receiving a portion of the connection between the first and second cords, wherein said sheath is adapted to fit within said lower shell and further includes a clam for clamping said first cord to said sheath, and a retractable protrusion for engaging said crenelated portion of said shell and for securing the connection within the enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification