System, device and method for locking and unlocking power flow to an electrical cord

• US 5,911,586 A
• Filed: 05/30/1997
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wintergerst H. Peter
• Original Assignee: Wintergerst H. Peter
• Inventors: Wintergerst, H. Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Standig, Barry
• Application Number:
  US08/866,420
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 439/133, 439/142, 200/51 R, 200/43.02, 200/43.08, 200/43.22, 70/264, 70/57, 70/DIG. 30
• US Class Current: 439/133
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6392 for extension cord
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/65 Central control

Abstract

This disclosure describes an electrical power cord or adapter which, by using a lock and key mechanism, will enable or disable power from flowing through said power cord or adapter. It also describes various methods for locking and unlocking a plug to and from the female receptacle of said power cord or adapter. The purpose of such a power cord or adapter is to prevent unauthorized use of any electrical device that may be plugged in to said power cord or adapter, by disabling a flow of current to that device and by locking the plug of that device to the female receptacle of said power cord or adapter. When the appropriate key is used, power flow may be resumed, or the plug may be removed.

Claims

1. A power flow locking and unlocking apparatus, comprising:

a power conduit;

power locking and unlocking means and first key means therefor for disabling a flow of power through said power conduit by causing a switch of said power conduit to open and thereby interrupt said flow of power through said power conduit when said first key means is activated to so-disable the power flow, and for reenabling said flow of power through said power conduit by causing said switch to close and thereby reinitiate said flow of power through said power conduit when said first key means is activated to so-reenable the power flow;

a lockable and unlockable plug envelope and second key means therefor for securing to and thereby preventing the removal of a plug from said power conduit by locking said plug envelope into a position enveloping said plug while said plug is plugged into said power conduit, and for releasing and thereby enabling removal of said plug from said power conduit by using said second key means to unlock said plug envelope and thereby enable said plug envelope to be moved out of said position so-enveloping said plug;

whereby

one is prevented from unlocking said power lock and thereby initiating said flow of power through said power conduit without access to said first key means; and

one is prevented from unlocking said plug lock and thereby removing said plug from said power conduit without access to said second key means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said power conduit further comprising a male plug end and a female receptacle end, wherein said male plug end is inserted into a female power source to introduce said flow of power into said power conduit, and wherein said plug is inserted into said female receptacle end to receive power from said power conduit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said power conduit comprises a power cord.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said power conduit comprises a power adapter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first key means and said second key means are combined to comprise a single, unitary key means, such that said unitary key means is used to so-disable and so-reenable said flow of power through said power conduit, and also to so-unlock said plug envelope.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switch is a mechanical switch, said power locking and unlocking means comprises a mechanical lock so-opening and so-closing said switch, and said first key means comprises a mechanical key operating said mechanical lock.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switch is an electronic switch, and said first key means comprises knowledge of an electronic key code opening and closing said electronic switch.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switch is a mechanical switch, and said first key means comprises knowledge of an electronic key code opening and closing said mechanical switch.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plug envelope is locked using a mechanical lock and said second key means comprises a mechanical key.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plug envelope is locked using an electromechanical lock and said second key means comprises knowledge of an electronic key code.

11. A method for locking and unlocking the flow of power through a power conduit from a power source to a plug, comprising the steps of:

disabling said flow of power through said power conduit by causing a switch of said power conduit to open and thereby interrupt said flow of power through said power conduit when first key means is activated to so-disable the power flow;

reenabling said flow of power through said power conduit by causing said switch to close and thereby reinitiate said flow of power through said power conduit when said first key means is activated to so-reenable the power flow;

securing to and thereby preventing the removal of said plug from said power conduit by locking a plug envelope into a position enveloping said plug while said plug is plugged into said power conduit; and

releasing and thereby enabling removal of said plug from said power conduit by unlocking said plug envelope and thereby enabling said plug envelope to be moved out of said position so-enveloping said plug, using second key means;

whereby

one is prevented from unlocking said power lock and thereby initiating said flow of power through said power conduit without access to said first key means; and

one is prevented from unlocking said plug lock and thereby removing said plug from said power conduit without access to said second key means.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said power source is a female power source, further comprising inserting a male plug end of said power conduit into said female power source to introduce said flow of power into said power conduit, and inserting said plug into a female receptacle end of said power conduit to receive power from said power conduit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said power conduit comprises a power cord.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said power conduit is a power adapter.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising the further step of combining said first key means and said second key means to comprise a single, unitary key means, such that said unitary key means is used for so-disabling and so-reenabling said flow of power through said power conduit, and also for so-unlocking said plug envelope.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said switch is a mechanical switch, and said first key means comprises a mechanical key so-opening and so-closing said switch via mechanical lock means.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said switch is an electronic switch, and said first key means comprises knowledge of an electronic key code opening and closing said electronic switch.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said switch is a mechanical switch, and said first key means comprises knowledge of an electronic key code opening and closing said mechanical switch.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said steps of securing said plug to said power conduit and releasing said plug from said power conduit comprise so-locking and so-unlocking said plug envelope using a mechanical lock and said second key means means comprises a mechanical key operating said mechanical lock.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said steps of securing said plug to said power conduit and releasing said plug from said power conduit comprise so-locking and so-unlocking said plug envelope using an electromechanical lock and said second key means comprises knowledge of an electronic key code operating said electromechanical lock.

21. A method for locking and unlocking a flow of power through a power conduit, comprising:

securing and locking a plug to said conduit by locking a plug envelope into a position enveloping said plug while said plug is plugged into said power conduit, such that said plug cannot be removed from said power conduit without access to second key means for unlocking said plug envelope and thereby enabling said plug envelope to be moved out of said position so-enveloping said plug; and

disabling said flow of power through said conduit by using first key means causing a switch of said power conduit to open and thereby interrupt said flow of power through said power conduit, such that the power flow cannot be reenabled without access to said first key means for unlocking and thereby reinitiating said flow of power through said power conduit by causing said switch to close and thereby reinitiate said flow of power through said power conduit.