Electrical safety receptacle

• US 6,166,618 A
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Middleton, David, Robertson, James W., Capper, Harry M., Werner, Kurt, Laun, Deborah, Ryan, Howard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vortman, Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US09/301,269
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 337/381, 337/380, 337/255-257, 337/260, 337/1-13, 337/35, 337/36, 337/197, 337/198, 337/79, 337/241, 337/242, 337/265, 337/266, 337/332, 337/376, 439/621, 439/622, 439/511, 439/188, 439/911, 439/488-490, 439/924.1, 361/55, 361/56, 361/103-105, 361/77, 361/111, 361/118, 361/119, 361/92, 361/93, 307/86, 307/93, 307/92, 340/652, 340/656
• US Class Current: 337/380
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/765 using a sliding contact between a metallic cylindrical housing and a central electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/68 with built-in fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7137 with thermal interrupter H01R13/7132 takes precedence

Abstract

An electrical safety receptacle (10) including a dielectric housing (12), first electrical contacts (14) in the housing for electrical connection to one side of an electrical power line, second electrical contacts (16) in the housing for electrical connection to the other side of the electrical power line, and power-interruption members (48) provided as part of the second electrical contacts to interrupt the electrical power when an operating and/or environmental temperature exceeds the thermal rating thereof.

Claims

1. An electrical safety receptacle comprising

a dielectric housing;

a first electrical contact member disposed in the housing for electrical connection to one side of an electrical power line;

a second electrical contact member disposed in the housing for electrical connection to the other side of the electrical power line, the second electrical contact member including a pair of linear sections connected together by a bridge member, and a pair of electrical contacts each associated with one of the linear sections; and

a pair of power-interruption members each connected between one of the linear sections and its associated said electrical contact, wherein electrical power through at least a portion of the second electrical contact member is interrupted when an operating and/or environmental temperature exceeds the thermal rating of one of the power-interruption members.

2. An electrical safety receptacle comprising:

a dielectric housing;

a first electrical contact member disposed in the housing for electrical connection to one side of an electrical power line;

a second electrical contact member disposed in the housing for electrical connection to the other side of the electrical power line, the second electrical contact member including a linear section and an electrical contact; and

a power-interruption member connected between the linear section and the electrical contact, the power interruption member including a spring contact having one end connected by a fusable rivet to one of the linear section and the electrical contact, wherein electrical power through the second electrical contact member is interrupted when an operating and/or environmental temperature exceeds a thermal rating of the power-interruption member.

3. An electrical safety receptacle comprising:

a dielectric housing;

a first electrical contact member disposed in the housing for electrical connection to one side of an electrical power line;

a second electrical contact member disposed in the housing for electrical connection to the other side of the electrical power line, the second electrical contact member including a linear section and an electrical contact; and

a power-interruption member connected between the linear section and the electrical contact, the power interruption member including a dome-shaped bi-metallic member, wherein electrical power through the second electrical contact member is interrupted when an operating and/or environmental temperature exceeds a thermal rating of the power-interruption member.

4. The electrical safety receptacle of claim 3, wherein the dome-shaped bi-metallic member surrounds a hole in the linear section, and a dielectric rod mounted on the dome-shaped bi-metallic member extends through the hole.