Straight blade plug and connector having a variable position cord grip

• US 6,739,900 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Vigorito, Thomas J., Mortun, Sorin I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/011,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20030114042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 439/469, 439/460, 439/466, 439/462, 439/459
• US Class Current: 439/469
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5825 the means comprising additional parts captured between housing parts and cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5837 specially adapted for accommodating various sized cables H01R13/5825 takes precedence

Abstract

An electrical connector, comprising a housing, having a front face with first and second openings therein, the first and second openings receiving first and second electrical prongs, respectively. First and second box terminals are coupled to the housing using first and second fastening members. The first fastening member is inserted into the housing from substantially the same direction as the second fastening member. First and second electrical contacts are at least partially received in the first and second box terminals, respectively, and adapted to couple to the first and second electrical prongs, respectively. A cord grip is coupled to the housing and has an insert. The insert is capable of being adjusted to at least two different positions and thereby allowing electrical cords of differing diameters to be frictionally held by the cord grip. This configuration of electrical connector allows easy, secure assembly, while allowing multiple sized cords to be securely held therein.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a housing having a front face with first and second openings therein, said first and second openings receiving first and second electrical prongs, respectively;

a cord grip coupled to said housing and having a first portion, a second portion and an insert portion;

said second portion having a substantially cylindrical passageway with a center axis therein and a first protrusion extending within said passageway substantially parallel to said center axis;

said insert portion being insertable within said passageway and rotatable relative to said second portion, said insert portion having first, second and third indentations and first, second and third positions relative to said second portion;

wherein said first protrusion is adapted to engage said first, second or third indentations when said insert portion is rotated to said first, second and third fixed positions thereby allowing electrical cords of at least three differing diameters to be frictionally held by said cord grip.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said protrusion engages an angled surface on said insert portion, thereby changing the axial position of said insert portion when moving said insert portion from said second position to said third position.

3. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein

said insert portion has a groove that receives said protrusion when said insert portion is rotating from said first position to said second position.

4. An electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein

said groove has an angled wall that engages said protrusion, thereby changing the axial position of said insert portion when moving said insert portion from said second position to said third position.

5. An electrical receptacle, comprising:

a housing having a front surface with first and second openings therein, said first and second openings receiving first and second electrical prongs from an electrical plug, respectively;

a cover having a periphery and first and second ends, said first end having an opening therein, said opening receiving at least a portion of said housing therein, and said second end and having a first groove extending from said periphery toward the center of the cover, said first groove having a base portion and a open portion, said base portion being wider than said open portion; and

a cord grip having a first portion, a second portion and an insert portion, a first protrusion extending from said first portion and having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said distal portion being wider than said proximal portion;

said first protrusion being slideably received with said first groove with said distal portion being received within said base portion and said proximal portion being received within said open portion, thereby coupling said cord grip to said second end of said housing; and

said cord grip insert portion being rotatable to three different fixed positions and having three indentations being engaged by said first protrusion, thereby allowing electrical cords of at least three differing diameters to be frictionally held by said cord grip.

6. An electrical receptacle according to claim 5, wherein

said cord grip has a first surface and said protrusion extends along substantially all of the width of said first surface.

7. An electrical receptacle according to claim 5, further comprising:

a second groove on said cover having a base portion and an open portion, said base portion being wider than said open portion; and

a second protrusion on said cord grip having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said distal portion being wider than said proximal portion;

wherein said second protrusion is slideably received in said second groove.

8. An electrical connector, comprising:

a housing having a front face with first and second openings therein, said first and second openings receiving first and second electrical prongs, respectively;

first, second and third box terminals coupled to said housing using first, second and third fastening members, respectively, said fastening members being inserted into said housing from substantially the same direction;

first and second electrical contacts at least partially received in said first and second box terminals, respectively, and mechanically and electrically coupled to said first and second electrical prongs, respectively; and

a cord grip coupled to said housing and having an insert, said insert capable of being adjusted to at least three different fixed positions and thereby allowing electrical cords of three differing diameters to be frictionally held by said cord grip.

9. An electrical connector according to claim 8, further comprising

first and second substantially T-shaped coupling members unitarily attached to said cord grip and adapted to couple said cord grip to said housing.

10. An electrical connector according to claim 9, wherein

said housing has two slots, said first T-shaped coupling member is slideably received within slots on said housing, and

said second T-shaped coupling member is slideably received within the other of said slots on said housing.

11. An electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein

said first box terminal is electrically connected to a hot electrical lead, said second box terminal is electrically connected to a neutral electrical lead and said third box terminal is electrically connected to a ground.

12. An electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein

said first and second electrical prongs are unitary with said first and second electrical contacts and extend from said electrical housing through said first and second openings in said front face of said housing.

13. An electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein

said first and second electrical prongs are received through said first and second openings in said front face of said housing and couple to said first and second electrical contacts.

14. An electrical receptacle, comprising

a housing having a front surface with first, second and third openings therein, a rear surface, a first side and a second side, said first, second and third openings receiving first second and third electrical prongs from an electrical plug, respectively;

first, second and third box terminals coupled to said housing using first, second and third fastening members, said first, second and third fastening members being inserted through first, second and third apertures in said first side of said housing and extending into said first, second and third box terminals;

a cord grip having a substantially T-shaped coupling member unitarily attached thereto, said substantially T-shaped coupling member being slideably received within a slot on said rear surface of said housing, coupling said cord grip to said housing;

an electrical cord extending through said cord grip and said rear surface of said housing and electrically connecting to said first, second and third fasteners in said first, second and third box terminals; and

first, second and third electrical contacts, each having first, second and third ends, said first end of said first, second and third electrical contacts at least partially received in said first, second and third box terminals, respectively, and electrically connected to said electrical cord and said second end of said first, second and third electrical contacts receiving said first, second and third electrical prongs, respectively.

15. An electrical receptacle according to claim 14, wherein

said cord grip insert is adjustable to three different fixed positions, thereby allowing electrical cords of at least three different diameters to be frictionally held by said cord grip.

16. An electrical receptacle according to claim 15, wherein

said cord grip insert is rotated to achieve one of said three different positions.

17. An electrical receptacle according to claim 15, wherein

said first box terminal is electrically connected to a hot electrical lead, said second box terminal is electrically connected to a neutral electrical lead and said third box terminal is electrically connected to a ground.

18. An electrical plug for an electrical connector, comprising

a housing having a front face with first and second openings therein, said first and second openings receiving first and second electrical prongs, respectively;

first and second electrical contacts unitarily coupled to said first and second electrical prongs, respectively;

first, second and third box terminals coupled to said housing using first, second and third fastening members, each of said fastener members being inserted into said housing from substantially the same direction as each other fastening member;

a cord grip having a substantially T-shaped coupling member unitarily attached thereto, said substantially T-shaped coupling member being slideably received within a slot on said rear surface of said housing, coupling said cord grip to said housing;

a cord grip insert capable of being adjusted to at least three different positions and thereby allowing electrical cords of differing diameters to be frictionally held by said cord grip;

an electrical cord frictionally engaging said cord grip and said cord grip insert and extending through said rear surface of said housing and electrically connecting to said first and second fasteners in said first and second box terminals;

first, second and third box terminals coupled to said housing using first, second and third fastening members, each of said fastener members being inserted into said housing from substantially the same direction as each other fastening member.

19. An electrical plug according to claim 18, wherein

said first box terminal is electrically connected to a hot electrical lead, said second box terminal is electrically connected to a neutral electrical lead and said third box terminal is electrically connected to a ground.

20. An electrical plug according to claim 18, wherein

said first and second electrical contacts are at least partially received in said first and second box terminals, respectively.

21. An electrical plug according to claim 18, wherein

said cord grip insert is adjustable to three different positions, thereby allowing electrical cords of at least three different diameters to be frictionally held by said cord grip.