Securing device for electrical connectors

• US 7,175,463 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Burton Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Burton Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Burton, John E
• Primary Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US11/435,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20060205261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 439/346, 439/265, 439/259, 439/261, 439/266, 439/269.1, 439/269.2, 439/270
• US Class Current: 439/346
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/443 Dummy plugs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6392 for extension cord
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6395 for wall or panel outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/20 Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/38 utilising a clamping member acted on by screw or nut H01R4/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/489 spring force increased by screw, cam, wedge, or other fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2475 Means facilitating correct wiring, e.g. marking plates, identification tags

Abstract

A connector has a female receptacle and/or a male plug, or combination thereof. The female receptacle has a sleeve for holding prongs plugged into the receptacle and a mechanism for applying pressure against the sleeve such that actuation of the collar causes the socket to clamp to the prong. The male plug has a prong for insertion into a socket or other receptacle and a mechanism for applying pressure against the prong to clamp the prong within the socket or other receptacle.

Claims

1. A plug for securing to a socket, the plug comprising:

a housing;

a plunger movably positioned within and functionally engaged to the housing;

at least one prong comprising at least two blades, the at least two blades including an outer blade having a proximal end secured to the housing and a distal end extending outside the housing, and an inner blade having a proximal end positioned within the housing and functionally engaged to the plunger and a distal end extending outside the housing; and

a rotatable collar positioned around the housing, the collar functionally engaged to the plunger, wherein rotation of the collar causes movement of the plunger within the housing so as to translate rotation of the collar into selectively applied force to the inner blade of the at least one prong, causing the distal end of the inner blade to move away from the distal end of the outer blade, thereby causing the plug to selectively clamp within the socket.

2. The plug of claim 1 wherein the rotatable collar is threadably engaged to the plunger, wherein rotation of the collar causes movement of the plunger in a direction away from the distal end of the outer blade to translate rotation of the collar into selectively applied force on the inner blade, thereby causing the distal end of the inner blade to move away from the distal end of the outer blade and the plug to selectively clamp within the socket.

3. The plug of claim 1 wherein the plunger is configured in a block-style to movably fit around an extension inside the housing.

4. The plug of claim 3 wherein the collar has an interior surface having a non-concentric inner shape, the interior surface of the collar functionally engaged with the plunger, wherein rotation of the collar causes the plunger to move from a first position on the extension to a second position on the extension so as to translate rotation of the collar into applied force on the inner blade, causing the distal end of the inner blade to move away from the distal end of the outer blade thereby causing the plug to selectively clamp within the socket.

5. The plug of claim 1 wherein the inner blade functionally engages a slide channel on the plunger.

6. The plug of claim 5 wherein the inner blade comprises at least one post in functional engagement with the slide channel on the plunger.

7. The plug of claim 5 wherein the inner blade is pivotally secured to the outer blade and wherein the slide channel of the plunger is configured so that movement of the plunger causes the inner blade to pivot with respect to the outer blade in a scissors-like fashion.

8. The plug of claim 5 wherein the slide channel of the plunger is configured so that movement of the plunger causes the inner blade to slide parallel to and away from the outer blade.

9. A plug for securing to a socket, the plug comprising:

a housing;

at least one prong formed by at least two blades, the at least two blades including a stationary blade having a proximal end secured the housing and a distal end extending outside the housing, and a movable blade having a proximal end positioned within the housing and a distal end extending outside the housing;

a rotatable collar positioned around the housing; and

a plunger movably positioned within the housing and functionally engaged to the rotatable collar and the movable blade, wherein rotation of the collar causes movement of the plunger so as to translate rotation of the collar into selectively applied force to the movable blade of the at least one prong, causing the distal end of the movable blade to move away from the distal end of the stationary blade thereby causing the plug to selectively clamp within the socket.

10. The plug of claim 9 wherein the plunger has at least one ridge disposed thereon, the at least one ridge of the plunger in threadable engagement with a threaded interior surface of the rotatable collar.

11. The plug of claim 9 wherein the movable blade of the at least one prong includes

at least one post slidably positioned within a channel formed in the plunger, wherein movement of the plunger causes the one slide channel to exert a force on the at least one post of the movable blade, thereby causing the distal end of the movable blade to move away from the distal end of the stationary blade.

12. The plug of claim 11 wherein the movable blade is pivotally secured to the stationary blade and wherein the channel in the plunger is configured so that movement of the plunger causes the movable blade to pivot with respect to the stationary blade in a scissors-like fashion.

13. The plug of claim 11 wherein the channel formed in the plunger is configured so that movement of the plunger causes the movable blade to slide in a direction parallel to and away from the stationary blade.

14. The plug of claim 9 wherein the plunger is positioned on an extension within the housing, the plunger selectively movable within the housing from a first position on the extension to a second position on the extension.

15. The plug of claim 14 wherein the collar has an interior surface having a non-concentric inner shape, the interior surface of the collar functionally engaged with the plunger, wherein actuation of the collar causes the plunger to move from the first position to the second position on the extension so as to translate rotation of the collar into applied force on the movable blade causing the distal end of the movable blade to move away from the distal end of the stationary blade thereby causing the plug to selectively clamp within the socket.

16. A plug having a housing that secures to a socket, the plug comprising:

at least one prong having an engagement end, the at least one prong formed by at least two blades, each of the at least two blades having a proximal end extending into the housing and a distal end extending outside the housing, at least one of the at least two blades being a stationary blade, and at least one of the at least two blades being a movable blade with respect to the stationary blade and in functional engagement with a plunger within the plug; and

a rotatable collar disposed around the plug, wherein rotation of the collar causes the plunger within the plug to move within the housing, thereby applying force to the movable blade of the prong, wherein the distal end of the movable blade moves away from the distal end of the stationary blade causing the plug to clamp within the socket.

17. The plug of claim 16 wherein the movable blade is pivotally engaged to the stationary blade wherein rotation of the rotatable collar causes the movable blade to pivot with respect to the stationary blade in a scissors-like fashion.

18. The plug of claim 16 wherein the movable blade is in functional engagement with a slide channel on the plunger, wherein rotation of the rotatable collar causes the movable blade to move parallel to and away from the position of the stationary blade.

19. A plug having a housing for securing to a socket, the plug comprising:

a prong having an engagement end that inserts into a receptacle of the socket, the prong including at least two blades including an outer blade stationarily secured to the housing of the prong and a distal end extending outside the housing and an inner blade having a proximal end in functional engagement with a plunger positioned within the housing and having a distal end extending outside the housing; and

a rotatable collar disposed around the plug causing the plunger within the plug to move substantially perpendicularly to the length of the outer blade of the prong, thereby applying force to the inner blade of the prong causing the distal end of the inner blade to move in a direction away from the distal end of the outer blade, thus clamping the plug within the socket.

20. A method for securing a plug having a housing to a socket comprising the steps of:

inserting an engagement end of at least one prong of the plug into a receptacle of the socket, the at least one prong formed by at least two blades, each of the at least two blades having a proximal end extending into the housing and a distal end extending outside the housing, at least one of the at least two blades being a stationary blade, and at least one of the at least two blades being a movable blade with respect to the stationary blade and in functional engagement with a plunger within the plug; and

actuating a rotatable collar around the plug causing the plunger within the plug to move within the housing, thereby applying force to the a movable blade of the prong causing the plug to clamp within the socket, wherein actuation of the rotatable collar causes the distal end of the movable blade to move away from the distal end of the stationary blade.

21. A method for securing a plug having a housing to a socket comprising the steps of:

inserting an engagement end of a prong of the plug into a receptacle of the socket, the prong including at least two blades including an outer blade stationarily secured to the housing of the prong and a distal end extending outside the housing and an inner blade having a proximal end in functional engagement with a plunger positioned within the housing and having a distal end extending outside the housing; and

actuating a rotatable collar around the plug causing the plunger within the plug to move substantially perpendicularly to the length of the outer blade of the prong, thereby applying force to the inner blade of the prong causing the distal end of the inner blade to move in a direction away from the distal end of the outer blade, thus clamping the plug within the socket.