Socket power supply control structure

• US 7,184,258 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Li-Chun Lai
• Original Assignee: Li-Chun Lai
• Inventors: Lai, Li-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Greg
• Application Number:
  US10/968,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20060039102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 200/51.R, 200/44, 200/42, 361/641, 439/133, 439/455, 439/465, 439/620.1, 439/52
• US Class Current: 361/641
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 27/00 Switches operated by a removable member, e.g. key, plug or plate; Switches operated by setting members according to a single predetermined combination out of several possible settings combined with plug-and-socket connectors H01R13/70; with current-carrying plug H01R31/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0228 Line cord switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7036 the switch being in series with coupling part, e.g. dead coupling, explosion proof coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus

Abstract

A socket power supply control structure is controlled by a controller in three stages, e.g. “power on,” “power off”, and “power source disconnected”. By so, unauthorized use of outlet supplying power for working various electrical appliances such as television computer, and microwave oven, by innocent children can be effectively avoided so as to protect their health of eyes and electric safety.

Claims

1. A socket power supply control structure, comprising:

a lower housing and an upper housing, wherein the lower housing has a first, a second, and a third accommodation spaces, and an enclosure hinged to one side of the second and the third accommodation spaces so as to turn open or close the lower housing, the enclosure has an insertion hole formed on an end surface near the first accommodation space while has an opening on the other side, wherein the upper housing has a sleeve on a top surface, the sleeve has an opening formed on bottom, a breach is formed at one side of the upper housing, and a sliding way is formed between the sleeve and the breach;

a controller including a key blot, a set sleeve, and a base box, wherein the key bolt is installed in the set sleeve to keep top of the key bolt flush with the set sleeve so as to allow insertion of a switching member, whereas the bottom end of the key bolt is extended to reach an opening of the set sleeve, the set sleeve is engaged to the bottom of the upper housing so as to cover the sleeve of the upper housing over the bottom surface thereof, thereby the key bolt and the set sleeve are tightly conjoined to expose an insertion hole as the set sleeve turns together with the key bolt;

a cap nut having a controlling pillar formed around the middle section of the set sleeve, wherein the controlling pillar is extended downwards from the bottom of the cap nut and is turnable together with the insertion hole, the controlling pillar is further engaged to the base box having a change over switch equipped at the middle section thereof, and the change over switch is carried out by the controlling pillar,

by settling the base box combined to the controller in the first accommodation space and covering the upper housing along with assembled key bolt and set sleeve on the first accommodation space so as to allow the controlling pillar capable to make switching of the change over switch through aligning the breach to the insertion hole;

a plug with extension cord disposed in the first accommodation space at one side distantly apart from the second accommodation space with a live wire thereof connected to one of the terminals of the change over switch installed in the base box; and

a plug and socket connector disposed between the first and the second accommodation spaces and connected to the other terminal of the change over switch so as to receive power from the plug with extension cord, and facing a source side socket thereof to the second accommodation space,

by way of turning the key bolt with the switching member, the set sleeve, the controlling pillar and the cap nut are actuated to turn in order and determined whether the enclosure is removed or not, and the plug and socket connector is to be energized or not thereby performing a multi-stage controlling mode.

2. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein the key bolt has a stage portion at front end, and two guide grooves respectively formed at middle and lower sections thereof, whereas a lower guide groove is emerged out of the opening of the upper housing, both guide grooves are each equipped with a C-ring so as to fix the key bolt in the upper housing sleeve, the key bolt has a screw hole at bottom for screw engaging with the controlling pillar, the outer surface of the key bolt is encircled with a collar whose bottom surface is in mate with the stage portion of the key bolt so as to prevent the stage portion from being slipping out of the top of the key bolt, a coil spring is wound around the key bolt with one end fixed to the top edge of the collar, when the key bolt is inserted into the sleeve of the upper housing and pierces out of a bottom opening of the sleeve along the lower guide groove such that the key bolt is fixed stationally in the set sleeve by the C-ring encircled around the lower guide groove thereby settling the key bolt in the sleeve of the upper housing, at this time the other end of the coil spring impresses the bottom surface of the sleeve so as to support tightly the collar and keep flush with the top surfaces of the sleeve and the key bolt.

3. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein the third accommodation space is for accommodating an power input plug of an electrical appliance, and a detention means thereof to hold the power input plug is provided so as to assure the power input plug will not be pulled away from the plug and socket connector accidentally.

4. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein the plug with extension cord is connected to the plug and socket connector with a front terminal, and has at least one live wire and one grounding wire emerged from a rear terminal, the live wire is connected to the change over switch installed in the controller, while the grounding wire is connected to the plug and socket connector.

5. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein an indicator lamp is provided on the upper housing to indicate electrical stage of the plug and socket connector.

6. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein the controller is functional in three stage controlling mode.

7. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein the enclosure has an indentation with a hinge hole formed at each of two sides, and a hinged block with a through hole is formed at one side of the second and the third accommodation spaces, by covering the enclosure on the second and the third accommodation spaces and inlaying the hinged block in the indentation and aligning the through hole of the hinged block to both hinge holes of the hinged block so as to penetrate a hinge pin through the hinge holes and hinge the enclosure to one side of the lower box thereby enabling the enclosure to turn on the lower box about the hinge pin.

8. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein the cap nut is an approximately ellipsoidal cap nut.

9. The socket power supply control structure as in claim 1, wherein the plug and socket connector is a siamese twin plug and socket connector.