Plug device with a plug adapter

• US 7,223,126 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helms-Man Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Helms-Man Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ng, Yuk Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley; P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Application Number:
  US10/849,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20050042929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 439/651, 439170-177, 439/372, 439/518, 439/680, 439/347, 439/956, 439/217, 439/166, 439/218, 439311-314, 439/353, 439/354, 439/357
• US Class Current: 439/651
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6666 with built-in overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

A plug device for fitting into a country specific electrical wall socket comprises a base part and at least one country specific electrical plug adapter, able to be secured to the base part, for fitting into the country specific line socket. The at least one plug adapter may be locked without using tools in an assembled state with a locking means and released from the base part after unlocking the locking means.

Claims

1. A plug device for plugging into a country specific electrical plug receiving socket comprising a base part having first plug contacts and at least one country specific electrical plug adapter, engageable to the base part, the base part having a plug socket for engagement with a plug projection of the plug adaptor;

wherein a flat end and flat sides of the plug projection respectively abut against a flat bottom and flat sides of the plug socket, the plug projection of the plug adapter having plug receiving sockets into which the first plug contacts can be correspondingly engaged thereto and second country specific plug contacts for corresponding engagement into the country specific plug socket;

a length of the first plug contacts being parallel to that of the second country specific plug contacts, the first plug contacts each having a cross-sectional area substantially smaller than that of the second country specific contacts;

wherein the at least one plug adapter may be locked in the base part without using a tool in a mounted position using locking apparatus and may be detached from the base part after unlocking the locking apparatus;

the locking apparatus having a resilient actuating element fixed to the end of the plug projection of the plug adapter with a free end extending back toward an end of the plug adapter opposite to the end of the plug projection, and at least one detent projection on the actuating element for fitting into a detent recess on an inner side of a wall forming the plug socket of the base or alternatively the detent recess being on the actuating element and the projection being on the inner side of the wall;

wherein the at least one detent projection or detent recess is positioned on the resilient actuating element between an end of the actuating element fixed to the end of the plug projection and the free end of the resilient actuating element; and

wherein when the base part and plug adaptor are locked together, the free end of the resilient actuating element projects out from under the inner side of the wall forming the plug socket and up from the plug adapter to permit release of the locking apparatus when the free end is pressed down away from the inner side of the wall.

2. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one plug adapter is adapted to be connected with the base part by plugging.

3. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the assembled state the plug adapter is essentially unable to be tilted athwart the insertion direction.

4. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one plug adapter is able to be arranged in a unique predetermined angular position against connection with the wrong polarity.

5. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one plug adapter is able to be arranged in at least two predetermined angular positions on the base part.

6. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the base part comprises an electrical device and more especially a electric lamp and/or an electrical power pack and/or a charging device for accumulators and/or a transformer and/or an inverter and/or a rectifier and/or an electrical adaptation device.

7. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first plug contacts are perpendicular to the flat bottom of the plug socket of the base part.

8. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug projection is completely fitted into the plug socket.

9. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug projection (16) has a rectangular outline or a circular outline or a elliptical outline and the plug socket (17) has a corresponding inner shape.

10. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a bottom inner face (54) of the plug socket comprises a guide projection (24), which fits into a guide groove (22) on a bottom side face (23) of the plug projection (16).

11. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein adjacent to the plug socket of the base part first plug contacts are provided, which do not project past the plug socket and which in the fitted position fit into the plug receiving sockets on the at least one plug adapter.

12. The plug device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first plug contacts are proprietary plug contacts not provided for country specific plugs.

13. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, comprising on the plug socket at least one guide means for angular guided fitting of the plug adapter into the mounted position.

14. The plug device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the at least one guide means entails guidance of the plug adapter on insertion into the plug socket even prior to fitting of the first plug contacts into the plug receiving sockets on the at least one plug adapter in a predetermined angular setting so that the plug contact are opposite to the plug receiving sockets and may fit into same.

15. The plug device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug adapter (12) has a lateral projection (31) that in the assembled state engages terminal sides (32) of side walls (29) of the plug socket (17) over a flat area.

16. The plug device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the lateral projection (31) is collar-shaped.

17. The plug device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the thickness of the side walls (29) and the depth of the projection (31) are essentially equal, so that in the assembled position of the plug adapter (12) there is an essentially smooth transition from the base part (12) to the plug adapter (12).