Electric plug comprising a plug housing and at least two integrated plug-in contacts with an ejection mechanism

• US 7,344,393 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Original Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Inventors: Schmedt, Andreas, Wegener, Dirk, Buller, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond; Briggitte R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSUKERMAN, LARISA Z
• Application Number:
  US10/598,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20070155191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 439152-160, 439/180
• US Class Current: 439/152
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/635 by mechanical pressure, e.g. spring force
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable

Abstract

An electric plug includes a plug housing, at least two incorporated plug-in contacts that are to be inserted into corresponding jacks of an outlet, and a cable feeder. A manually actuated ejection mechanism encompassing a push-out device is disposed in the plug housing. The push-out device cooperates with a spring in such a way that the spring is biased in the plugged-in state of the plug in order to allow the plug to be automatically removed from the outlet by means of the push-out device when the ejection mechanism is actuated. In order to actuate the ejection mechanism, the same is automatically triggered by pulling on the cable, the tensile force being effective on a strain relief device for the cable, which is located in the plug housing and cooperates with triggering device for actuating the spring-biased push-out device.

Claims

1. An electric plug for an outlet comprising:

a plug housing;

at least two integrated plug-in contacts configured to be inserted into corresponding female receptacles of the outlet;

a cable entry portion configured to receive a cable;

a manually actuated ejection mechanism having a push-out device disposed in the plug housing as a moveable plunger and configured to automatically remove the plug from the outlet;

a spring cooperating with the push-out device so that the spring is biased when the plug is in a plugged-in state;

a triggering device disposed in the housing and configured to actuate the ejection mechanism;

a strain relief device disposed in the plug housing and cooperating with the triggering device so that a pulling force from a pulling of the cable acts on the strain relief device to trigger the triggering device, wherein the triggering device, the push-out device and the spring are disposed so as to be urged into a biased position only by an insertion of the plug into the outlet;

a rocking element rockingly supported in the plug housing and moveable between a first position, in which the rocking element retains the triggering device against the spring, and a second position, in which the rocking element releases the push-out device in response to the pulling force against the strain relief device, wherein the rocking device includes two hinge pins located in an axis of rotation and a bridge element extending below the push-out device and connecting the two hinge pins, the bridge element having a latchbolt-like surface on a side facing the push-out device, the strain relief device being formed on the latchbolt-shaped surface below the latchbolt-like surface; and

a retaining element disposed so as to act on the plunger, and to be acted upon by the biased spring and providing a latching connection with the latchbolt-shaped surface of the bridge element.

2. The electric plug as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing includes at least two housing shells.

3. The plug as recited in claim 1, wherein the plunger is moveably disposed between the at least two plug-in contacts and supported in a bottom region and in the cable entry region of the plug housing.

4. The plug as recited in claim 3, wherein the plunger includes a plate-shaped element formed at one end of the plunger, the plate-shaped element pressing flat against a contact surface of the outlet during an ejection process of the plug and having guide elements configured to guide the plate-shaped element between the at least two plug-in contacts during the ejection process.

5. The plug as recited in claim 4, wherein the plate-like element includes recesses that at least partially encircle the plug-in contacts.

6. The plug as recited in claim 5, wherein in a non-actuated state, the plate-shaped element is located in an opening in a bottom surface of the plug housing.

7. The plug as recited in claim 1, further comprising a locking device disposed in a region of the cable entry, said locking device preventing an unintentional triggering of the ejection mechanism.