Electrical connector and method of manufacturing same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrical connector comprising:
- two or more conductors, each conductor of the two or more conductors has an innermost radius and an innermost surface along the innermost radius;
two or more electrical prongs, each prong of the two or more electrical prongs being in contact with the innermost surface of a different one of the two or more conductors; and
a housing comprising a rotatable portion and enclosing the two or more conductors and a first portion of each of the two or more electrical prongs,wherein;
a second portion of each of the two or more electrical prongs is configured to be inserted into an electrical outlet;
the two or more electrical prongs extend out of the rotatable portion of the housing and are rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotatable portion of the housing;
the two or more conductors are substantially stationary relative to the axis when the two or more electrical prongs are rotated; and
the two or more conductors comprise;
a first conductor comprising at least a first portion of a first ring; and
a second conductor comprising at least a second portion of a second ring different than the first ring.
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Abstract
Embodiments of electrical connectors and related methods of manufacture are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrical connector comprising:
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two or more conductors, each conductor of the two or more conductors has an innermost radius and an innermost surface along the innermost radius; two or more electrical prongs, each prong of the two or more electrical prongs being in contact with the innermost surface of a different one of the two or more conductors; and a housing comprising a rotatable portion and enclosing the two or more conductors and a first portion of each of the two or more electrical prongs, wherein; a second portion of each of the two or more electrical prongs is configured to be inserted into an electrical outlet; the two or more electrical prongs extend out of the rotatable portion of the housing and are rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the rotatable portion of the housing; the two or more conductors are substantially stationary relative to the axis when the two or more electrical prongs are rotated; and the two or more conductors comprise; a first conductor comprising at least a first portion of a first ring; and a second conductor comprising at least a second portion of a second ring different than the first ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electrical connector comprising:
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a housing comprising; a first outer section; and a second outer section configured to couple with the first outer section; a rotatable section coupled at least partially between the first and second outer sections of the housing; a first conductor within the housing and comprising a first innermost surface along a first ring perimeter; a second conductor within the housing and comprising a second innermost surface along a second ring perimeter; a first electrical prong coupled to the rotatable section and to the first innermost surface of the first conductor; and a second electrical prong coupled to the rotatable section and to the second innermost surface of the second conductor; wherein; the first and second conductors are substantially parallel and non-coplanar relative to each other; the first electrical prong comprises; a first arm comprising; a first arm distal end external to the rotatable section; and a first arm proximal end internal to the rotatable section; and a first flange extending substantially perpendicular to the first arm from the first arm proximal end; the first flange is unitary with the first arm of the first electrical prong and in direct contact with the innermost surface of the first conductor; the second electrical prong comprises; a second arm comprising; a second arm distal end external to the rotatable section; and a second arm proximal end internal to the rotatable section; and a second flange extending substantially perpendicular to the second arm from the second arm proximal end; the second flange is unitary with the second arm of the second electrical prong and in direct contact with the second innermost surface of the second conductor; the rotatable section is rotatable, along with the first and second electrical prongs, three hundred and sixty degrees about an axis substantially perpendicular to the first outer section of the housing; the first and second conductors are substantially stationary relative to the axis when the rotatable section is rotated; the first innermost surface of the first conductor is substantially continuous throughout the first ring perimeter; the second innermost surface of the second conductor is substantially continuous throughout the second ring perimeter; the first arm of the first electrical prong comprises a first length; and the second arm of the second electrical prong comprises a second length different than the first length. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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providing a housing of an electrical connector; providing a first conductor internal to the housing, the first conductor comprising a first innermost surface forming a continuous first ring within the housing; providing a second conductor internal to the housing, the second conductor comprising a second innermost surface forming a continuous second ring within the housing; providing a third conductor internal to the housing, the third conductor comprising a third innermost surface forming a continuous third ring within the housing; providing a rotatable section at least partially enclosed within the housing; providing a first electrical prong coupled to the rotatable section and comprising; a first prong arm extending past the rotatable section; and a first prong flange unitary with the first arm and in contact with the first innermost surface of the first conductor within the housing; providing a second electrical prong coupled to the rotatable section and comprising; a second prong arm extending past the rotatable section; and a second prong flange unitary with the second arm and in contact with the second innermost surface of the second conductor within the housing; and providing a third electrical prong coupled to the rotatable section and comprising; a third prong arm extending past the rotatable section; and a third prong flange unitary with the third arm and in contact with the third innermost surface of the third conductor within the housing; wherein providing the first, second, and third conductors comprises; providing the first, second, and third conductors to be parallel to each other and non-coplanar with each other. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification