Locking electrical receptacle
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in securing an electrical connection, said electrical connection being formed by a mating structure including prongs of a male assembly and receptacles of a female assembly, wherein said electrical connection is broken by withdrawal of said prongs from said receptacles, said apparatus comprising:
- a female assembly housing supporting said receptacles, said housing having a stationary front surface, defining an interface area between said male assembly and female assembly, and peripheral surfaces extending transverse to said front surface between said male assembly and said female assembly;
a clamping element including first and second clamping surfaces moveable between a clamping configuration, wherein said first and second clamping surfaces clamp on first and second opposite sides, respectively, of one or more of said prongs of said male assembly, and a release configuration, wherein said clamping element holds said mating structure in a connected state in said clamping configuration, and a withdrawal force tending to withdraw said prongs from said receptacles causes angular deflection of said clamping element such that said withdrawal force concomitantly urges said first clamping surface against said first side of said prong and urges said second clamping surface against said second side of said prong; and
a release mechanism for releasing said clamping element from said clamping configuration, said release mechanism including a user release element, that is accessible to a user when said prongs are engaged in said receptacles and said clamping element is in said clamping configuration, for use in allowing said user to move said clamping element into said release configuration, said user release element being free of any structure extending outwardly from said peripheral surfaces of said housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus (“utility”) for securing an electrical connection formed by a mating structure including prongs of a male assembly and receptacles of a female assembly are provided. The utility includes a clamping mechanism whereby the very forces that would otherwise tend to pull the connection apart serve to actuate the clamping mechanism, thereby securing the mated pair. The apparatus may be integrated into a standard receptacle, or retrofitted to work with existing devices. In one embodiment, the clamping mechanism acts solely on the ground prong of a standard plug assembly, so that it is unnecessary to consider electrical potentials applied to the clamped prong in relation to the design of the clamping mechanism. Further, the withdrawing movement of the prongs of a plug may be translated into a rotational movement of a portion of the clamping mechanism into an abutting relationship with the clamped prong.
80 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in securing an electrical connection, said electrical connection being formed by a mating structure including prongs of a male assembly and receptacles of a female assembly, wherein said electrical connection is broken by withdrawal of said prongs from said receptacles, said apparatus comprising:
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a female assembly housing supporting said receptacles, said housing having a stationary front surface, defining an interface area between said male assembly and female assembly, and peripheral surfaces extending transverse to said front surface between said male assembly and said female assembly; a clamping element including first and second clamping surfaces moveable between a clamping configuration, wherein said first and second clamping surfaces clamp on first and second opposite sides, respectively, of one or more of said prongs of said male assembly, and a release configuration, wherein said clamping element holds said mating structure in a connected state in said clamping configuration, and a withdrawal force tending to withdraw said prongs from said receptacles causes angular deflection of said clamping element such that said withdrawal force concomitantly urges said first clamping surface against said first side of said prong and urges said second clamping surface against said second side of said prong; and a release mechanism for releasing said clamping element from said clamping configuration, said release mechanism including a user release element, that is accessible to a user when said prongs are engaged in said receptacles and said clamping element is in said clamping configuration, for use in allowing said user to move said clamping element into said release configuration, said user release element being free of any structure extending outwardly from said peripheral surfaces of said housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 23, 24)
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10. A method for use in releaseably securing an electrical connection, said electrical connection being formed by a mating structure including prongs of a male assembly and receptacles of a female assembly, wherein said connection is broken by withdrawal of said prongs from said receptacles, comprising the steps of:
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providing a securing device mounted in a female assembly housing supporting said receptacles, said housing having a stationary front surface defining an interface area between said male assembly and said female assembly, said securing device including a clamping element having first and second clamping surfaces moveable between a clamping configuration, wherein said first and second clamping surfaces clamp on first and second opposite sides, respectively, of one or more of said prongs of said male assembly, and a release configuration; wherein said clamping element holds said mating structure in a connected state in said clamping configuration, and a withdrawal force tending to withdraw said prongs from said receptacles causes angular deflection of said clamping element such that said withdrawal force concomitantly urges said first clamping surface against said first side of said prong and urges said second clamping surface against said second side of said prong; activating said securing device by inserting said prongs into said receptacles and exerting a force tending to withdraw the prongs of the male assembly from the receptacles of the female assembly; and releasing said securing device by utilizing said release element by hand, free from using any tool, so as to allow removal of said prongs from said receptacles. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25)
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21. An apparatus for use in securing an electrical connection, said electrical connection being formed by a mating structure including prongs of a male assembly and receptacles of a female assembly, wherein said electrical connection is broken by withdrawal of said prongs from said receptacles, said apparatus comprising:
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a first housing portion of said female assembly, said first housing portion housing at least a first receptacle having an end at a stationary first front surface of said first housing portion said stationary first front surface having an opening formed therein in alignment with said first receptacle such that a prong can be inserted into said first receptacle via said opening; a clamping element including first and second clamping surfaces moveable between a clamping configuration wherein said first and second clamping surfaces clamp on first and second opposite sides respectively, of one of said prongs of said male assembly, and a release configuration; wherein said clamping element holds said mating structure in a connected state in said clamping configuration, and a withdrawal force tending to withdraw said prongs from said receptacles causes angular deflection of said clamping element such that said withdrawal force concomitantly urges said first clamping surface against said first side of said prong and urges said second clamping surface against said second side of said prong; and a release element extending from said first front surface at a location spaced from said opening such that said release element is accessible by a user when said male and female assemblies are in a connected state; wherein said release element is moveable in relation to said first front surface portion relative to an axis of said first receptacle between a clamping configuration and a release configuration and said mating structure is secured in a connected state in said clamping configuration. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification