Plug-retaining receptacle

• US 8,616,904 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Larry W., Tang, John Gee
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/076,224
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 439/188, 439346-347, 439/134, 439/620.29, 439/736, 439368-371, 439/518, 439/651, 439/263, 200/43.02, 200/43.08, 200/51.12
• US Class Current: 439/188
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/20 Pins, blades, or sockets shaped, or provided with separate member, to retain co-operating parts together
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4361 Insertion of locking piece perpendicular to direction of contact insertion
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4534 Laterally sliding shutter

Abstract

A receptacle may include a locking mechanism for retaining a plug in a mated condition. For example, the locking mechanism may engage with a hole formed in at least one prong of the plug. The locking mechanism may include at least one locking pin that moves to a retracted position during insertion of the plug into the receptacle, and that moves to an engaged position when the hole in the prong aligns with the locking pin. In some implementations, an electrical connection is not formed until the locking pin at least begins to engage with the hole in the prong. In some instances, an electrical contact may move into electrical connection with the prong as the locking pin engages with the hole in the prong. Furthermore, in some implementations, the receptacle may be included in a plug adapter for securely mating a plug with the plug adapter.

Claims

1. A plug adapter comprising:

an adapter body;

a first receptacle contiguous with the adapter body, the first receptacle being a first type of receptacle having at least two apertures configured for receiving at least two first prongs of a plug of a first type, the first prongs having a hole formed through each of the first prongs;

a plurality of second prongs extending from the adapter body in a configuration of a plug of a second type for mating with a second type of receptacle;

a pair of locking pins located in the first receptacle and each positioned to engage with a respective one of the holes in the first prongs when the first prongs are inserted into the apertures of the first receptacle, the locking pins engaging with the respective holes for maintaining the plug in a mated condition with the plug adapter; and

a pair of electrical contacts in the first receptacle to contact the first prongs for forming an electrical connection between the first prongs and the second prongs, at least one of the electrical contacts being positioned to form the electrical connection at least one of as or after the locking pins engage with the respective holes.

2. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the locking pins each include a tapered surface that contacts a respective first prong when the first prongs are inserted into the apertures of the first receptacle, the contact by the respective first prongs moving the locking pins to a retracted position; and

continued advancement of the first prongs in the apertures moves the holes into alignment with the locking pins to enable the locking pins to engage with the holes.

3. The plug adapter as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the tapered surface on each locking pin faces a respective aperture; and

the locking pins are retracted by the first prongs pushing against the tapered surfaces during insertion of the first prongs into the apertures.

4. The plug adapter as recited in claim 3, further comprising at least one release control connected to the locking pins, the release control moveable to move the locking pins into the retracted position for releasing the first prongs from engagement with the locking pins.

5. The plug adapter as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the tapered surface is on at least one side of each locking pin; and

the locking pins are retracted by the first prongs pushing against the tapered surfaces during rotation of the first prongs within the apertures to enable engagement of the locking pins with the holes.

6. The plug adapter as recited in claim 5, wherein:

the tapered surface is on two sides of each locking pin; and

the locking pins are retracted by rotation of the first prongs in an opposite direction to disengage the locking pins from the holes.

7. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one spring, the spring biasing the locking pins into engaging with the holes in the first prongs.

8. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, wherein both the electrical contacts are positioned to form the electrical connection as the locking pins engage with the holes.

9. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, wherein both the electrical contacts are positioned to form the electrical connection when the locking pins are fully engaged with the holes.

10. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the electrical contacts is movable with a respective one of the locking pins to form the electrical connection as the respective one of the locking pins engages with the respective one of the holes.

11. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the electrical contacts is positioned to form the electrical connection as the locking pins begin to engage with the holes.

12. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical connection is configured for transferring at least one of:

electrical power;

or electrical signals comprising data.

13. The plug adapter as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one control connected to the locking pins for manually moving the locking pins and the at least one electrical contact into engagement with the first prongs.

14. A receptacle comprising:

at least two apertures for receiving at least two prongs of a plug;

an electrical contact associated with each aperture; and

a locking mechanism that prevents the prongs of the plug from forming an electrical connection with the electrical contacts unless at least one of the prongs is engaged by the locking mechanism to restrict removal from the receptacle.

15. The receptacle as recited in claim 14, further comprising at least one locking pin included in the locking mechanism, the at least one locking pin positioned to engage a hole in at least one of the prongs when the prongs are inserted into the apertures.

16. The receptacle as recited in claim 15, wherein:

the locking pin is biased into an engagement position by a spring; and

during insertion of the prongs, the locking pin is moved to a retracted position by the insertion and the spring biases the locking pin into engagement with the hole when the hole becomes aligned with the locking pin.

17. The receptacle as recited in claim 16, wherein the insertion of the prongs includes a rotation of the prongs to retract the locking pin and align the locking pin with the hole.

18. The receptacle as recited in claim 16, wherein the insertion of the prongs includes contact by at least one prong with a tapered surface on the locking pin to move the locking pin to the retracted position.

19. The receptacle as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one electrical contact is moveable with the locking mechanism to form the electrical connection with the prongs as the locking mechanism engages the prongs.

20. A receptacle comprising:

a locking pin positioned to enter a hole in a prong of a plug for retaining the prong in the receptacle when the prong is inserted into the receptacle for forming an electrical connection between the plug and the receptacle; and

an electrical contact positioned within the receptacle to form the electrical connection with the prong at least one of as the locking pin engages with the hole, or after the locking pin engages with the hole.

21. The receptacle as recited in claim 20, wherein the receptacle includes two of the locking pins, a first locking pin positioned to engage with a first hole in a first prong of the plug, and a second locking pin positioned to engage with a second hole in a second prong of the plug when the prongs are inserted into the receptacle.

22. The receptacle as recited in claim 20, wherein the electrical contact is moveable with the locking pin for contacting the prong to form the electrical connection when the locking pin engages with the hole.

23. The receptacle as recited in claim 20, wherein the locking pin includes a tapered surface that is contacted by the prong to move the locking pin into a retracted position to enable passage of the prong, the locking pin extending to engage the hole when the hole becomes aligned with the locking pin.

24. The receptacle as recited in claim 23, wherein the tapered surface faces an aperture of the receptacle, and the prong is inserted into the receptacle to contact the tapered surface for retracting the locking pin in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction of insertion of the prong.

25. The receptacle as recited in claim 23, wherein the tapered surface is on at least one side of the locking pin to contact a leading edge of the prong as the prong is rotated toward a locked position.

26. The receptacle as recited in claim 20, further comprising a control actuable to manually move the locking pin into engagement with the hole in the prong.

27. The receptacle as recited in claim 20, further comprising a control actuable to manually move the electrical contact into contact with the prong to form the electrical connection.

28. The receptacle as recited in claim 20, wherein the prong is rotated during insertion, the receptacle further comprising a control actuable to manually move at least one of the locking pin or the electrical contact into engagement with the prong following the insertion.

29. A method comprising:

receiving, by a receptacle, at least one prong of a plug for forming an electrical connection between the receptacle and the plug, the at least one prong having a hole formed through the prong;

engaging a locking pin with the hole formed through the at least one prong to restrict the at least one prong from being pulled out of the receptacle; and

severing the electrical connection at least one of before or as the locking pin is disengaged from the hole formed through the at least one prong.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein:

there are two prongs, each having a hole formed therein; and

the engaging the locking pin with the hole formed in the at least one prong further comprises engaging a first locking pin with a first hole in a first one of the prongs and engaging a second locking pin with a second hole in a second one of the prongs.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising contacting the at least one prong with an electrical contact of the receptacle to form the electrical connection between the receptacle and the plug as the locking pin is engaging with the hole formed in the at least one prong.

32. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising contacting the at least one prong with an electrical contact of the receptacle to form the electrical connection between the receptacle and the plug when the locking pin fully engages with the hole formed in the at least one prong.