Electrical receptacle with locking feature
First Claim
1. An electrical receptacle unit with locking feature, comprising:
- a receptacle adapted to be electrically connected to a source of electricity and having a front; and
a lock housing extending from the front of the receptacle and adapted to surround a plug and temporarily lock the plug in place in coupling disposition with regard to the receptacle;
the lock housing including;
a pair of opposed side supports,a pair of torsion bars, each torsion bar extending between and supported by the opposed side supports, andrespective first and second free tabs extending from a midsection of each torsion bar in opposite directions from one another, wherein one of the first and second free tabs of each torsion bar is a lock tab.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ganged electrical receptacle unit with locking feature includes a plurality of receptacles and a lock housing. The electrical receptacles are ganged together. The lock housing extends from a front of the receptacles and includes a pair of opposed side supports, a pair of torsion bars, each extending between the opposed side supports, a lock tab extending from each torsion bar toward the receptacle, and a release tab extending from each torsion bar away from the receptacle. A plug may be inserted into the lock housing causing temporary deflection of the lock tabs until the plug is seated in, and electrically connected with, the receptacle, at which point the lock tabs return to their undeflected positions and retain the plug in the receptacle. The release tabs may be depressed to release the lock tabs from the plug, thereby permitting the withdrawal of the plug from the lock housing.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An electrical receptacle unit with locking feature, comprising:
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a receptacle adapted to be electrically connected to a source of electricity and having a front; and a lock housing extending from the front of the receptacle and adapted to surround a plug and temporarily lock the plug in place in coupling disposition with regard to the receptacle;
the lock housing including;a pair of opposed side supports, a pair of torsion bars, each torsion bar extending between and supported by the opposed side supports, and respective first and second free tabs extending from a midsection of each torsion bar in opposite directions from one another, wherein one of the first and second free tabs of each torsion bar is a lock tab. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 24)
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12. A ganged electrical receptacle unit with locking feature, comprising:
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a plurality of receptacles ganged together and each having a front, the ganged receptacles being adapted to be electrically connected to a source of electricity; and a lock housing extending from the front of at least one of the ganged receptacles and adapted to surround a plug and temporarily lock the plug in place in coupling disposition with regard to the at least one ganged receptacle, the lock housing including; a pair of opposed side supports, a pair of torsion bars, each torsion bar extending between and supported by the opposed side supports, and respective first and second free tabs extending from a midsection of each torsion bar in opposite directions from one another, wherein one of the first and second free tabs of each torsion bar is a lock tab. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A ganged electrical receptacle unit with locking feature, comprising:
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a plurality of receptacles ganged together, the ganged receptacles being adapted to be electrically connected to a source of electricity, wherein each receptacle includes a first electrical fitting and a respective socket, having a front, that surrounds the first electrical fitting; and a lock housing extending from the front of the socket of at least one of the ganged receptacles, wherein the lock housing includes; a pair of opposed side supports, a pair of torsion bars, each torsion bar extending between and supported by the opposed side supports, a respective lock tab extending from each torsion bar toward the at least one ganged receptacle, and a respective release tab extending from each torsion bar away from the at least one ganged receptacle; wherein a plug, including a second electrical fitting that mates to the first electrical fitting, may be inserted into the lock housing such that the plug causes the temporary deflection of the lock tabs until the plug is seated in, and electrically connected with, the at least one ganged receptacle, at which point the lock tabs return to their undeflected positions and retain the plug coupled to the at least one ganged receptacle in its electrically connected state; and wherein the release tabs may be depressed to release the lock tabs from the plug, thereby permitting the withdrawal of the plug from the lock housing.
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Specification