Safety connector for household table-top electrical appliances

• US 20020086559A1
• Filed: 01/02/2002
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furas SA (Leoni AG)
• Original Assignee: Furas SA (Leoni AG)
• Inventors: Pedroso Garcia, Felix, Dalmau Ferrerfabrega, Octavi
• Granted Patent: US 6,623,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/39
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet

Abstract

A safety connector for a table-top household electrical appliance, formed by a socket member (3) mounted in the appliance and a plug member (2) complementary to the socket member (3), and having magnets that allow a plugged-in position to be maintained and separation of both parts under an abnormal strain exerted on the plug member. The socket member (3) comprises pins (14) and a grounding arrangement (20), with a magnet arrangement (15) and two active armatures (16) between them. The plug member (2) comprises two flexible electrical contacts (7), spatially mating with the pins (14). An iron plate member (11) as passive armature is located between the electrical contacts (7) and when making connection, it faces the active armatures (16) of the magnet (15) and makes contact with the ground (20).

Claims

1. - A safety connector for a household table-top electrical appliance, constituted by an ensemble formed by two parts, one of which is fixed and constitutes a socket member (3) mounted in the appliance, and the other is removable and constitutes a plug member (2) mating with said socket member, said plug member (2) forming a terminal for an end of a flexible power cord (5), said power cord (5) having at the other end thereof a plug member which may be plugged into an electric mains socket member, there being provided magnetic means allowing a stable mechanical and electrical connection of both parts to be maintained and allowing the mechanical and electrical disconnection of said two parts under an abnormal strain exerted on the plug member (2), wherein the socket member (3) comprises pins (14), associated with the electrical load bearing members of the appliance, and a grounding arrangement (20), there being situated between said pins (14) and said grounding arrangement (20) a magnet arrangement (15) and two active armatures (16), while the plug member (2) comprises two resiliently flexible electrical contacts (7) spatially mating with the pins (14) of said socket member (3), there being situated between said electrical contacts (7) an iron plate member (11) as passive armature which, in the plugging in operation, is in facing alignment with the active armatures (16) of the magnet (15) and in contact with the ground (20).

2. - The connector according to claim 1, wherein the socket member (3) is constituted by an insulating capsular body member (12) mounted fixedly in the appliance and from the bottom of which the pins (14) and the grounding arrangement (20) disposed against a wall extend isolatedly and the magnet (15) and two active armatures (16) thereof slightly project, having a hollow section (17) having an open end thereof directed toward the outside of the appliance, said hollow section (17) being complementary to a solid section (18) of an insulating body member (4) of the plug member (2).

3. - The connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug member (2) is constituted by an insulating body member (4) that comprises in the interior thereof the wires of one end of the power cord (5) connected to a fixed point (6) of each of the resiliently flexible electrical contacts (7) housed in said insulating body member (4), said electrical contacts (7) being located in respective passages (8) that debouch in respective openings spatially mating with the pins (14) of the socket member (3) and flanking the iron plate member (11) of the passive armature facing the active armatures (16) of the magnet (15) of said socket member (3).

4. - The connector according to claim 3, wherein the resilient electrical contacts (7) are provided with at least one functional part formed by a strip of resilient conductive material that is shaped in a portion having one or more opposed undulations (9) and terminating in a flange (10) for contacting the tip of the pins (14), said electrical contacts (7), being in an unplugged position of both parts, longer than the distance defined between the fixed point (6) of anchorage of the electrical contacts (7) in the insulating body member (4) and the tips of the pins (14) when both parts are in the plugged-in position, whereby, in said plugged-in position, said electrical contacts (7) are compressed against the tips of the pins (14).

5. - The connector according to claim 2, wherein the grounding arrangement (20) is constituted by a tab (20a) arranged on a surface of a wall of the hollow section (17) of the insulating capsular body member (12).

6. - The connector according to claim 3, wherein the plug member (2), inside the insulating body member, comprises a power cord (5) including, further to two current-bearing wires, a third ground wire that is connected to a fin (11a) of the iron plate member (11) forming the passive armature.

7. - The connector according to claims 5 and 6, wherein the tab (20a) of the ground (20) of the socket member (3) has such a length as to make contact with the fin (11a) of the iron plate member (11) of the passive armature of the plug member (2) before the electrical contacts (7) make contact with the pins (14).

8. - The connector according to claim 4, wherein the contact flange (10) of the resilient electrical contacts (7) is provided with a contact protuberance (10a) formed by stamping.

9. - The connector according to claim 4, wherein the contact flange (10) of the resilient electrical contacts (7) is provided with a contact button of another good electrically conductive metal.