Electric connector equipped with multiple layers of safety structure

• US 7,857,640 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XYZ Science Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: XYZ Science Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Yi-Hsun, Lee, Chiu-San, Shen, Su-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; James
• Application Number:
  US12/642,112
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 439/135, 439/137, 439/140, 439/141, 439/146
• US Class Current: 439/137
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4534 Laterally sliding shutter
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/652 with earth pin, blade or socket
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts

Abstract

An electric connector equipped with multiple layers of safety structure includes an insulation case, an electric connection terminal set and a safety mechanism. The insulation case has a front panel with a plurality of slots. The safety mechanism has a safety gate set and a blocking plate latching element. The safety gate set is pushed by a plug and to open the slots to allow the plug to pass through and to establish electric connection with the electric connection terminal set. The blocking plate has a brake portion. The blocking plate latching element has a stirring portion exposed outside the surface of the insulation case and a stop portion corresponding to each blocking plate. The stop portion is movable with the stirring portion to the brake portion to stop the blocking plate from moving. Thereby the blocking plate latching element can control opening of the safety gate set.

Claims

1. An electric connector equipped with multiple layers of safety structure, comprising an insulation case, an electric connection terminal set and a safety mechanism, the insulation case including a front panel with a plurality of slots formed thereon to receive insertion of a plug to establish a electric connection path with the electric connection terminal set, the safety mechanism comprising:

a safety gate set which comprises at least one bracing wall fastened to the insulation case, at least one elastic element located on the bracing wall and at least one blocking plate butted by the elastic element and interposed between the slots and the electric connection terminal set in regular conditions, the blocking plate being pushed by the plug to compress the elastic element to deform and open the slots, the blocking plate further including a brake portion; and

a blocking plate latching element which comprises a stirring portion exposed outside the surface of the insulation case and an extended leg corresponding to each blocking plate, the extended leg including a stop portion movable with the stirring portion to a closed position to latch the brake portion to stop the blocking plate from moving thereby to allow the blocking plate latching element to control opening of the safety gate set.

2. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the electric connection terminal set comprises a line terminal and a neutral terminal, the safety gate set blocking the slots leading to the line terminal and the neutral terminal through one blocking plate.

3. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the electric connection terminal set comprises a line terminal and a neutral terminal, the safety gate set blocking the slots leading to the line terminal and the neutral terminal through two blocking plates.

4. The electric connector of claim 3, wherein the electric connection terminal set further comprises a ground terminal.

5. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the brake portion of the blocking plate is a boss to latch the stop portion and to stop the blocking plate from moving.

6. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the insulation case holds a conduction terminal set in a compartment insulated from the electric connection terminal set, the line terminal and the neutral terminal of the electric connection terminal set that are extended to form respectively a connection arm which is spaced from the conduction terminal set with insolated compartments, the blocking plate including a pushing portion to push the connection arms to connect to the conduction terminal set to establish electric connection when the blocking plate is moved.

7. The electric connector of claim 6, wherein the blocking plate latching element further comprises at least one isolation plate movable with the stirring portion, the stirring portion driving the isolation plate to move to an isolated compartment between the conduction terminal set and the connection arms to isolate the connection arms from connecting to the conduction terminal set.

8. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the insulation case further comprises a lighting circuit to receive electric power from the electric connection terminal set and an indication lamp connecting to the lighting circuit, the lighting circuit including a first terminal and a second terminal that are separable to form an open circuit, the blocking plate latching element including a conduction bridge plate movable with the blocking plate latching element to establish electric connection with the first terminal and the second terminal so that the lighting circuit is set on to light the indication lamp.

9. The electric connector of claim 8, wherein the front panel includes an indication window to allow the light of the indication lamp to be projected outside the front panel.

10. The electric connector of claim 1, wherein the blocking plate latching element includes a return structure to release an elastic force stored by moving the blocking plate latching element or the blocking plate to return the blocking plate latching element to an original position before moving.

11. The electric connector of claim 10, wherein the return structure includes an elastic element butting the blocking plate latching element to store the elastic force during the blocking plate latching element moving to push the blocking plate latching element to return to the original position before moving.

12. The electric connector of claim 10, wherein the return structure comprises a first track located on the extended leg to allow the brake portion to slide in, a common track and a second track which allows the brake portion to slide out, the first track and the common track being joined at a junction which has an elevation difference such that the brake portion is slidable only one way from the first track to the common track, the second track and the common track being interposed by a force receiving arched surface, the brake portion slid out of the second track being pushed by the force receiving arched surface to move the blocking plate latching element to return to a closed position.