Multi-orientation plug

• US 8,579,641 B1
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Queru, Jean Baptiste Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US13/345,911
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 439/224, 439/218, 439/221
• US Class Current: 439/224
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/70 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/7671 having multiple positions or sockets, e.g. stacked sockets while mounting

Abstract

An electrical adapter system includes a housing that includes a receiving portion, the housing including first electrical contacts and second electrical contacts disposed at the receiving portion. The electrical adapter system includes a plug that includes a body, electrical prongs extending from a surface of the body, and electrical contacts coupled to the electrical prongs. The body of the plug is receivable by the receiving portion in at least two orientations such that in each of the at least two orientations, the electrical prongs extend outward from the housing, and one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage at least one of the first electrical contacts or at least one of the second electrical contacts.

Claims

1. An electrical adapter system comprising:

a housing comprising;

a receiving portion, the housing comprising first electrical contacts and second electrical contacts disposed at the receiving portion, and

a first surface of the receiving portion and a second surface of the receiving portion, the second surface of the receiving portion being substantially orthogonal to the first surface of the receiving portion,

wherein the first electrical contacts are disposed at the first surface of the receiving portion and the second electrical contacts are disposed at the second surface of the receiving portion; and

a plug comprising

a body,

electrical prongs extending from a surface of the body, and

electrical contacts coupled to the electrical prongs, the body of the plug being receivable by the receiving portion in at least two orientations such that in each of the at least two orientations,

the electrical prongs extend outward from the housing, and

one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage at least one of the first electrical contacts or at least one of the second electrical contacts.

2. The electrical adapter system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contacts and the second electrical contacts include at least one shared electrical contact.

3. The electrical adapter system of claim 1, wherein:

the receiving portion is configured to receive the body of the plug in a first orientation such that the electrical prongs extend substantially parallel to a first axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the housing, and one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage one or more of the first electrical contacts of the housing; and

the receiving portion is configured to receive the body of the plug in a second orientation such that the electrical prongs extend substantially parallel to a second axis substantially perpendicular to the second surface of the housing and one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage one or more of the second electrical contacts of the housing.

4. The electrical adapter system of claim 3, wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive the body of the plug in a third orientation such that:

the electrical prongs extend substantially parallel to the first axis and one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage one or more of the first electrical contacts of the housing; and

the orientation of the body of the plug relative to the housing is rotationally offset by approximately 90 degrees relative to the orientation of the body of the plug relative to the housing in the first orientation.

5. The electrical adapter system of claim 1, wherein the body is substantially cube-shaped and wherein the receiving portion is substantially cube-shaped.

6. The electrical adapter system of claim 1, wherein the receiving portion is located at a corner of the housing.

7. The electrical adapter system of claim 1, wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive the plug in at least four orientations, and in each of the at least four orientations, one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage at least one of the first electrical contacts or at least one of the second electrical contacts.

8. The electrical adapter system of claim 1, wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive the plug in at least eight orientations, and in each of the at least eight orientations, one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage at least one of the first electrical contacts or at least one of the second electrical contacts.

9. The electrical adapter system of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises third electrical contacts disposed at the receiving portion, and wherein the body of the plug is receivable by the receiving portion in at least three orientations.

10. The electrical adapter system of claim 9, wherein:

the receiving portion is configured to receive the plug in a first orientation such that the electrical prongs extend in the direction of a first axis and one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage one or more of the first electrical contacts;

the receiving portion is configured to receive the plug in a second orientation such that the electrical prongs extend in the direction of a second axis, the second axis being orthogonal to the first axis, and one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage one or more of the second electrical contacts; and

the receiving portion is configured to receive the plug in a third orientation such that the electrical prongs extend in the direction of a third axis, the third axis being orthogonal to both the first axis and the second axis, and one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage one or more of the third electrical contacts.

11. The electrical adapter system of claim 9, wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive the plug in at least six orientations such that in each of the at least six orientations, one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage at least one of the first electrical contacts, at least one of the second electrical contacts, or at least one of the third electrical contacts.

12. The electrical adapter system of claim 9, wherein the receiving portion is configured to receive the plug in at least twelve orientations such that in each of the at least twelve orientations, one or more of the electrical contacts of the plug engage at least one of the first electrical contacts, at least one of the second electrical contacts, or at least one of the third electrical contacts.

13. A power adapter comprising:

a housing comprising a receiving portion, the housing having a first surface disposed at the receiving portion and a second surface disposed at the receiving portion, the first surface being substantially orthogonal to the second surface;

first electrical contacts including at least one contact disposed at the first surface; and

second electrical contacts including at least one contact disposed at the second surface, wherein the housing is configured to receive a body of a plug in the receiving portion in at least two orientations such that in each of the at least two orientations, an electrically conductive connection is established between the plug and at least one of the first electrical contacts or at least one of the second electrical contacts.

14. The power adapter of claim 13, wherein the first electrical contacts and the second electrical contacts include at least one shared electrical contact.

15. The power adapter of claim 13, wherein the first surface and the second surface extend inwardly from an exterior of the housing.

16. The power adapter of claim 13, further comprising adapter circuitry located in the housing, wherein the adapter circuitry is configured to receive electrical input from either or both of the first electrical contacts and the second electrical contacts, and

wherein one or more of the first electrical contacts and one or more of the second electrical contacts are connected such that voltages applied to the first electrical contacts are transmitted to the second electrical contacts, and voltages applied to the second electrical contacts are transmitted to the first electrical contacts.

17. The power adapter of claim 13, wherein the first electrical contacts are recessed into the first surface and the second electrical contacts are recessed into the second surface.

18. The power adapter of claim 13, wherein the first electrical contacts protrude from the first surface and the second electrical contacts protrude from the second surface.

19. The power adapter of claim 13, wherein the receiving portion is cube-shaped and is defined at a corner of the housing.

20. The power adapter of claim 13, wherein:

the housing has a third surface disposed at the receiving portion, the third surface being substantially orthogonal to the first surface and the second surface;

the power adapter further comprises third electrical contacts disposed at the third surface; and

the housing is configured to receive a body of a plug in the receiving portion in at least three orientations such that in each of the at least three orientations, an electrically conductive connection is established between the plug and at least one of the first electrical contacts, at least one of the second electrical contacts, or at least one of the third electrical contacts.

21. An electrical plug comprising:

a member having a first pair of substantially parallel sides, a second pair of substantially parallel sides, and a third pair of substantially parallel sides, the first, second, and third pairs of substantially parallel sides each being substantially orthogonal to the other two pairs of substantially parallel sides, and the first, second, and third pairs of substantially parallel sides each defining a portion of the outer surface of the member, the first pair of substantially parallel sides comprising a first side and a second side;

electrical prongs coupled to the first side; and

electrical contacts disposed at the second side and extending outward from the second side, the electrical contacts being coupled to the electrical prongs.

22. The electrical plug of claim 21, wherein the member includes angled walls defining a channel in each of one or more sides orthogonal to the first side.

23. The electrical plug of claim 21, wherein the member defines one or more recesses in at least one of the second pair of substantially parallel sides or in at least one of the third pair of substantially parallel sides.

24. The electrical plug of claim 21, further comprising a rotatable member disposed at the first side, the rotatable member being configured to rotate relative to the member, the electrical prongs being coupled to the rotatable member.

25. The electrical plug of claim 21, further comprising a safety mechanism disposed between the electrical contacts and the electrical prongs.