CN101461104A

CN101461104A - Electrical plug with rotatable pins

Info

Publication number: CN101461104A
Application number: CNA2007800205917A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 齐赫尼·亚尔钦
Original assignee: THINPLUG Ltd
Current assignee: THINPLUG Ltd
Priority date: 2006-04-03
Filing date: 2007-04-03
Publication date: 2009-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 2027-04-03
Also published as: CN101461104B; GB0606772D0; GB2436899A; GB2436899B

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved design of a three-pin electrical plug (1). In one embodiment of the plug of the invention, one of the pins of the plug is a movable pin (5) connected to the body (2) by a connecting element. The movable pin is movable between an operating position and a storage position. In the operative position, the plug may be inserted into a standard three-pin socket (such as one in accordance with BS 1363). The overall size of the plug is reduced when the movable pin is moved from the operating position to the storage position. This means that the plug of the present invention can be stored more conveniently than a conventional three pin plug.

Description

Electrical plug with rotatable pins

Technical Field

The invention relates to an improved design of a three-pin electrical plug.

Background

A conventional three pin plug includes a body to which all three pins are connected and from which all three pins are directed outwardly. In the UK, such a conventional plug is in accordance with BS 1363. In this conventional design, all three pins are fixed in position relative to the body. This arrangement represents a relatively large, fixed volume occupied by a conventional three-pin electrical plug.

As modern electrical devices, such as palmtop or laptop computers, become smaller and smaller, the total volume occupied by a conventional three pin plug becomes an increasingly important part of the volume occupied by the device itself. A particular problem arises when storing the electrical device and the plug (which can be connected to a power cord, for example) in the same package. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that conventional three pin plugs occupy a volume shaped like a cube, with three dimensions having approximately the same length. This is in contrast to electrical devices that use such plugs, such as notebook computers, which tend to have one dimension that is slightly smaller than the other two. As a result, the smallest dimension of a conventional three pin plug is generally longer than the smallest dimension of the electrical device itself. This means that the packaging used to enclose the electrical device and the three pin plug may have one dimension set by the plug itself and may be wider than necessary to enclose only the electrical device.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical plug comprising:

three pins;

a connecting element; and the number of the first and second groups,

a main body; wherein,

one of the pins is rotatably connected to the connecting element, and the connecting element is rotatably connected to the body.

This causes the shape of the plug to be changed by relative movement of a pin with respect to the body, for example, moving the movable pin from an operative position to a storage position.

According to another embodiment of the invention, two of the three pins are not pins rotatably connected to the connecting element (hereinafter referred to as "movable pins") but are adhesively fixed to the body. The longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins form a plane and the movable pin can be folded so that it is closer to this plane in the storage position than it is in the operating position.

The movable pin is movable between a storage position and an operating position by relative rotation of the connecting element. According to another embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the connecting element is closer to orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the movable pin to which it is connected when the movable pin is in the operating position than when it is in the operating position. This has the advantage that the longitudinal axes of the movable pin and the connecting element can be aligned more closely when the movable pin is in the storage position than when the movable pin is in the active position, thereby reducing the overall size of the connecting element/movable pin assembly.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the maximum distance between a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the two further pins and the movable pin in the direction perpendicular to said plane when the movable pin is in the operating position is greater than the maximum distance between a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the two further pins and the movable pin in the direction perpendicular to said plane when the movable pin is in the storage position. With this arrangement, at least one of the overall dimensions of the three-pin electrical plug of the present invention is smaller when the movable pin is in the storage position than when the movable pin is in the operative position. In this way, the electrical plug may be flatter when the movable pin is in the storage position than when the movable pin is in the operative position.

In the storage position, the longitudinal axes of the movable pins preferably lie substantially in a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the other two pins. This means that the three pins can be stored in one body with a minimum size smaller than the minimum size of the volume required to store three pins like those of conventional plug arrangements. In another embodiment, the longitudinal axes of all three pins are substantially parallel when the movable pin is in the storage position, so as to minimize the minimum size of the volume required to store the three pins.

In other embodiments, the longitudinal axes of the three pins may only point in approximately the same direction when the movable pin is in the storage position. This may be advantageous to reduce the thickness of the plug when the movable pin is in the storage position in the case where the movable pin is attached to an end of the body that does not lie in the same plane as the longitudinal axis of the stationary pin. Preferably, the longitudinal axes of the three pins are within 30 ° of each other when the movable pin is in the storage position, and more preferably, the longitudinal axes of the three pins are within 10 ° of each other when the movable pin is in the storage position.

In another embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the connecting element is parallel or nearly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the movable pin when the movable pin is in the storage position, so that the connecting element also lies substantially in the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the other two pins. According to another embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the movable pin is within 30 ° of the longitudinal axis of the connecting element when said pin is in the storage position. This advantageously reduces the overall thickness of the plug in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins.

Preferably, all three pins and the connecting element are substantially in the same plane when the movable pin is in the storage position. Furthermore, in another embodiment of the invention, the body of the plug may be formed such that its dimension in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins is relatively small, so that the overall plug device is substantially flat when the movable pin is in the storage position.

When the movable pin is in the operative position, the three pins of the plug are in the same relative positions to each other as the pins of a conventional three-pin plug. In another embodiment, the relative positions of the pins are the same as those of the standard UK plug in BS 1363. In another embodiment, the pins are the same shape as the three pins in BS1363, so that the plug of the invention can be inserted into a standard UK socket according to BS1363 when the movable pin is in the operative position.

According to another embodiment, the connecting element rotates relative to the body when the movable pin is moved between the storage position and the operating position. This makes the connecting element foldable between a position in which its longitudinal axis is parallel or almost parallel to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins and a position in which its longitudinal axis is not parallel to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an electrical plug comprising three pins and a body, wherein the overall dimension of the plug in a direction defined perpendicular to a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the two pins is greater when the plug is in an operative state than when the plug is in a storage state, and wherein the two pins whose longitudinal axes form said plane are fixed relative to the body. Thus, the overall size of the at least one three pin electrical plug is reduced as the plug is moved from the operative position to the storage position, thereby making it easier to store the plug.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrical plug comprising three pins, one of which is movable from a first position to a second position, the longitudinal axes of said movable pins being in substantially the same direction relative to the body of the plug in the first and second positions. The movement of the movable pin may include rotation only relative to the body, translation only relative to the body, or a combination of rotation and translation relative to the body. In one embodiment, the first position may be an operating position and the second position may be a storage position, wherein the overall size of the plug is smaller in the storage position than in the operating position. This allows the packaging required to store the plug to be of a smaller minimum size than that required for a conventional three pin plug or a plug with movable pins in the operative position according to the present invention.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical plug adapter as described above and further comprising two openings in the main body. The electrical plug adapter enables a conventional two-pin plug (such as that used in the united states or continental europe) to be plugged into a conventional three-pin socket (such as that used in the uk, maryland, singapore, hong kong, malta, cypress, or ireland), while retaining the advantage that it can be stored in a volume of smaller minimum size than that required to store a conventional two-pin to three-pin plug adapter.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical plug adapter comprising two pins and two openings to receive movable neutral pins of a standard three pin plug. In an embodiment, the standard three pin plug may be a UK (UK) plug. Any of the electrical plugs of the electrical plug embodiments described herein may be used in such an electrical plug adapter such that an electrical device suitable for a three pin plug can be used in countries having two pin sockets without the need for a bulky three pin to two pin plug adapter.

The plug of the present invention can meet the range of applications. For example, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charging unit comprising an electrical plug in any of the embodiments described herein and a cable adapted to be plugged into an electrical device. The charging unit further includes a mating electrical charging device, some or all of which can be disposed in the body or housing of the electrical plug. In another embodiment, the charging device can be provided outside the housing of the plug. The charging device can be used, for example, to charge a mobile phone, a PDA, a radio receiver, an MP3 player, a notebook computer, a palm computer, or a GPS device. The folded or movable pins indicate that the charger can be folded so as to be flatter than a conventional three pin charger.

According to another embodiment, the electrical plug described above can be connected to a first end of a cable having its second end connected to a transformer for powering an electrical device, such as a laptop computer. In another embodiment, the second end of the cable is connectable to an electrical outlet for plugging into electrical equipment. In both cases, the folded or movable pins indicate that the plug and cable device can be stored in a flatter volume than a conventional three pin plug and cable device of the same type.

Drawings

The invention is described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a 3-D schematic view of a three pin plug in a storage position according to an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a 3-D schematic view of a three pin plug in an operational position in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a side view of a three pin plug in an operating position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3B is a top view of a three pin plug in an operating position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a side view of a three pin plug in a storage position according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a top view of a three pin plug in a storage position according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4C is a side view of a three pin plug in a storage position according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the 3-D structure of the interior of a three pin plug according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a 3-D exploded schematic view of the interior of a three pin plug according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a 3-D exploded view of an embodiment wherein the movable pin has a protrusion and the connecting element has a recess;

FIG. 8A is a 3-D schematic diagram of a three-pin to two-pin electrical plug adapter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8B is a schematic view of a three pin to two pin electrical plug adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention inserted into an embodiment of a three pin plug of the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a 3-D schematic diagram of a two-pin to three-pin electrical plug adapter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9B is a schematic illustration of a two-pin to three-pin electrical plug adapter according to an embodiment of the present invention inserted into a conventional two-pin plug;

FIG. 10 is a telephone charger according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 11A-H illustrate a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12A-E illustrate an adapter or a charger in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 13A-F illustrate a changeable plug for use in a kit of parts in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 14A-B illustrate a three pin plug with a stop member according to the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a charger body for use in a kit of parts in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 16A-C illustrate an assembled charging unit of the present invention in a storage and operating position;

FIG. 17 is a view of a rotating pin with a detent element for use with the present invention;

fig. 18 is a three pin plug of the present invention in the storage position using an over-mold.

Detailed Description

The present invention will now be described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to the same or similar parts.

Fig. 1 and 2 show an electrical plug (1) with a body or housing (2) having an upper surface (2A) and a lower surface (2B), and three pins (3, 4, 5). In this description, the word "pin" refers to a component of a plug that is intended to be inserted into a socket. One of the electrical pins is a movable pin (5) which is connected to the body by a connecting element (6), i.e. it is not fixedly connected to the body. The connecting element is distinct from the body.

The movable pin (5) has a proximal end (5A) and a distal end (5B), and the connecting element (6) has a proximal end (6A) and a distal end (6B). In the embodiment shown, the proximal end (6A) of the connecting element (6) is rotatably mounted or pivoted on the body (2) and the proximal end (5A) of the movable pin (5) is rotatably connected or pivoted to the distal end (6B) of the connecting element (6).

In the embodiment shown, the two pins (3, 4) are connected to the body (2) and fixed in position relative to it, i.e. they are not designed to be freely movable by the operator.

The present invention reduces the minimum size of the volume required to store a three pin electrical plug. In an embodiment, this object is achieved in that one of the pins is active between a first position corresponding to the operating position and a second position corresponding to the storage position. Wherein in the operative position the pins of the electrical plug have the same arrangement as those of conventional three-pin plugs (such as those used in the uk, marmars, singapore, hong kong, malta, cyprus or ireland); in the storage position, the three-pin plug of the present invention occupies a storage volume having a relatively small minimum size.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, when the movable pin (5) is in the operative position, the longitudinal axes of all three pins (3, 4, 5) are aligned and the movable pin (5) extends further forward than the other two pins. I.e. the tip of the movable pin (5) protrudes further out of the plane than the two fixed pins (3, 4), which plane is perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) and passes through the point of the body (2) closest to the front end, as is the case with conventional three-pin plugs according to BS 1363. In operation of the plug (1), the structure enables the movable pin (5) to enter a three-hole socket before the two fixed pins (3, 4), thus opening the contact gates for the two fixed pins (3, 4), just as the function of the grounding pin in operation of a conventional UK socket according to BS 1363.

According to another embodiment, an electrical plug (1) comprises three pins (3, 4, 5) and a body (2), wherein the overall dimension of the plug is larger in a direction defined by a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the two pins (3, 4) when the plug is in an operative state than when the plug is in a storage state, and wherein the two pins (3, 4), the longitudinal axes of which form said plane, are fixed relative to the body.

In the embodiment shown, the connecting element (6) is rotatably mounted or hinged to the body (2) by a first rotating shaft (7), as shown in fig. 5, so that it can rotate about an axis parallel to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the two fixed pins (3, 4). In the embodiment shown in the figures, this axis is between the lower surface (2B) of the body (2) and the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4). In other embodiments, the axis may be between the upper surface (2A) of the body (2) and the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4), or it may lie on the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4).

The movable pin (5) is rotatably mounted or hinged, at its proximal end (5A), to the distal end (6B) of the connecting element (6) by a second axis of rotation (8), so that it can rotate or pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the component with which the connecting element (6) is rotatably associated.

In another embodiment, the movable pin (5) is pivoted to its proximal end (5A), to the distal end (6B) of the connecting element (6), by means of a second axis of rotation (8), so that it can rotate or pivot about an axis substantially perpendicular to the part in relation to the rotation of the connecting element (6).

In the embodiment shown, a projection of the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) on the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) is equidistant from the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) when the movable pin (5) is in the operating and storage position. In other embodiments, a projection of the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) on a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) may not be equidistant from the longitudinal axes of the two pins (3, 4) when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position.

In other embodiments, a projection of the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) on a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) may not be parallel to the longitudinal axes of the two pins (3, 4) when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position.

In other embodiments, a projection of the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) on a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) may be perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the two pins (3, 4) when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position.

In other embodiments, the connecting element (6) may comprise a plurality of portions. These parts can be rotated independently.

Fig. 1 and 4B show the arrangement of the plug according to an embodiment of the invention when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position. As can be seen in the figure, when the plug is in this configuration, the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) is aligned with the connecting element (6).

By having one of the pins movable between an operative position and a storage position, the present invention allows for changes in the shape and/or volume required for storage of the three pin plug. Thus, in other embodiments of the invention, it is not necessary to align the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) with their longitudinal axes when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position. For example, when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position, the proximal end (6A) of the connecting element (6) may be located near the lower surface (2B) of the body (2), while the distal end (5B) of the movable pin (5) is located above the proximal end (6A) of the connecting element (6) (i.e., closer to the upper surface (2A) of the body (2)), as shown in fig. 4C.

Alternatively, the proximal end (6A) of the connecting element (5) may be located close to the upper surface (2A) of the body (2), while the distal end (5B) of the movable pin (5) is located below the proximal end (6A) of the connecting element (6) (i.e. close to the lower surface (2B) of the body (2)). In both cases the longitudinal axes of the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) are not aligned, but the total storage volume required for the plug in the storage position is similar to that required for the embodiment of fig. 1 and 4B, in which the longitudinal axes of the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) are aligned, as in fig. 1 and 4B.

In another embodiment, the movable pin (5) has a longitudinal axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) and substantially parallel to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) when in the storage position. Preferably, the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) is closer to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) in the storage position than in the operating position, and more preferably, the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) lies substantially in the same plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) in the storage position.

In order to reduce the minimum size of the storage volume of the plug, when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position, its longitudinal axis may lie substantially in the same plane as the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4). The longitudinal axes of the connecting elements (6) may also lie substantially in the same plane, so that all three pins (3, 4, 5) and the connecting elements (6) form a substantially flat arrangement when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position. In another embodiment, the axes of the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) are at an angle within 30 degrees to the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position. In another embodiment, the longitudinal axes of the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) are at an angle within 10 degrees to the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position.

In an embodiment having an axis of the first axis of rotation (7) not in the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4), it is advantageous to have the longitudinal axes of the movable pin (5) and/or the connecting element (6) not parallel to the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) for improved packaging, as shown in fig. 4A.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1-4, the housing (2) has a recess (9) in which the proximal end (6A) of the element (6) is mounted by using the first rotational axis (7). The recess (9) comprises a narrowing (10) so that the recess (9) is wider at the lower surface (2B) of the body (2) than it is at the upper surface (2A) of the body (2). This enables the distal end (5B) of the movable pin (5) and the proximal end (6A) of the rotatably mounted connecting element (6) to be placed in a wider portion of the recess (9) when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position. The narrowing (10) also ensures that the recess (9) has the required width to allow rotational movement of the connecting element (6) about the axis defined by the first rotational axis (7), but not so wide as to allow lateral movement of the connecting element (6) in the recess (9) of the body (2). In the embodiment shown, the centre line of the narrow part of the recess in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins (3, 4) is closer to one of the fixing pins (3) than the other fixing pin (4). In other embodiments, the centre line of the narrow part of the recess in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins (3, 4) is equidistant from the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 2, when the movable pin (5) is moved between the storage position and the operating position, the narrowing or step (10) acts on the movable pin (5) so as to rotate the longitudinal axes of the relative movable pin (5) and connecting element (6) with respect to each other about the axis defined by the second axis of rotation (8) connecting the movable pin (5) to the connecting element (6), thus separating the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) so that, like the movable pin (5) is moved to the operating position, they can be moved independently more easily.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1-4, the position of the connecting element (6) is determined by the rear surface of the connecting element (6) engaging with the rear surface (11) of the recess (9) when the movable pin (5) is in the operating position (as shown in fig. 2). Preferably, the first axis of rotation (7) about which the connecting element (6) rotates is located close to the lower surface (2B) of the body (2), so that in the operating position there is a large contact area between the rear surface of the connecting element (6) and the rear surface (11) of the recess (9), thus increasing the support of the connecting element (6) and improving the integrity and the lifetime of the plug structure.

In another embodiment, there is a snap fitting (snap fitting) that locates the position of the connecting element (6) when the movable pin (5) is in the operative position. The snap-fit may comprise a recess in the body (2) or the connecting element (6) and a projection on the other of the body (2) or the connecting element (6) which is inserted into the recess when the connecting element (6) is in its desired position with the movable pin (5) in the operative position.

In the embodiment shown, when the movable pin (5) is in the operating position, as shown for example in fig. 2, the longitudinal axis of the connecting element (6) is substantially perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4), and the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element (6). In other embodiments, the connecting element (6) may not be perpendicular to the plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) when the movable pin (5) is in the operative position, and the longitudinal axis of the movable pin (5) may also not be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element (6) when in the operative position. The only requirement is that in the operative position, the three pins are arranged so that they can be inserted into a conventional three-pin socket, for example one according to BS 1363.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 4B, in the storage position, the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) extend outwardly from the body (2) in substantially the same direction as the two fixed pins (3, 4). In an alternative embodiment, the body (2) may have a cut-out in the upper surface (2A) or lower surface (2B) of the body (2) into which the connecting element (6) and the movable pin (5) rotate when the pin (5) is in the storage position. The cut-out may or may not be connected to a recess (9) in which the element (6) is pivotally mounted. When the connecting element (6) and the movable pin (5) are stored in this cutout, the movable pin (5) rotates through an angle of approximately 180 ° about an axis parallel to a plane including the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) and perpendicular to the axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4) when moving between the storage position and the operating position. In another embodiment, the rotation should be between 150 ° and 210 °.

The movable pin (5) may comprise a protrusion (12) as shown in fig. 7. The projection (12) moves inside a recess (13), the recess (13) being formed in the connecting element (6) so that when the projection (12) engages the first end (13A) of the recess (13), the relative position of the connecting element (6) to the movable pin (5) is the same as when it is in the operating position. It is possible to also form the recess (13) so that when the projection (12) engages with the second end (13B) of the recess (13), the relative position of the connecting element (6) to the movable pin (5) is the same as when they are in the storage position. In this way, the relative position of the connecting element (6) and the movable pin (5) is defined by the projection (12) and the recess (13) in the storage position and in the operating position. In an alternative embodiment, the projection (12) may be located on the connecting element (6) so that it moves in a recess (13) on the movable pin (5).

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3A, the connecting element has a stop (14) which prevents the connecting element (6) from being rotated further away from the operating position. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3A, this is achieved by the connecting element (6) having an angled proximal end (14), which partly or wholly rotationally engages the rear surface (11) of the recess (9) when the movable pin (5) is moved to the storage position. In this way, the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connecting element (6) can be fixed when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position.

As shown in fig. 6, one or both of the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) may have biasing means (15, 16) to bias them from the storage position to the operative position. The biasing means comprises a spring (15, 16). In the illustrated embodiment, the first biasing means (15) biases the connecting element (6) to be biased to rotate from the storage position to the operative position about a first rotational axis (7) connecting a proximal end (6A) of the connecting element (6) to the body (2). Also in the embodiment shown, the second biasing means (16) bias the movable pin (5) so that it is biased to rotate from a relative position of the movable pin (5) to the connecting element (6) in the storage position to a relative position of the movable pin (5) to the connecting element (6) in the operative state about a longitudinal axis of the connecting axis (8) connecting the proximal end (5A) of the movable pin (5) to the distal end (6B) of the connecting element (6). Different embodiments may have one, two or no, or other arrangements of first and second biasing means.

In order to keep the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) in the storage position, a limiter (17) can be used. In the embodiment shown in fig. 5, the limiter or limiting means (17) has a first projection (17A) preventing the connecting element (6) from moving from the storage position to the operating position and a second projection (17B) preventing the movable pin (5) from moving from the storage position to the operating position. The limiting means (17) is biased by biasing means (18), which may be a spring for example, to a position in which the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) are prevented from moving from the storage position to the operating position. The limiting means (17) performing this function can be used in embodiments with biasing means (15, 16) to bias the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) from the storage position to the operating position, as well as in embodiments without such biasing means.

For example, the movable pin (5) may be a ground pin. In other embodiments, the movable pin (5) may be a live pin or a neutral pin. In case the movable pin (5) is a ground pin, it may be made (partially or totally) of a non-conductive material, such as plastic or carbon fibre. For example, many modern electronic devices use plugs without a ground line, with the ground pin being used only to open the contact gates for the live and neutral pins of a three-pin plug. In this case, a non-conductive material may be used for the ground pin. In another embodiment, the movable pin may be partially or entirely made of metal.

In an embodiment, the two fixed pins (3, 4) may be live and neutral pins and may be partially or entirely made of metal. In one embodiment, the two fixing pins (3, 4) have a partial metal surface and a partial insulating surface.

The body (2) may be double insulated. In addition, the main body (2) may be a housing in which a fuse may be placed.

In another embodiment, the body or housing (2) may comprise two or more parts. The two or more portions may be connected, attached or secured together using a fastening device. The fastening means may be part of two or more parts of the body or housing (2), such as a clip, or the fastening means may be separate from two or more parts of the body or housing (2), such as one or more screws.

Preferably, the maximum height of the body (2) in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins (3, 4) is less than three times the height of the two fixing pins (3, 4) in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two fixing pins (3, 4). In another embodiment, the maximum height of the body (2) in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) should be up to five times the height of the two stationary pins (3, 4) in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the two stationary pins (3, 4) and still retain advantages, such as having a thinner plug than a conventional three-pin plug when the movable pin (5) is in the storage position.

In another embodiment, a cable extends from the body (2), the cable being connected at its first end to the electrical contacts of the plug. At the second end of the cable there may be, for example, another plug or socket for direct connection to the electrical device. In this embodiment, the plug, cable and another plug or receptacle of the present invention form a power cable device. Alternatively, the second end of the cable may be connected to a transformer for the purpose of converting the power supply to the electrical device.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention shown in fig. 8A and 8B, an adapter socket (19) is provided for allowing the above-described three-pin plug to be used on conventional two-pin sockets in other countries. The adapter is smaller than a conventional three-pin to two-pin adapter since it only requires two holes (20) to accommodate two pins (3, 4) except for the movable pin (5), rather than all three pins. The adapter (19) has two holes (20) on one side and two pins (21) on the other side. In the embodiment shown, the surface of the body (22) of the adapter (19) is located opposite the surface of the body (22) forming two holes, with the adapter (19) extending out of two pins. Inside the adapter (19), there may be an electrical connection inside the hole (20), connecting with its two pins (3, 4) when the three-pin plug (1) is inserted into the hole (20).

When the embodiment of the electrical plug (1) shown in the figures is used in this adapter (19), when two fixed pins (3, 4) are inserted into the adapter (19), the longitudinal axes of the connecting element (6) and of the movable pin (5) are not aligned with the longitudinal axes of the two fixed pins (3, 4), but are instead directed in a direction to allow the two fixed pins (3, 4) to be inserted into the adapter (19) without being obstructed by the connecting element (6) and by the movable pin (5). The holes (20) in the adapter (19) may, for example, be of the same size as those necessary to accommodate the live and neutral pins of a conventional three pin plug, for example those used in, for example, the uk, maryland, singapore, hong kong, malta, cypress or ireland. The two pins (21) of the adapter (19) may be the same as the two pins of a conventional two-pin plug, such as those used in europe or the united states. The plug adapter (19), which occupies a smaller volume than conventional three-pin to two-pin plug adapters, supplements the above-mentioned movable pin (5) into the three-pin plug (1).

According to another aspect of the invention shown in fig. 9A and 9B, an electrical adapter plug (23) is provided that allows a two pin electrical plug (25) to be used with a conventional three pin electrical socket. The adapter (23) has the movable pins (5) of any of the electrical plugs described herein and thus shares the storage advantages of the three pin plug described herein. It also has two openings or holes (24) that can receive the two pins of a conventional two pin plug, such as used in europe or the united states. Inside the body (26) of the adapter (23), there can be an electrical connection when a two pin plug is inserted into the hole (24), the two pins of a conventional two pin plug being in contact with the electrical connection. Such an adapter (23) would be beneficial when traveling from a country using a two pin electrical plug to a country using a three pin electrical plug, as there is no need to purchase a conventional, bulky three pin adapter plug.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrical plug comprising any of the embodiments described in the application and a cable adapted to be plugged into an electrical device. The embodiment shown in fig. 10 is suitable for operating a telephone charger (27). In this embodiment, the charging device is within a housing (28) of the charger (27). A cable (29) connected to an electrical plug in the housing (28) is attached to the housing (28) and has a plug (30) connected to one end that can be plugged into a suitable socket on the mobile phone. The charger (27) has foldable or movable pins (5) as described herein with respect to other embodiments of the invention, which means that the charger (27) can be folded to make it flatter than a conventional three pin charger. In another embodiment, the charging device may be provided outside the housing of the plug. The charger (27) in the embodiment shown in fig. 10 is for use with a mobile telephone, but in other embodiments the charger may be, for example, adapted to charge and/or provide power to a PDA, radio, MP3 player, laptop computer, palmtop computer or GPS device.

Fig. 11 depicts a further embodiment of the plug of the present invention. In the embodiment in fig. 11, several features are added to the above-described features. These characteristics are particularly relevant to improving the safety of the plug and to improving usability and durability.

Fig. 11A-11G illustrate in a organized manner how the plug is opened and in particular the interaction of the connecting element 6 with a fuse storage device which ensures that the fuse is not accessed when the plug is in the position of use.

A recess 50 is provided in the body for disposing a fuse 55 therein. A connection is provided in the recess 50 to enable the electrical connection between the live pin 4 and the cable which is disconnected from the plug in the usual manner, by the fuse 55.

A door or cover element 60 is provided which moves (rotates in the depicted embodiment) from a position where it may be attached to the recess to a position across the opening of the recess 50 to cover the position of the fuse 55 and associated terminal. The cover 60 may be provided with a closing means, such as a snap fitting, so that the cover 60 will normally remain in a closed state to cover the groove 50 unless it is deliberately opened. The interior of the recess 50 is accessible for replacement of the fuse 55 by a screwdriver or similar tool.

As can be seen by comparing fig. 11B-11E, in order to ensure that the cover 60 is not opened when the plug 1 is in use (e.g. when it is in a socket), the connecting element 6 is provided with a protrusion 70 at its bottom. The relative geometry of the plug 1 is such that when the connecting element 6 is in the position of use, the projection 70 is located above the cover 60, thereby preventing the cover 60 from opening when the connecting element 6 is in the position of use. This feature greatly increases the safety of the plug, since it is provided with a fuse and has the feature of hindering a potentially dangerous possibility of touching or moving the fuse when the plug 1 is inserted into a socket.

The feature of the projection 70 on the connecting element 6 further provides support for the connecting element 6 in the position of use. The base prevents the connecting element 6 from rotating further than the vertical position determined by the interaction of the base 70 and the cover 60 and/or other parts of the body 2. This feature increases the strength of the plug 1, and in particular when the plug is inserted into a socket, a large force can be applied to the connecting element 6 at the location where it is connected to the body 2.

Further depicted in fig. 11 is a plate element 80 attached at one end of the movable pin 5 opposite to the end of the movable pin 5 inserted into the socket and connected at the other side to the end of the second shaft 8. The disk element 80 is arranged such that it engages with a disk-shaped mounting surface 82 of the connecting element 6 in the position of use, so that the movable element 5 is prevented from further rotation past the approximately horizontal position of the movable pin 5.

The disk element 80 is contoured with a recess and an extended projection 85, suitable for ergonomics, to assist the user in rotating the movable pin 5 relative to the connecting element 6. The disks 80 are oriented with their major faces generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pins 5. Thus, the major face of the disk element 80 engages the mounting surface 82 of the connecting element 80 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element 6. Further, an end surface 83 of the disk member 80 engages a disk member end surface mounting surface 84 of the connecting member 6. The disk element end surface mounting surface 84 of the connecting element 6 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element 6.

Thus, as can be seen from fig. 11H, the aesthetic appearance of the plug 1 as seen from the rear is sufficiently improved, and usability and strength are also improved. This is due in part to the disk element 80 and also to the particular shape of the connecting element 6. The connecting element 6 comprises two plates 62, 64 located on either side of the movable pin 5. In this way, the second shaft 8 passes first through the first disk 62 of the connecting element, then through the movable pin 5, and then the second disk 64 of the connecting element 6. When in the use position, the mechanism is hidden from behind by the disc element 80. The disc elements 62, 64 may each be independently connected to the body 2 (compare the first shaft 7 in the embodiment of fig. 1) so that there are two equivalent shafts in the body, equivalent to the first shaft 7 in fig. 2. This causes the rotatable pins 5 to rotate relative to the connecting element 6 so that their longitudinal axes are coincident or parallel. That is, in the folded position shown in fig. 1A, one end of the pin 5 is actually in the axis of rotation of the connecting element 6 relative to the body 2.

A final feature of the embodiment of figure 11 is that a flange 90 is provided around the surface of the body which remains flush with the socket when the plug 1 is inserted into the socket. Corresponding flanges 92 are provided on the connecting element. The

flanges

90, 92 increase the safety of the device by increasing the distance from the aperture of the socket to the edge of the plug without significantly increasing the bulk of the body 2.

Fig. 12A-E depict a charging unit/power supply similar to that of fig. 10. One potential disadvantage of the charging unit/power supply of fig. 10 is that when plugged into the outlet, the housing 28 extends out and is relatively far from the outlet. Thus, there is a potential for a substantial force to be exerted on the plug by a small force exerted on the end of the housing 28 furthest from the receptacle. However, the size of the charging unit cannot necessarily be reduced further, and thus there is a potential difficulty. This difficulty is overcome in the embodiment of fig. 12.

Fig. 12A is a top view in the use position and fig. 12B-E depict how the different components of the charging unit are moved from the storage position and assembled into the use position.

Suitably, the features of the embodiment of fig. 11 are combined into the plug part of the charging unit/power supply of fig. 12.

As best seen by a comparison of fig. 12B and 12C, the body 2 with the fixedly attached pins 3/4 rotates relative to the housing 28 which houses most of the components of the charger. Thus, by designing the housing 28 to be flat, generally elongate in shape, it is again possible to reduce the thickness of the charging unit/power supply in the storage position. This is achieved by ensuring that the outer shell 28 is not thicker or not much thicker than the thickness of the body 2. The body 2 is then arranged to rotate approximately 90 ° relative to the housing 28 through an axis that is substantially parallel to the axes of the

shafts

7, 8. Thus, when the connecting element 6 and the movable pin 5 are moved to the position of use, the housing 28 has been rotated to a position such that it protrudes out of the socket only by an amount equivalent to its thickness (relative to its length in the case of the embodiment of fig. 10). This is achieved by making pin 3/4 rotatable with respect to the housing and the movable pin rotatable with respect to the connecting element, which itself may also be rotated with respect to pin 3/4 independently of the housing. In this way, the safety of the device is further improved. The apparatus of fig. 12 may be used for all functions involved in the description of fig. 10.

Fig. 13 depicts a kit of parts for use in six different configurations of pins (110) of the package (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The pin (110) is mounted in fixed relation to the body (120). According to the described embodiment, the body (120) is cylindrical, but in other embodiments, the body (120) may be a different shape.

The kit of parts of the invention comprises at least two inserts (100), and a housing (130) as described in fig. 15. The housing (130) may comprise, for example, a fuse, a charger housing (130) or a power supply unit. For example, the pin card (100) may be used for the charging unit (130) by combining the charging unit (130) with one of the cards (100), as shown in fig. 15. Once inserted, the pin insert (100) will rotate relative to the housing (130) between the storage position and the operating position in a manner similar to the embodiment of fig. 12. The embodiment of fig. 14 may also be formed as an insert for a kit of parts.

Each configuration of pins (110) on different cards (100) allows the resulting plug to be used for a socket in a particular country (or in many countries). The structure of the pin (110) is not limited to those shown in the drawings, and thus the pin (110) can be applied to a socket in any country. The interposer (100) may include any number of pins (110).

The plug-in (100) may be selected and changed at the time of manufacture, or may be selected and changed by a user according to a plug, a charger, or a socket into which a power supply unit is to be inserted.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in fig. 14A and 14B comprises a detent (140) for positioning the movable pin (5) and/or the connecting element (6). The brake (140) can be positioned on the connecting element (6) and can be simultaneously activated with the connecting element (6). A detailed view of an embodiment of the connecting element (6) including the stopper (140) is shown in fig. 17.

The detent (140) is used to position the movable pin (5) relative to the connecting element (6) in the operating position by engaging with a projection (150) on the movable pin (5). The detent (140) is used in such a way as to ensure that the angle between the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) does not exceed a predetermined maximum, such as 90 °.

The detent (140) may also, or alternatively, be used to ensure that the angle between the connecting element (6) and the body (2) does not exceed a predetermined maximum by engagement with a portion of the body (2), as shown in fig. 14B (in which the detent (140) is engaged with the housing (160)).

The embodiment of fig. 14A and 14B depicts the stopper (140) as part of the connecting member (6) mounted on the housing (160) that can be inserted into the charging body (130) shown in fig. 15. The charging unit (170) obtained after introduction of the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) with the stopper (140) is shown in fig. 16A-C.

The detent (140) may alternatively be used in any other embodiment of the invention described herein involving a connecting element and a movable pin. For example, the movable pin (5) and the connecting element (6) geometrically comprising the stopper (140), as shown in fig. 17, can be introduced into a three-pin plug or charging unit.

As described above with reference to fig. 11, the connecting element 6 is made of two parts. This has several advantages, including that the movable pin 5 can be positioned between the parts in the storage position, and the connecting element 6 can be slightly compressed in its position of attachment to the body to assist assembly.

The embodiment shown in fig. 18 is for a plug, such as an insulative material, e.g., plastic, that is over-molded. This feature may be used with any of the plugs or charging units described herein. By over-moulding, the charged interior, such as a fuse, plug or charging unit, can be made safer, for example made waterproof.

Claims

1. An electrical plug, comprising:

three pins;

a connecting element; and

a main body; wherein

One of the pins is rotatably connected to the connecting element, and the connecting element is rotatably connected to the body; and

2. an electrical plug according to claim 1, wherein two of said three pins non-rotatably connected to said connecting element are connected and fixed with respect to said body.

3. An electrical plug according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is movable between a storage position and an operating position.

4. An electrical plug according to claim 3, wherein the maximum distance between a plane defined by the axes of the other two pins and the pin movably connected to the connecting element in a direction perpendicular to said plane when the pin rotatably connected to the connecting element is in the operative position is greater than the maximum distance between a plane defined by the axes of the other two pins and the pin movably connected to the connecting element in a direction perpendicular to said plane when the pin rotatably connected to the connecting element is in the storage position.

5. An electrical plug according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is movable between said storage position and an operative position by relative rotation towards said connecting element.

6. An electrical plug according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein said connecting element is rotatable relative to said body when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is moved between said storage position and said operative position.

7. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the pin rotatably connected to said connecting element lies in substantially the same plane as the other two pins when in the storage position and lies out of the plane of the other two pins when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is in the operative position.

8. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is in the operative position, the longitudinal axis of said pin is parallel to the longitudinal axes of the other two pins but lies in a different plane than the plane common to the longitudinal axes of the other two pins.

9. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the longitudinal axis of said connecting member when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting member is in the operative position is closer to perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said pin than the longitudinal axis of said connecting member when said pin is in the storage position.

10. An electrical plug according to any of claims 3 to 9, wherein the longitudinal axis of said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is within 30 degrees of the longitudinal axis of the connecting element when in the storage position.

11. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the longitudinal axis of said connecting member when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting member is in the storage position is closer to being parallel to the axis of the other two pins than the longitudinal axis of said connecting member when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting member is in the operative position.

12. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 11, wherein said body includes a cutout in which both (i) said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element and (ii) said connecting element are disposed when said pin is in the storage position.

13. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 11, wherein said connecting element is rotatably connected in a recess in said body such that when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is moved to said operative position, said connecting element rotates to rest against a surface of said recess in said body, thereby fixing its orientation in a manner which prevents further rotation relative to said body.

14. An electrical plug according to claim 12, wherein said connecting element is rotatably connected in a recess in said body such that when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is moved to said operative position, said connecting element rotates to rest against a surface of said recess in said body, thereby fixing its orientation in a manner preventing further rotation relative to said body, and wherein said recess is in communication with said cutout.

15. An electrical plug according to claim 13 or 14, wherein a surface of the recess in the body prevents the pin rotatably connected to the connecting element from rotating further away from the other two pins.

16. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 15, wherein said pin and said connecting element protrude outwardly from said body in substantially the same direction as the other two pins when said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is movable in the storage position.

17. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 6 to 16, further comprising means for biasing said pins rotatably connected to said connecting element and/or said connecting element from a storage position to an operative position.

18. An electrical plug according to claim 17, wherein said biasing means comprises a spring.

19. An electrical plug according to any one of claims 3 to 18, further comprising a restraining means for releasably restraining said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element and/or said connecting element in said storage position.

20. An electrical plug according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the axis of rotation of said pins rotatably connected to said connecting element is substantially parallel to a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the other two pins and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the other two pins.

21. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein the axis of rotation of said connecting element is substantially parallel to a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the other two pins and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the other two pins.

22. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein one of (i) said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element and (ii) said connecting element comprises a projection, and the other of (i) said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element and (ii) said connecting element comprises a recess in which said projection is movable.

23. An electrical plug according to claim 22, wherein said pin is movable to a first position in which said projection engages an end of said recess.

24. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, further comprising a recess in said body for insertion of a fuse of said plug therein.

25. An electrical plug according to claim 24, wherein said connecting member includes a projection which in a use position of said connecting member prevents user access to said recess and in a storage position allows user access to said recess.

26. An electrical plug according to claim 24 or 25, further comprising a cover for covering said recess.

27. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein said connecting member includes an actuator for ensuring that, in use, the angle between said movable pin and said connecting member and/or the angle between said connecting member and said body does not exceed a predetermined maximum value.

28. An electrical plug comprising three pins and a body, wherein the overall dimension of the plug in a direction defined perpendicular to a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the two pins is greater when the plug is in an operative state than when the plug is arranged in a storage state by folding and/or rotating one of the pins relative to its longitudinal axis to form said plane, and wherein the two pins whose longitudinal axes form said plane are fixed relative to the body.

29. An electrical plug according to claim 28, wherein one of the pins is movable from a first, storage position to a second, operative position.

30. An electrical plug according to claim 29, further comprising a connecting member having one end rotatably connected to said movable pin and another end rotatably connected to said body.

31. An electrical plug according to claim 29 or 30, wherein the longitudinal axis of said movable pin is generally in the same direction as the first and second positions.

32. An electrical plug according to claim 29, 30 or 31, wherein movement of said movable pin between the first and second positions is substantially described by translation in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the other two pins and enclosing the longitudinal axis of the movable pin.

33. An electrical plug according to claim 32, wherein movement of the movable pin between the first and second positions does not include rotation about an axis perpendicular to said plane of movement.

34. An electrical plug according to claim 32, wherein movement of the movable pin between the first and second positions comprises rotation about an axis perpendicular to said plane of movement.

35. An electrical plug according to claim 34, wherein said rotation is between 150 and 210 degrees.

36. An electrical plug according to claim 34, wherein the angle of rotation is between-30 degrees and +30 degrees.

37. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein said movable pin or said pin rotatably connectable to the connecting element is a ground pin.

38. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein said movable pin or said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is at least partially made of an insulating material.

39. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein said pin rotatably connected to said connecting element is made of plastic or carbon fibre.

40. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein said electrical plug is a double insulated plug.

41. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, wherein said body is a housing.

42. An electrical plug according to any preceding claim, further comprising a cable, wherein the cable is electrically connected to a pin.

43. An electrical plug adapter comprising the electrical plug of claims 1-41, wherein said body comprises a socket having two apertures.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising electrical contacts located in the holes of the socket, and an electrical connection between one of the pins and the electrical contact, and between the other of the pins and the other electrical contact.

45. A charging unit or power supply comprising an electrical plug according to claims 1-41.

46. The charger or power supply of claim 45, further comprising a cable for plugging into an electrical device.

47. The charging unit or power supply of claim 45 or 46, further comprising a housing for enclosing components of the charging unit or power supply.

48. The charging unit or power supply of claim 47, wherein the housing is rotatable relative to the body.

49. The charging unit or power supply of claim 48, wherein the housing and body are rotatable relative to each other on an axis substantially parallel to the axis about which the connecting element is rotatable relative to the body.

50. A charging unit or power supply according to claims 45-49, adapted for charging a mobile phone, a PDA, a radio receiver, an MP3 player, a laptop computer, a palmtop computer or a GPS device.

51. The charging unit or power supply of claims 45-50, further comprising a charging device partially enclosed within the body.

52. An electrical plug adapter includes two pins, two holes and two openings to accept the live and neutral pins of a standard three pin plug.

53. An electrical plug comprising a body and three pins, at least one of said pins being movable from a storage position in which at least one overall dimension of said plug is smaller than an overall dimension in a use position in which a fuse of said plug is prevented from being approached in the use position.

54. An electrical plug according to claim 53, wherein proximity to said fuse is prevented in said in-use position by a necessary position of at least one component of said plug for correct positioning of said movable pin in the in-use position.

55. An electrical plug according to claim 53 or 54, further comprising the features of any of claims 1 to 42.

56. An electrical device, comprising:

a housing; and

at least two inserts, each insert being manufactured so that it can be inserted into the housing and each insert comprising at least one pin that can be inserted into an electrical socket.

57. The electrical device of claim 56 in which each insert is made so as to be rotatable relative to the housing when it is inserted therein.

58. The electrical device of claim 56, wherein the housing is a charging unit, a power supply unit, or a plug.

59. An electrical plug manufactured and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described or with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.

60. An electrical plug adaptor substantially as hereinbefore described or with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.

61. A charging unit substantially as hereinbefore described or with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.