EP1011177A2

EP1011177A2 - Interlocked electrical socket

Info

Publication number: EP1011177A2
Application number: EP99122372A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Domenico Bosatelli
Original assignee: Gewiss SpA
Current assignee: Gewiss SpA
Priority date: 1998-12-15
Filing date: 1999-11-10
Publication date: 2000-06-21
Also published as: IT1305867B1; EP1011177A3; ITMI982689A1

Abstract

An interlocked electrical socket, characterized in that it comprises, in a single body, a switch means (11), a coupling means (113) adapted to receive a plug (103), and a lock/release means (115) for locking or releasing said switch means and said coupling means.

Description

The present invention relates to an interlocked electrical socket.
In particular, the present invention relates to an interlocked socket according to the IEC 309 standard.
An interlocked socket allows to insert or to pull the plug only if the mains power supply is disconnected and, once the power supply is connected, the socket does not allow to pull the plug which is locked in the connecting position. Also, it should not be possible to turn the lever switch into the closed-switch position if no plug has been inserted into the socket.
Conventional interlocked sockets generally comprise a socket, a rotary or automatic switch, cables for connection between the switch and the socket, and a locking mechanism which connects the switch to the socket.
A drawback of the above mentioned conventional construction is the considerable size of the socket-switch assembly.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an interlocked electrical socket having substantially reduced dimensions with respect to conventional sockets.
An object of the invention is to provide an interlocked electrical socket which is produced using a substantially reduced number of component parts with respect to conventional sockets.
A further object of the invention is to provide an interlocked electrical socket with the above advantages and still having a technical performance at least similar to, or better than, that of conventional sockets.
This aim, these objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by an interlocked electrical socket as claimed in the appended claims.
Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an interlocked electrical socket according to the present invention, in the open-switch position and with no plug inserted;
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the interlocked electrical socket according to the present invention, in the closed-switch position and with a plug inserted;
FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged-scale perspective view of the lever of the switch and of part of the locking/release means;
FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged-scale perspective view of the coupling means and of part of the release/locking means;
FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of an interlocked electrical socket according to a further aspect of the invention, in the open-switch position and with a plug in the process of being inserted;
FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the interlocked electrical socket of FIG. 5, in the closed-switch position with the plug fully inserted;
FIG. 7 is a side sectional view, according to a different section plane with respect to the preceding FIG. 6, of the interlocked electrical socket of FIG. 5, in the open-switch position and with the plug fully inserted;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the socket of FIG.s 5-7, with a back portion of the case removed, shown in the closed-switch position with the plug inserted.
With reference to the above FIG.s, the interlocked electrical socket according to the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, is adapted for connection to a plug 3 of the standardized type, for example provided with three pins 5, only two of which are shown in FIG. 2. The plug 3 also comprises a longitudinal raised portion 7 in a per se known manner.
The socket 1 according to the present invention comprises a single casing 9 which accommodates a switch means 11, a coupling means 13, and a lock/release means 15 for locking and releasing the switch means and the coupling means.
The switch means comprises a lever 17 which is pivoted inside the body 9 and has an actuation handle 19 which protrudes outside the body 9 through an opening 21. The lever 17 supports moving contacts 23 which are connected, through respective flexible conductors 25, to fixed terminals 27 for connection to the mains.
The moving contacts could also be directly connected to the mains, without the aid of flexible conductors, as readily understood by the person skilled in the art.
The lever 17 defines at least two positions: an open-switch position (FIG. 1) and a closed-switch position (FIG. 2). In the closed-switch position, the moving contacts 23 are in contact with fixed contacts 29 which constitute the outer part of the receptacles for the pins 5 of the coupling means 13. The coupling means 13 comprises a contoured body which is integrated in the body 9 and is adapted to receive the body of the socket 1. The contoured body is provided with a protective cover 31 in a per se known manner.
The open-switch and closed-switch positions are maintained by the lever 17 which is biased by an elastic member constituted, for example, by a spring 55 having one end attached to the lever 17 and the other end attached to the body 9.
The lever 17 comprises a bar 33 in which the rotation axis 35 of the lever lies. The bar has a contoured seat 37 which preferably has a quadrangular cross-section. The contoured seat 37 accommodates a contoured base 39 of a sliding member 41, which preferably has a quadrangular cross-section. The sliding member 41 is adapted to slide longitudinally by virtue of the action of the longitudinal raised portion 7 of the plug 3 when the plug is inserted in the socket.
The bar 33 of the lever 17 has a locking lever 43 which is adapted to act, when the lever 17 is moved into the open-switch position, on an inclined plane 45 of a slider 47 which can slide transversely in a guide 49 in the body 9, in contrast with an elastic means 51. The slider 47 has a release seat 53 which is adapted to allow the passage of the raised portion 7 of the plug 3.
The operation of the interlocked electrical socket according to the present invention is as follows.
In the open-switch position, shown in FIG. 1, the lever 17 is arranged so that the moving contacts 23 are spaced from the fixed contacts 29 and the base 39 of the sliding member 41 is inserted in the seat 37 of the bar 33 of the lever 17. In this position, the base 39 of the sliding member 41 prevents the rotation of the lever 17 and therefore prevents the closure of the contacts. By lifting the cover 31 it is possible to insert the plug 3, whose raised portion 7 pushes (upward and to the left with reference to FIG.s 1 and 2) the sliding member 41, whose base 39 leaves the seat 37 of the bar 33, thus allowing the lever 17 to rotate from the open-switch position to the closed-switch position.
In the open-switch position, the locking lever 43 acts on the inclined plane 45 of the slider 47, keeping the release seat 53 in the centerline position and allowing the insertion of the raised portion 7 of the plug 3.
When the lever 17 is moved into the closed-switch position, shown in FIG. 2, the locking lever 43 releases the slider 47 which, being pushed by the spring 51, slides (to the right with reference to FIG. 4) and moves the release seat 53 away from the centerline, thus blocking removal of the plug 3 because the raised portion 7 cannot pass, being blocked by the slider 47.
Accordingly, the lever 17 cannot be moved from the open-switch position to the closed-switch position unless a plug 3 is inserted. Vice versa, once the plug 3 has been inserted and the lever 17 has been placed in the closed-switch position it is not possible to remove the plug without first moving the lever 17 from the closed-switch position to the open-switch position.
With reference to FIG.s 5-8, an interlocked electrical socket according to a further aspect of the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 101, is adapted for connection to a plug 103 of the standard type, for example provided with pins 105. The plug 103 also comprises a longitudinal raised portion 107, as a standard feature.
The socket 101 according to the present invention comprises a casing 109 which accommodates a switch means 111, a coupling means 113 adapted to receive the plug, and a lock/release means 115 for locking and releasing the switch means and the coupling means.
The switch means comprises a lever 117 which is pivoted inside the body 109 and has an actuation handle 119 which protrudes outside the body 109. The lever 117 is connected to a pivoting fork member 199 having a lower cam member 189 and an upper slotted cam member 179. A biasing spring 155 is adapted to bias the pivoting fork member 199 into two positions, corresponding to an open-switch position, illustrated in FIG.s 5 and 8, and to a closed-switch position, illustrated in FIG.s 6 and 7.
The slotted cam member 179 is adapted to actuate a vertical sliding block 175 through pins 174 which are integral to the vertical sliding block 175 which is shaped as an inverted U. The vertical sliding block 175 supports a horizontal sliding block 173 by means of a pin 172 integral with the horizontal sliding block 173 and running into a slot 170 provided in the vertical sliding block 175.
The horizontal sliding block 173 bears moving contacts 123 which are biased, by respective springs 155, against fixed terminals 127 for connection to the mains, when the socket is in the closed-switch position (FIG.s 6 and 7). The moving contacts 123 are also always connected, through respective flexible conductors 125, to second fixed contacts 129 which constitute the outer part of the receptacles for the pins 105 of the plug 103.
A slider 147 is provided below the pivoting fork member 199 and is biased upwards by a spring 151 in a position wherein an abutment 153 is in abutment with the raised portion 107 of the plug 103, thus preventing the plug from being pulled from the socket when the socket is in the closed-switch position illustrated in FIG. 7.
By rotating the lever 117 from the closed-switch position of FIG. 7 to the open-switch position of FIG. 5, the lower cam member 189 of the fork member 199 acts on a pin 143 associated with the slider 147 pushing down the slider 147 against the force of the spring 151 and thus freeing the raised portion 107, as clearly visible in FIG. 5.
Longitudinal seats 113, associated with the body of the socket, are adapted to accommodate a transverse member 139 of a sliding T-shaped member 141 which is adapted to slide longitudinally, in contrast with a biasing spring 190 by the action of the longitudinal raised portion 107 when the plug 103 is inserted in the socket.
The fork member 199 has rounded lugs 133 which prevent the rotation of the fork member and therefore of the lever 117 from the open switch position (FIG. 5) to the closed switch position because of the interference of the rounded lugs 133 with the transverse member 139, as also clearly visible in FIG. 8.
By inserting the plug 103 into the socket, the raised portion 107 pushes the T-shaped member forward, thus freeing the rounded lugs 133 from the interference of the transverse member 139 and thus allowing the rotation of the fork-lever assembly.
It is apparent from the above description that the socket according to the invention allows to insert and pull the plug only when in the open switch-position, because of the interference between the rounded lugs 133 and the transverse member 139, while the plug cannot be pulled out of the socket, in the closed-switch position, because of the interference between the raised portion 107 of the plug 103 and the abutment 153 of slider 147.
It has been found in practice that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, by providing an integral socket and switch assembly that, with respect to the conventional switch and socket assemblies, has significantly reduced dimensions, has eliminated the connections between the socket and the switch which are present in conventional sockets, and has reduced production costs as well as an improved aesthetic appearance.
With the socket according to the present invention it is also possible to provide extremely compact wired systems and to use the socket in residential applications with normal recessed boxes.
Although the illustrated example relates to a wall socket, the socket according to the present invention can be advantageously used for inline connectors by virtue of the reduced dimensions and of the integration of the components.
The socket according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims, and all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may of course be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claims

An interlocked electrical socket, characterized in that it comprises, in a single body, a switch means, a coupling means adapted to receive a plug, and a lock/release means for locking or releasing said switch means and said coupling means.
The socket according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an actuation lever adapted to actuate said switch means, said lever supporting moving contacts which are alternatively connected to fixed contacts; said lever determining at least two positions: an open-switch position and a closed-switch position; in said closed-switch position said moving contacts being in contact with said fixed contacts, in said open-switch position said moving contacts not being in contact with said fixed contacts.
The socket according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said switch means comprises a lever which is pivoted in the body and has an actuation handle which protrudes outside the body, said lever being connected to a pivoting fork member having a lower cam member and an upper slotted cam member, a biasing spring being adapted to bias said pivoting fork member into said open-switch and closed-switch positions.
The socket according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said slotted cam member is adapted to actuate a vertical sliding block through pins which are integral to said vertical sliding block, said vertical sliding block being shaped as an inverted U, said vertical sliding block supporting a horizontal sliding block by means of at least one pin integral with said horizontal sliding block and sliding into a slot provided in said vertical sliding block, said horizontal sliding block bearing said moving contacts which are biased, by respective springs, against said fixed contacts for connection to the mains, when said socket is in said closed-switch position; said moving contacts being also connected, through respective flexible conductors, to second fixed contacts which constitute the outer part of receptacles of said coupling means for receiving the pins of said plug.
The socket according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lock/release means comprises a slider arranged below said pivoting fork member and biased upwards by a spring in a position wherein an abutment is in abutment with a raised portion of said plug, thus preventing the plug from being pulled from the socket when the socket is in the closed-switch position; a rotation of said lever from the closed-switch position to the open-switch position, causing said lower cam member of said fork member to act on a pin associated with said slider pushing down said slider in contrast with said spring thus freeing said raised portion of said plug.
The socket according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lock/release means further comprises longitudinal seats, associated with the body of the socket, and adapted to accommodate a transverse member of a sliding T-shaped member which is adapted to slide longitudinally, in contrast with a biasing spring, by the action of said longitudinal raised portion when the plug is inserted in the socket; said fork member having rounded lugs which prevent the rotation of the fork member and therefore prevent the rotation of the lever from said open-switch position to said closed-switch position because of the interference of said rounded lugs with said transverse member; by inserting the said plug into the socket, said raised portion pushes said T-shaped member forward, thus freeing said rounded lugs from the interference of said transverse member and thus allowing the rotation of the fork-lever assembly.
The socket according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a biasing spring is adapted to bias said pivoting fork member alternatively into two positions, corresponding to said open-switch position and to said closed-switch position.