The present invention relates to electrical connectors of the type suitable for use with conventional two or three prong electrical plugs and, in particular, to such electrical connectors having incorporated therein means to prevent the accidental insertion of foreign objects which may touch an electrical contact contained therein causing an individual to receive an electrical shock.
Conventional electrical outlets generally have electrical conductors recessed in slotted apertures in order to allow a plug to be easily and removably connected thereto. However, in such devices the female conductors generally remain "hot" after removal of the plug and the slotted apertures within which they are housed afford curious youngsters an inviting receptacle in which to insert various objects they may come to find. Should any of these objects be of an electrically conductive material, there exists a high probability that the child will receive a painful electrical shock, which may cause burns or even prove fatal should the child be sufficiently well grounded. As every house, as well as most other buildings, have numerous such outlets installed in convenient floor level locations easily accessible to children, the magnitude of this potential hazard thereby created may be easily appreciated. Also, similar connectors are commonly supplied with various types of extension cords which afford additional sources of potential injury to children or other careless individuals.
One device commercially available which attempts to remove this potential hazard is an insulating type insert generally formed of a plastic composition and having prongs spaced so as to fit snugly into the slotted apertures and thereby seal the contacts from such foreign objects being accidently inserted. However, such devices can only be used on those receptacles not having an electrical appliance or the like operating thereform and, thus, it becomes relatively simple for a child to remove the plug and thereby gain access to the electrical contacts. Also, as the child will likely observe a parent or other such person remove and replace such devices, they become an added attraction for the curious minds of these children who, in attempting to mimic their parents, will readily learn how to remove the devices themselves. Further, such devices are inconvenient to use as they may be misplaced or lost when temporarily removed, or the individual may forget to replace them after unplugging the appliance.
Other attempts to provide such a safety outlet have employed rotatable caps either incorporated into the outlet itself or designed as part of a cover plate for use on conventional duplex outlets. Generally, such devices employ a rotatable cap having slotted apertures therein aligned to receive a conventional plug. The plug is first partially inserted into the rotatable cap, then turned normally on the order of 90.degree. so as to align the plug with a lower set of slotted apertures which allow the plug to be fully inserted. However, these safety outlets generally provide no biasing means to return the rotatable cap to its safe position when a plug is withdrawn and, therefore, require that the individual manually rotate the plug 90.degree. when withdrawing it in order to regain the safety baffle arrangement. Such devices are, therefore, inconvenient to use, and in addition, may inadvertently be left in the aligned position, thus defeating any protection which may otherwise be afforded. Further, even when some sort of biasing is provided, there is generally no provision to prevent rotation without first inserting a plug and the snapping sound of the return will serve further to attract children. The ingenious child will soon figure out that the outer cap may be easily rotated to gain access to the deeper receptacle as well as the live electrical contacts.
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages in providing a safety outlet having means which insure the outlet is returned to a safe position upon removal of the plug without the necessity of removing and reinstalling parts. In one embodiment of the present invention, a safety outlet is provided having means for locking a rotatable cap automatically when a plug is removed therefrom and further providing a unique sliding baffle arrangement which prevents the insertion of any foreign objects. Additionally, means are provided by which the plug may not be withdrawn without returning the rotatable cap to the closed position, thus insuring that the safety features of the receptacle will not be defeated by inadvertently forgetting to return the device to the protected position while eliminating the need for additional moving parts which necessarily increase production and product costs and are subject to breakage with age.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a sliding member is provided which affords a baffle arrangement preventing access to the electrical contacts unless actuated by the insertion of a plug. Additionally, latching means may be incorporated on the sliding member, thereby further insuring against actuation of the device by objects other than the prongs of a plug. In both cases, the sliding member is adapted to automatically return to the safe position upon withdrawal of the plug, thereby insuring that the outlet will not inadvertently be left in an unsafe position.
Further, the present invention also is adapted to be easily installed in place of existing duplex outlets or to replace conventional connectors on existing extension cords.
Additionally, the present invention effectively minimizes moving parts which may wear or break, thereby affording a durable product which may easily be manufactured at a cost comparable to conventional unprotected duplex outlets or extension cord connectors.
Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the drawings.