TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention is comprised in the sector of technologies for electrical connection
devices, namely, electrical components such as plugs, power outlets, and coupling
devices.
STATE OF THE ART AND PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED
[0002] According to the state of the art, a number of devices are known for making connections
between the plug of an electrical appliance (such as a lamp, a fan, an electric cooker,
a television set, a grinder, a drill, for example) and the corresponding power line
connection point or power outlet.
[0003] In that regard, as for the types of electric outlets existing worldwide, (both plugs
and sockets), these have been standardized in order to favor safety, guarantees, and
the capacity to replace devices. In fact, in Europe, there are mainly two types of
electric outlets: Type C, with a thin pin and ungrounded, and Type F, also referred
to as "schuko", with two pins which can be thin (3.2 mm in diameter) or thick (4.8
mm in diameter) and grounded on the side by contact and at the top by reception.
[0004] There are also standardization differences with respect to the size of recess-mounted
boxes and their devices, for example, the conventional rectangular box, originally
from the United States, has been replaced with a standard European square box.
[0005] Some electric outlets have side indentations in the body of the plug in which there
are inserted guides protruding on the inner side face of the power outlet and having
the same shape as the indentations of the plug to achieve a proper fitting and fixing.
[0006] Regardless of all that, all electric outlets s present an enormous functional drawback
that any user has ever experienced: the difficulty in connecting the plug in the power
outlet. It is often necessary to try to connect the plug several times until getting
the right position and inserting the male connectors of the plug into the holes of
the female connectors of the power outlet.
[0007] This difficulty can be augmented for a number of reasons, such as a lack of light
in the area where the power outlet is located or the fact that it is located behind
a piece of furniture or in some position that makes it hard to see. In particular,
people with impaired vision or the blind experience this problem.
[0008] All this generates the risk of, while concentrating on trying to make the connection,
the user accidentally touch the connector just when the connection is taking place
and he or she receives an electrical shock. To reduce this risk, in some plugs the
gripping area is well isolated from the metal pins, but this does not eliminate the
risk or the time and effort wasted in trying to make the mentioned connection.
[0009] In other words, the plug and power outlet connection process, basically, presents
the following difficulties:
- Factors that are external to the user; sometimes, power outlets are situated in hard-to-access
or low-visibility areas.
- If the user who normally makes the connection has impaired motor skills or vision
loss, the connection process presents an added difficulty.
[0010] In fact, with a conventional electric outlet the probability of making a successfully
connection on the first try is very low, so the user is forced to previously orient
the plug to make its pins coincide with the holes of the power outlet, or to turn
and push the plug against the body of the power outlet in an attempt to make the pins
coincide with the holes.
[0011] However, in relation to the described drawbacks, the power outlet with oriented connection
of the present invention incorporates a particular surface on the bottom of its body
which the user being able to connect the plug with the power outlet, eliminating the
previous need to orient the pins of the plug with the holes of the power outlet and
providing the following advantages:
- It simplifies the user's actions, because once contact is made between the pins of
the plug and the bottom of the power outlet, the user simply has to "push" the plug
against the power outlet instead of having to "push and turn" the plug simultaneously
in an attempt to make the pins coincide with the holes. The plug will turn by itself
when it is pushed as a result of the configuration of the bottom of the power outlet.
- It facilitates making the connection in hard-to-reach power outlets, power outlets
with lack or absence of illumination, and in general, when the connection process
scenario is complicated.
- It likewise facilitates making the connection in power outlets for users with impaired
motor or psychomotor skills, with impaired visual faculties or who are blind, and
generally when the user's intrinsic conditions hinder the connection process.
- The manufacture and installation of the power outlet with oriented connection is simple
and inexpensive.
- It is adaptable and compatible with all general-purpose electrical mechanisms. The
plugs of electrical appliances do not need to be changed. It is even compatible with
conventional power outlets that are already installed.
[0012] Continuing with the state of the art, utility model
CN201766233U discloses a power outlet with a shape that is intended to solve the plugging-in problem
when power outlets are at a certain depth. The disclosed outlet has a shape such that
the connection holes are located in an annular channel that serves as a guide for
the pins of the plug. The annular channel is at the intersection of a frustoconical
area and the bottom of the socket, so if the pins touch the frustoconical surface
they slide over it to the annular channel. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to
turn the male plug to find those mentioned holes.
[0013] In contrast, the power outlet of the present invention presents concave surfaces,
generating in the bottom "valleys" towards the holes, instead of the frustoconical
shape of the mentioned model. This shape is advantageous because while in the mentioned
model only the pins of the plug are positioned on the channel of the holes, in the
present invention without the need to previously orient the pins of the plug towards
the holes, with just a manual pushing movement perpendicular to the plane of the holes,
an automatic rotation is caused due to the relief of the concave surfaces arranged
in the bottom of the power outlet, such that said movement brings the pins of the
plug to the right position within the 360° of possibilities, without having to perform
the rotational movement "attempting to find the holes".
[0014] Furthermore, the mentioned utility model does not disclose a power outlet with a
geometry such that it allows for having a part that can be removed, inserted, and
interchanged in any conventional power outlet, as is the case of the present invention.
This provides evident and essential advantages, such as if changes in the furniture
of a room make an electric outlet be hidden, the insert can be taken to another electric
outlet.
[0015] Furthermore, another essential advantage of the power outlet of the present invention
compared to the mentioned utility model is how easy it is to install. In the case
of the mentioned utility model, in order to install it, the entire power outlet mechanism
must be changed and technical knowledge in electricity and specific tools are required.
In contrast, with the removable insert , according to the present invention, the conventional
power outlet that most buildings already have installed does not need to be changed
given that the assembly simply consist of removing an adhesive and adhering the insert
on the bottom of an existing conventional power outlet. This furthermore, results
in lower cost and better functionality.
[0016] The geometry of the insert, and, therefore, of the power outlet of the present invention,
without circular groove and with concave surfaces towards the holes of the female
connector, provides a better functional solution to the problem of making the two
pins coincide with the two holes.
[0017] Lastly, it can be deduced from the figures that the mentioned utility model is conceived
for a power outlet with a cable, a power strip, whereas in case of the present invention,
the power outlet is readily applicable to both power strips and to power outlets recess-mounted
in a wall.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The object of the present invention consists of a power outlet with oriented connection
which solves the drawbacks set forth above in a satisfactory manner.
[0019] The expression "power outlet" in this specification refers to the base of a socket
in which the female connectors are located.
[0020] The present invention relates to a power outlet with oriented connection made up
of the following elements (see the figures): a cover surrounding and a central main
body in the bottom of which there are holes of the female connectors for the connection
of male connectors (6) of the plug, and characterized by it allows to house an insert
detachably in its main body, being the insert the bottom of the power outlet.
[0021] The insert (see Figure 6) contains the holes (which coincide with the holes of the
main body) and has a surface having a relief with central symmetry created by a circular
concave surface, V-shaped circular valley or channel, the bottom (circle in Figure
3) of which passes through the connection holes, and such that the depth of said valley
is minimum at the points of the circle farthest away from the holes and maximum in
the holes, i.e., the depth increases towards each hole.
[0022] In the internal side walls of the main body of the power outlet there are indentations
which will coincide with the protruding sections that the plug has on its outer side
face such that they fit therein, guiding and fixing the plug in its last connection
path segment. The length of said indentations is such that it allows the ends of the
male connectors to first be positioned in the holes of the female connections.
[0023] With regard to fixing the insert so as to make it detachable in the main body of
the power outlet, the insert has two protruding areas opposite one another which fit
into the side indentations of the main body of the power outlet, similarly to how
the plug fits into said indentations. Furthermore, the insert can be fixed to the
main body with a system which allows it to subsequently be taken out, either by means
of screws or with an adhesive on the contact surfaces of the body of the power outlet
and the insert, making it possible to remove it and interchange it.
[0024] The advantages of the present invention are multiple, because with the part being
one that can be removed and interchanged, it can be taken out and used in several
power outlets, facilitating the connection process therein, so that, without the need
to previously orient the pins of the plug towards the holes, with just a manual pushing
movement on the plug against the bottom of the main body of the power outlet, the
plug is caused to rotate by the action of the pressure of the end of its pins on the
particular relief of the bottom, the circular concave surface, the function of which
is just generate a force vector oriented towards the connection holes, causing said
ends to readily slide directly towards same and bringing the pins to the right position
within the 360º of initial contact possibilities, and all that without having to make
rotational or turning movements "in an attempt to find the holes".
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] In order to better explain the object of the invention, the preferred embodiment
of the power outlet with oriented connection has been illustrated with several schematic
figures, which embodiment is a non-limiting illustrative example of the scope of the
invention, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of the power outlet with oriented connection.
Figure 2 shows a top front perspective view of the power outlet with oriented connection.
Figure 3 shows a front view of the power outlet with oriented connection.
Figure 4 shows a top front perspective view of a longitudinal section of the power
outlet with oriented connection.
Figure 5 shows a top view of a longitudinal section of the power outlet with oriented
connection.
Figure 6 shows a front perspective view of the power outlet with oriented connection
adaptable to conventional power outlets in which the insert has been separated from
the bottom so that it can be seen better.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] So that the present invention, a power outlet with oriented connection, can be clearly
understood and readily carried out to practice according to the fundamental idea thereof,
a description will be provided below making reference therein to the attached schematic
drawings that are part of said invention, taking into account that in all the figures
identical reference numbers indicate identical or corresponding elements; where they
are all purely illustrative and by no means limiting examples of the invention, wherein:
[0027] Figure 1, a front perspective view of the power outlet, shows the cover of the power
outlet (1), the main body (2) of the power outlet, the concave surface of the bottom
(3), the connection holes (4 and 4'), the plug (5), the male connectors (6 and 6'),
fixing screw (7), and grounding connection (8).
[0028] Figure 2, a top front perspective view of the power outlet, shows the main body (2)
of the power outlet and the concave surface of the bottom (3).
[0029] Figure 3, a front view of the power outlet, shows the concave surface of the bottom
(3) and the connection holes (4 and 4') and the circle which, passing through the
two connection holes (4 and 4'), is the projection of the bottom of the circular concave
surface, circular valley, or channel.
[0030] Figure 4, a top front perspective view of a longitudinal section of the power outlet,
shows the concave surface of the bottom (3), the connection holes (4 and 4'), and
the steep inclination of the concave surface towards the holes can be observed as
a result of the section plane.
[0031] Figure 5, a top view of a longitudinal section of the power outlet, shows the concave
surface of the bottom (3), the connection holes (4 and 4'), and the shape of the valley
can be observed as a result of the section plane through the holes.
[0032] Figure 6, a front perspective view of the power outlet with oriented connection adaptable
to conventional power outlets, shows how the insert has been separated from the bottom
in order to see it better, and it shows the cover of the power outlet (1), the body
(2) of the power outlet, the concave surface of the bottom (3), the connection holes
(4 and 4'), fixing screw (7), and grounding connection (8).
[0033] It can logically be assumed that when this invention is carried out to practice,
modifications referring to the construction, materials, and shape thereof can be introduced,
provided that they do not depart from the fundamental principles that are clearly
specified in the claims below.