(19)
(11) EP 0 949 716 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
17.05.2000 Bulletin 2000/20

(43) Date of publication A2:
13.10.1999 Bulletin 1999/41

(21) Application number: 99301592.4

(22) Date of filing: 03.03.1999
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: H01R 13/60
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 08.04.1998 GB 9807447

(71) Applicant: Smiths Industries Public Limited Company
London, NW11 8DS (GB)

(72) Inventor:
  • Bagnall, Mark
    Yate, Bristol BS17 5LW (GB)

(74) Representative: Flint, Jonathan McNeill et al
765 Finchley Road
London NW11 8DS
London NW11 8DS (GB)

   


(54) Plug protectors


(57) A protector 1 for a mains electrical plug 2 has a plastics housing 10 pushed over the pins 22 to 24 of the plug. A spring metal plate 30 extends transversely across the housing having a tongue 32 inclined forwardly at an angle of about 10 degrees. The tongue 32 engages the earth pin 22 of the plug 2 and grips the pin to prevent it being pulled out rearwardly. The tongue 32 is released by a key 52 inserted in the protector 1 on the rear surface of the tongue and rotated to push the tongue forwardly out of engagement with the pin 22, thereby enabling the protector to be removed from the plug 2.






Search report