Patent US6231358B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6231358B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical plug and receptacle having safety features
Assignee: Angelo Fan Brace Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 2000-04-19
•
Granted: 2001-05-15
•
Expires: 2020-04-19
Abstract
Abstract An electrical plug and receptacle having safety features is provided. The plug includes a body, at least two conductors, and a skirt. The conductors extend from the body and are laterally surrounded by the skirt. The skirt is retractable into the body so that when the plug is used with a conventional receptacle, the skirt retracts into the body as the conductors are inserted the sockets of the receptacle, shielding a user from inadvertently touching the conductors. The plug further includes a toggle stop that locks the skirt into its fully extended position for using the plug with a safety electrical outlet assembly of the present invention. The safety outlet assembly includes a cover and a receptacle adapted to be secured to an electrical junction box. The receptacle has a receiver adapted to matingly engage the skirt on the safety plug. The cover is removably secured to the receptacle and includes an aperture having a periphery spaced-apart from the outer periphery of the receiver to define an opening for receiving a skirt of a safety plug.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack Russell Kerr, Jr.
- 👤 Barton A. Pasternak
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:02
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R24/00; H01R24/66; H01R13/00; H01R13/44; H01R13/447; H01R13/453; H01R13/4538; H01R33/00; H01R33/74; H01R33/76; H01R33/765
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
An electrical plug, comprising: a body having a core and a cap secured to the core, the core having a front face; a plurality of conductors engaged with the core, each conductor having a contact portion extending away from the front face in substantially parallel relation to the other conductors; a retractable skirt slidably engaging the core, the skirt having an inner peripheral surface and a free end, the skirt having an extended position wherein the free end is located distal from the front face of the core and the inner peripheral surface and the front face define a cavity substantially containing the contact portions of the conductors, and the skirt having a retracted position wherein the free end is located proximal to front face; and at least one stop located on the cap selectively engaging the skirt, the at least one stop for locking the skirt into its extended position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
An electrical plug, comprising: a body having a core and a cap secured to the core, the core having a front face; a plurality of conductors engaged with the core, each conductor having a contact portion extending away from the front face in substantially parallel relation to the other conductors; a retractable skirt slidably engaging the core, the skirt having an inner peripheral surface and a free end, the skirt having an extended position wherein the free end is located distal from the front face of the core and the inner peripheral surface and the front face define a cavity substantially containing the contact portions of the conductors, and the skirt having a retracted position wherein the free end is located proximal to front face; and at least one stop located on the cap selectively engaging the skirt, the at least one stop for locking the skirt into its extended position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electrical plug of claim 1 wherein the skirt is biased into its extended position by at least one spring extending between the skirt and the body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrical plug of claim 1 wherein the plug comprises an adapter plug and the plurality of conductors having a plurality of sockets for receiving a plurality of conductors of another plug.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
The electrical plug of claim 1 wherein the core has an outer peripheral surface and the cap comprises a base portion and a sleeve portion, the base portion secured to the core, the sleeve portion having an inner peripheral surface located outwardly adjacent and laterally spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the core, the space between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces forming a recess for receiving the skirt when the skirt is in its retracted position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical plug of claim 4 further comprising at least one spring located within the recess, the spring biasing the skirt toward its extended position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electrical plug of claim 4 wherein the stop comprises a toggle pivotally attached to the sleeve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA500643A
Cited
IT527883A
Cited
USRE18193E
Cited
US714869A
Cited
US1170959A
Cited
US1212699A
Cited
US1435819A
Cited
FR571081A
Cited
DE435907C
Cited
US2059008A
Cited
DE722858C
Cited
DE850166C
Cited
US2386177A
Cited
US2410618A
Cited
US2396901A
Cited
GB628647A
Cited
US2477862A
Cited
GB645816A
Cited
GB703093A
Cited
US3046512A
Cited
US3157450A
Cited
US3199060A
Cited
GB965353A
Cited
US3328745A
Cited
US3315214A
Cited
US3281758A
Cited
US3271727A
Cited
FR1463131A
Cited
DE1665408A1
Cited
US3629791A
Cited
US3562696A
Cited
US3764957A
Cited
US3795883A
Cited
US3885849A
Cited
US3926499A
Cited
US3953099A
Cited
DE2758806A1
Cited
US4304457A
Cited
US4284312A
Cited
US4420209A
Cited
US4403824A
Cited
US4725240A
Cited
US4810199A
Cited
US4934963A
Cited
US5160281A
Cited
US5282757A
Cited
US5222899A
Cited
US5248268A
Cited
US5413506A
Cited
US5564951A
Cited
US5599196A
Cited
US6062881A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-14 | 2004-11-13 | 2005-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-14 | 2008-11-13 | 2009-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-14 | 2012-11-13 | 2013-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |