Plug count limiter for cables
US12322912B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 2023 |
| Grant date | Jun 3, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 28, 2044 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01R2103/00
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A cable connector for counting a number of plug-in events and preventing further plug in attempts after a threshold number of plug-in events have occurred. An inner sleeve is located inside an outer sleeve, and is designed to move relative to the outer sleeve. The inner sleeve further includes a tab on an outer surface of the inner sleeve. A gear wheel is located inside the outer sleeve and perpendicular to the inner sleeve and has a number of gear teeth. A toggle plug counter rotates the gear wheel one tooth in response to a plug-in action of the cable counter. When the gear wheel rotates to a point where the tab aligns with a notch in the gear wheel an inner spring at the opposite end of the inner sleeve causes the inner sleeve to move through the gear wheel such that further plugging action becomes difficult.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.