Variable orientation switching type electrical receptacle
US5967815A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S439/954
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electrical receptacle includes a housing that is defined by identical nonconductive housing halves which are held in side-by-side assembled relationship by a metal mounting bracket. The mounting bracket carries a ground wire connection screw that extends through a rear wall of the housing and threads into a threaded rear end region of a metal post which extends centrally through the housing to provide a threaded front end region configured to receive a cover plate mounting screw. Two nonconductive rotors are journaled by the housing for independent rotation between "off" positions and various "on" orientations for selectively supplying electrical energy to sets of female contacts that are carried by the rotors. A leaf spring is carried within the hollow interior of the housing for engaging detent formations of the rotors for releasably retaining the rotors in "off" and "on" orientations. The rotor carried contacts have front end regions that are configured to receive and conductively engage the metal prongs of conventional male plugs, and rear end regions that are configured to selectively engage forwardly facing conductive surfaces provided on at least one circuit board which i…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.