DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to an electric socket assembly having recesses that restrict the flexing of the electrical contacts.

BACKGROUND

An electric socket is employed to allow the plugging of an electric plug of an appliance to supply power to the appliance. The electric sockets include multiple electrical contacts that make contact with an electrical pin inserted into the electric socket via electrical pin holes. The electric contacts are designed to maintain contact pressure to ensure the electrical pin does not disengage from the electrical contact. Generally, the electrical contacts are made using thick metal plates to ensure the contact pressure.

There are various limitations associated with the current type of electrical contact. For instance, the electric sockets, owing to the use of thick metal plates, make electric sockets heavy. Moreover, the use of thicker electrical contact increases the overall cost of manufacturing the electric socket. One way to mitigate this issue is to reduce the thickness of the electric contact. However, reducing the thickness of the electrical contact increases the flexing of the electrical contact thereby reducing the contact pressure. The reduction of the contact pressure can result in intermittent separation of the electrical pin and electrical contact causing disruption in current flow.

Further, a reduction in the contact pressure limits the maximum current flow between the electrical pin and the electrical contact. Moreover, there may be a case where the insertion of the electrical pin may not be orthogonal to the pin holes and accordingly makes contact with the electrical contact at an angle. The angled insertion can cause the bending and permanent deformation of the electrical contact. Such a scenario may even render the electrical socket operable.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention nor is intended for determining the scope of the invention.

The present disclosure relates to an electric socket assembly. The electric socket assembly includes a recess that restricts the flexing of electrical contact when an electrical pin is inserted in the electric contact to ensure adequate contact pressure. The electric socket assembly also includes a wall that restricts the bending of the electric contact when the electrical pin is inserted in the electric contacts thereby preventing unwanted deformation.

In an embodiment, the electric socket assembly includes a housing having a plurality of seats. The electric socket assembly also includes a plurality of electric connectors disposed in the plurality of seats and adapted to electrically couple with a terminal of a power supply source. In addition, the electric socket assembly includes a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the plurality of seats. Further, each of the plurality of electrical contacts includes a base adapted to electrically couple to one of the plurality of electric connectors. In addition, the electrical contact includes a pair of receivers extending on either side of the base and forming a seat to receive an electrical pin, such that each receiver of the pair flex in response to the receipt of the electrical pin. The electrical contacts also include a pair of arms extending from the ends of the receiver and adapted to flex with the receiver and a recess formed at an edge of the plurality of seat and adapted to restrict the flexing of the pair of arms beyond a predetermined degree of flexing. The recess maintains predefined contact pressure between the electrical pin and the seat upon flexing to maintain contact between the electrical pin and the seat.

In an embodiment, the electric socket assembly includes a housing having a plurality of seats. The electric socket assembly also includes a plurality of electric connectors disposed in the plurality of seats and adapted to electrically couple with a terminal of a power supply source. In addition, the electric socket assembly includes a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the plurality of seats. Further, each of the plurality of electrical contacts includes a base adapted to electrically couple to one of the plurality of electric connectors. In addition, the electrical contact includes a pair of receivers extending on either side of the base and forming a seat to receive an electrical pin, such that each receiver of the pair flex in response to the receipt of the electrical pin. The electric socket assembly also includes at least one rib extending in the seat and is adapted to prevent the bending of the electrical pin with respect to the seat.

According to the present disclosure, the recess ensures that the flexing of the arms does not exceed a predetermined degree thereby maintaining adequate contact pressure between the seat and the electrical pin for maximum transmission of electrical contact. On the other hand, the ribs restrict the flexing as well as bending of the seat and in addition, the orthogonal insertion of the electrical pin in the seat thereby further reducing the instance of bending of the seat by the electrical pin.

To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a cross-section of an electric socket assembly showing internal components of the electric socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 2 illustrates a cross-section taken along lines 1-1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3 illustrates an electrical contact, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
Figure 4 illustrates a housing of the electric socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which invention belongs. The system and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

For example, the term “some” as used herein may be understood as “none” or “one” or “more than one” or “all.” Therefore, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would fall under the definition of “some.” It should be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and therefore, should not be construed to limit, restrict, or reduce the spirit and scope of the present disclosure in any way.

For example, any terms used herein such as, “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and similar grammatical variants do not specify an exact limitation or restriction, and certainly do not exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated. Further, such terms must not be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated, for example, by using the limiting language including, but not limited to, “must comprise” or “needs to include.”

Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do not preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language including, but not limited to, “there needs to be one or more...” or “one or more elements is required.”

Unless otherwise defined, all terms and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person ordinarily skilled in the art.

Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements of the present disclosure. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of explaining one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the proposed disclosure fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.

Use of the phrases and/or terms including, but not limited to, “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or other variants thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or in the context of more than one embodiment, or in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should not necessarily be taken as limiting factors to the proposed disclosure.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

For the sake of clarity, the first digit of a reference numeral of each component of the present disclosure is indicative of the Figure number, in which the corresponding component is shown. For example, reference numerals starting with digit “1” are shown at least in Figure 1. Similarly, reference numerals starting with digit “2” are shown at least in Figure 2.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate various views of an electric socket assembly 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Figure 1 illustrates a cross-section of the electric socket assembly 100 showing internal components of the electric socket assembly 100 whereas Figure 2 shows another cross-section of the electric socket assembly 100 taken along lines 1-1 in Figure 1. The electric socket assembly 100 may be employed to provide electrical power to an electrical appliance. The electric socket assembly 100 may be installed on a wall and may be electrically connected to an electric switch that closes or open the circuit. The electric socket assembly 100 may be adapted to receive an electric plug of an electric appliance to power the electrical appliance. The components of the electric socket assembly 100 are designed in such a way that an uninterrupted flow of electric current is maintained between the electric socket assembly 100 and the electric appliance. Further, the electric socket assembly 100 is designed to ensure that the insertion of the electric plug to the electric socket assembly 100 is orthogonal and thus does not damage the electric socket assembly 100.

The electric socket assembly 100 may include a housing 102 and a cover 104 that is structured to provide adequate restriction to the shutter to prevent inadvertent access to the electrical contacts. The housing 102 may form a major portion of the electric socket assembly 100 and house different components of the electric socket assembly 100. On the other hand, the cover 104 may cover the internal components in the housing 102. The cover 104 may also provide access to the housing 102. Accordingly, the cover 104 may include walls 104A having a plurality of locks 104B and the housing 102 may include a plurality of locking projections 102A, such that the locks may latch to the plurality of locking projections. Although not shown, the cover 104 may include holes that may provide access for electrical pins 108A, 108B, 108C commonly known as 108 hereinafter.

The electric socket assembly 100 may include a plurality of seat 110 formed on an inner surface of the housing 102. The seat 110 may be defined as depressions in the housing 102 which houses various components of the electric socket assembly 100 which receives and transmits the electric current therethrough. The electric socket assembly 100 may also include a plurality of electric connectors 112 that are disposed in a cavity 114 inside the seat 110. Further, the electric connectors 112 are coupled to various terminals of a power supply source (not shown). For instance, one of the electric connectors 112 can be a live wire connector 112A while another connector can be a neutral wire connector 112B. Further, yet another connector can be a ground wire connector 112C. As may be understood that while the live wire connector 112A and the neutral wire connector 112B are connected to the power supply source, the ground wire connector 112C is connected to a ground wire. Further, the construction of all the electric connector 112 is the same albeit the difference in size between the ground pin connector 112C and the live wire connector 112A or the ground wire connector 112B.

Referring now to Figure 2, the electrical pin connector 112A may have a cuboid shape and be installed in cavity 114 of the seat 110, such that the major portion of the electrical pin connector 112A is present in the cavity 114. Further, the cavity 114 and the electrical pin connector 112A are sized to have a press-fit therebetween to ensure no-relative play between the cavity 114 and the electrical pin connector 112A to prevent loosening of the electrical pin connector 112A inside the cavity 114. The electrical pin connector 112A may include a horizontal hole 116A to receive the wire. In addition, the electrical pin connector 112A may have a tightening hole 116B adapted to receive a fastener (not shown) to secure the wire inside the horizontal hole 116A. Moreover, the electrical pin connector 112A may include a tip that extrudes from a tip of the electrical pin connector 112A.

Referring back to Figure 1, the electric socket assembly 100 may include a plurality of electrical contacts 118 that are disposed in the seat 110. The electric contacts 118 are configured to make contact with the electrical pins 108 to allow the flow of current from the electrical contacts 118 to the electrical pins 108. The electrical contact 118 can be a live pin electrical contact 118A that connects to the live wire connector 112A or a neutral pin electrical contact 118B that connects to the neutral wire connector 112B. Further, one of the electrical contacts 118 is a ground pin electrical contact 118C that connects to the ground wire connectors 112C. Further, as shown in Figure 1, the structure of the live pin electrical contact 118A and the neutral pin electrical contact 118B are the same while the structure of the ground pin electrical contact 118C may be different from the live pin electrical contact 118A and the neutral pin electrical contact 118B.

Details of the electrical contact 118 are explained with respect to Figures 1 and 2 in conjunction with Figure 3 which shows a perspective view of the electrical contact 118. Further, the structure of the live pin electrical contact 118A and the neutral pin electrical contact 118B are the same and the following description is applicable to the live pin electrical contact 118A, the neutral pin electrical contact 118B, and the ground pin electrical contact 118C. The electrical contact 118 may include a base 120 that may be electrically coupled to the electrical connector 112. For instance, the base 120 may include a ring 120A which receives the tip 122 of the electrical connector 112. Further, the base 120 may have an L-shaped stepped profile. The electrical contact 118 may include a pair of receiver 124 that ends from either side of the base 120. Further, the receivers 124 are extensions that extend from an end of the base 120. The receivers 124 are designed to form a bowl 126 in which the electrical pin 108 is received. Each receiver 124 may include a flange 128 that extends upward from a top edge of the receiver 124. As shown in Figure 4, the flange 128 forms an opening for the bowl 126. Further, the flange 128 and the receiver 124 may have a curved profile that complements the shape of the electrical pin 108, although other shapes may also be envisioned.

With respect to the ground pin electrical contact 118C, the ground pin electrical contact 118C may also include a base 120 and a pair of receivers 124, as shown in Figure 1, which may have a different structure from the base 120 and the pair of receivers 124 of the live pin electrical contact 118A and the neutral pin electrical contact 118B. Moreover, the base 120 and the pair of receivers 124 of the ground pin electrical contact 118C may have similar functional aspects that of the base 120 and the pair of receivers 124 of the live pin electrical contact 118A and the neutral pin electrical contact 118B.

Referring back to Figure 4, the electrical contact 118 may include a pair of arms 130 that may extend from the ends of the receiver 124. The arms 130 are the open ends of the bowl 126. According to the present disclosure, the thickness of the electrical contact 118 from the base to the arms 130 is constant and is in the range from 3 millimetres to 5 millimetres. As a result, the receivers 124 may flex away from each other when the electrical pin 108 is inserted in the bowl 126. The receivers 124 may flex to widen the bowl 126 and to apply a contact pressure on the electrical pin 108. The pair of arms 130 also deflect with the receiver 124 to accommodate the electrical pin 108.

The flexing of the receiver 124 should be restricted to maintain a predetermined amount of contact pressure applied by the bowl 126 to the electrical pin 108 to ensure maximum current flow from the bowl 126 to the electrical pin 108. Moreover, the electrical pin 108 can enter the bowl 126 at an angle which can cause the receiver 124 to bend in addition to the flexing. The predetermined contact pressure is ensured by the restricting the flexing of the arms and bending of the receiver 124. In order to restrict the bending and flexing of the housing 102 has various structure implements that restrict the flexing and prevent the bending of the receiver 124 which are shown clearly in Figure 4.

Specifically, Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the housing 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The housing 102 includes the seat 110 to house the electrical contacts 118 and the seat 110 includes the cavity 114 to house the electrical connectors 112. In one example, the seat 110 is a live pin seat 110A, a neutral pin seat 110B, and a ground pin seat 110C that are adapted to receive the live pin electrical contact 118A, the neutral pin electrical contact 118B, and the ground pin electrical contact 118C. The electrical socket assembly 100 may include a recess 132 formed on an end of the seat 110. The recess 132 may be adapted to receive the pair of arms 130. The recess 132 may include a pair of side walls 134 and a bottom wall 136. Further, the pair of arms 130 contact the side walls 134 when the receiver 124 flexes upon the receipt of the electrical pin 108. The recess 132 is sized to ensure that the flexing of the receiver 124 does not exceed the predetermined degree so that predetermined contact pressure is maintained between the bowl 126 and the electrical pin 108. The predefined contact pressure is maintained to maintain continuous contact between the electrical pin 108 and the receiver 124 (shown in Figure 2). Further, the predefined contact pressure is based on a width of the recess 132.

During the insertion of the electrical pin 108, the electrical pin 108 pushes the receiver 124 outward causing the receiver 124 and the arms 130 to flex outwardly. The outward flexing of the arms 130 causes the arms to expand in the recess 132 and make contact with the side walls 134. Upon making the contact, the recess 132 physically restricts the outward flexing of the arms 130 resulting in reactive force from the arm 130 and receiver 124 on the electrical pin resulting in the application of the predetermined contact pressure on the electrical pin 108. In case of the ground electrical pin 108C, the walls of the ground pin seat 110C are adapted to restrict the flexing of the pair of receiver 124 beyond a predetermined degree of flexing

In addition to the recess 132, the electrical socketing assembly 100 may include one or more ribs 138 that extend vertically along a length L (shown in Figure 4) of the seat 110. Referring now to Figure 2, the ribs 138 may be spaced from a wall 140 of the seat by a distance equal to a length of the bowl 126, such that the ribs 138 may abut the edges of receivers 124. The ribs 138 may have a curved area 138A along a plane view or vertical plane that conforms with the shape of the receiver 124. During the insertion of the electrical pin 108, the electrical pin 108 may pass through the bowl 126 and may contact the ribs 138. The ribs 138 being integrated with the housing 102 prevents any change in the inclination of the electrical pin 108. Moreover, the ribs 138 may guide the electrical pin 108 orthogonally into the bowl 126. In addition to the ribs 138, the bottom wall 136 of the recess 132 makes contact with the arms 130 when the receiver 124 bends thereby preventing the motion of the arms 130 thus restricting the bending of the receiver 130. In addition, the curved area 138A regulates the insertion of the electrical pin 108 since the curved area 138A is shaped as per the curved outer surface of the electrical pin 108. As a result, in case the electrical pin 108 is inserted at an angle, the electrical pin 108 pushes against the curved area 138A and consequently, the curved area 138A would reject the insertion of the electrical pin 108. On the other hand, in case the electrical pin 108 is inserted orthogonal to the bowl 126, the electrical pin 108 will not push against the curved area 138A and consequently, the electrical pin 108 would enter the bowl 126 smoothly.

According to the present disclosure, the recess 132 along with the ribs 138 ensures that uninterrupted connection between the electrical pin 108 and the bowl 126. In addition, the recess 132 enables the application of predetermined contact pressure to allow transmission of the maximum amount of electrical current. On the other hand, the ribs 138 prevent any deformation of the receiver 124 due to incorrect insertion of the electrical pin 108. Thus, the recess 132 and the ribs 138 enable the use of thin electrical contacts 118 while maintaining the robustness of the electrical socket assembly 100

While specific language has been used to describe the present disclosure, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.
,CLAIMS:1. An electric socket assembly (100) comprising:
a housing (102) having a plurality of seats (110);
a plurality of electric connectors (112) disposed in the plurality of seats (110) and adapted to electrically couple with a terminal of power supply source;
a plurality of electrical contacts (118) disposed in the plurality of seats (110), wherein each of the plurality of electrical contacts (118) comprising:
a base (120) adapted to couple to one of the plurality of electric connectors (112);
a pair of receivers (124) extending from either side of the base (120) and forming a bowl to receive an electrical pin (108) of an electric plug; and
at least one rib (138) extending along a length in the seat and adapted to restrict bending of the electrical pin (108) with respect to the seat.

2. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the electrical contacts (118) comprises a pair of arms (130) extending from ends of the receiver (124) and adapted to deflect with the receiver.

3. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 2, comprising a recess (132) formed at an edge of the plurality of seats (110) and adapted to restrict bending of the seat with respect to the electrical pin (108).

4. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the recess (132) maintains a predefined contact pressure between the electrical pin (108) and the seat to maintain continuous contact between the electrical pin (108) and the seat.

5. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the predefined contact pressure is based on a width of the recess (132).

6. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of each receiver (124) of the pair is within a range of 3 millimetres to 5 millimetres.

7. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each receiver (124) has a curved profile extending between the base (120) and the arm (130) of the pair.

8. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each seat includes a cavity (114) to house the electric connector (112) from amongst the plurality of electric connectors (112).

9. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each receiver (124) comprises a flange (128) extending from a top edge of the receiver, wherein the flange (128) defines an opening of the bowl (126).

10. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein a maximum current flow from the seat to the electrical pin (108) is based on the predefined contact pressure.

11. The electric socket assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one rib (138) includes a curved area (138A) adapted to regulate the insertion of the electrical pin (108).