Electrical Socket Design with Secure Latching Mechanism
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Summary
Problems
Existing electrical sockets do not provide a reliable connection with electrical plugs, leading to inadvertent disconnection.
Innovation solutions
An electrical socket design featuring a main dielectric casing, terminal units with resilient clamping arms, and a latching mechanism with engaging projections and releasing units to securely hold and release the plug prongs, preventing accidental disconnection.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If a simple terminal unit without latching mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of connection deteriorates leading to inadvertent disconnection
Why choose this principle:
The latching mechanism is nested within the terminal unit structure. The engaging projection on the clamping arm fits into a recess on the prong, with the releasing unit nested within the housing. This nested arrangement provides a reliable latching function without significantly increasing overall device complexity or footprint.
Principle concept:
If a simple terminal unit without latching mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of connection deteriorates leading to inadvertent disconnection
Why choose this principle:
The clamping arm with engaging projection automatically engages with the prong's recess upon insertion, providing self-latching functionality. The resilient nature of the clamping arm enables automatic engagement without requiring external actuation, thereby improving connection reliability while maintaining structural simplicity.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
An electrical socket design featuring a main dielectric casing, terminal units with resilient clamping arms, and a latching mechanism with engaging projections and releasing units to securely hold and release the plug prongs, preventing accidental disconnection.
Abstract
An electrical socket includes a pair of terminal units and a latching mechanism. Each of the terminal units includes resilient first and second clamping arms. The latching mechanism includes a pair of engaging projections, each of which is provided on the second clamping arm of a respective one of the terminal units, and a pair of releasing units, each of which is operable so as to move the second clamping arm of a respective one of the terminal units away from the first clamping arm of a respective one of the terminal units.