Plug retainer for mounting plug ends

Abstract

A plug holder for mounting a male plug end of a marine battery charger on a marine vessel comprises an outer shell, a removable sleeve and a rear stop. The outer shell has a front end defining a plug opening and a rear end defining a rear opening, wherein the outer shell is attachable to the hull and is configured to retain the male plug end of the marine battery charger within the outer shell so that it is accessible through the plug opening. The removable sleeve is assembled within the outer shell and is shaped to secure the male plug end within the outer shell so that the male plug end does not move when connected or disconnected with the male plug end. The rear stop is removably connected to the rear end of the outer shell to cover the rear opening. The rear stop is configured to retain the removable sleeve and the male plug end within the outer shell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application generally relates to systems and apparatus for mounting plug ends on systems and vehicles, such as marine vessels, and more particularly to plug retainers for mounting the plug end of a marine battery charger to a surface of a system or vehicle, such as a hull. Background Art

[0002] Marine vessels have electrical systems powered by one or more batteries on board that store electricity. The batteries need to be charged, and many marine vessels have onboard marine battery charging systems installed. The onboard marine battery charger is configured to be connected to shore power to facilitate charging the batteries. The marine battery charger has a cable with a male plug end, which is configured to be plugged into a shore power socket or into an extension cable connected to the shore power supply. Similarly, many types of systems and vehicles include batteries that need to be connected to a power socket and a marine charging system, and the battery charger has a cable with a male plug end, which is configured to be plugged into a power socket or into an extension cable connected to a power supply. Summary of the invention

[0003] This Summary is provided to introduce selected concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to help limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] One embodiment of a plug holder for mounting a male plug end of a marine battery charger on a marine vessel comprises an outer shell, a removable sleeve, and a rear stop. The outer shell has a front end defining a plug opening and a rear end defining a rear opening, wherein the outer shell is attachable to the hull and is configured to retain the male plug end of the marine battery charger within the outer shell so that it is accessible through the plug opening. The removable sleeve is assembled within the outer shell and is shaped to secure the male plug end within the outer shell so that the male plug end does not move when connected or disconnected with the male plug end. The rear stop is removably connected to the rear end of the outer shell to cover the rear opening. The rear stop is configured to retain the removable sleeve and the male plug end within the outer shell.

[0005] In another embodiment, a plug holder for mounting a male plug end of a battery charger on a vehicle includes an outer shell having a front end defining a plug opening and a rear end defining a rear opening. The outer shell is attachable to a hull and is configured to hold the male plug end of the battery charger in the outer shell so that it can be accessed through the plug opening. A removable sleeve is assembled in the outer shell and is shaped to fix the male plug end in the outer shell so that it does not move when connected or disconnected with the male plug end. The removable sleeve is configured to receive the male plug end only in an upright orientation. At least one key element is provided on the removable sleeve, which is configured to cooperate with a corresponding key element on the inner wall of the outer shell. The key element and the corresponding key element are configured to require that the removable sleeve can only be inserted into the outer shell in a predetermined orientation, and the predetermined orientation maintains the male plug end in an upright orientation. A rear stopper is removably connected to the rear end of the outer shell to cover the rear opening. The rear stopper is configured to hold the removable sleeve and the male plug end in the outer shell.

[0006] Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The present disclosure is described with reference to the following figures.

[0008] Figure 1 One embodiment of a plug holder mounted to a surface of a boat hull is depicted in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 2 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a plug retainer.

[0010] Figure 3A-3B A cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a plug retainer is depicted.

[0011] Figure 4 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a plug retainer according to the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a plug retainer according to the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 6A-6B Another view of one embodiment of a plug retainer according to the present disclosure is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The inventors have recognized that existing devices and systems for installing plug ends of battery chargers on marine vehicles and other types of vehicles are defective and problematic. For example, available plug holders cannot fixedly hold plug ends, such as the male plug end of a marine battery charger, and therefore the plug end moves around and / or leaves the plug holder when the user connects and disconnects the plug end. For example, many existing plug holder designs do not have a mechanism to hold the plug end in the holder when the user disconnects from the plug end (such as disconnecting the female extension cable end from the male plug end), and therefore the male plug end is pulled out of the plug holder during disconnection. This requires the user to perform a multi-step operation, in which the user pulls the extension cable and pulls the male plug end of the cable out of the holder, and must disconnect the male plug end and the female plug end with both hands. Then, the user must push the male plug end back into the plug holder. Other solutions provide a plate or other element in front of the male plug end to hold it in the holder, which has the undesirable effect of shortening the pin length by placing a non-conductive portion between the male plug end and the female plug end. Although the examples described herein are with respect to installations on marine vessels, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the systems and devices described herein may be installed on any type of vehicle or vessel and that such embodiments are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0015] The inventors have recognized additional problems with existing plug holders, including that current plug holders cannot accommodate a variety of many different types of plug geometries. Therefore, the inventors have endeavored to develop a universal AC plug holder for mounting a plug end of a marine battery charger to a marine vessel that can be used with any of a variety of different plug geometries and that securely holds the plug end within the holder so that the plug end remains stable during connection and disconnection to the plug end.

[0016] Figure 1 -6 depicts an embodiment of a plug retainer according to the present disclosure. Figure 1A plug holder 10 is shown mounted on a surface 8 on a marine vessel. The plug holder 10 holds the male plug end 2 of a marine battery charger and mounts it to the marine vessel so that a user can easily connect and disconnect the male plug end 2 and the male plug end 2 will remain in place within the plug holder 10. The male plug end 2 is accessible through a plug opening 23. The plug holder 10 has an outer housing 20 that is fixedly connected to a flat surface 8 on the vessel by a plurality of screws 12. The screws 12 pass through a flange 26 of the outer housing 20. The flange 26 is configured with screw recesses 28 on a front face 27 of the flange 26, each of which receives a screw 12. In the illustrated embodiment, three screws 12 are used to secure the plug holder 10 to the surface 8. In other embodiments, a fewer or greater number of screws may be used.

[0017] Also refer to Figure 2 , the plug holder 10 has an elongated cylindrical body consisting of an outer shell 20 and a rear stop 80. The flange 26 is connected to and extends from the front end 21 of the outer shell 20 and is configured to be connected to the surface 8 of the marine vessel. In the depicted embodiment, the back side 30 ( Figure 3A and Figure 4 ) is opposite to the surface 8, and the cylindrical outer shell 20 extends through the circular hole in the surface, so that the plug holder 10 mounts the male plug end 2 to the surface 8 of the hull, making the plug end easily accessible and protected from the harsh marine environment. The plug holder 10 includes a covering element 60, which has a cover 62 that closes and covers the plug opening 23. Specifically, the cover 62 has a connecting edge 63, which is configured to connect with the front end 21 of the outer shell 20, thereby closing the plug opening 23 to protect the plug end 2. In the described embodiment, the connecting edge 63 of the cover 62 includes a ridge 64, such as composed of a flexible plastic or rubber material, which is configured to provide a friction fit with the first inner circumference 31 of the front end 21 of the outer shell 20. For example, the cover 62 can be tightly fitted to the outer shell 20 to provide a waterproof or watertight seal with the front end 21 of the outer shell 20.

[0018] The cover element 60 includes a protrusion 66 that is configured to allow a user to grasp the cover 62 in order to open and close the cover 62 over the plug opening 23. The cover element 60 also includes a tether 68 that connects the cover 62 to the rest of the plug holder 10. The tether 68 includes a flexible extension 70 that bends to allow the cover 62 to be connected to the front end 21. The tether can be made of a rubber material of a specific hardness so that the tether forms a gasket between the face 30 and the mounting surface 8. The tether 68 also includes a ring 69 that is configured to be connected around the outer shell 20, wherein the extension 70 extends from the ring 69 and can form a sealing gasket required to prevent water from entering the interior of the mounting surface 8. The ring 69 has an inner diameter that is configured to slide over the length of the rear end 22 and the outer shell 20. The tether 68 has a front face 71 (see Figure 4 and Figure 5 ). Thus, the covering element 60 is fixedly mounted between the flange 26 and the surface 8 on the marine vessel.

[0019] The plug holder 10 generally includes an outer shell 20, a removable sleeve 40 configured to fit within the outer shell 20, and a rear stop 80 removably connected to the rear end 22 of the outer shell 20 and configured to retain the removable sleeve 40 within the outer shell 20. Certain embodiments of the plug holder 10 may also include a covering element 60 as shown and described herein. The removable sleeve 40 is shaped to secure the plug end 2 within the outer shell 20. The plug end 2 can be a male plug end having live and neutral pins 3 and a grounding post 4, as may be provided in any of the different standard plug configurations. The plug end 2 has a molded plastic head having a substantially flat top side and two substantially flat side portions 5 extending perpendicularly from the top side. Although the plug head can take a variety of shapes, Figure 2 The shape depicted in FIG. 1 depicts a typical male plug head configuration. The plug head has a circular bottom 6 that holds and accommodates the grounding post 4.

[0020] Normally, the plug head is maintained in an upright orientation, i.e. Figure 1 and Figure 2Orientation shown. The inventors have recognized that users greatly prefer the upright orientation. In addition, the inventors have recognized that existing plug retainers allow the plug head to be installed in different positions, such as sideways or upside down, which is undesirable for users. Therefore, the inventors have developed the plug retainer disclosed herein, which has features that prevent the plug end from being installed in an incorrect orientation, in which the plug end is not in a standard upright orientation. The plug retainer 10 is configured to require the plug end 2 to be in an upright orientation and maintain it in an upright orientation, in which the prongs 3 are horizontally positioned relative to each other and positioned above the grounding post 4, which is oriented at the 6 o'clock position. Ensuring the correct upward orientation of the cover provides the additional benefit of protecting the mounting surface. Wherein the cover opens upward against gravity so that when it is released it falls, partially covering the plug connection or hole 23 to prevent or reduce downward rainwater from entering the mounting surface 8 through the plug opening 23.

[0021] The removable sleeve 40 is an elongated c-shaped element having an opening 44 on its top side. The size of the opening 44 is set to allow the removable sleeve 40 to slide onto the cable 1 and slide on the cable so that the removable sleeve can then slide on the male plug end 2. In one embodiment, the opening 44 has a width between 23.5mm and 24.5mm. The removable sleeve 40 is shaped to fit tightly around the plug end 2 so as to hold it in place within the outer shell 20. The removable sleeve 40 is wrapped around the male plug end 2. The c-shaped removable sleeve 40 has a front end 41 and a rear end 42 and a cavity 43, which is shaped to receive the plug end 2. The removable sleeve 40 is configured to slide into the outer shell 20, wherein the front end 41 slides through the rear opening 24 at the rear end 22 of the outer shell 20 and slides toward the front end 21 of the outer shell 20. The removable sleeve 40 is slid onto the plug end 2 and the assembled mating components are inserted into the outer housing 20 before sliding the removable sleeve 40 into the outer housing 20. The cavity 43 has a bottom edge 46 configured to receive the bottom 6 of the plug end 2.

[0022] The c-shaped removable sleeve 40 is compressible so as to grip the sides of the male plug end and provide a strong frictional engagement with the plug end 2 and maintain the plug end in place when connecting or disconnecting with the plug end. Figure 3AAs best shown, the outer housing 20 has a tapered inner wall 35 that is configured to compress the c-shaped removable sleeve 40 as the removable sleeve 40 slides toward the front end 21 of the outer housing 20. The compression on the removable sleeve 40 causes the removable sleeve to grip the plug end 2, and in particular, press the side edges 45a and 45b against the sides 5a and 5b, respectively, of the plug end 2. This frictional engagement prevents the plug end 2 from being pulled outwardly out of the removable sleeve 40 and / or the outer housing 20 when the female end is disconnected from the male plug end 2.

[0023] Also refer to Figure 4 , the removable sleeve 40 has a collar 49 at the rear end 42, which is configured to engage the rear lip 7 of the plug end 2 and prevent the plug end 2 from moving rearwardly within the removable sleeve 40 and / or the outer housing 20 when the female plug end is connected to the plug end. Specifically, the rear lip 50 of the collar 49 engages the rear lip 7 of the plug end 2 to resist the rearward force exerted on the plug end 2 (such as during connection) and generally maintain the plug end 2 tightly within the plug holder 10.

[0024] The plug holder 10 includes a rear stopper 80 that is removably connected to the rear end 22 of the outer shell 20 to cover the rear opening 24 thereof. The rear stopper 80 has a front end 81 and a rear end 82, wherein the front end 81 slides into the rear end 22 of the outer shell 20. The rear end 82 of the rear stopper 80 has a back surface 86 that forms the outer back side of the plug holder 10 and a front surface 85 that engages the rear end 42 of the sleeve 40. Thus, the rear stopper 80 is configured to tightly hold the removable sleeve 40 within the outer shell 20. Any rearward force on the removable sleeve 40 can be transferred to the rear stopper 80 fixed to the rear end 22 of the outer shell 20. In the example shown, the rear stopper 80 is fixed to the outer shell 20 via a threaded engagement between the threads 89 on the rear stopper and the threads 39 on the outer shell 20. Thus, the attachment of the rear stopper 80 includes screwing the rear stopper onto the rear end 22 of the outer shell 20.

[0025] As described above, the removable sleeve 40 is configured to receive the plug end 2 only in an upright orientation, and the plug holder 10 is generally configured to be able to install the plug end only in an upright orientation. To this end, the removable sleeve 40 has a key element that is configured to cooperate with a corresponding key element on the inner wall of the outer shell 20. The key element and the corresponding key element are configured to require that the removable sleeve can only be inserted into the outer shell in a predetermined orientation, which maintains the male plug end in an upright orientation. Various key elements can be used for this purpose, which are configured to connect in a mating manner and have complementary shapes and otherwise prevent the removable sleeve 40 from being installed into the outer shell 20 in an incorrect orientation. As shown in FIG. Figure 4As best shown in FIG. 4 , the key element on the removable sleeve 40 may be a ridge 48, such as a ridge 48 toward the rear end 52 of the removable sleeve 40 but before the narrowed collar portion 49. The corresponding key element on the outer housing 20 is a groove 38 on its inner wall. Figure 5 As shown, the groove 38 is sized to receive the ridge 48, such as having a length and width that is complementary to and receives the ridge 48. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable sleeve 40 has two key elements, which include two ridges 48, each of which is received at a corresponding groove 38 on the tapered inner wall 35. In other embodiments, various key element configurations may be utilized.

[0026] The rear stop 80 has an opening 83 that allows the cable 1 to extend out the back side of the plug holder 10, but prevents the plug end 2 from leaving, such as due to a rearward force on the plug end. In one embodiment, the plug holder 10 is configured so that the removable sleeve 40 can be removed so that the outer shell 20 and the rear stop 80 can alone retain the plug end 2 therein, which can be loosely retained depending on the configuration of the plug end. Figure 5 An embodiment is depicted in which a large plug end 2 ′ is inserted into an outer housing 20 .

[0027] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the plug end 2' and the plug holder 10 is depicted. The particular plug end 2' is a proprietary plug end 2' that is a Guest Connect Battery Charger provided by Power Products of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. TM The Guest Connect plug end 2' is oversized compared to most standard plug ends, and in one embodiment, the outer housing 20 may be specifically configured to receive the plug end when the removable sleeve 40 is removed. Specifically, the third inner circumference 33 is configured to accommodate the diameter P of the plug end 2', and the inner length B (see Figure 3B) is configured to accommodate the length of the guest connect plug end 2'. The plug holder 10 is configured so that the rear stop 80 fits against the rear edge 94 of the plug end 2', and the opening 83 in the rear stop is configured to accommodate the diameter Q of the plug end 2'. Specifically, when the rear stop 80 is screwed into the outer shell 20, the front end 81 of the rear stop 80 is opposite to the rear edge 94 of the plug end 2'. Therefore, the plug end 2' is tightly maintained within the plug holder 10. To provide only one exemplary embodiment, the length B can be in the range of about 44.86 mm to about 45.06 mm, and the diameter G can be in the range of about 36.97 mm to about 37.17 mm.

[0028] In some embodiments, the plug end 2' and the outer shell 20 may include a key element that is configured to require the plug end 2' to be inserted in an upright orientation and to maintain the plug end 2' in the upright orientation. In the example shown, the plug end 2 has a protrusion 97 extending outwardly therefrom. The outer shell 20 has a groove 98 that receives the protrusion 97. Therefore, the plug end 2' can only be inserted in an orientation where the protrusion 97 slides into the groove 98, which is the upright orientation.

[0029] The outer housing 20 is sized to accommodate the entire plug end, including the pins 3 and the ground post 4, within the outer housing cavity. Figure 3B An exemplary embodiment is depicted, and exemplary dimensions are provided to further illustrate a particular embodiment. However, in light of the present disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various dimensions may be provided to accommodate different plug ends 2. In this example, the outer shell 20 has a tapered circumference 31-33 toward the front end that accommodates various aspects. The first inner circumference 31 accommodates and forms a plug opening 23 having a diameter J, which in one embodiment is in the range of 38.75 mm to 38.95 mm. On the opposite side of the second inner circumference 32, a stopper for a removable sleeve 40 is provided. In one embodiment, the second inner circumference 32 has a diameter E in the range of 35.45 mm to 35.65 mm. The third inner circumference 33 is sized to accommodate the front end 41 of the removable sleeve 40. In one embodiment, the third inner circumference 33 has a diameter G in the range of 36.97 mm to 37.17 mm.

[0030] As described above, the outer housing 20 has a tapered inner wall 35 that is configured to accommodate and compress the removable sleeve 40. The tapered inner wall 35 narrows from an initial diameter I in the range of 38.21 mm to 38.41 mm to the narrower diameter G described above. At the rear end, the tapered inner wall 35 of the outer housing has a thickness H in the range of 2.96 mm to 3.16 mm, and at the front end has a thickness F in the range of 3.58 mm to 3.78 mm. The inner diameter C of the collar 49 is in the range of 16.53 mm to 16.73 mm. The inner diameter D of the opening 83 in the rear stop 80 is in the range of 18.19 mm to 18.39 mm.

[0031] In some embodiments, a keying element may be provided on the cover element 60, such as on the tether 68, to secure the cover element 60 to the outer shell 20. Figure 6A-6B In the embodiment shown, the loop 69 of the tether 68 has a key element that is configured to cooperate with a corresponding key element on the back side 30 of the flange 26. Figure 6B 1 and 1 . The t-piece 100 shown in detail in FIG. 1 extends from the back side 30 of the flange 26. A corresponding hole 72 is provided in the annular portion 69 of the tether 68, which is configured to fit on the t-piece 100. The t-piece 100 includes a post 101 and a top 102. The hole 72 is configured to press on the top 102 so that the tether is held between the back side 30 of the flange and the front side 103 of the top element 102. In some embodiments, the t-piece 100 may include one or more flanges 104 that extend longer than the diameter of the corresponding hole 72 to press against the tether 68, thereby holding it in place. The tether also provides a waterproof seal between the plug holder face 26 and the mounting surface 8 via its elastic properties. The tether also includes a screw hole 74 that aligns with the screw hole in the flange 26 and enables the screw 12 to easily pass through the tether 68 and fasten the entire system to the surface 8 of the vessel.

[0032] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also enables any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Certain terms are used for brevity, clarity, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations can be inferred from them, except as required by the prior art, as these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and are intended to be broadly interpreted. The patent scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. If the other examples have features or structural elements that are not different from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent features or structural elements that are not substantially different from the literal language of the claims, the other examples are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A plug holder for mounting the male plug end of a marine battery charger on a marine vessel, the plug holder comprising: an outer shell having a front end defining a plug opening and a rear end defining a rear opening and a flange on the front end of the outer shell, wherein the flange is configured to be connected to a surface of a hull to attach the outer shell to the hull and is configured to retain a male plug end of a marine battery charger within the outer shell such that the male plug end is accessible through the plug opening; a removable sleeve that fits within the outer housing and is configured to grip sides of the male plug end to prevent movement of the male plug end, thereby securing the male plug end within the outer housing so that the male plug end does not move when connecting or disconnecting with the male plug end; and a rear stop removably connectable to a rear end of the outer housing to cover the rear opening, wherein the rear stop is configured to retain the removable sleeve and the male plug end within the outer housing, Wherein, the removable sleeve is c-shaped and wraps around the end of the male plug with an opening on the top side, wherein the outer shell has a tapered inner wall so that the outer shell compresses the c-shaped removable sleeve, causing the c-shaped removable sleeve to squeeze the side of the plug.

2. The plug holder according to claim 1, in, The back side of the flange is configured to oppose the surface of the hull, and the outer shell is cylindrical and configured to extend through the circular hole in the surface so that the male plug end is mounted to the surface of the hull.

3. The plug holder according to claim 1, wherein: The removable sleeve is configured to receive the male plug end only in an upright orientation.

4. The plug holder according to claim 1, wherein: The opening on the top side of the removable sleeve is sized to allow the removable sleeve to be slid onto a cable.

5. The plug holder of claim 1, further comprising at least one key element on the removable sleeve, the at least one key element being configured to mate with a corresponding key element on an inner wall of the outer shell, wherein The key element and corresponding key element are configured to require that the removable sleeve can only be inserted into the outer housing in a predetermined orientation that maintains the male plug end in an upright orientation.

6. The plug holder according to claim 5, wherein: The key element on the removable sleeve is a ridge on the exterior of the removable sleeve and the corresponding key element is a groove on the interior wall of the outer housing.

7. The plug holder according to claim 1, wherein: The outer housing and the rear stop are configured such that the male plug end can be loosely maintained within the outer housing without the removable sleeve.

8. The plug holder according to claim 1 further includes a covering element, the covering element having a covering member and a tether, the covering member being removably attachable to the front end portion of the outer shell to cover the plug opening, and the tether being configured to be attached to the outer shell to connect the covering member to the outer shell.

9. The plug retainer of claim 8, further comprising at least one key element on the tether, the key element being configured to cooperate with a corresponding key element on the outer shell to connect the cover element to the outer shell in a predetermined orientation.

10. The plug holder according to claim 9, wherein: The corresponding key element on the outer shell is a t-shaped piece extending from the outer shell, and the key element on the tether is a hole through the t-shaped piece, the hole being configured to fit over the t-shaped piece.

11. The plug holder according to claim 8, wherein: A tee is on a back side of a flange of the outer shell surrounding the plug opening, and the tether is configured to be positioned between the back side of the flange and a surface of the hull to provide a watertight seal therebetween.

12. The plug retainer of claim 11 further comprising at least two t-shaped pieces on a back side of the flange of the outer shell and a corresponding hole for each t-shaped piece through which the tether passes.

13. A plug holder for mounting a male plug end of a battery charger on a vehicle, the plug holder comprising: an outer shell having a front end defining a plug opening and a rear end defining a rear opening and a flange on the front end of the outer shell, wherein the flange is configured to be connected to a surface of a hull to attach the outer shell to the hull and is configured to retain a male plug end of a battery charger within the outer shell such that the male plug end is accessible through the plug opening; a removable sleeve that fits within the outer housing and is configured to grip sides of the male plug end to prevent movement of the male plug end, thereby securing the male plug end within the outer housing so that the male plug end does not move when connected or disconnected from the male plug end, wherein the removable sleeve is configured to receive the male plug end only in an upright orientation; at least one key element on the removable sleeve, the at least one key element being configured to cooperate with a corresponding key element on an inner wall of the outer housing, wherein the key element and the corresponding key element are configured to require that the removable sleeve can only be inserted into the outer housing in a predetermined orientation that maintains the male plug end in an upright orientation; a rear stop removably connectable to a rear end of the outer housing to cover the rear opening, wherein the rear stop is configured to retain the removable sleeve and the male plug end within the outer housing; wherein the outer housing and rear stop are further configured such that the male plug end can be loosely maintained within the outer housing without the removable sleeve, Wherein, the removable sleeve is c-shaped and wraps around the male plug end with an opening on the top side, wherein the outer shell has a tapered inner wall so that the outer shell compresses the c-shaped removable sleeve, causing the c-shaped removable sleeve to squeeze the side of the male plug end.

14. The plug holder according to claim 13, wherein: The key element on the removable sleeve is a ridge on the exterior of the removable sleeve and the corresponding key element is a groove on the interior wall of the outer housing.

15. The plug holder according to claim 14, wherein: The corresponding key element on the outer shell is a t-piece extending from the outer shell, and the key element is a hole through which a tether is passed, the tether being configured to attach to the outer shell, wherein the hole is configured to fit over the t-piece.

16. The plug holder according to claim 13, wherein: The opening on the top side of the removable sleeve is sized to allow the removable sleeve to be slid onto a cable.

17. The plug holder according to claim 13, wherein: The removable sleeve is configured to slide into the rear opening of the outer shell, and wherein the outer shell has a tapered inner wall configured to compress the removable sleeve as the removable sleeve slides toward the front end of the outer shell to prevent the removable sleeve and the plug end from being pulled out of the plug opening.

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