Electrical cord holders and anti-theft devices for items

Abstract

To provide an electrical cord holder and an anti-theft device for items that can prevent theft of electrical products and other items. [Solution] The electrical cord holder 1 according to the present invention comprises a movable member 10 composed of a mounting piece 11 and a movable piece 16, and a padlock 20. The mounting piece 11 is attached to the outlet O using a screw member B and has a mounting hole 12A through which the screw member B can be inserted. The movable piece 16 has a shaft insertion portion 17B connected to the mounting piece 11 and an upright portion 18 provided on the opposite side of the shaft insertion portion 17B, and is movable between a closed position that covers the screw member B inserted into the mounting hole 12A and an open position that exposes the screw member B. The padlock 20 can prevent the movable piece 16 from moving from the closed position to the open position. The movable member 10 has an electrical cord holding area A through which an electrical cord C can be inserted but a plug P cannot be inserted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical cord holder and an article theft prevention device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a power plug (hereinafter simply referred to as a "plug") in which a retaining claw that can be elastically operated by a finger is integrally formed or a component is attached at a position outside the gripping portion and not protruding from the insertion surface.

[0003] According to such a technique, it is possible to prevent the plug of an electrical product or the like from coming off.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the plug can be easily pulled out of the socket by simply pressing the retaining claw with a finger, when an electrical product connected to the plug is, for example, a product such as a dryer provided in a lodging facility (a product owned by a specific person), there is a problem that it may be illegally taken out (hereinafter referred to as "theft or the like").

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical cord holder and an article theft prevention device that can prevent theft or the like of articles such as electrical products.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The electrical cord holder according to the present invention is an electrical cord holder capable of holding an electrical cord connected to a plug inserted into an outlet, and is attached to the outlet or its vicinity using a fixing member, and comprises a mounting portion having a mounting hole through which the fixing member can be inserted, a movable member having a fixed end connected to the mounting portion and a free end provided on the opposite side of the fixed end, and movable between a closed position covering the mounting hole and an open position exposing the mounting hole, and a movement-preventing means capable of preventing the movable member, which is located in the closed position, from moving to the open position, wherein the movable member or the movement-preventing means has an electrical cord holding area through which the electrical cord can be inserted but through which the plug cannot be inserted.

[0008] Preferably, the movable part has an electrical cord housing portion on the side covering the fixed member that can accommodate a portion of the outer circumference of the electrical cord, and the electrical cord holding region is the region formed between the electrical cord housing portion and the mounting portion of the movable part when it is in the closed position.

[0009] Preferably, the movement-preventing means is a locking device having a lock body on which a locking mechanism is provided, and a latch that can be inserted into holes formed in the mounting portion and the movable portion, respectively, and the electrical cord holding area is an area demarcated by the latch and the lock body located in the locked position.

[0010] Preferably, the outlet comprises an outlet body having a plug socket, and an outlet cover attached to the outlet body using the fixing member with the socket exposed, wherein the mounting portion is attached to the outlet cover using the fixing member.

[0011] Furthermore, the anti-theft device for articles according to the present invention is an anti-theft device for articles capable of preventing the theft of articles, and comprises: a mounting portion that is attached to a predetermined location using a fixing member and has a mounting hole through which the fixing member can be inserted; a movable member that has a fixed end connected to the mounting portion and a free end provided on the opposite side of the fixed end, and is movable between a closed position that covers the mounting hole and an open position that exposes the mounting hole; and a movement-preventing means that can prevent the movable member, which is located in the closed position, from moving to the open position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, theft of electrical appliances and other items can be effectively prevented despite the relatively simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the electrical cord holder according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the movable members of the electrical cord holder attached to an electrical outlet. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the electrical cord holder shown in Figure 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are used for the same elements in all drawings, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the electrical cord holder according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the movable member constituting the electrical cord holder of Figure 1 is attached to an electrical outlet.

[0016] <Overall configuration of electrical cord holder 1> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electrical cord holder 1 according to this embodiment is a device for holding an electrical cord C connected to a plug P inserted into an electrical outlet O (outlet Op), and comprises a movable member 10 and a padlock 20. Although not shown in the figures, a predetermined electrical product, such as a hair dryer installed in an accommodation facility, is connected to the electrical cord C. The movable member 10 and the padlock 20 according to this embodiment correspond to the "movable member," "movement prevention means," and "locking device" described in the claims, respectively.

[0017] Now, let's describe the outlet O according to this embodiment. The outlet O according to this embodiment comprises an outlet body (not shown) having an outlet Op into which the blades of a plug P can be inserted, and an outlet cover Oc attached to the outlet body, similar to known outlets. In this embodiment, an outlet O with two outlets Op is used, but the number may be one or three or more. In this embodiment, a 100V type without grounding is used as the outlet Op, but other types, such as a 200V type with grounding, can also be used.

[0018] The outlet body is installed, like known outlet bodies, with the socket Op facing forward, for example, by bolting it to the vicinity of an opening formed in a wall. The outlet body is not limited to the recessed type embedded in a wall, as shown in Figures 1 and 2; other types, such as a removable surface-mounted type, are also acceptable. Furthermore, the outlet O is not limited to the type with the socket Op exposed, as in this embodiment; it may also have a cover that can conceal the socket Op.

[0019] The socket cover Oc is a member that is attached to the socket body with the insertion port Op exposed. In the present embodiment, the socket cover Oc is configured to be attached onto the socket body by tightening a screw member B (in this embodiment, a "male screw member") to a female screw portion (not shown) formed on the socket body (see Fig. 2). Note that the screw member B according to the present embodiment corresponds to the "fixing member" described in the claims.

[0020] (Movable member 10) As shown in Fig. 2, the movable member 10 is a member attached onto the surface of the socket cover Oc, and includes an attachment piece 11 and a movable piece 16. Such a movable member 10 is preferably formed of various metal members from the viewpoint of improving strength, etc., but it is also possible to form it with other members, for example, resin members having insulating properties, etc. Note that the attachment piece 11 and the movable piece 16 according to the present embodiment respectively correspond to the "attachment portion" and the "movable portion" described in the claims.

[0021] The attachment piece 11 is formed in a substantially L-shaped cross section and has a flat plate portion 12 and a standing portion 13.

[0022] The flat plate portion 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape and has an attachment hole 12A through which the screw member B can be inserted and a shaft insertion portion​​​​​​​​​​​(2) Insert the screw member B into the mounting hole 12A and tighten it into the female screw portion. The system is configured to be carried out in the following steps. This makes it possible to firmly attach the movable member 10 to the surface of the outlet cover Oc. When attaching the mounting piece 12 to the outlet O, inconveniences may arise such as the existing screw member B not having enough length from the shank due to the thickness of the mounting piece 12. In this case, a separately prepared screw member (for example, a screw member with a longer shank) can be used in place of the screw member B.

[0025] The movable piece 16 is a member that is pivotably attached to the mounting piece 11. The movable piece 16 has a similar shape to the mounting piece 11 (approximately L-shaped in cross-section) and is composed of a flat plate portion 17 and an upright portion 18.

[0026] The flat plate portion 17 has an electrical cord housing portion 17A capable of accommodating a portion of the outer circumference of the electrical cord C, and a shaft insertion portion 17B. The electrical cord housing portion 17A has a substantially U-shaped cross-section and extends along the shorter direction (the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction) of the movable piece 16. A detailed explanation of the electrical cord housing portion 17A will be given later. The shaft insertion portion 17B has a shape through which a shaft member 19 can be inserted and is formed on one end side of the flat plate portion 17.

[0027] The upright portion 18 rises from the end opposite to the end where the shaft insertion portion 17B of the flat plate portion 17 is formed, and has a hole 13A through which the latch 22 of the padlock 20 can be inserted. The padlock 20 will be described later.

[0028] The movable piece 16 configured in this way is assembled to the mounting piece 11 by aligning the shaft insertion portion 12B of the mounting piece 11 with the shaft insertion portion 17B of the movable piece 16 and inserting the shaft member 19 between them. This makes it possible to move the movable piece 16 relative to the mounting piece 11 between a closed position that covers the flat plate portion 12 of the mounting piece 11 (see Figure 1) and an open position that exposes the flat plate portion 12 (see Figure 2). The hole 18A described above is formed in a position that can be aligned with the hole 13A of the mounting piece 11 when the movable piece 16 is in the closed position.

[0029] In this embodiment, by moving the movable piece 16 to the closed position, a closed space (hereinafter referred to as "electrical cord holding area A") is formed between the electrical cord housing portion 17A of the movable piece 17 and the mounting piece 11, through which the electrical cord C can be inserted but the plug P cannot be inserted (see Figure 1). In other words, in this embodiment, when a part of the outer circumference of the electrical cord C is located in the electrical cord holding area A, the plug P, which has been pulled out from the socket Op, cannot be removed (pulled out) through the electrical cord holding area A.

[0030] (Padlock 20) As shown in Figure 1, the padlock 20 has a configuration similar to a known padlock (a padlock commonly available on the market), namely, a lock body 21 on which a locking mechanism is provided, and a roughly U-shaped (roughly U-shaped) latch 22. In this embodiment, the movable piece 16 is positioned in the closed position, and the latch 22 is inserted so as to straddle the hole 13A of the mounting piece 11 and the hole 18A of the movable piece 16, and then the lock is engaged to prevent the movable piece 16 from moving to the open position.

[0031] <How to use the electrical cord holder 1> Next, the method of using the electrical cord holder 1 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2. For the sake of explanation, in the following, The movable member 10 is attached to the outlet O by tightening the screw member B (see Figure 2). The plug P connected to the electrical appliance via the electrical cord C is inserted into the outlet O, I will explain based on that premise.

[0032] The method of using the electrical cord holder 1 according to this embodiment is as follows: (1) With the electrical cord C housed in the electrical cord housing 17A, position the movable piece 16 in the open position. (2) Insert the latch 22 of the padlock 20 through both the hole 13A of the mounting piece 11 and the hole 18A of the movable piece 16 and lock it. It is structured to perform these tasks in sequence.

[0033] In the electrical cord holder 1 configured in this way, when the movable member 10 is locked with the padlock 20 (see Figure 1), the plug P pulled out from the socket Op cannot be removed via the electrical cord holding area A, and the screw member B for attaching the movable member 10 is concealed by the movable piece 16.

[0034] Therefore, the electrical cord holder 1 according to this embodiment can effectively prevent the removal of electrical products connected to the electrical cord C held by the movable member 10. Note that the removal of electrical products can be carried out by unlocking the padlock 20 and removing it from the movable member 10, and then moving the movable piece 16 from the closed position to the open position.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by holding the electrical cord C in the movable member 10 in the manner shown in Figure 1, it is possible to prevent the concentration of load due to the weight of the electrical cord C at the connection point between the plug P and the electrical cord C. As a result, damage to the plug P and the electrical cord C can be reliably suppressed.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the movable member 10 is fixed onto the outlet cover Oc using the screw member B that attaches the outlet cover Oc to the outlet body, making it possible to increase the mounting strength.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the movable member 10 (electrical cord holder 1) can be retrofitted to an existing outlet O, it can be made highly versatile.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the electrical cord holding area A (electrical cord housing 17A) is set to a size that allows the electrical cord C to be easily moved in the axial direction.

[0039] Therefore, in this embodiment, the plug P can be easily inserted into and removed from the outlet Op while the electrical cord C is held by the movable member 10.

[0040] Furthermore, the electrical cord holding area A is not limited to being set to the size shown in Figure 1; it can also be set to a size that makes it impossible or difficult for the electrical cord C to move when the movable piece 16 is in the closed position. In addition, although the method of using the electrical cord holder 1 described above was performed with the movable member 10 holding the electrical cord C with the plug P inserted into the socket Op, it may also be performed with the plug P not inserted into the socket Op.

[0041] <Configuration and Effects of This Embodiment> As described above, the electrical cord holder 1 according to this embodiment is an electrical cord holder 1 capable of holding an electrical cord C connected to a plug P inserted into an outlet O, and comprises a mounting piece 11 that is attached to the outlet O using a screw member B and has a mounting hole 12A through which the screw member B can be inserted, a movable member 10 which comprises a movable piece 16 that has a shaft insertion portion 17B connected to the mounting piece 11 and an upright portion 18 provided on the opposite side of the shaft insertion portion 17B and is movable between a closed position that covers the mounting hole 12A and an open position that exposes the mounting hole 12A, and a movement prevention means (padlock 20) ​​that can prevent the movable piece 16 in the closed position from moving to the open position, and the movable member 10 has an electrical cord holding area A (electrical cord housing portion 17A) through which the electrical cord C can be inserted and the plug P cannot be inserted. Because of this configuration, the electrical cord holder 1 according to this embodiment can effectively prevent theft of electrical products and damage to plugs P and electrical cords C. Furthermore, since the electrical cord holder 1 according to this embodiment can be retrofitted to existing outlets O, it can be made highly versatile.

[0042] Furthermore, the movable piece 16 has an electrical cord housing portion 17A on the side that covers the screw member B, which is capable of accommodating a portion of the outer circumference of the electrical cord C. The electrical cord holding region A is the region formed between the electrical cord housing portion 17A of the movable part in the closed position and the mounting piece 11. Because of this configuration, when moving the movable piece 16 from one closed position to the other, the electrical cord C can be held simply by placing it in the electrical cord housing 17A, thus providing an easy-to-use electrical cord holder 1.

[0043] Furthermore, the outlet O comprises an outlet body having a plug socket Op, and an outlet cover Oc that is attached to the outlet body using a screw member B with the socket Op exposed, and the mounting piece 11 is attached to the outlet cover Oc using a screw member B. Because of this configuration, it is possible to retrofit the movable member 10 (electrical cord holder 1) to an existing outlet O, thus making it more versatile.

[0044] <Variation> In the above embodiment, the movable member 10 is provided with an electrical cord housing 17A through which the electrical cord C can be inserted, but this can be omitted. The following will explain such electrical cord holders with reference to Figure 3.

[0045] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a modified version of the electrical cord holder shown in Figure 1. Note that this modified version differs only in the shape of the movable member and the position of the electrical cord holding area according to the above embodiment; other components are the same as in the above embodiment. Therefore, unless necessary, the same reference numerals are used and their descriptions are omitted.

[0046] As shown in Figure 3, the electrical cord holder 101 according to this modified example comprises a movable member 110 and the padlock 20 described above. The movable member 110 according to this modified example corresponds to the "movable member" described in the claims.

[0047] The movable member 110 comprises the mounting piece 11 described above and the movable piece 116. The mounting piece 11 is fixed to the outlet cover Oc using a screw member B as described above (see Figure 2). The movable piece 116 in this modified example corresponds to the "movable part" described in the claims.

[0048] The movable piece 116 is composed of a flat plate portion 117 and an upright portion 118. The flat plate portion 117 has a shaft insertion portion 117B on one end through which a shaft member 19 can be inserted. The upright portion 118 has a hole 118A through which the latch 22 of the padlock 20 can be inserted and stands up from the other end of the flat plate portion 117.

[0049] The movable piece 116 is pivotably attached to the mounting piece 11 by inserting the shaft member 19 through the shaft insertion portion 117B and the shaft insertion portion 12B of the mounting piece 11, similar to the movable piece 16 in the above embodiment. In other words, the movable member 110 according to this modified example differs from the movable member 10 in the above embodiment in that it does not have the electrical cord housing portion 17A as described above (see Figures 1 and 2, etc.). The mounting piece 11 and the movable piece 116 constituting the movable member 110 can be appropriately changed in terms of plate thickness, shape, etc., depending on the usage conditions, etc. (see Figure 3). The same can be said for the "movable member 10" in Figures 1 and 2.

[0050] As described above, the padlock 20 has a lock body 21 and a latch 22. The latch 22 is set to a size such that the space partitioned between it and the lock body 21 when locked is large enough for an electrical cord C to pass through but not for a plug P to pass through.

[0051] Next, the method of using the electrical cord holder 101 according to this modified example will be explained with reference to Figure 3. The method of using the electrical cord holder 101 according to this modified example is as follows: (1) Position the movable piece 116 in the closed position. (2) Insert the latch 22 of the padlock 20 through both the hole 13A of the mounting piece 11 (see Figures 1 and 2) and the hole 118A of the movable piece 116. (3) With the electrical cord C positioned inside the latch 22 of the padlock 20, lock the padlock 20. The system is configured to perform these tasks in sequence. The area demarcated by the latch 22 and the lock body 21 located in the locked position as described above corresponds to the "electrical cord holding area A" described in the claims.

[0052] In other words, the electrical cord holder 101 according to this embodiment, similar to the electrical cord holder 1 according to the above embodiment (see Figure 1), can effectively prevent the removal of electrical products connected to the electrical cord C held by the movable member 110.

[0053] Furthermore, since the movable member 110 according to this embodiment does not have an electrical cord housing portion 17A like the movable member 10 according to the above embodiment (see Figures 1 and 2), it can be manufactured more easily than the movable member 10.

[0054] <Structure and effects of this modified example> As described above, the means for preventing movement of the electrical cord holder 101 according to this modified example is a locking device (padlock 20) ​​having a lock body 21 on which a locking mechanism is provided, and a latch 22 that can be inserted through holes 13A and 118A formed in the mounting piece 11 and the movable piece 116, respectively, and the electrical cord holding area A is an area demarcated by the latch 22 and the lock body 21 in the locked position. Because of this configuration, the shape of the movable piece 116 can be simplified (the "electrical cord housing section 17A" in Figures 1 and 2 can be omitted), and as a result, the manufacturing process of the movable member 110 can be simplified.

[0055] <Other variations> The embodiments described above are not intended to limit the present invention, and any modifications that do not depart from the spirit of the invention are included within the scope of the rights of the present invention.

[0056] Furthermore, the structure, method, etc., of the present invention can be modified in various ways without altering the essence of the invention.

[0057] In other words, it is possible to combine two or more components into one, and conversely, it is also possible to construct one component from two or more other components and connect them.

[0058] For example, in each of the above embodiments, the movable member 10 (movable member 110) is fixed to the outlet O using the screw member B used to attach the outlet cover Oc to the outlet body, but this is not the only way. For example, in the case of an outlet of the type in which the outlet cover can be attached to the outlet body with a single touch, the movable member 10 (movable member 110) can also be fixed to the outlet cover using a separately prepared fixing member (for example, one with a longer length under the head than the screw member B or a fixing member other than a screw member).

[0059] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the movable member 10 (movable member 110) is attached to the outlet O (outlet cover Oc), but it is also possible to attach it to the surrounding area of ​​the outlet O (for example, the wall material) using a separately prepared fixing member such as a screw member.

[0060] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, a padlock 20 was used as a means to prevent the movable piece 16, which is in the closed position, from moving to the open position. However, other locking devices, such as a latch-type locking device, can also be used. Moreover, such a means to prevent movement is not limited to the use of a locking device such as a padlock. For example, it is also possible to create a structure in which the movable piece 16 cannot be moved to the open position once it has been moved to the closed position, unless a predetermined part is destroyed or otherwise damaged.

[0061] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the mounting piece 11 and the movable piece 16 (movable piece 116) are attached in a hinge-like manner using the shaft member 19, but they can also be formed integrally, provided that the movable piece 16 (movable piece 116) is movable relative to the mounting piece 11.

[0062] Furthermore, although the above embodiments are configured to hold the electrical cord C, such a configuration can be omitted. In such a configuration, for example, taking the movable member 110 and padlock 20 in Figure 3 as an example, The movable member 110 is attached to a suitable position on a wall or the like using a desired fixing member (for example, a screw member). After attaching a wire or other component to an item such as a computer to the latch 22, lock the padlock 20. By performing these steps in order, it becomes possible to effectively prevent the theft of the desired item (for example, a personal computer). A device with such a configuration falls under the category of "item theft prevention device" as described in the patent claims.

[0063] Furthermore, the structure, method, etc., of the present invention can be modified in various ways without altering the essence of the invention.

[0064] Furthermore, each of the above embodiments is merely one of the best possible forms at present. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0065] 1,101: Electrical cord holder (anti-theft device) 10,110: Movable member 11,111: Mounting piece (mounting part) 12: Flat plate part 12A: Mounting hole 12B: Shaft insertion section 13: Standing part 13A: Hole 16,116: Movable piece (movable part) 17,117: Flat plate part 17A: Electrical cord housing 17B, ​​117B: Shaft insertion section 18,118: Standing part 18A, 118A: Hole 19: Shaft member 20: Padlock (means of preventing movement, locking device) 21: Lock body 22: Bet A: Electrical cord holding area O: Outlet Oc: Outlet cover Op: Outlet P: Plug C: Electrical cord B: Screw component (fixing component)

Claims

1. An electrical cord holder capable of holding an electrical cord connected to a plug inserted into an electrical outlet, A movable member comprising: a mounting portion attached to the outlet or its vicinity using a fixing member and having a mounting hole through which the fixing member can be inserted; and a movable portion having a fixed end connected to the mounting portion and a free end provided on the opposite side of the fixed end, and being movable between a closed position covering the mounting hole and an open position exposing the mounting hole; Movement prevention means capable of preventing the movable body, which is located in the closed position, from moving to the open position, Equipped with, The movable member or the movement-preventing means is an electrical cord holder having an electrical cord holding area through which the electrical cord can be inserted and through which the plug cannot be inserted.

2. The movable part has an electrical cord housing portion on the side that covers the fixed member, which is capable of housing a portion of the outer circumference of the electrical cord. The electrical cord holder according to claim 1, wherein the electrical cord holding region is a region formed between the electrical cord housing portion and the mounting portion of the movable portion located in the closed position.

3. The aforementioned movement-preventing means is a locking device having a lock body on which a locking mechanism is provided, and a latch that can be inserted into holes formed in the mounting portion and the movable portion, respectively. The electrical cord holder according to claim 1, wherein the electrical cord holding area is an area demarcated by the latch and the lock body located in the locked position.

4. The aforementioned outlet is The outlet body having the plug socket, An outlet cover is attached to the outlet body using the fixing member with the outlet opening exposed, Equipped with, The electrical cord holder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting portion is attached to the outlet cover using the fixing member.

5. An anti-theft device for goods that can prevent the theft of goods, A movable member comprising: a mounting portion that is attached to a predetermined location using a fixing member and has a mounting hole through which the fixing member can be inserted; a movable portion that has a fixed end connected to the mounting portion and a free end provided on the opposite side of the fixed end, and is movable between a closed position that covers the mounting hole and an open position that exposes the mounting hole; Movement prevention means capable of preventing the movable body, which is located in the closed position, from moving to the open position, A device to prevent theft of items.

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