Housing With Protruding Elements For Safe Electrical Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current housing designs for electrically powered devices, such as LED retrofit lamps, pose safety hazards during installation due to the potential for incorrect connection of electrical connecting means, leading to unsecured installation and risk of electrical shock.
Innovation Solution
A housing design with movable protruding elements and spring means that isolate electrical connecting means from the device until properly connected to the power supply, ensuring current flow only when the elements are depressed by the interface, providing secure installation and preventing accidental voltage exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical connecting means are provided at both ends of the housing, then the device can be connected to mains power supply, but unsecured installation may occur when one end remains exposed during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding element is pre-positioned in the housing to automatically prevent electrical connection before the device is fully installed. When the device is inserted into the socket, the protruding element is depressed and retracts, allowing electrical contact to be established only after proper installation is complete
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding element acts as an intermediary mechanical component between the housing and the socket interface. It physically blocks electrical connecting means from making contact with the socket until the protruding element is depressed by the socket's front side, thereby mediating the safety condition during installation
2Reliability
If mechanical design prevents wrong connection, then unsecure installation is prevented, but this may not always prevent incorrect connection of electrical means
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding element introduces an asymmetric mechanical constraint to the otherwise symmetric electrical connecting means. This asymmetry ensures that only the correct orientation and position of the device will allow the protruding element to be properly depressed and enable electrical connection
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding element is designed to be movable between a blocking position and a retracted position. It dynamically transitions from preventing connection to allowing connection based on the installation state, providing adaptive safety control rather than a static mechanical constraint
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures safe and secure installation by preventing current flow until the housing is correctly connected, reducing the risk of electrical shock and enhancing user safety during the installation process.
Implementation Method 1
the protruding element preventing an electric current from flowing between the electrically powered device and the electrical connecting means in the idle position
Implementation Method 2
unless being pushed into the depressed position by the front side in connecting the housing to the interface means
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
There is provided a housing comprising an electrically powered device and electrical connecting means. The (electrical connecting means of the) housing fits an interface means of an electrical power supply. The housing is provided with one or more protruding elements movable between an idle position and a depressed position. In the idle state the one or more protruding elements prevent an electric current from passing between the electrical connecting means and the electrically powered device. The interface means comprise a front side which interacts with the one or more protruding elements by pushing the one or more protruding elements into the depressed state, thereby enabling an electric current to pass between the electrical connecting means and the electrically powered device exclusively when the housing has been properly installed.