Locking Electrical Socket with Biasing Slide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connections between female sockets and male plugs are prone to inadvertent disconnection due to applied tension, leading to potential injuries or interruptions in work flow.
Innovation Solution
A locking electrical socket with a movable locking slide and elastic biasing member that secures the plug in place, preventing disconnection by engaging with terminals and using a spring mechanism to maintain the locked configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional electrical socket without locking mechanism is used, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of electrical connection is poor due to inadvertent disconnection under tension
Solution Approach 1:
The locking slide is designed to move between locked and unlocked positions dynamically. When plug prongs are inserted, the locking slide automatically engages with the terminals to lock the connection. When disengagement is needed, the locking slide can be manually moved to release the terminals, allowing the plug to be removed. This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing reliable locked connection during use while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member automatically biases the locking slide into the locked position, maintaining secure connection without requiring active intervention. The system self-regulates by using the insertion force of the plug to trigger the locking action and the biasing member to maintain the locked state, reducing the need for complex control mechanisms while ensuring reliable connection.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism with biasing member is added to prevent inadvertent disconnection, then the reliability improves, but the ease of operation decreases due to manual intervention required to unlock
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static locked state to an unlocked state through manual operation. The locking slide can be moved between positions to engage or disengage the terminals. This dynamic design allows the system to maintain secure locked connection during normal use while enabling convenient manual disengagement when needed, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the locking slide is biased in locked configuration, then the connection stability is improved, but the force required to disengage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism uses a movable locking slide that can be positioned to engage or disengage terminals. The biasing member provides automatic locking force to maintain stable connection during use. When disengagement is needed, the locking slide can be manually moved to overcome the biasing force and release the terminals. This dynamic design ensures stable connection during operation while allowing controlled disengagement, resolving the contradiction between stability and disengagement force.
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 effectively prevents accidental disconnection of the electrical plug from the socket, ensuring a secure connection during use and allowing for easy disengagement when needed.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic biasing member operable for biasing the locking slide in the locked configuration
Implementation Method 2
the biasing member is a coil spring having an unbiased, extended configuration that corresponds to the locked configuration and a biased, compressed configuration that corresponds to the unlocked configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A locking electrical socket includes a housing and at least one terminal disposed within the housing and electrically connected to a corresponding conductor of an electrical cord. A locking slide is disposed within the housing and movable relative to the at least one terminal between unlocked and locked configurations. The locking slide being biased in the locked configuration and comprising a locking arm that engages with the at least one terminal in the locked configuration. A slide positioned exterior of the housing is operable for moving the locking slide from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration. The at least one terminal of the locking electrical socket receives a corresponding prong of a conventional electrical plug in the locked configuration to prevent the electrical connection between the locking electrical socket and the electrical plug from being inadvertently or accidently disconnected.