Electrical Plug Safety Device with Dynamic Securing Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a device that can securely prevent the use of electrical plugs, especially in industrial settings where tools require maintenance and some devices are hazardous, to ensure safe operation only by authorized personnel.
Innovation Solution
An electrical plug safety device with a body and a securing member that engages with the plug's pins, restricting removal until sufficient force is applied, and a visual indication system to prevent re-use, featuring a planar securing member that disengages from the pins upon removal and a security tag to prevent re-access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a securing member engages with the pins to prevent removal, then the safety and security of the electrical plug is improved, but the difficulty of removal increases requiring significant force
Solution Approach 1:
The securing member is designed to dynamically change its engagement state based on applied force. During normal use, it maintains strong engagement with the pins to prevent unauthorized removal. When sufficient force is applied in the removal direction, the securing member disengages from the pins and moves to a disengaged position, allowing authorized removal while maintaining safety during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement strength between the securing member and pins is designed to change based on the direction and magnitude of applied force. The securing member engages strongly against the sides of the pins during normal operation, but when force is applied away from the plug, the engagement parameters change allowing disengagement and movement to a non-reengaging position.
2Ease of operation
If the securing member is designed to be disengaged by applying force away from the plug, then the ease of authorized removal is improved, but the security against unauthorized access worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The securing member is pre-positioned to engage with the sides of the pins before any removal attempt occurs. This preliminary engagement creates a mechanical barrier that must be overcome by applying force in the specific direction away from the plug, ensuring that unauthorized access attempts are blocked while authorized personnel can deliberately apply the required force for removal.
3Reliability
If the body includes a movable second body portion for visual indication, then the ability to prevent re-use is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second body portion is designed to move relative to the first body portion during removal, and can be made of a different color to provide a visual indication that the safety device has been used and removed. This color difference makes it immediately apparent when the plug is no longer secured, preventing accidental re-use while maintaining a relatively simple structural design.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical plug safety device (10) comprising a body (16) having apertures for receiving pins (14) of an electrical plug (12). A securing member 32 is provided within the body (16) to engage with a side of at least one of said pins (14) when the pins (14) are received in the apertures such that engagement between the securing member (32) and the side of the pin (14) restricts removal of the plug (12) from the body (16). When sufficient force is applied to the body (16) in a direction away from the plug (12), the securing member (32) is disengaged from the pin (14) and moves such that the securing member (32) will not re-engage with a pin (14) inserted into the body (16).