Power Connector Plug Lip Design for Tripping Hazard Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power connectors can pose a tripping hazard and cause electrical devices to fall when extended from a power outlet, leading to potential damage due to the cord's length and rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A power connector design featuring a plug with a non-conductive overmold, an electrically conductive barrel, and a lip that is perpendicular to the barrel, combined with a receptacle having flexible retention nodes, allows the plug to easily detach from the receptacle when force is applied, preventing the electrical device from being pulled off a surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the power connector cord is extended to reach distant power outlets, then the electrical device can be powered in ad hoc locations, but the cord becomes a tripping hazard that may pull the device off surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function of the cord from the system by designing a plug that can be easily removed from the receptacle. When torque is applied to the cord, the plug detaches from the receptacle body, separating the hazard-causing element (the extended cord) from the device, thereby eliminating the tripping hazard while maintaining location flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The power connector is segmented into distinct functional parts: a plug portion that can detach and a receptacle body that remains with the device. This segmentation allows the cord to be extended for location flexibility while the detachable plug prevents the cord from becoming a permanent hazard to the device.
2Reliability
If the plug is securely retained in the receptacle to maintain electrical connection, then power transmission is reliable, but the device may be pulled off the surface when the cord is tripped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality thresholds to different parts of the connection system. The electrical contacts maintain sufficient retention force for reliable power transmission, while the overall plug-receptacle connection is designed with reduced retention strength. This allows the electrical function to remain reliable while the mechanical connection can be easily broken to prevent device damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention mechanism exhibits asymmetric behavior: it provides sufficient holding force under normal electrical connection conditions, but allows easy detachment when torque or pulling force is applied to the cord. This asymmetry enables the system to maintain reliability during operation while preventing damage during accidental tripping events.
3Ease of manufacture
If the plug structure is simplified for easy manufacture, then production cost decreases, but the plug may not reliably detach when torque is applied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the detachment function into the basic plug structure itself rather than requiring separate complex release mechanisms. The plug's geometric features and material properties are designed to inherently provide torque-responsive detachment, combining structural simplicity with reliable functional performance.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus may include a conductive wire and a plug. The plug may be electrically and mechanically coupled to the conductive wire. The plug may include a non-conductive overmold, an electrically conductive barrel, and a lip. The non-conductive overmold may surround the conductive wire. The electrically conductive barrel may extend from the overmold, and may have a width that is smaller than a width of the overmold. The lip may extend from the barrel in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the barrel extends from the overmold. A distance from an outer portion of the lip to an opposite outer portion of the lip may be at least twice a length that the barrel extends from the overmold.