Reorientable Electrical Receptacle With Rotation Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electrical outlets are inflexible, making it difficult to accommodate devices with unusual shapes, such as transformers and chargers, which can block access to other receptacles when plugged in.
Innovation Solution
A reorientable electrical outlet system with a rotatable female receptacle that can be adjusted to prevent interference, featuring a housing with rotation stops to limit the receptacle's rotation, allowing for the insertion and positioning of plugs with unusual shapes without obstructing other outlets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional fixed electrical outlets are used, then the structure is simple and reliable, but devices with unusual shapes block access to other receptacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the receptacle rotatable within the housing. The receptacle can be rotated to different angular positions (e.g., 0 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees) to accommodate plugs with unusual shapes, allowing users to optimize the orientation of each plugged-in device. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural simplicity while improving adaptability to different device configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the outlet system into a fixed housing and a rotatable receptacle component. This segmentation allows the receptacle to be independently rotated without moving the entire outlet structure, enabling flexible positioning while maintaining the stability and simplicity of the overall mounting structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the receptacle is made rotatable to accommodate unusual shapes, then adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation mechanism uses a simple pin-and-slot design where a pin on the receptacle engages with a slot in the housing, allowing rotational movement without complex mechanisms. This minimalistic approach provides the necessary adaptability while keeping the added complexity low.
Solution Approach 2:
The receptacle is designed to rotate only through a limited angular range (e.g., ±45 degrees or ±90 degrees from the neutral position) rather than a full 360 degrees. This partial rotation is sufficient to accommodate most unusual device shapes while minimizing the complexity of the rotation mechanism and maintaining structural stability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rotation stops are added to limit receptacle rotation, then stability improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation stops are implemented as simple geometric features (e.g., tabs, protrusions, or molded features) on the housing and receptacle that naturally limit rotation to predetermined angles. These features are integrated into the existing components during molding or machining, avoiding the need for separate manufactured parts and minimizing manufacturing complexity while providing stable rotation limits.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided systems and methods for a reorientable electrical outlet. In one embodiment, a system includes a housing configured to be coupled to an electrical power source, the housing having a first rotation stop, and an electrical plug receptacle, mountable within the housing, the insert having a second rotation stop, the first and second rotation stops configured to cooperate with each other to limit rotation of the insert within the aperture at a number of degrees, wherein the plug receptacle is configured to receive an electrical plug.