Replaceable Surge Protector Cartridge for Continuous Plug Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical plugs designed to receive high voltage AC power are susceptible to damage from electrical surges, which can permanently harm connected devices unless a surge protector is provided, and existing surge protectors often become ineffective after absorbing a surge, requiring replacement of the entire power strip rather than just the surge protector.
Innovation Solution
An electrical plug with a replaceable surge protector cartridge that can be easily swapped out when damaged, ensuring continuous power delivery to devices while providing an optional status indicator to notify users of the need for replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surge protector is incorporated into a power strip, then electrical devices are protected from electrical surges, but the entire power strip must be replaced when the surge protector is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The surge protector is divided into a separate replaceable cartridge that can be independently replaced from the plug body. The cartridge is inserted into a receptacle within the plug housing, allowing users to replace only the damaged surge protector cartridge rather than the entire plug assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The surge protector function is extracted from the main plug structure and placed into a removable cartridge. This extraction allows the surge protector to be separated from the permanent plug components, enabling selective replacement of the surge protection element while retaining the plug housing and cord.
2Reliability
If a surge protector is built into the plug, then continuous surge protection is provided, but the cost of replacing the entire plug is higher when the surge protector fails
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the surge protector into a separate cartridge, the invention allows replacement of only the consumable surge protection component rather than the entire plug assembly, thereby reducing material loss and replacement costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The surge protector cartridge is designed as a disposable or serviceable component that can be discarded after absorbing electrical surges, while the permanent plug housing and cord are recovered and retained for continued use.
3Ease of repair
If the surge protector cartridge is made replaceable, then maintenance cost is reduced, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is segmented into a permanent housing and a replaceable cartridge, with the cartridge designed to insert into and electrically connect with the housing through a standardized receptacle interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The receptacle in the plug housing is designed to universally accept surge protector cartridges, providing both electrical connection and mechanical retention through a single interface that handles multiple functions.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical plug provides protection against electrical surges with a replaceable surge protector cartridge that is readily removable and replaceable along an exterior of the plug. Surge protector circuitry in the cartridge can absorb an electrical surge received at the plug from an electrical mains source, and the electrical plug can maintain electrical continuity from plug prongs to an electrical cord both before and after the surge protector has absorbed an electrical surge.