Rotatable Plug Socket Arc-Shaped Rigid Conductors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotatable plug sockets require flexible cables for rotation, leading to bulkiness and cable failure due to frequent bending, and are cumbersome to produce with exact cable lengths.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable plug socket design featuring a base housing and receiving part mechanically coupled via a bearing, using dimensionally rigid conductors with arc-shaped sections for electrical contact, eliminating the need for flexible cables and allowing large rotational travel without exposing wires to bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If flexible cables are used to connect terminals allowing rotation, then rotational movement is enabled, but the enclosure becomes bulky and cables are prone to failure from frequent bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flexible cable component from the system and replaces it with rigid conductors having arc-shaped sections. The receiving part rotates relative to the base housing, but instead of using flexible cables to accommodate this rotation, the invention uses fixed rigid conductors shaped in arcs that guide the electrical contacts through the rotational path, eliminating cable bending and failure risks.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the electrical connections flexible to accommodate rotation (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by making the connections rigid and shaping them in arcs. The flexibility is achieved not through the cables but through the relative rotation of the receiving part itself, while the rigid arc-shaped conductors maintain stable electrical contact throughout the rotation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If flexible cables of sufficient length are provided for rotation, then rotational travel is permitted, but production becomes cumbersome due to the need for exact cable lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the flexible cable assembly from the system, eliminating the complex production process of cutting and fitting cables to exact lengths. Instead, rigid conductors with predetermined arc-shaped sections are used, which can be easily manufactured and assembled without requiring precise length adjustments for each application.
3Reliability
If the arc-shaped conductor sections are not closed into a full circle, then an off-position is created for safety, but the rotational travel is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately leaves the arc-shaped conductor sections open rather than closing them into full circles. This creates an intentional gap that prevents continuous rotation and establishes a defined off-position where electrical contact is broken. This preliminary design feature ensures safety by requiring deliberate action to restore power, preventing accidental continuous operation.
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 design provides a robust and flexible solution for rotatable plug sockets, preventing cable failure and simplifying production by allowing extensive rotation without flexible cables, while ensuring secure electrical connections and phase protection through locking mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
The base housing and the receiving part are mechanically coupled via a bearing that permits a rotation of the receiving part, relative to the base housing, around a central axis
Implementation Method 2
The clip-section may have resilient projections that engage with a recess, preferably a ring-shaped recess
Implementation Method 3
The sliding electrical contact preferably is made by a resilient element
Data Source
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AI summary
A rotatable plug socket (100) comprises a base housing (102) and a receiving part (104) for receiving a plug. The receiving part (104) and the base part (102) are mechanically coupled to permit a rotation of the receiving part (104) relative to the base housing (102). The receiving part (104) has first electrical contacts (110) for establishing electrical contact with corresponding electrical contacts of a plug. Electrical terminals for connecting electrical wiring are provided in the base housing (102), which are electrically connected to two dimensionally rigid conductors (114), likewise arranged in the base housing (102), having sections that are arc shaped. The receiving part (104) has two second electrical contacts (116), each of which being electrically coupled to a respective first electrical contact (110) of the receiving part (104), and each of which being in sliding electrical contact with a respective one of the dimensionally rigid conductors (114).