Socket Movable Lids Shield Plug Holes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sockets lack protection against children inserting stick-like objects into plug holes, which can lead to electrical shocks due to uncovered paths from plug holes to conducting clips.
Innovation Solution
A socket design featuring movable lids with tapered surfaces and an elastic member, where the lids barricade the notches in the partition to prevent insertion of stick-like objects into the plug holes, using a combination of first and second lids with bulges and indents, and a long coil spring for fixation, ensuring the tapered surfaces block access to conducting clips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the plug holes are left uncovered to allow easy insertion of plugs, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety against electrical shock deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs movable lids that can dynamically change position between covering and uncovering the plug holes. The lids are connected to elastic members that enable automatic movement: they cover the holes when idle (safety) and can be pushed aside when a plug is inserted (operation). This dynamic mechanism resolves the contradiction by making the protection adaptive rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The lids are pre-positioned to cover the plug holes before any plug insertion occurs. This preliminary protective action is already in place, and the system is designed to automatically respond when needed. The elastic members are pre-loaded to provide the necessary force for the lids to move when a plug is inserted, eliminating the need for additional safety mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If movable lids are added to cover the plug holes, then the safety against electrical shock is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective mechanism is divided into separate modular components: individual lids for each plug hole, elastic members for each lid, and integration features. This segmentation allows each component to be simple and standardized, making the overall system easier to manufacture and assemble despite having multiple parts. The modular approach prevents the complexity from becoming unmanageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic members are designed to automatically return the lids to their covering position after a plug is removed. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional actuators, motors, or control systems. The system uses the energy stored in the elastic members to maintain safety automatically, reducing operational complexity while maintaining continuous protection.
3Reliability
If the lids are made to tightly fit the notches for secure shielding, then the reliability of protection is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lids and notches are designed with asymmetric shapes and specific geometric features that provide reliable engagement without requiring extremely tight tolerances. The asymmetric design creates a natural fit that guides the lids into the correct position, ensuring reliable coverage while allowing for normal manufacturing variations. This approach maintains protection reliability without demanding excessive manufacturing precision.
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
Effectively prevents stick-like objects from touching conducting clips, thereby avoiding electrical shocks by securely shielding the plug holes with the movable lids mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member, where the first lid is in the shape of a chunk on which one lateral is formed into a tapered surface
Implementation Method 2
a long coil spring for fixation
Data Source
AI summary
A socket featuring movable lids for shielding plug holes is characterized by accommodating a set of movable lids: a first lid, a second lid and an elastic member in a cavity of its panel, where the first lid and the second lid are used to barricade the first notch and the second notch respectively by the bottoms of their tapered surfaces. A user, on occasion, is inserting a stick-like object into a single plug hole incidentally or intentionally, the first lid and the second lid will hold up each other to barricade the corresponding notch to avoid the stick-like object to touch the specific conducting clip, keeping the user from the hazard of an electrical shock.