Stowable Plug Assembly for Safe Countertop Power Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Horizontal surfaces, such as kitchen countertops, often lack suitable electrical plug outlets, and existing vertical outlets are inadvertently accessible, posing a safety risk for children and leading to potential appliance accidents.
Innovation Solution
A stowable plug assembly that can be installed under a horizontal surface without modifying it, featuring a housing that stores a power outlet removably and allows it to extend above the surface for use, with conductors connecting to a power source only when deployed, and including safety features like GFCI and low voltage accessories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a vertical electrical plug outlet is installed on a side surface, then power access is provided, but the outlet becomes inadvertently accessible and poses safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The power outlet is designed to transition between a stored configuration (recessed within the housing below the horizontal surface) and a deployed configuration (extending above the horizontal surface). This dynamic positioning allows the outlet to be inaccessible when stored and accessible when deployed, eliminating the safety risk of inadvertent access while maintaining power access functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a power outlet is installed on a horizontal surface, then power access is convenient, but the surface requires modification
Solution Approach 1:
The power outlet housing is nested within the main housing, allowing the outlet to be stored within the housing volume. This nesting arrangement enables the outlet to be positioned below the horizontal surface without requiring modification to the surface itself, while still providing convenient power access when deployed.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a stowable power outlet is designed, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: a main housing, a separate power outlet housing, and conductor elements. This segmentation allows the power outlet to be independently positioned and stored within the main housing, providing safety through stowability while managing complexity through modular design.
Data Source
AI summary
A plug assembly may include a housing configured to be installed to a first surface of a body. A plug assembly may include a power outlet configured to receive an electrical plug, wherein the power outlet is configured to be removably stored within the housing, wherein in a stored configuration, the power outlet is stored within the housing, wherein in a deployed configuration, the power outlet is exposed from the housing and extends beyond a second surface of the body, wherein the housing is configured to be installed at a location in which the second surface of the body is not modified. A plug assembly may include a plurality of conductors configured to be connected in electrical communication with the power outlet when the power outlet is in the deployed configuration.