Travel Plug Adapter Locking Mechanism for Safe Plug Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing travel plug adapters are often complex to produce, difficult to transport, and lack electrical safety features, with mechanisms requiring precise manufacturing and being prone to accidental plug activation, which can lead to electrical hazards.
Innovation Solution
A travel plug adapter with a modular design featuring a detachable housing, actuation slides, and a selection slider that allows for easy switching between plug types, along with a locking mechanism to ensure safe operation and prevent accidental activation, while being compact and user-friendly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanical rotation mechanism is used to select power plugs, then multiple plug types can be accessed, but the housing manufacturing precision requirements increase and rotational movement resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is divided into a stationary housing and a rotatable selector component. The selector component contains individual plug elements that can be independently positioned, allowing each plug type to be accessed through rotation without requiring the entire housing to be precisely manufactured for rotational movement.
Solution Approach 2:
A single rotatable selector mechanism serves multiple functions: it selects between different plug types, provides a compact storage structure, and enables easy switching between configurations. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each plug type.
2Ease of operation
If a round housing shape is used, then rotational selection is enabled, but transportability decreases and visibility of all plug elements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The housing transitions from a purely round shape to an asymmetric design that incorporates flat sides or angular features. This allows the adapter to be stacked or stored efficiently in compact spaces while maintaining the rotatable selector functionality on the top surface, improving both transportability and visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The design adds vertical dimensionality by positioning the rotatable selector and plug elements in a layered arrangement. This allows multiple plug types to be accessed through rotation while keeping the overall footprint compact, improving transportability without sacrificing operational ease.
3Reliability
If operating elements are spring-loaded with locking plates, then firm holding in end positions is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex spring-loaded locking plate mechanism is replaced by extracting only the essential function: a simple detent or click mechanism that provides sufficient holding force without requiring springs, locking plates, or guide slots. This reduces the number of components while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The design uses simple, inexpensive friction-based or detent-based retention mechanisms instead of complex spring-loaded systems. These simpler mechanisms are sufficient for the application and reduce manufacturing complexity while providing adequate holding force for plug selection.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple plug sets are provided simultaneously, then versatility is maximized, but accidental activation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter uses a dynamic selection mechanism where only one plug type is active at any given time, controlled by the rotatable selector. This dynamic configuration allows maximum versatility across different destinations while physically preventing accidental activation of non-selected plug types through the locking action of the selector mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a travel plug adapter, which is herein also referred to briefly as a travel plug. By means of such an adapter, mains plugs of a certain (domestic) standard can be inserted into the receptacles present at the travel location. More precisely, the invention relates to a travel plug adapter (10), which has a housing, a plug socket, and at least a first plug (34) of a first standard and a second plug (36) of a second standard, wherein the first plug (34) and the second plug (36) alternatively can be brought from a readiness position, in which the plug is located substantially within the housing, into a usage position, wherein the first plug (34) is connected to a first actuation slide (22) for transferring the first plug from the readiness position into the usage position, and the second plug is connected to a second actuation slide (24) for transferring the second plug from the readiness position into the usage position, characterized in that a selection slide (20) is provided, which alternatively releases the first plug (34) in a first position or the second plug (36) in a second position for transfer into the usage position and that a locking element (66) is provided, which locks at least the first plug (34) or the second plug (36) in the usage position and which is designed as a component that is separate from the selection slide (44).