Patent ID: 6753755
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
An electrical safety connector fuse for insertion into an electrical socket having at least live and neutral prong receptacles, the connector fuse comprising:a sealed, tamper-proof housing having live and neutral apertures arranged to receive the live and neutral prongs respectively of an electrical plug, substantially the whole of said housing being light-transmissive; a means for emitting light disposed within said housing so that light emitted from said means for emitting light is electrically connected to said live and neutral receptacles of said connector fuse so as to emit light when a potential difference exists between said receptacles; live and neutral prongs extending outwardly from said housing at points spaced from said live and neutral apertures, said live and neutral prongs being arranged to engage the live and neutral prong receptacles respectively of said electrical socket said live and neutral prongs being arranged to engage the live and neutral prong receptacles, respectively, of said electrical socket, said live prong of said connector fuse having an outward surface facing away from said neutral prong thereof, at least a portion of said outward surface being formed from an electrically insulating material; a fuse disposed within said housing and electrically connected to said live prong; a live receptacle electrically connected to said fuse, and disposed within said housing adjacent said live aperture therein so as to engage the live prong of an appliance plug passing through said live aperture; a neutral receptacle electrically connected to said neutral prong, and disposed within said housing adjacent said neutral aperture therein so as to engage the neutral prong of an appliance plug passing through said neutral aperture; and a blocking member disposed within said housing adjacent said live and neutral apertures therein, said blocking member having a neutral aperture extending therethrough, said blocking member being biased in a closed position and movable in response to the insertion of a plug prong into said neutral aperture been said dosed position, in which it blocks the live and neutral apertures in said housing, and an open position in which the neutral aperture of said blocking member is aligned with the neutral aperture of said housing and said blocking member does not block the live aperture of said housing, thereby allowing said live and neutral prongs of said appliance plug to pass through said live and neutral apertures in said housing and engage said live and neutral receptacles within said housing.