Patent ID: 6183264
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: H01R

Abstract:
A safety apparatus for selectively placing an electric outlet either in an active or an inactive state, said apparatus comprising:an outlet receptacle having at least two electrical connection ports and having at least two electrical feeds with each one of the electrical connection ports corresponding to one of the electrical feeds and with at least one of the feeds being designated as ""hot"", wherein the feeds connect said outlet receptacle to an electrical system;a slideable piston mounted within said outlet receptacle, said piston having a contact end and an activation end;at least one contact attached to the contact end of said slideable piston and in electrical communication with hot feed;a compression spring positioned around said slideable piston for biasing said piston;an outlet plug having a mounting surface with at least two electrical pins protruding substantially perpendicular thereto, such that the electrical pins correspond to the electrical connection ports of said outlet receptacle are aligned so that said outlet plug can be inserted into said outlet receptacle;a magnet member and a matching member capable of being attracted by said magnet, therein defining a single matched pair, wherein one member of said matched pair is mounted on the mounting surface of said outlet plug and the other member of said matched pair is mounted on the activation end of said slideable piston, and being aligned such that when said outlet plug is inserted into said outlet receptacle, said matched pair are immediately adjacent to one another;wherein when said outlet plug is out of said receptacle, said spring biases said slideable piston causing the at least one contact to be disengaged from its corresponding electrical connection port, therein providing the inactive state such that at least the hot feed of said outlet receptacle is isolated from the corresponding electrical connection port, so that said outlet receptacle is unable to transmit an electrical current; andwherein when said plug is inserted into said receptacle, magnetically attracted toward one another resulting in said slideable piston sliding to cause said contact to releasable connect to its corresponding electrical connection port, therein providing the active state, so that said outlet receptacle is able to transmit an electrical current.