Abstract:
A locking electrical plug is disclosed having a rigid tubular housing which rotates axially around a partially enclosed cylindrical socket face. As the tubular housing rotates, internally projecting cam engages clevis pins on the socket face, which pins lock through apertures of male electrical prongs detachably inserted into jacks on the socket face. The clevis pins are disengaged from the electrical prongs as the tubular body is rotated backward, the clevis pins biased back into an open position by resilient springs. Certain embodiments of the present invention recite electrical outlet embodiments comprising a plurality of socket faces. The locking electrical socket securely retains the male end of a US 120 volt electrical plug, but may be embodied to retain the male end of a US 220 volt electrical plug or electrical plugs of various international standards.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to electrical plugs, and more particularly relates to electrical sockets with locking mechanisms for detachably securing male electrical plugs. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Electrical sockets power appliances and tools in every home and business in the United States. Countless electronic devices, from televisions, to refrigerators, to air conditioners, are plugged into electrical sockets for indefinite periods of time by hundreds by millions of people. With periodic movement of these devices, and pressure on the male pins insertably connected to the electrical sockets, many plugs come free unexpectedly. In some instances, extension cords are pulled free by users attempting to extend their length, inadvertently disengaging the extension cords from the electrical sockets. In other cases, lights, garage door openers, and extension cords plugged into the ceiling of garages can come lose and be difficult to reconnect. 
         [0005]    Electrical plugs are secured to sockets only by the mild compressive force of conductivity pieces with the jacks which become fatigued over time. There exists a need in the art for a simple locking electrical socket for securing electrical plugs in place which is reliable for indefinite periods of time. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a locking electrical socket. Beneficially, such a saw would overcome many of the difficulties with prior art by providing a more functional apparatus to consumers and professionals with a more effective locking mechanism. 
         [0007]    The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available apparatii and methods. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a locking electrical socket comprising: a hollow cylindrical body defining an internal recess, the cylindrical body having two open ends for housing a cylindrical socket face and partially housing a t-member, the cylindrical body comprising an internal cam for engaging one more clevis pins, the cam partially circumscribing the inner surface of the cylindrical body; wherein the internal recess defined by the cylindrical body is of non-uniform diameter, such that the diameter of the recess across a lateral axis is smaller than the diameter of the internal recess across a longitudinal axis. 
         [0008]    The locking electrical socket further comprises a cylindrical socket face having two or more jacks for receiving the male pins of an electrical plug, the jacks comprising one or more conductivity pieces for engaging with electrical contact the male pins, the socket face defining one or more recesses for receiving one or more clevis pins for closing and engaging apertures on the male pins; wherein the clevis pins are biased in an open position by one or more resilient springs, wherein the clevis pins are closed to engage the male pins by the cam rotating across the clevis pins when the cylindrical body is twisted axially around the socket face; and a rigid member mounted inside the cylindrical body to one of the cylindrical socket face and a component affixed to cylindrical socket face, the rigid member traversing the longitudinal axis of the inner recess, the rigid member of a length longer the diameter of inner recess across its lateral axis, the rigid member of a length less than the diameter of the inner recess across its longitudinal axis, such that cylindrical body can only rotated axially around the rigid member until a diameter of the inner recess as measured across the rigid member is reduced to the length of the rigid member. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, an outer surface of the cylindrical body may comprise one or more planar facets. The cylindrical socket face may further comprise a substantially planar outer face comprising a centrally located bore hole for receiving a screw, the screw affixing the cylindrical socket face to an abutting member partially enveloped by the cylindrical body. The clevis pins may further comprise convex heads, the convex heads engaged by the cam. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the cylindrical body further comprises a crescent recess interiorly traversing the length of the cylindrical body, the crescent recess expanding the length of the diameter of the inner recess. 
         [0011]    A locking electrical outlet having a plurality of electrical sockets is also recited, the electrical outlet comprising: a hollow housing defining a plurality of internal recesses, a face of the housing defining a plurality the cylindrical openings, each opening for housing a cylindrical socket face, the housing comprising internal cam for engaging one more clevis pins on the cylindrical socket faces; and a plurality of cylindrical socket faces having two or more jacks for receiving the male pins of an electrical plug, the jacks comprising one or more conductivity pieces for engaging with electrical contact the male pins, the socket face defining one or more recesses for receiving one or more clevis pins for closing and engaging apertures on the male pins when the male pins are insertably and detachably connected to an electrical socket; wherein the clevis pins are biased in an open position by one or more resilient springs affixed to a socket face, wherein the clevis pins are closed to engage the male pins by the cam rotating across the clevis pins when the socket face is twisted axially within the housing. 
         [0012]    These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a lower elevational perspective view of a socket face in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a lower elevational perspective view of a cylindrical body in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational perspective view of a socket face and T-member assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational perspective view of a partially disassembled locking electrical socket in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a forward side elevational sectioned perspective view of a partially disassembled locking electrical socket in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a forward side elevational cross-sectioned perspective view of a partially disassembled locking electrical socket in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a forward side elevational perspective view of a disassembled locking electrical socket in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a forward side elevational perspective view of a locking electrical socket in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a forward side elevational cross-sectioned perspective view of a locking electrical outlet in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a forward elevational perspective view of a locking electrical socket in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a lower elevational perspective view of a locking electrical outlet in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
         [0026]    Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a lower elevational perspective view of a socket face  100  in accordance with the present invention. The socket face  100  comprises a cylindrical component having a jack  102   a,  a jack  102   b,  a ground jack  104 , a planar forward surface  106 , a bore hole  108 , a locking recess  110 , and a planar lower surface. 
         [0028]    The socket face  100  comprises a cylindrical member with a forward planar surface  106  with a centrally located bore hole  108  for receiving a screw, the screw used to affix the socket face  100  to an abutting member on the rearward face of the socket face  100 . 
         [0029]    The jacks  102   a - b  comprise prong receiving bore openings for receiving the male prongs of standardized US 120 volt electrical plugs. In other embodiments, the jacks  102   a - b  are shaped so as to receive male electrical prongs of other standardized sizes commonly used in countries and regions across the globe, including 220 volt plugs. 
         [0030]    The jacks  102   a - b  comprise contact terminals for electrically engaging male prongs inserted into the jacks  102   a - b.    
         [0031]    The socket face  100  comprises two locking recesses  110  for receiving clevis pins, which clevis pins are forced inward through apertures in male prongs to lock the male prongs in place. 
         [0032]    The socket face  100  may be formed from any non-conductive polymeric material. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is a lower elevational perspective view of a hollow cylindrical body  200  in accordance with the present invention. The hollow cylindrical body  200  comprises an annular rim  202 , a crescent recess  204 , an internal cam  206 , a planar facet  208   a,  and a planar facet  208   b.    
         [0034]    The cylindrical body  200  comprises a non-conductive elongated hollow cylindrical casing, body, or housing with an open forward end for receiving the socket face  100  and a t-member described below affixed to the socket face  100 . The cylindrical body  200  may be insulated. 
         [0035]    The cylindrical body  200  comprises inwardly projecting helical ridging forming an internal cam  206  which engages convex heads on clevis pins as the cylindrical body  200  is rotated around the socket face  100 . 
         [0036]    The internal cam  206  may be manufactured through means known to those of skill in the art, including additive, subtractive, taps and dies, single point threading, thrilling, grinding, molding, lapping, rolling and the like. 
         [0037]    The cylindrical body  200  may comprise a plurality of planar facets  208  on its outer face for showing the rotational position of the cylindrical body  200  relative to the socket face  100  and other components of the locking electrical socket. 
         [0038]    The cylindrical body  200  defines a hollow inner recess. In some embodiments, the inner recess is of non-uniform diameter across different axes of the cylindrical body  200  such that an elongated, rigid component traversing the longest diameter direction prevents axial rotation of the cylindrical body  200  as the diameter narrows during rotation of the cylindrical body  200  around the rigid component. 
         [0039]    The cylindrical body  200  comprises two annular rims  202  with planar outward faces, a forward rim and rearward rim. 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational perspective view of a socket face and T-member assembly  300  in accordance with the present invention. The assembly  300  comprises a socket face  100 , resilient springs  302   c - d,  a clevis pin  304   a,  a clevis pin  304   b,  a convex head  306   a,  a convex head  306   b,  a t-member  308 , and a center wall  310 . 
         [0041]    The socket face  100  is affixed to a plurality of resilient springs  302 , which bias open clevis pins  304  affixed to the resilient springs  302 . 
         [0042]    The clevis pins  304   a - d  comprises depressible shanks, clevis pins, shafts, bolts, or gyves for engaging the apertures on standardized US 120 volt male electrical prongs inserted into the socket face  100 . 
         [0043]    The clevis pins  304   a - b  are biased by the resilient springs  302   a - d  into their open position. When the cylindrical body  200  is rotated around the socket face  100 , the cam  206  engages the convex heads  306   a - b  and presses them inward, forcing the clevis pins  304   a - b  through apertures on the male electrical plugs inserted into the jacks  102   a - b.  When the cylindrical body  200  is rotated back to its original position, the cam  206  disengages from the convex heads  306   a - b  which heads  306   a - b  are disengaged from the male electrical inserts by the resilient springs  302   a - d.    
         [0044]    The convex heads  306  may comprise flattened heads or tabs curving outward in convex form along their outer face. 
         [0045]    The t-member  308  comprises a polymeric, non-conducting member affixed to the rearward face of the socket face  100 . In the shown embodiment, the t-member  308  comprises a central wall  310  extending upwardly. In the shown embodiment, the central wall  310 , measure from the bottom of the t-member  308  to the top of the central wall  310  excess the horizontal (i.e. lateral axis) diameter of the inner recess of cylindrical body  200 , but does not exceed the longitudinal axis diameter of the inner recess as measured across the inner recess and the crescent recess, such that the cylindrical body  200  cannot rotate fully around the central wall  310 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational perspective view of a partially disassembled locking electrical socket  400  in accordance with the present invention. The electrical socket  400  comprises a socket face  100 , a cylindrical body  200 , a t-member  308 , a convex head  306   a,  a convex head  306   b,  a center wall  310 , a rearward face  402 , and a conductivity piece  404 . 
         [0047]    A semi-cylindrical component, the rearward face  402 , may be affixed to the upper portion of the t-member  308 . The rearward face  402  may formed with coupling means for coupling the locking electrical socket to wire of varying gauges. 
         [0048]    Conductivity pieces  404  are affixed to the lateral flanges of the central wall  310 . The conductivity pieces  404  are engaged in electrical contact by the male prongs of an electrical plug. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5  is a forward side elevational sectioned perspective view of a partially disassembled locking electrical socket  500  in accordance with the present invention. The electrical socket  500  comprises a socket face  100 , a cylindrical body  200 , and conductivity pieces  404   a - b.    
         [0050]    As shown, the conductivity pieces  404   a - b  are affixed interiorially to the cylindrical socket face  100  using screw/bolt mechanisms, or via other means known to those of skill in the art. 
         [0051]      FIG. 6  is a forward side elevational cross-sectioned perspective view of a partially disassembled locking electrical socket  600  in accordance with the present invention. The electrical socket  600  comprises a socket face  100 , a cylindrical body  200 , a clevis pin  304   b,  and a screw  602 . 
         [0052]    As shown, the clevis pin  304   b  slides laterally along the lateral axis in and out of an aperture defined by a male prong inserted into a jack  102 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 7  is a forward side elevational perspective view of a disassembled locking electrical socket  700  in accordance with the present invention. The electrical socket  700  comprises a cylindrical body  200 , a socket face  100 , a screw  602 , resilient springs  302   a - b,  resilient springs  302   c - d,  conductivity pieces  404   a - b,  convex heads  306   a - b,  a t-member  308 , a rearward face  402 , nuts  702   a - b,  and a screw  704 . 
         [0054]    Each of these components are assembled as shown. 
         [0055]      FIG. 8  is a forward side elevational perspective view of a locking electrical socket  800  in accordance with the present invention. The electrical socket  800  comprises a cylindrical socket face  100 , a cylindrical body  200 , a t-member  308 , and a rearward face  402  defining a bolt access recess  802 . 
         [0056]    The assembled locking electrical socket appears as shown in a half-locked position. 
         [0057]      FIG. 9  is a forward side elevational cross-sectioned perspective view of a locking electrical outlet  900  in accordance with the present invention. The electrical outlet  900  comprises a housing  902  and two electrical socket faces  100   a - b.    
         [0058]    In the shown embodiment, the electrical outlet  900  comprises a plurality of socket faces  100 . The shown embodiment is similar to locking electrical socket  400  with the primary difference being that the socket faces  100   a - b  rotate within the housing  902 , rather than the housing  902  rotating around the socket faces  100   a - b  as the cylindrical body  200  would in other embodiments. 
         [0059]      FIG. 10  is a forward elevational perspective view of a locking electrical socket  1000  in accordance with the present invention. The electrical socket  1000  appears in its assembled, unlocked position as shown. 
         [0060]      FIG. 11  is a lower elevational perspective view of a locking electrical outlet  1100  in accordance with the present invention. The locking electrical outlet  1100  appears as shown in its unlocked position. After the electrical plug in inserted into the electrical outlet  1100 , the plug and socket face  100  are rotated clockwise or counterclockwise within the housing  902 . 
         [0061]    The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.