Abstract:
A double male electrical connector is provided to connect the female end of a string of Christmas lights with the female end of an extension cord suitable for plugging into a wall outlet. The inventive connector is particularly useful when Christmas lights are wrapped from the wrong direction so that after wrapping the lights the female end is loose. The connector includes a conventional conductive cord with a first end and a second end. The first end has a first male plug and the second end has a second male plug. Each male plug has a first lead and a second lead for plugging into a two-prong receptacle. In accordance with the invention there is no third grounding lead. In an alternative embodiment the connector has a safety cap on at least one of the male plugs for safety, i.e., when the connector is not in use. 
     In the preferred embodiment the apparatus includes a jacket receiving the connector for axially slidable use so that both male plugs cannot both be simultaneously exposed.

Description:
This is a Continuation-In-Part of prior U.S. patent application entitled “Double Male Two-Prong Electrical Connector,” Ser. No. 10/418,345, as filed on Apr. 18, 2003, now abandoned, priority to which is claimed as permitted by law. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to electrical cords. More particularly, the invention is directed to a cord with a male plug at either end, each plug having only two prongs. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   A string of small decorative lights is a very common article for holidays, festivals, parties and other celebrations. Particularly popular are Christmas tree lights, a typical string measuring perhaps ten feet in length and used to be wrapped around a Christmas tree or other accommodating structure. Oftentimes, several strings will be connected together and hung outdoors on a house or other structure, such as a group of trees. Typically, such a string of lights will have a two-pronged male end (Christmas tree lights normally have no third grounding prong) and a female end suitable for insertion of a two-pronged male from another electrical connector, such as an extension cord or another string of lights. In other words, Christmas tree lights and other similar strings of lights are intended to be wrapped beginning with the male end. Once all of the wrapping has been completed a small portion of cord including the female end will be left loose. In this way the female end of the light string can be connected to the male end of an extension cord so that in turn the male end of the extension cord may be connected to on-line power, typically by plugging into a wall outlet. 
   The problem with this situation is that a person who is putting up decorative lights may not notice as he begins to hang them that he should start with the male end. This situation occurs rather frequently since holiday light hangers are often distracted or in a festive, carefree mood or perhaps have indulged in holiday libation so at the end of the wrapping process the user is left with only a female plug for use because the male end is, for example, completely wrapped and located at the top of the Christmas tree. In other words, only a female end is practically available and so the user, regardless of how many conventional Christmas light strings or extension cords he connects, he will not be able to plug into a wall outlet. 
   Perhaps he was intending to attach another string of lights to the first hung string. He may then insert the male end of the second set of lights into the female end of the first set. But this will not solve his problem which originated when he began by hanging the string of lights with the male end first, because when all his wrapping is done he will still have only a female end for further connection. 
   Ultimately he is left with a female end which must be connected to a wall outlet. A common extension cord, having a male end and a female end, will not serve this purpose, as noted above. What is needed, but commercially unavailable, is a connector which can join the female end of the miswrapped Christmas lights to the female end of either another string of lights, extension cord or other appropriate electrical connection. Because there has been no solution to this problem, no article available for purchase, the unfortunate consumer has heretofore had no alternative but to undo all the stringing of lights he has done, sometimes representing hours of wasted labor. 
   The solution to this problem must also avoid three-prong structures since small decorative lights are typically ungrounded. Double male three-prong electrical connectors are commercially available, but the double male two-prong connector in accordance with the present invention is not commercially available and yet is the only practical solution to this problem. In addition, a device is needed which provides two male plugs, but is configured so that only one plug is accessible at a time. In that way, the device can be used safely by adults but does not pose a threat to children or pets who might innocently touch the “hot” plug after the other has been electrically connected. At least one manufacturer heretofore has tried to solve this safety issue without success. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention solves the foregoing problems by providing a double male electrical connector apparatus which allows an improperly wrapped string of Christmas lights to be connected to the female end of an extension cord or another female receptor which eventually leads to on-line power. The invention not only solves the need for two ungrounded male prongs back-to-back but does it in a safe way which avoids injury to pets or children. 
   The connector includes a conventional conductive cord with a first and a second end. The first end has a first male plug and the second end has a second male plug. Each male plug has a first lead and a second lead for plugging into a two-prong receptacle. In accordance with the invention there is no third grounding lead. In an alternative embodiment the connector has a safety cap on at least one of the male plugs for safety, i.e., when the connector is not in use. In the preferred embodiment the apparatus includes a jacket receiving the connector for axially slidable use so that both male plugs cannot both be simultaneously exposed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a double male two-prong electrical connector in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 2   a  is a partially schematic depiction of the inventive two-prong connector coupling the female end of a string of Christmas lights to the female end of an extension cord which is in turn plugged into a wall outlet; 
       FIG. 2   b  is a partial perspective view of a cord and female end of the light string shown in  FIG. 2   a.    
       FIG. 3  is a disassembled side view of one male plug and one end of the cord; 
       FIG. 4   a  is an end view of one end of the housing of a male plug; 
       FIG. 4   b  is an end view of the cord; 
       FIG. 4   c  is the opposite end of the housing from that of  4   a;    
       FIG. 5  depicts the inventive connector with safety caps locked on; 
       FIG. 6  is a three-prong male plug representative of the prior art; 
       FIG. 7   a  is a side view of a jacket used in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 7   b  is a partially sectional view of an electrical connector apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 7   c  is an enlarged representation of  FIG. 7   b  with certain portions omitted for ease of illustration; and 
       FIG. 7   d  shows is a side view of two covers (one sectional) used in conjunction with the jacket of  FIG. 7   a.    
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to the figures in general and  FIG. 1  in particular, a double male two-prong electrical connector  10  is shown in accordance with the invention. Connector  10  includes a cord  12 , a first male plug  14 , and a second male plug  16 . 
   Cord  12  includes an electrically insulative, hollow first channel member  18  and an electrically insulative, hollow second channel member  20 . First channel member  18  includes portions forming a first channel  21   a  and second channel member  20  includes portions forming a second channel  21   b  (See  FIG. 4   b ). First channel  18  member houses a first conductor  22  (see  FIG. 4   b ) and a second conductor  24  (see  FIG. 4   b ). In the preferred embodiment, conductors  22  and  24  are conventional wires such as used in lamp cords. Cord  12  includes a first end  26  and a second end  28 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , first end  26  of cord  12  is shown in more detail along with an enlarged, partially disassembled view of first plug  14 . In particular, a crimped-necked portion  29  of first end  26  of cord  12  is shown. In the preferred embodiment cord  12  is about five inches long. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 3 , first plug  14  includes a first lead or prong  30  and a second lead or prong  32 . Both first lead  30  and second lead  32  are conventional electric conductors suitable for plugging into the female end of a conventional string of Christmas lights, extension cord or other conventional female socket. First lead  30  and second lead  32  are housed and electrically insulated from each other by a substrate  34  which includes portions forming a hole  36  for receiving the very tip of first end  26  of cord  12  as shown in with dotted lines. First lead  30  includes a first peg  38  (partially shown) and second lead  32  has a second peg  40 . First peg  38  is received within substrate  34 , and penetrates first channel  18  so as to be in electrical communication with first conductor  22 . First lead  30  is shown in the engaged position, i.e., abutting substrate  34 , while second lead  32  is shown in a flexed position so that it is ajar from substrate  34 . Because first lead  30  is in an engaged position, as shown, first peg  38  is received in a chamber (formed within substrate  34  but in spatial communication with the exterior thereof and not shown for clarity of illustration). First peg  38  penetrates first channel  18  so as to make electrical contact with first conductor  22 . First plug  14  also includes a plug housing  42  having an aperture  44 , a mouth  46  and an invagination  48  formed in the interior of the housing  42  (see  FIG. 4   a ). It will be noted that lead  30  flares out slightly as it extends from substrate  34  in the engaged position as shown. It will also be observed by casual inspection that second lead  32  (including second peg  40 ) is depicted in an unengaged position so that second peg  40  is not in electrical communication with second conductor  24 . 
   In the preferred embodiment second plug  16  has an identical form and function but is not shown in  FIG. 3  for ease of illustration. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2   a , double male connector  10  is shown partially schematically in operative association with a light string  50  featuring a plurality of decorative lights  52 , string cord  54  and a male end  56 . 
   String  50  also includes female end  58  which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 2   b . In particular, as shown in  FIG. 2   b , female end  58  includes a first lead receptor  60  and a second lead receptor  62 . 
   Referring once again to  FIG. 2   a , an extension cord  64  is shown having a cord member  66 , female end  68  and male end  70 . Male end  70  of extension cord  64  is suitable for plugging into a wall outlet  72  and thereby being electrically connected to on-line power line  74 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , first male plug  14  and second male plug  16  are shown with an insulative first safety cap  76  and an insulative second safety cap  78  respectively, in engaged positions. Safety caps  76 ,  78  are commercially available caps which prevent a standard male plug (such as first plug  14  or second plug  16 ) from being used. Safety caps  76 ,  78  are lockable so that a child will not be able to open it and yet it is readily opened by an adult. Safety caps  76 ,  78  are in other words reversibly lockable and easily removed. 
   When safety caps  76 ,  78  are engaged as shown, first plug  14  and second plug  16  are not insertable into a female electrical connection. Optionally, one of the safety caps  76 ,  78  may be omitted. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , a male plug  114  is shown in accordance with the prior art. Male plug  114  has a first lead  30  and a second lead  32  in strictly analogous fashion with first male plug  14  of connector  10 , but further includes a third grounding lead  80 , and hence male plug  114  is not suitable for use with string  50  or other ungrounded decorative lights. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 3 , connector  10  is easily assembled in the following manner. Second lead  32  is moved into the engaged position in strictly symmetrical fashion with first lead  30 , so that second peg  40  is received in substrate  34 , piercing second channel  20  so as to be in electrical communication with second conductor  24 . Then housing  42  is moved from right to left as viewed in  FIG. 3  (relative to cord  12 ) so that substrate  34  and portions of first lead  30  and second lead  32  are snugly received in invagination  48  (see  FIG. 4   a ) and “snapped-in.” It should be noted that in the engaged position both first lead  30  and second lead  32  flare slightly to provide additional mechanical tension biasing in favor of the snapped-in position. Second plug  16  is likewise assembled to the snapped-in position in strictly analogous fashion relative to first plug  14 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2   a , the use of connector  10  will now be described in accordance with the present invention. When a user takes a string  50  of decorative lights  52  and begins to wrap it around an object to be decorated, such as a Christmas tree, doorframe, the outside of a house, a group of trees or other suitable structure, he may accidentally begin wrapping from male end  56  of string  50 . At the end of the wrapping sequence (regardless of whether he also couples further strings  50  from female end  58  to male end  56  of the next string  50 ) he will ultimately discover his mistake when he is left with a loose female end  58 . Previously, the user would be required to unwrap the lights and start again this time from female end  58 . 
   First safety caps  76 ,  78  are removed if engaged. In accordance with the invention, the user is now able to take connector  10  and place the first male plug  14  into female end. The user then connects second plug  16  into female end  68  of extension cord  64  and then male end  70  of extension cord  64  will either go into outlet  72  as shown or will be repetitively connected to other extension cords as desired until the last extension cord is engaged with outlet  72  so that electrical power can be provided from on-line power line  74 . In this fashion and in accordance with the invention, electrical power is provided to lights  52  without having to rewrap string  50 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7   a , a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described.  FIG. 7   a  depicts a jacket  82  to be used in conjunction with connector  10  of  FIG. 1 . Jacket  82  is normally constructed of a rugged insulative material such as PVC or another synthetic resin material. Jacket  82  includes a left half  84  and a right half  86  connected by a neck  88 . The left half  84  includes a first end  90  and right half  86  includes a second end  92  as shown. First end  90  includes an externally threaded portion  94  and second end  92  includes an externally threaded portion  96 . Jacket  82  is substantially hollow to form an interior passage  98  as shown (see  FIG. 7   b ). 
   Referring to  FIG. 7   b , an electrical connector apparatus  83  in accordance with the invention is shown. Apparatus  83  includes jacket  82  and electrical connector  10  substantially disposed within interior channel  98  of jacket  82 . In particularly preferred embodiments apparatus  83  includes a first threaded cover  110  and a second threaded cover  112  for reversible threaded engagement respectively with first end  90  and second end  92  with jacket  82  (see  FIG. 7   d ). Further note second cover  112  is shown sectionally so as to expose an internally threaded portion  113  for mating engagement with threaded portion  96  of second end  92 . In the particularly preferred variant of the invention utilizing jacket  82  and covers  110  and  1112 , caps  76  and  78  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) will be omitted because of the safety features of jacket  82  described below. 
   Referring to  FIG. 7   c , neck  88  includes a first neck stopping area  100  and a second neck stopping area  102  as shown. Connector  10  is received within jacket  82 . Neck  88  presents a minimum diameter  104  as shown. First male plug  14  presents a first housing diameter  106  which is substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of first lead  30  and second lead  32 . Second male plug  16  presents a second housing diameter  108  as shown which is substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of first lead  30   a  and second lead  32   a . The diameter of first male housing  106  and the diameter of second male housing  108  are both greater than the diameter of the minimum diameter  104  of neck  88 , for operational reasons described below. 
   In operation, electrical connector apparatus  83  is used as follows. First covers  110  and  112  are threadably removed respectively from first end  90  and second end  92  of jacket  82 . Then electrical connector  10  is axially displaced to the left-most position.  FIG. 7   b  approximately shows this position but it should be noted that in the operation described above electrical connector  10  will be shifted a slightly greater distance to the left relative to jacket  82  so that second male plug  16  abuts neck stopping area  102  of jacket  82 . In this fashion first male plug  14  emerges and is completely exposed outside of left half  84  of jacket  82 . First lead  30  and second lead  32  are then inserted into an appropriate female receptor such as the female end  58  of light string  50 . Once first male plug  14  has been electrically connected to female end  58  of light string  50 , the electrical connector  10  is axially displaced to the right relative to jacket  82  so that first male plug  14  abuts neck stopping area  100  of jacket  82 . At that time second male plug  16  will be exposed out of right half  86  of jacket  82  in strictly analogous fashion to that of first male plug  14  as shown in  FIG. 7   b . At that point, first male plug  16  will be electrically connected to an appropriate female receptacle, such as the female end of a string of Christmas lights, the female end of an extension cord, etc., in accordance with the invention. 
   It will be readily appreciated that since the axial length of jacket  82  is approximately twice as long as cord  12  of connector  10  that first male plug  14  and second male plug  16  can never be simultaneously exposed. This will prevent either plug from being exposed in “hot condition” while the other is being engaged and will provide safety from inadvertent use by children or pets. 
   Although the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and details may he made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.