Abstract:
The present invention is a mechanical tool for disengaging an electrical plug from an electrical socket when the socket is provided with a cap and a retention tab which engages and retains the plug in place. The tool includes a handle portion and a grasping portion with the grasping portion having spaced apart legs and perpendicular stems. The legs of the grasping element are passed on either side of the plug and a skirt provided on either leg engages and moves upward the cap on the socket to disengage the socket tab from the plug. The plug can then be removed from the socket by forcibly levering the tool against the socket to extract the plug therefrom.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/660,416 filed Mar. 10, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a tool for disengaging an electrical coupling or connection commonly found on vehicles, particularly large over-the-road trucks.  
         [0003]     Large trucks are often equipped with multiple couplings, typically including various electrical couplings. These couplings may be found near or adjacent to the back of the cab of the truck or on the upper forward face of the trailer, but may also be found near or adjacent a fifth wheel coupling or near the tandem truck axles. When it is desired to disengage the electrical coupling, the operator may have to reach their arm underneath the trailer portion of the vehicle adjacent the fifth wheel coupling or actually climb up on the truck when the couplings are between the truck and trailer. Because of the size of these large trucks, it is often difficult to reach and grasp the electrical coupling to disengage it. Moreover, some danger is present with the operator placing their arm between the vehicle trailer and the fifth wheel connection point. When reaching to disengage the electrical coupling, the operator may also encounter hot metallic surfaces, dirt, grease and the like.  
         [0004]     A variety of tools are known which can be used to disengage fifth wheel couplings which are generally releasably locked with a locking handle or pin. There are no known tools specifically designed, however, to allow an operator to disengage electrical couplings. Specifically, couplings which are generally found on large trucks include a female portion or socket solidly mounted to the vehicle. A male portion or plug is electrically connected to a plurality of wiring and, when the male portion is inserted into the female portion, a secure electrical connection is made allowing electrical connectivity between the truck and the trailer.  
         [0005]     Because over-the-road trucks are subjected to a variety of weather elements and significant bouncing movement as they travel down the road, many electrical couplings include a locking mechanism which releasably secures the male portion within the female portion once it seated. A common locking mechanism includes a simple cap which substantially covers the female receptacle. It is generally hinged and rotatable upward to allow the male portion of the coupling to be inserted. It is often spring mounted so that it is self closing. The lower face or downward projecting portion of the cap includes a downward projecting tab.  
         [0006]     The plug of the coupling only fits into the socket in a single orientation. The plug of the coupling has a locking mechanism which is a projection oriented generally upwards which is selectively secured by the downward projecting tab of the female receptacle cap.  
         [0007]     To make the electrical connection, the cap of the socket is lifted and the plug oriented correctly and forcibly pushed into the socket of the receptacle. The cap is then lowered where upon the downward protruding tab engages the projection on the male portion of the coupling. Because of the downward spring force provided to the cap, it frictionally engages an outer surface of the male coupling and restricts undesired lateral movement of the plug which would result in an uncoupling.  
         [0008]     While this orientation is preferable to limited unintentional uncoupling of the connection, the problem with this orientation is that to disengage the coupling, the spring loaded cap must be moved upward and away from the on the male portion of the coupling. The plug must simultaneously be pulled out of the socket. Because the operator is often crouched down and reaching between the trailer and the tandem axles to the fifth wheel coupling to access the electrical coupling, the operator generally can only use one arm to disengage this mechanism. Because the cap must be lifted at the same time the male portion is withdrawn, it is a very difficult task to perform with one arm.  
         [0009]     The inventive tool described herein addresses this problem and provides a result thereto. The invention provides a novel tool for disengaging the described electrical coupling in a remote location, such as those often associated with over-the-road trucks. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the inventive tool and an associated workpiece.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a second perspective view of the inventive tool engaged in an operational orientation with a workpiece.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the inventive tool engaging a workpiece.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the inventive tool engaging a workpiece.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side plan view of the inventive tool.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the inventive tool. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     The inventive tool is preferably formed of a suitable rigid metal, although, it is to be understood that it could be formed of other materials, such as non-conductive fiberglass or other similar rigid materials. The tool is best understood with reference to a work piece and accordingly a description thereof is provided.  
         [0017]     The tool is specifically intended for use to disengage an electrical coupling (work piece) typically found on over-the-road trucks. The coupling includes a female socket and male plug and is more particularly described herein. Referring now generally to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an electrical socket  102  of the type generally mounted on an over-the-road truck so that electrical components of a trailer, such as refrigeration units and the like, can be connected to power supplies generally available on the tractor of the truck. The electrical socket has a housing  104  with a female electrical connector having a plurality of electrical pins (not shown). Because the pins can easily be damaged or rendered inoperable because of dirt and debris, a cap  108  is provided on the housing  104  to cover the pins. The cap  108  is generally connected to the housing  104  with a spring loaded hinge  110 . The hinge  110  is generally quite resilient to forcibly close and retain the cap  108  flush with the housing  104  when the socket  102  is not in use. The cap  108  is generally provided with a tab  112  projecting generally toward the housing  104 . Accordingly, when the cap  108  is in a closed position, the tab  112  is positioned within the female portion of the electrical socket  102 . When the cap  108  is lifted to access the pins, the tab  112  is in a general downward orientation.  
         [0018]     An electrical plug  114  comprises the male portion of the electrical connection and is configured for receipt into the socket  102 . The plug  114  typically includes an elongated cylindrical body  116 . At one end of the body  116 , a plurality of receptacles are provided for the receipt of the pins on the socket  102 . To form the electrical connection, the plug  114  is generally aligned with the socket  102  such that the receptacles (not shown) are in linear alignment with the pins. The plug  114  is simply moved in a linear manner to engage the pins into the receptacles. The body  116  further has a pair of opposed grips  119 , positioned substantially adjacent the receptacles with one grip  119  on either side of the body  116 . These grips  119  are utilized to grasp the plug  114  for forcible removal from the socket  102 . The plug  114  further is provided with a projection  120  generally oriented upward when the plug  114  is mounted into the socket  102 . When the plug  114  is positioned within the socket  102 , the projection  120  is positioned between the downward depending tab  112  of the socket  102  and the opening  105 . Because the cap  108  is spring loaded, it is forced generally downward such that the tab  112  engages the upward projection  120  of the plug  114  preventing it from being pulled out of the socket  102 . Once the plug  114  has been positioned within the socket  102 , it is necessary to lift the cap  108  to disengage the tab  112  from the upward projection  120  before the plug  114  can be removed. Generally, the removal of the plug  114  from socket  102  requires the use of both hands by an operator, one to lift the cap  108  to disengage tab  112  from the projection  120  and the second hand to forcibly pull the plug  114  from socket  102 . The user typically grasp grips  119  to forcibly remove the plug  114  from socket  102 .  
         [0019]     As shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  4 , the uncoupling tool  122  is intended to assist the user in disengaging the plug  114  from the socket  102  and further alleviates the need to utilize both hands in accomplishing this task. The uncoupling tool  122  includes a gripable handle portion  124  and an elongated body  126  attached perpendicular to the handle  124 . As best shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the elongated tool body  126  includes a grasping element  127  distal the handle  124 . The grasping element  127  is generally U-shaped and has a left shoulder  128  and a right shoulder  130  positioned on either side of the tool body  126 . The left shoulder  128  extends into a left leg  132  opposing a right leg  134  which extends from the right shoulder  130 . Accordingly, the left leg  132  is spaced apart from the right leg  134  with a bight  136  therebetween substantially adjacent the tool body  126 . At the terminal end of left leg  132  is a stem  138  and at the terminal end of right leg  134  is a stem  140 . The left stem  138  and the right stem  140  are generally oriented substantially perpendicular the left leg  132  and right leg  134  respectively. In combination, each of the legs and perpendicular stems form a cap engaging portion to the grasping element  127 . The left stem  138  and right stem  140  are preferably from about two inches to about four inches in length.  
         [0020]     The left leg  132  is provided with a skirt  142  oriented in generally inward respective the midline of the tool. Likewise, the right leg  134  is provided with a skirt  144  also oriented generally inward respective the midline of the tool. The left skirt  142  and right skirt  144  may be separately formed from the leg portions during the manufacturing process. However, it is preferable that the left skirt  142  and right skirt  144  be formed during manufacture by simply widening a portion of the left leg  132  and right leg  134 . The left skirt  142  includes a stem  146  which is aligned with the left stem  138  of the left leg  132 . Likewise, the right skirt  144  includes a stem  148  which is substantially aligned with the right stem  140  of the right leg  134 . The skirt stems  146 ,  148  are oriented generally perpendicular to the left skirt  142  and right skirt  144  respectively. The skirt stems  146 ,  148  are slightly shorter in length than the stems  138 ,  140  of the legs  132 ,  134 .  
         [0021]     A standard plug  114  has a diameter of approximately one and one-half (1½) inches. The inner space between the left skirt  142  and right skirt  144  is slightly greater than one and one-half (1½) inches so that the grasping element  127  of the tool  122  can be positioned with the plug  114  between the skirts  142 ,  144 . When the plug  114  is inserted in the socket  102 , the distance between the socket  102  and the grips  119  is approximately two (2) inches.  
         [0022]     To utilize the tool  122  to uncouple plug  114  from socket  102 , the tool  122  is positioned with the plug  114  between the left leg  132  and right leg  134  of the tool  122 . The end  139  of the left stem  138  and the end  141  of right stem  140  are positioned flush against the collar  111  of the socket  102 . The stems  138 ,  140  are both approximately two (2) inches in length such that when the ends  139 ,  141  are positioned against the collar  111  of socket  102  the legs  132 ,  134  engage the grips  119  on the plug  114 .  
         [0023]     When the tool  122  is in position, the skirt stems  146 ,  148  engage the cap  108  on the socket  102 . The leg stems  138 ,  140  are seated against the socket housing  104 . As the tool  122  is pivoted generally upward from the socket  102 , the skirt stems  146 ,  148  engage and urge the cap  108  generally upward away from plug  114  disengaging the tab  112  on the cap  108  from the projection  120  on the plug  114 . As the handle  124  of the tool  122  continues to be pivoted generally outward away from socket  102 , the skirt stems  146 ,  148  continue to move the cap  108  generally upward until the legs  132 ,  134  and associated skirts  142  and  144  engage the grips  119  on the plug  114 . At this time, the handle is moved forcibly outward away from the socket  102  effectively jerking the plug  114  from the socket  102 . Because the tab  112  of the socket  102  has been lifted away from the projection  120  on the plug  114  by the left and right stems  138 ,  140 , the plug  114  can easily be jerked out of the socket  102 . This can be accomplished with one hand by use of the uncoupling tool  122 .