Abstract:
A safety electric socket in which two spring-supported doorplates are respectively pivoted to a holder block to block the neutral and hot slots against outside dust and water and to stop the spring-supported on/off switching button from downward movement. The doorplates are opened for allowing downward movement of the switching button to switch on power supply when the neutral and hot blades of an electric plug are respectively inserted into the neutral and hot slots.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an electric socket and more particularly, to a safety electric socket. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   To protect against outside dust or insertion of an external object, a safety electric socket may be covered with a detachable cover or provided with a sliding door. However, the user must remove the detachable cover or open the sliding door so that an electric plug can be connected to the electric socket. After removal of the electric plug, the user must close the sliding door or attach the detachable cover to the electric socket. This design of safety electric socket is inconvenient in use. Further, in order for enabling the user to cut off power supply when not in use, a safety electric socket usually will be provided with a power switch. When using the safety electric socket, the user must switch on the power switch. When the safety electric socket is not in use, the user must switch off the power switch. If the power switch of a safety electric socket is not switched off and its insertion slots are not covered with a sliding door or detachable cover, an accident of electric shock may occur when a child inserts a metal object into the insertion slots of the safety electric socket. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a safety electric socket, which automatically switches on power supply and opens the neutral and hot slots upon insertion of an electric plug, and automatically switches off power supply and blocks the neutral and hot slots after removal of the electric plug. 
   To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the safety electric socket comprises a housing, a spring-supported on/off switching button extending out of the housing and movable to switch on/off power supply, a holder block mounted inside the housing, two spring-supported doorplates respectively pivoted to the holder block to block the neutral and hot slots of the housing against outside dust and water and to stop the spring-supported on/off switching button from downward movement. The doorplates are opened for allowing downward movement of the switching button to switch on power supply when the neutral and hot blades of an electric plug are respectively inserted into the neutral and hot slots of the housing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a safety electric socket in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an elevational assembly view of the safety electric socket according to the present invention (the housing excluded). 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional side view of the safety electric socket according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional front view of the safety electric socket according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic sectional side view of the present invention, showing an electric plug inserted into the electric socket. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic sectional front view of the present invention, showing an electric plug inserted into the electric socket. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing an elongated external object inserted into one slot of the electric socket. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing the power line release control buttons pressed and the power line disconnected from the electric socket. 
       FIG. 9  corresponds to  FIG. 8  when viewed from another angle. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1˜5 , a safety electric socket in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a housing formed of a bottom cover shell  10  and a top cover shell  11 . The top cover shell  11  has neutral and hot slots  12 , a ground slot  13 , and a through hole  14 . The housing of the bottom cover shell  10  and top cover shell  11  houses two copper power terminals  15  of a power line  19 , neutral and hot copper plates  16  and a ground copper plate  17  corresponding to the neutral and hot slots  12  and ground slot  13  of the top cover shell  11  for receiving the metal prongs  41  of an electric plug  40 , a holder block  20 , two doorplates  24 , a button  30 , a locating plate  35 , and a retaining plate  37 . The holder block  20  has a through hole  21  for the insertion of the button  30 , and knuckles  23  disposed at two sides. The doorplates  24  each have a pivot shaft  25  respectively pivotally coupled to the knuckles  23  of the holder block  20 , and a hook  26 . A spring member  27  connected between the doorplates  24 , supporting the doorplates  24  in a close position to block the neutral and hot slots  12  of the top cover shell  11 . The button  30  has a top end inserted through the through hole  14  to the outside of the top cover shell  11 , a bottom end inserted through the through hole  21  of the holder block  20  and coupled to the locating plate  35 , a stop plate  31  stopped beneath the top cover shell  11 , and two hooked portions  32  respectively protruded from two sides of the stop plate  31  and respectively hooked on the hooks  26  of the doorplates  24 . A compression spring  33  is sleeved onto the button  30  and stopped between the stop plate  31  and the holder block  20 . The locating plate  35  has two hook holes  36 . The retaining plate  37  has two hooks  38  respectively hooked in the hook holes  36  of the locating plate  35 , and two openings  39 . Two metal conducting plates  34  are arranged between the locating plate  35  and the retaining plate  37 , each having a part respectively exposed to the openings  39  of the retaining plate  37 . The button  30  can be pressed downwards. When the downward pressure is released from the button  30 , the compression spring  33  immediately pushes the button  30  upwards to force the stop plate  31  into contact with the bottom surface of the top cover shell  11 . The locating plate  35 , the retaining plate  37  and the metal conducting plates  34  are vertically movable with the button  30 . When the button  30  is moved downwards, the metal conducting plates  34  are forced into contact with the copper power terminals  15  and the neutral and hot copper plates  16 , and therefore the electric socket is switched on. When the button  30  is lifted, the electric socket is switched off. As stated above, the two hooked portions  32  of the stop plate  31  of the button  30  are respectively hooked on the hooks  26  of the doorplates  24 . Therefore, when the doorplates  24  are not opened, the button  30  is prohibited from downward movement. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , two power line release control buttons  18  are bilaterally set between clamping plates  150  and the copper power terminals  15  of the power line  19  and ground copper plate  17  and partially extending out of the bottom cover shell  10 . When the power line release control buttons  18  are pressed, the clamping plates  150  are forced away from the power line  19 , and the power line  19  can then be removed from the electric socket. 
   The invention has the following features and advantages: 
   1. Dust and water protection when the electric socket is not inserted with an electric plug. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the compression spring  33  supports the button  30  in the off position, and the spring member  27  supports the doorplates  24  in the close position to block the neutral and hot slots  12  against outside dust and water. 
   2. The button  30  is prohibited from downward movement when the doorplates  24  are not opened. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the two hooked portions  32  of the stop plate  31  of the button  30  are respectively hooked on the hooks  26  of the doorplates  24 , and the compression spring  33  supports the button  30  in the off position. Therefore, when the doorplates  24  are not opened, the button  30  is prohibited from downward movement, i.e., the locating plate  35 , the retaining plate  37  and the metal conducting plates  34  are prohibited from downward movement when the button  30  is prohibited from downward movement. At this time, the copper power terminals  15  are prohibited from contacting the neutral and hot copper plates  16 , and therefore the electric socket is off. 
   3. The electric socket is on when an electric plug  40  is connected. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , when the two metal prongs (neutral and hot prongs)  41  of an electric plug  40  are respectively inserted into the neutral and hot slots  12 , the doorplates  24  are turned from the close position to the open position to open the neutral and hot slots  12  and simultaneously to release the hook portions  32  of the stop plate  31  of the button  30 . When continuously force the two metal prongs (neutral and hot prongs)  41  of the electric plug  40  into the inside of the neutral and hot slots  12 , the button  30  will be forced downwards by the electric plug  40  to move the metal conducting plates  34  into contact with the copper power terminals  15  and the neutral and hot copper plates  16 , and therefore the electric plug  40  are electrically connected to the power line  19 . On the contrary, when removes the electric plug  40  from the electric socket, the compression spring  33  and the spring member  27  immediately return the button  30  and the doorplates  24  to their respective former positions to off the circuit, preventing an accidental short circuit. 
   4. Electric shock prevention. As shown in  FIG. 7 , when a child inserts an object (for example, screwdriver)  42  into one hot slot  12  to open one doorplate  24  and to touch one (neutral or hot) copper plates  16 , the button  30  is not lowered, and therefore the metal conducting plates  34  are still kept away from the copper power terminals  15  and the neutral and hot copper plates  16 , i.e., the circuit of the electric socket is maintained off. 
   5. Quick disconnection of power line. As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , when the power line release control buttons  18  are pressed, the clamping plates  150  are forced away from the power line  19 , and the power line  19  can then be removed from the electric socket. 
   Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.