Patent Publication Number: US-2010120275-A1

Title: Safety electric socket

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electric socket and more particularly, to an electric socket capable of prevent electric shock by insertion of improper stuffs. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The operation of plug and socket is very common in everyday. Typically, a conventional socket has an insulating casing having two or three apertures thereon and electrodes in the casing behind the apertures. The plug has two or three prongs to be inserted into the apertures of the socket and electrically contact the electrodes. 
     In home accidents, there always are children inserting wires or other improper stuffs into the socket to get electric shock. To prevent electric shock accident, socket shields are the most common device that the parents use. Such socket shield is made of an insulating material, such as plastic, having a lid and two prongs on a back of the lid. Same as the plug, user may insert the prongs of the sock shield into the apertures of the socket to prevent children touching the socket. When the socket is needed, user may hold a ring on the lid and pull the socket shield out. It always happens that people forgets to put the socket shield back when he/she pulls the plug out, or the socket shield is missing that would make the socket exposing. Besides, the socket shield is not functional for elder children because they might learn how to remove the socket shield 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an electric socket, which may prevent children inserting an improper stuff into the socket. 
     To achieve the objective of the present invention, an electric socket includes a main member having two apertures on a top thereof. A first block member and a second block member have a first block portion and a second block portion respectively. The first block member and a second block member are received in the main member. An elastic member urging the first block member and the second block member to have the first block portion of the first block member and the second block portion of the second block member under one of the apertures and the first block portion of the second block member and the second block portion of the first block member under the other one of the apertures. The first block member and the second block member are moved independently that when an improper stuff is inserted into the aperture, only one block portion is moved away, and the other block portion will stand still to serve protection function. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view along the  3 - 3  line of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing, showing an improper stuff inserted into the left aperture of the socket of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing, showing an improper stuff inserted into the right aperture of the socket of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing, showing a plug inserted into the socket of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1˜3  show an electric socket of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which includes a main member  10 , a first block member  38 , a second block member  50 , and an elastic member  32 . 
     The main member  10  includes a lid  12  and a base  14 . The lid  12  is an up-side-down box having two apertures  16 ,  18  on a top thereof. On an inner side of the lid  12  has a slot  20 . The base  14  is a board to be combined with a bottom of the lid  12 . The base  14  has two apertures  22 ,  24  in association with the apertures  16 ,  18  of the lid  12 . Two electrodes  26 ,  28 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , are provided under the apertures  22 ,  24 . Besides, two positioning plates  30  are projected from an inner side of the top of the lid  12  beside the aperture  16 ,  18  respectively, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The elastic member  32  is a U-shaped metal member having a connection section  34  and two flexible sections  36  on opposite ends of the connection section  34 . The connection section  34  is engaged with the slot  20  on the lid  12  that the flexible sections  36  are suspended in the main member  10 . 
     The first block member  38  has a board  40  having a bore  42 , a vertical first block portion  44  on a left of the bore  42 , and a second block portion  48  on a right. The first block portion  44  has a sloping driving face  46 . In other words, the first block member  38  has the first block portion  44  and the second block portion  48  on opposite sides and the bore  42  at a center. In a vertical direction, the first block portion  44  is higher than the second block portion  48 . 
     The second block member  50  has a board  52  having a bore  54  at a center, a vertical first block portion  56  on a right, and a second block portion  60  on a left. The first block portion  56  has a sloping driving face  58 . The first block portion  56  is higher than the second block portion  60 , and the second block portion  60  is lower than the board  52 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the second block portion  60  of the second block member  50  is received in the bore  42  of the first block member  38  that the first block member  38  and the second block member  50  are combined and may move relative to each other. At this condition, the second block portion  60  of the second block member  50  and the second block portion  48  of the first block member  38  are on the same height, and the first block portions  44  and  56  are on the same height also and higher than the second block portions  48  and  60 . The first block portion  44  of the first block member  38  is right above the second block portion  60  of the second block member  50 , and the first block portion  56  is right above the second block portion  60  of the second block member  50 . The first block member  38  and the second block member  50  are installed in the main member  10  with the flexible sections  36  urging right sides of the first block portions  44  and  56 . The right positioning plate  30  is inserted into the bores  42 ,  54  of the first block member  38  and the second block member  50  that the flexible sections  36  urge the first block member  38  and the second block member  50  having the first block portion  56  and the second block portion  48  against the right positioning plate  30  at an initial condition. The left positioning plate  30  is on the lefts of the first block member  38  and the second block member  50 , and the flexible sections  36  urge the first block portion  44  and the second block portion  60  against the left positioning plate  30  at the initial condition. The first block portion  44  of the first block member  38  and the second block portion  60  of the second block member  50  are right under the left aperture  16 , and the first block portion  56  and the second block portion  60  of the second block member  50  are right under the right aperture  18 . In other words, there are two block portions between each pair of the apertures  16 ,  18  and electrodes  26 ,  28 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , when someone inserts an improper stuff  62  into the left aperture  16  of the electric socket of the present invention, the stuff  62  will press the driving face  46  of the first block portion  44  of the first block member  38  to move the first block portion  44  away (the first block member  38  will be moved to right). The second block member  50 , however, stays still that the improper stuff  62  will be blocked by the second block portion  60  of the second block member  50  to stop the improper stuff  62  in touch with the electrode  26 . At this condition, the right aperture  18  still is closed by the first block portion  56  of the second block member  50 . 
     For the same principle, as shown in  FIG. 5 , when an improper stuff  62  is inserted into the right aperture  18  of the electric socket of the present invention, it will move the first block portion  56  of the second block member  50  away, and the second block portion  48  of the first block member  38  stands still to block improper stuff  62 . 
     When a normal plug  64  is inserted into the right aperture  18  of the electric socket of the present invention, branches  66 ,  68  of the plug  64  will press the driving faces  46 ,  58  of the first and second block members  38 ,  50  at same time to move both of the first and second block members  38 ,  50  to right that the first block portions  44 ,  56  and the second block portions  48 ,  60  of the first and second block members  38 ,  50  will be moved away from the apertures  16 ,  18 , and the branches  66 ,  68  of the plug  64  may enter the main member  10 , go through the apertures  22 ,  24 , and touch the electrodes  26 ,  28 . It is mentioned that the right branch  68  of the plug  64  will go through the bore  42  of the first block member  38  when the first block member  38  is moved away. 
     In above embodiment, both of the first and second block members  38 ,  50  are moved to the same direction (the right). It is easy to understand that it may design that the first and second block members to be moved to opposite directions. It may achieve the same function. 
     In conclusion, the present invention provides two block portions under each aperture of the electric socket that when one block portion is moved away, the other block portion will keep serving the protection function. 
     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.