Patent Abstract:
A transparent window for a multiple socket includes a housing and a transparent plate. Wherein, the socket is provided with receptacles and an embedding region. The embedding region is for forming a transparent window by covering the transparent plate thereon, and the transparent plate is further formed with indicative or decorative texts and symbols, thereby indicating uses of individual receptacles of the multiple socket and decorating the multiple socket.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a transparent window structure for a multiple socket, and more particularly, to a transparent window formed by a transparent plate covering a dented embedding region disposed on a multiple socket. The transparent plate is provided with indicative or decorative drawings, texts and symbols for indicating uses of receptacles of the multiple socket or for decorating the multiple socket. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     A multiple socket is formed by disposing a multiple sets of receptacles on a same housing, which then becomes a unit having multiple sets of receptacles. The unit is connected to a power supply via a relatively long power line in order to provide individual receptacles at the housing with power supply. An extension wire socket, for instance, is a type of multiple socket. In another type of multiple socket, a power pin is directly disposed at a housing thereof. Through the pin inserted in the power socket, each receptacle at the socket is provided with power supply. One example of this prior art is “Expandable Socket” disclosed by the Taiwan Patent Publication No. 380759. 
     Regardless of the type of multiple socket acquiring power supply using either a power line or an inserted pin, a main characteristic thereof is that multiple sets of receptacles are gathered at a same housing. FIGS. 8 and 9 of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,171 disclose another two different types of multi-sockets having the same characteristic. Since a multiple socket has multiple sets of receptacles and even multiple sets of switches, it is rather difficult to distinguish which plug belongs to which electric appliance when all the receptacles are inserted with plugs. Hence, pulling unintended plugs that further incurring accidental power cutoffs is considered as repeated occurrence. In the view of this issue, industrialists have proposed a design disclosed by the Taiwan Patent Publication No. 422423, wherein identification cards having distinct colors are provided at a fixed base and an upper cover thereof. The identification cards are disposed with insertion openings corresponding with the receptacles, and electric appliances connected are thus distinguished using the distinct colors. However, this structure still has drawbacks when put to use due to the following reasons: 
     1. This structure merely uses distinct colors as a measure for identification, but lacks a method for a user to remember electric appliances represented by individual colors. Especially in a long-term use, colors for corresponding electric appliances are likely forgotten. Therefore, the measure using colors is not at all practical. 
     2. According to this structure, identification is carried out through colors of the identification cards at the socket. However, when a plug of an adaptor having a larger volume is inserted into this structure, the identification cards are likely to be concealed by the adaptor plug. Consequently, a user cannot easily make appropriate identifications even in the presence of the identification cards having distinct colors. 
     Furthermore, when a multiple socket is being sold or given as a gift, a housing thereof is often attached with stickers containing texts indicating brand name, precautions for use, product features, name of the person giving the gift or events of remembrance. Nevertheless, these sticker labels are prone to cock up or peel off owing to temperature change or slackening of adhesive properties thereof, and thus again offering inadequate practicability. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the invention is to provide a multiple socket having clear indicative functions, wherein each set of receptacles or switches is labeled for indicating corresponding electric appliances, thereby enabling a user to appropriately turn on and off power supplies of the electric appliances using the multiple socket. 
     The secondary object of the invention is to provide a multiple socket having special visual effects, wherein a three-dimensional interlining effect formed by a transparent plate thereof offers the multiple socket with an enhanced texture. 
     To accomplish the aforesaid objects, the invention provides a transparent window structure for a multiple socket having marking, decorative and indicative purposes. The invention comprises a housing and a transparent plate. Wherein, apart from receptacles, the housing is also disposed with a dented embedding region for forming a transparent window by covering the transparent plate thereon. The transparent plate is further provided with indicative or decorative texts and symbols, thereby indicating uses of individual receptacles of the multiple socket or decorating the multiple socket. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a structural schematic view of a first embodiment according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows an elevational schematic view of the first embodiment according to the invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a structural schematic view of a second embodiment according to the invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows a structural schematic view of a third embodiment according to the invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a structural schematic view of a fourth embodiment according to the invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a structural schematic view of a fifth embodiment according to the invention. 
     FIG. 7 shows a structural schematic view of a sixth embodiment according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Various embodiments according to the invention are capable of accomplishing indicative and decorative purposes, and detailed descriptions shall be given with the accompanying drawings hereunder. 
     Referring to FIG. 1 showing a structure of a first embodiment, the invention comprises a housing  1  and a transparent plate  2 . 
     The housing  1  is consisted of a cover  11  and a base  12 . The cover  11  is provided with a dented embedding region  13 . The embedding region  13  is disposed with a pivotal opening  131  at two corners at one side thereof, respectively, and is formed with a projecting butting piece  132  at inner edges of the other side thereof, respectively. The housing  1  is further provided with a plurality of sets of receptacles  14  and switches  15 . 
     The transparent cover  2  is provided with a protruding flange  21  at two sides thereof in order to correspond with the pivotal openings  131  at the embedding region  13  of the housing  1 . A lower side of the transparent cover  2  is further formed texts and symbols  22 , which are for serving indicative purposes and are disposed for corresponding with positions of the receptacles  14  or switches  15 . The texts and symbols  22  may also serve for decorative purposes, and are common texts, drawings, signs or symbols. In this embodiment, the texts and symbols  22  are provided for corresponding with the receptacles  14  at the housing  1 , and are indicative drawings representing types of electric appliances and are directly printed at the lower side of the transparent cover  2 . 
     For assembly, referring to FIG. 2, the flanges  21  of the transparent cover  2  are placed into the pivotal openings  131  of the housing  1 , so as to correspondingly cover and butt the transparent cover  2  onto the embedding region  13  by butting against the butting pieces  132 . Because the texts and symbols  22  at the lower side of the transparent plate  2  are provided for corresponding with the receptacles  14  of the housing  1 , the texts and symbols  22  are suitable for indicating purposes of individual receptacles  14 . In addition, for that the transparent plate  2  is disposed at a side of the receptacles  14 , the texts and symbols  22  at the transparent plate  2  remain apparent even if an adaptor plug  3  having a larger volume or a large plug  4  is inserted into the receptacles  14 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3 showing a second embodiment according to the invention, a housing  1 A is provided with an embedding region  11 A at a cover  11 A and between receptacles  14 A and switches  15 A. The embedding region  13 A is disposed with a wedge groove  133 A at two corresponding inner edges thereof, respectively. Two sides of a transparent plate  2 A are similarly formed with a wedge portion  23 A for corresponding with the wedge grooves  133 A, respectively. The wedge portions  23 A of the transparent plate  2 A are slid and wedged at the corresponding wedge grooves  133 A, so as to correspond individual texts and symbols  22 A with individual receptacles  14 A and switches  15 A for offering same indicative purposes. 
     Referring to FIG. 4 showing a third embodiment according to the invention, a cover  11 B of a housing  1 B is provided with an embedding region  13 B having a plurality of positioning holes  134 B. A transparent plate  2 B is a board formed according to a size of the corresponding embedding region  13 B. A bottom portion of the transparent plate  2 B is disposed with a plurality of positioning pillars  24 B for corresponding with the plurality of positioning holes  134 B, and a lower side of the transparent plate  2 B is printed with texts and symbols  22 B. When the positioning pillars  24 B at the transparent plate  2 B are placed into the corresponding positioning holes  134 B at the embedding region  13 B, the texts and symbols  22 B at the transparent plate  2 B are corresponded with individual receptacles  14 B and switches  15 B, so as to indicate uses of the receptacles  14 B and the switches  15 B. 
     Referring to FIG. 5 showing a fourth embodiment according to the invention, an embedding region  13 C of a housing  1 C is extended from a top horizontal side plane of a cover  11 C, across a vertical side plane of the cover  11 C and a base  12 C, and to a bottom horizontal side plane of the base  12 C. Edges of the top and bottom horizontal planes of the embedding region  13 C are disposed with fastening openings  135 C. A transparent plate  2 C is formed as a U-shaped board for placing into the corresponding embedding region  13 C. Horizontal edges of the transparent plate  2 C are disposed with tenons  25 C for corresponding with the fastening openings  135 C, and a vertical plane of the transparent plate  2 C is disposed with accommodating apertures  26 C according to positions, sizes and number of switches  15 C. The transparent plate  2 C is then embedded into the embedding region  13 C by placing the tenons  25 C into the fastening openings  135 C, so as to contain the switches  15 C in the accommodating apertures  26 C. 
     Referring to FIG. 6 showing a fifth embodiment according to the invention, a full-breadth embedding region  13 D is formed across a surface of a cover  11 D of a housing  1 D. The embedding region  13 D is disposed with a plurality of positioning holes  16 D. A transparent plate  2 D is provided with accommodating apertures  27 D and  28 D for corresponding with sizes and number of receptacles  14 D and switches  15 D, and a lower side of the transparent plate  2 D is disposed with protruding positioning pillars  29 D for corresponding with the positioning holes  16 D at the cover  11 D of the housing  1 D. The positioning pillars  29 D at the transparent plate  2 D are placed into the corresponding positioning holes  16 D at the housing  1 D, and the transparent plate  2 D is levelly located onto the embedding region  13 D at the surface of the cover  11 D. The receptacles  14 D and the switches  15 D are contained within the accommodating apertures  27 D and  28 D, and uses of individual receptacles  14 D and the switches  15 D are indicated by texts and symbols  22 D at the transparent plate  2 D. 
     Referring to FIG. 7 showing a sixth embodiment according to the invention, an embedding region  13 E is disposed at a side of a cover  11 E of a housing  1 E. The embedding region  13 E is divided into a plurality of partitions  131 E corresponding to positions of receptacles  14 E using baffle strips  17 E. Each partition  131 E is placed with a lamp  18 E connected with internal circuits, and fastening openings  136 E are disposed at embedding region edges where the embedding region  13 E comes into contact with edges of a transparent plate  2 E. The edges of the transparent plate  2 E are disposed with tenons  25 E for corresponding with the fastening openings  136 E at the embedding region  13 E. During assembly, the tenons  25 E at the transparent plate  2 E are placed into the corresponding fastening openings  136 E at the embedding region  13 E, so as to cover individual texts and symbols  22 E at a lower side of the transparent plate  2 E to corresponding individual partitions  131 E. Using light sources provided by the lamps  18 E in the partitions  131 E at the embedding region  13 E, especially in dark surroundings, the texts and symbols  22 E at the transparent plate  2 E are illuminated into a bright state for facilitating quick identification. 
     In the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 7, the lamps  18 E are provided at the embedding region  13 E for assisting illumination of the texts and symbols  22 E at the transparent plate  2 E. This illumination method may also be adopted in other aforesaid embodiments. Apart from illumination purposes, the lamps  18 E may also project light beams onto the transparent plate  2 E from different directions for providing decorative effects. 
     In the above embodiments, the texts and symbols may be indicative symbols or texts, and may be decorative drawings, patterns or other illustrative texts and labels. The texts and symbols may be formed at the transparent plate by means of printing, adhering, combining, etching, formed integral, laser processing or other known processing methods. 
     It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7