Patent ID: 8462472

Claim:
An electric safety circuit for use with an electric receptacle having female electrical connectors, said electric safety circuit comprising: a connector having a first connector state in which power from a mains is supplied through the connector to the female electrical connectors of the receptacle and a second connector state in which power from the mains is prevented from being supplied through the connector to the female electrical connectors of the receptacle, wherein said connector includes a relay having first and second contacts which are closed in the first connector state and which are open in the second connector state, and wherein said first contact is electrically connected with power from the mains and the second contact is electrically connected with the female electrical connectors; a control circuit for controlling operation of said connector between said first and second connector states; an enabling device for supplying an enabling signal to said control circuit to control said connector to said first connector state when a plug of an electrically connected device is inserted into the female electrical connectors of the receptacle, the electrically connected device is turned on, and there is no electrical contact by a person with the power supplied to said electrically connected device; and a disabling device for supplying a disabling signal to said control circuit to control said connector to said second connector state when the plug of the electrically connected device is inserted into the female electrical connectors of the receptacle and there is electrical contact by a person with the power supplied to said electrically connected device; and wherein said control circuit includes a circuit element operable between: a first control state, in response to said enabling signal from said enabling device, in which a control signal is supplied by said circuit element to said connector to provide that said connector is in said first connector state, and a second control state, in response to said disabling signal from said disabling device, which prevents supply of said control signal to said connector to provide that said connector is in said second connector state, and said circuit element includes a semiconductor device that supplies said control signal to said connector in said first control state.