Patent ID: 7952840

Claim:
An electrical receptacle with arc prevention circuitry, including: a receptacle body including a plurality of contacts mounted therein for receiving and contacting the blades of an electrical plug inserted in the receptacle; at least one motion sensor mounted on the receptacle, the motion sensor detecting movement of a blade of an electrical plug in the receptacle relative to the contacts and outputting a signal in response thereto; an extraction detector operatively connected to the motion sensor, the extraction detector generating a signal in response to movement of the blade; a position detector operatively connected to the motion sensor for determining the position of the blade in the receptacle; a switch operatively connected to the extraction detector and the position detector, the switch de-energizing the receptacle when the extraction detector detects extraction of the blade from the receptacle at a rate equal to or greater than a predetermined rate; a shunt operatively connected to the switch, the shunt dissipating load energy when the switch de-energizes the receptacle; and wherein the extraction detector and switch are operative to de-energize the receptacle in less than six milliseconds when the extraction detector detects extraction of the blade from the receptacle at a rate equal to or greater than the predetermined rate.