Patent ID: 7331804

Claim:
An outlet comprising: an outlet main body having plugholes for engaging plug-in terminals of a plug; a rotor/cover having insertion holes through which the plug-in terminals can be inserted; wherein the rotor/cover is pivotal with respect to the outlet main body between a non-usage position in which the plugholes are covered by the rotor/cover and a usage-position in which the insertion holes are aligned with the corresponding plugholes; a torsion spring that is interposed between the outlet main body and the rotor/cover and urges the rotor/cover to the non-usage position; wherein the torsion spring is a twisted coil spring comprising a coil portion and torsional arms extending out from axial ends of the coil portion; and a supporting axle portion provided between the outlet main body and the rotor/cover that is located inside of the coil portion of the torsion spring; wherein the outlet main body and the rotor/cover have engagement portions for engagement with the torsional arms of the torsion spring; wherein pivoting of the rotor/cover with respect to the outlet main body engages each of the torsional arms of the torsion spring with a corresponding one of the engagement portions of the outlet main body and the rotor/cover in a circumferential direction; wherein each of the torsional arms extends in a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the torsion spring; and wherein each of the engagement portions further comprises a first engagement slope for contacting with a terminal portion of the twisted coil spring; and a second engagement slope for abutting the circumference of the coil portion of the twisted coil spring; wherein the engagement portion of the outlet main body is located 90° out of phase from the engagement portion of the rotor cover when the rotor/cover is assembled to the outlet main body and in a non-usage position.