Patent Document

PRIORITY 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/231,508, entitled Extension Cord Lock and In Line Tap, filed Sep. 3, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/967,337, entitled Extension Cord Lock and In Line Tap, filed Sep. 4, 2007, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an electrical extension cord accessory. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention teach an improved extension cord coupling device for tandemly connecting two separate extension cords together in a manner to prevent the extension cords from being uncoupled by application of an unintentionally applied tensile force. 
     Hand held electrically powered tools may have a relatively short power cord that severely limits the range within which such tools may be used. As a result, a user may employ an electrical extension cord to increase the distance from a power source to the power tool being used. However, the typical male/female connectors, when coupled together, may, unintentionally, pull apart, thereby interrupting the electrical power supply to the tool in use. As a preventative measure, the tool user may tie the two cords together, in some manner, thereby preventing unintentional separation of the cord coupling. However, such a practice may place an undesired stress, and/or strain upon the cord in the knotted area. 
     Further, a user may desire to attach an additional electrical accessory to the power supplying electrical extension cord such as a light, for night work, to illuminate the work area. 
     Heretofore many devices have been proposed for connecting two electrical cords together in a manner to relieve undue stress and/or strain upon the extension cord material. 
     One such device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,524 issued to Sanner et al., entitled “Cord Lock” on Dec. 10, 1996. Although the Sanner et al. device may relieve the stress and/or strain from two tandemly connected electrical extension cords it is relatively complex to use. The Sanner et al. device requires the user to first form a loop of the extension cord, pass the looped portion of the extension cord through an elongated eyelet and hook the looped portion of the extension cord upon a hook member. 
     A similar device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,702 issued to Fladung, entitled “Electrical Outlet In Line Tap,” on Aug. 3, 1999. Although the Fladung device may also relieve the stress and/or strain from two tandemly connected electrical extension cords it is also relatively complex to use. The Fladung device also requires first forming a loop of the extension cord, inserting the looped portion of the extension cord through an elongated eyelet. A rotating post like assembly, hingedly attached to the top of the eyelet, must then be rotated downward through the looped portion of the extension cord that protrudes through the eyelet. 
     While numerous devices and methods have been made and used to connect two electrical cords together in a manner to relieve undue stress and/or strain upon the extension cord material, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used the invention described in the appended claims. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention comprise a simplified and improved in-line tap coupling for tandemly connecting a pair of electrical extension cords that prevents unintentional separation of the male/female extension cord connectors. 
     In one embodiment, the improved in-line tap coupling comprises a main body having an electrical input connector comprising a typical male type pin and spade connector means at the main body&#39;s proximal end for receiving the female connector of a first extension cord. A female connector means for receiving the male connector of a second extension cord is provided at its distal end. Extending laterally from the opposing sides of the main body are multiple female outlet connectors for receiving therein the male connectors of additional extension cords or power cords connected directly to electrical devices. A resettable circuit breaker is electrically placed between the input male connector and the female outlet connectors. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       While the specification concludes with claims which particularly point out and distinctly claim the invention, it is believed the present invention will be better understood from the following description of certain examples taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify the same elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  presents a perspective view of an exemplary in-line tap. 
         FIG. 2  presents a top plan view of the in-line tap of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  presents a left side elevational view of the in-line tap of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  presents a bottom view of the in-line tap of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  presents a rear elevational view of the in-line tap of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  presents a front elevational view of the in-line tap illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 7 through 9  present a pictorial sequence of connecting two extension cords with the in-line tap of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  presents a top pictorial view of the electrical subassembly encapsulated within the in-line-tap of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 11  presents an exploded pictorial view of the electrical subassembly of  10 . 
         FIG. 12  presents a top plan view of the cover sheet of the electrical subassembly of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13  presents a top plan view of the top cover, without wiring, of the electrical subassembly of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 14  presents a top plan view of the middle cover, without wiring, of the electrical subassembly of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 15  presents a top plan view of the bottom cover of the electrical subassembly of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 16  presents a top plan view of the bottom cover and middle cover of the electrical subassembly of  FIG. 10  assembled together with wiring in place. 
         FIG. 17  presents a top plan view of the bottom cover, middle cover, and top cover of the electrical subassembly of  FIG. 10  assembled together with wiring in place. 
         FIG. 17A  presents an electrical schematic of the electrical subassembly illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 18  presents an isolated pictorial view of the circuit breaker incorporated within the electrical subassembly of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 9 , in-line tap  10  comprises a main body assembly  12  having a typical male electrical input connector  20 , at its proximal end, typically comprising a grounding pin  14 , a common electrical spade connector  16  and a live, or hot, electrical spade connector  18 . A typical female electrical output connector  25  is provided at the distal end of main body  12  for receipt therein of the male electrical spade connectors of the add on electrical extension cord  50  as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9 . 
     Integral with main body assembly  12  are four auxiliary female electrical output connectors  26 A,  26 B,  26 C, and  26 D for connecting additional add-on electrical extension cords. Of course, the number of auxiliary female electrical output connectors may be varied depending on the intended application(s) for a particular embodiment. An integrated and guarded circuit breaker  28 B is provided to prevent an electrical overload on the electrical supply extension cord  31 . A vertically extending guard  36  is preferably provided to protect the circuit breaker reset button  23 . Main body assembly  12  further comprises a lamp  27  interposed between the male electrical input connector  20  and the female electrical output connector  25 . The lamp  27  may comprise a neon lamp or any other device configured to provide a visual indication to an observer. The lamp may be configured to be lighted when in-line tap  10  is electrically powered. The internal structure of main body  12  and the electrical connections are further described below. 
     Integrally molded into the top of main body  12  are two angular hooks, or eyelets,  32 A at its proximal end and  32 B at its distal end. Each eyelet includes a hinged closure flap  34 A and  34 B hinged to its associated eyelet by a “living hinge”  35 A and  35 B as best illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Hinge  34 A and  34 B are secured, when closed by upwardly protruding locking lip  39  and  37  respectively. Preferably the inside surface of back wall  42 A and  42 B is provided with vertical ribs  44  to grippingly secure the extension cord when locked within eyelets  32 A and  32 B. 
     In Operation 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9 , hinged closure flap  34 B is first opened, as illustrated in  FIG. 7  (hinged closure flap  34 B is in an open position). The male electrical input connector prongs (not shown) of add-on extension cord  50  are inserted into the appropriate electrical output apertures of output connector  25  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Add-on extension cord is looped about back wall  42  of distal eyelet  32 B, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , and hinged closure flap  34 B is then snapped shut, as illustrated in  FIG. 8  (hinged closure  34 B is in a closed position) thereby securing add-on extension cord  50  therein. 
     With add-on extension cord  50  locked in place the male electrical input connector prongs  14 ,  16 , and  18  of main body  12  are plugged into the female end  30  of electrical supply extension cord  31  as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , Electrical supply extension cord  31  is then similarly secured to the proximal eyelet  32 A. Extension cords  31  and  50  are now secured one to the other so as not to pull apart. 
     Electrical Subassembly Structure 
       FIGS. 10 through 18  illustrate details of the internal, electrical subassembly  100  of the in-line tap  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 9  and described above. 
       FIG. 10  shows a top view of subassembly  100 . Subassembly  100  once completed may be fully encapsulated by a molded, unitary, elastomeric covering thereby producing the final in-line tap configuration as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 9 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , subassembly  100  generally comprises a cover sheet  110 , a top cover  120 , a middle cover  130 , and a bottom cover  140 . In this version, cover sheet  110  is attached to top cover  120 , while middle cover  130  is positioned between top cover  110  and bottom cover  140 . The outer contour of each of the components is configured to correspond to the other components and ultimately to allow the cover sheet  110 , top cover  120 , middle cover  130  and bottom cover  140  to fit securely together to form subassembly  100 . The components of subassembly  100  may be configured to provide a snap fit assembly between the components, or, alternatively one or more of the cover sheet  110 , top cover  120 , middle cover  130 , and bottom cover  140  may be assembled using a suitable adhesive, electron beam welding or any other method or device suitable for a particular application of the device. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 17 , the electric power distribution circuitry is positioned among the components of subassembly  100  and comprises a grounding busbar wire  150 , an active, or hot, busbar wire  160 , and a common busbar wire  170 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , grounding busbar wire  150  is positioned within top cover  120  and covered by cover sheet  110 . In this example, grounding busbar wire  150  is attached to grounding pin  14 , while also being attached to pin electrodes  152   a ,  152   b ,  152   c ,  152   d ,  152   e . In the illustrated version, active busbar wire  160  is positioned within the upper surface  139   a  of middle cover  130 , and a common busbar wire  170  is positioned within the lower surface  139   b  of middle cover  130 . As shown, active busbar wire  160  is attached to active electrical spade connector  18  and spade electrodes  162   a ,  162   b ,  162   c ,  162   d ,  162   e . In this example, common busbar wire  170  is attached to common electrical spade connector  16  and spade electrodes  172   a ,  172   b ,  172   c ,  172 ,  172   e.    
     In the illustrated embodiment, cover sheet  110  comprises a central portion  111 , a male input connector member  112 , a female output connector member  114 , and a plurality of auxiliary female output connector members  116   a ,  116   b ,  116   c ,  116   d . The central portion  111  further comprises a lamp opening  117  and a circuit breaker opening  118 . Lamp opening  117  may be configured to be aligned with lamp  27  once subassembly  100  is fully assembled. Lamp cover  105  may be configured to be attached to lamp opening  117  to shield lamp  27 , although lamp cover  105  is not required. Circuit breaker opening  118  may be configured to receive at least a portion of circuit breaker housing  126  in the top cover  120 . Male input connector member  112  may be configured to cover at least a portion of the male input connector portion  122  of top cover  120  when cover sheet  110  is assembled together with top cover  120 . Similarly, female output connector member  114  may be configured to cover at least a portion of the female output connector portion  123  of top cover  120  when cover sheet  110  is assembled together with top cover  120 . In addition, auxiliary female output connector members  116   a ,  116   b ,  116   c ,  116   d  may each be configured to cover at least a portion of a corresponding one of the auxiliary female output connector portions  124   a ,  124   b ,  124   c ,  124   d  of top cover  120  when cover sheet  110  is assembled together with top cover  120 . 
     As shown, top cover  120  comprises a central portion  121 , a male input connector portion  122 , a female output connector portion  123 , and a plurality of auxiliary female output connector portions  124   a ,  124   b ,  124   c ,  124   d . In the illustrated version, the central portion  121  comprises a lamp opening  125  and a circuit breaker housing  126 . Lamp opening  125  may be configured to house lamp  27 , while circuit breaker housing  126  may be configured to receive and house at least a portion of circuit breaker  28 B. Male input connector portion  122  may be configured to receive grounding pin  14 . In this example, female output connector portion  123  comprises a cavity  127  configured to receive pin electrode  152   c . Similarly, as shown, each auxiliary female output connector portion  124   a ,  124   b ,  124   c ,  124   d  comprises a cavity  128   a ,  128   b ,  128   c ,  128   d  configured to receive a corresponding one of the pin electrodes  152   a ,  152   b ,  152   d ,  152   e.    
     As shown, middle cover  130  comprises a central portion  131 , a male input connector portion  132 , a female output connector portion  133 , and a plurality of auxiliary female output connector portions  134   a ,  134   b ,  134   c ,  134   d . As shown in  FIG. 16 , central portion  131  is configured to support circuit breaker  28 B upon assembly. In this version, male input connector portion  132  comprises a pair of cavities  135   a ,  135   b . Cavity  135   a  may be in communication with upper surface  139   a  and configured to receive live electrical spade connector  18 , while cavity  135   b  may be in communication with lower surface  139   b  and configured to receive common electrical spade connector  16 . In this example, female output connector portion  133  comprises a pair of cavities  137   a ,  137   b . Cavity  137   a  may be in communication with upper surface  139   a  and configured to receive spade electrode  162   c , while cavity  137   b  may be in communication with lower surface  139   b  and configured to receive spade electrode  172   c . Similarly, as shown, each auxiliary female output connector portion  134   a ,  134   b ,  134   c ,  134   d  comprises a cavity  180   a ,  180   b ,  180   c ,  180   d  in communication with upper surface  139   a  and a cavity  182   a ,  182   b ,  182   c ,  182   d  in communication with lower surface  139   b . In this embodiment, cavities  180   a ,  180   b ,  180   c ,  180   d  are configured to receive a corresponding one of spade electrodes  162   a ,  162   b ,  162   d ,  162   e  connected to active busbar wire  160 . Similarly, in this version, cavities  182   a ,  182   b ,  182   c ,  182   d  are configured to receive a corresponding one of spade electrodes  172   a ,  172   b ,  172   d ,  172   e  connected to common busbar wire  170 . 
     As shown, bottom cover  140  comprises a central portion  141 , a male input connector portion  142 , a female output connector portion  143 , and a plurality of auxiliary female output connector portions  144   a ,  144   b ,  144   c ,  144   d . In this version, female output connector portion  143  comprises a hinged socket cover  190 . Hinged socket cover  190  may be configured to pivot upward and attach to one or more of cover sheet  110 , top cover  120 , and middle cover  130  to encase female output connector portions  123 ,  133  between bottom cover  140  and cover sheet  110 . Similarly, in this embodiment, each of the auxiliary female output connector portions  144   a ,  144   b ,  144   c ,  144   d  comprise a hinged socket cover  192   a ,  192   b ,  192   c ,  192   d . Each hinged socket cover  192   a ,  192   b ,  192   c ,  192   d  may be configured to pivot upward and attach to one or more of the cover sheet  110 , top cover  120 , and middle cover  130  to encase corresponding ones of the auxiliary female output connector portions  124   a ,  124   b ,  124   c ,  124   d ,  134   a ,  134   b ,  134   c ,  134   d  between bottom cover  140  and cover sheet  110 . 
     Collectively, in the illustrated embodiment, pin electrode  152   a  and spade electrodes  162   a ,  172   a  form female auxiliary electrical output connector  26 C, pin electrode  152   b  and spade electrodes  162   b ,  172   b  form female auxiliary electrical output connector  26 D, pin electrode  152   d  and spade electrodes  162   d ,  172   d  form female auxiliary electrical output connector  26 B, and pin electrode  152   e  and spade electrodes  162   e ,  172   e  form female auxiliary electrical output connector  26 A. Similarly, in this version, pin electrode  152   c  and spade electrodes  162   c ,  172   c  collectively form female electrical output connector  25 . 
     Busbar wires  150 ,  160 ,  170  are preferably made of braided copper strands thereby producing a flexible electrical conducting wire, although this is not required. In an alternate embodiment (not shown), busbar wires  150 ,  160 ,  170  may comprise flat fabricated brass or copper busbars. In the illustrated embodiment, grounding busbar wire  150  is positioned on the upper surface  129  of central portion  121  of top cover  120 , and connecting wires from grounding pin  14  and pin electrodes  152   a ,  152   b ,  152   c ,  152   d ,  152   e  are attached to grounding busbar wire  150 . Also in this version, active busbar wire  160  is positioned on the upper surface  139   a  of central portion  131  of middle cover  130 , and connecting wires from live electrical spade connector  18  and spade electrodes  162   a ,  162   b ,  162   c ,  162   d ,  162   e  are attached to active busbar wire  160 . In addition, as shown, common busbar wire  170  is positioned on the lower surface  139   b  of middle cover  130 , and connecting wires from common electrical spade connector  16  and spade electrodes  172   a ,  172   b ,  172   c ,  172   d ,  172   e  are attached to common busbar wire  170 . In this way busbar wires  150 ,  160 ,  170  do not need to have an insulator covering and may be installed as bare wires separated from one another by the central portions  121 ,  131  of top cover  120  and middle cover  130 . If one or more of busbar wires  150 ,  160 ,  170  are installed as bare wires without an insulator covering, then the connecting wires attached to busbar wires  150 ,  160 ,  170  may be insulated. Alternatively, both busbar wires  150 ,  160 ,  170  and the attachment wires attached thereto may have an insulator covering.  FIG. 17A  presents a circuit diagram of the subassembly wiring 
     Once subassembly  100  is complete, it is encapsulated within a one piece molded, elastomeric covering as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 9 . 
     Having shown and described various versions in the present disclosure, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein may be accomplished by appropriate modifications by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Several of such potential modifications have been mentioned, and others will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For instance, the examples, versions, geometries, materials, dimensions, ratios, steps, and the like discussed above are illustrative and are not required. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be considered in terms of the following claims and is understood not to be limited to the details of structure and operation shown and described in the specification and drawings.

Technology Category: 5