EP1672746B1 - Socket equipped with additional protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

The socket has a safety device (5) extending between a closing plate (3) and a female electric connection block (2). A complementary safety device (6) extends between the plate and the block. The device (6) is totally independent from the device (5). The device is presented in form of a slide that presents an upper surface turned towards a passage orifice of a prong of a male tap of the plate.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of electrical equipment, in particular plugs and in particular sockets provided with a safety device and has for object such a socket provided with a complementary means of security.

The sockets generally have a female element provided with female electrical contact means intended to cooperate with male contact means in the form of pins, this female element being mounted in a housing having a front face provided with passage orifices for the male pins, these orifices being located opposite the female contact means.

These receptacles are often additionally provided with grounding contact elements in the form of a protruding pin on the front face of their housing or in the form of clamps extending diametrically inside the receptacles. edges of said front face.

Current safety regulations for domestic power supply installations also require the use of additional means to prevent the introduction of metal devices into the female element, in particular by children. and thus avoid the risk of electrocution that may result.

For this purpose, it is known to provide the housing of the socket, between the female element and the front face of the housing, under the passage holes for the male pins, a rotary or sliding closure means having in front of each passage opening of the male pins, in the closed position, an inclined surface. These inclined surfaces are intended to cooperate with the ends of the male pins, during their simultaneous introduction through the passage orifices, to allow the male pins to be brought into contact with the female contact means, by rotation or sliding of the means of contact. shutter, while an introduction of an element through a single orifice or a non-simultaneous introduction of two elements through two orifices does not allow such a rotation or such a sliding, the shutter element being made in such a way that it automatically locks in the shutter position in such a case.

An increased safety problem also arises with regard to the sockets dedicated specifically for particular uses, in particular in the field of the supply of electronic circuits and more particularly in the computer networks.

For this purpose, it has been proposed to provide these sockets with additional means providing a locking device shutter, this means being operable via a complementary device fitted to the plug and can be used keyed. In such a case, the polarizer, which has a length greater than that of the male pins performs an actuation of the additional locking means in the direction of an unlocking of the closure device, which can then be moved in the direction of a releasing the passage for the male pins towards the female contact means.

These additional locking means are generally directly associated with the operation of the closure device, that is to say are in driving relation or engagement with this device and thus have the disadvantage inherent in this type of connection between parts, namely, in case of implementation of an auxiliary element, such as a polarizer, to no longer allow to ensure perfectly a prohibition of access to the live parts of a socket female element, that is to say by means of female connection or to the cells of such an element, in particular to children.

For this purpose, we know in particular by FR-A 2,824,962 an outlet socket provided with a shutter and a shutter latch in the closed position. The lock of this device consists of a piece mounted in a retractable manner and intended to cooperate with a shutter member to prevent the latter from moving in the direction of a release of access to the contact plugs. The device according to this document can only work by direct mechanical connection of the lock with the shutter.

Otherwise, DE-A 2,109,720 also discloses a socket socket employing two diametrically opposed latches cooperating with the shutter, these latches acting directly on end portions of said shutter, to prevent rotation thereof, by form cooperation with said ends. In this case also, the operation of the assembly is effected by a mechanical connection between the various constituent elements.

In addition, wear of this drive or engagement relationship, or even destruction in the event of an attempt to force a member into an orifice of the socket housing, renders the existing devices totally inoperative.

The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages by providing a socket provided with a safety device and provided with a complementary safety means preventing access to the live parts of the female element.

For this purpose, the socket, which is essentially constituted by a housing enclosing a female electrical connection block, by a closure plate provided with electrical connection pin plug holes of a plug, these orifices being arranged above female plugs constituting said female electrical connection block and by a safety device, extending between the closure plate and the female electrical connection block and formed by a rotary or sliding shutter, is characterized in that it is further provided with a complementary safety means, extending between the closure plate and the female electrical connection block, in the axis of the passage orifices. of the closing plate and the sockets and being totally mechanically independent of the safety device, this complementary means being operable by means of a keying device fitted to the plug or an intermediate piece that can be secured to said plug and through the closing plate.

• la figure 1 est une vue éclatée en perspective d'une prise de courant conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective, à plus grande échelle, d'un dispositif de sécurité avec un moyen complémentaire de sécurité conforme à l'invention, et
• la figure 3 est une vue éclatée en perspective correspondant à la figure 2.

The invention will be better understood, thanks to the following description, which refers to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a socket according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of a security device with complementary security means according to the invention, and
• the figure 3 is an exploded view in perspective corresponding to the figure 2 .

The figure 1 appended drawings shows a socket, which is essentially constituted by a housing 1 enclosing a female electrical connection block 2, by a closure plate 3 provided with plug holes for electrical connection of a plug (no shown), these openings being arranged above female plugs constituting said female electrical connection block 2 and by a safety device 5, extending between the closure plate and the female electrical connection block and formed by a rotary shutter or sliding.

According to the invention, this socket 1 is further provided with complementary safety means 6 extending between the closure plate 3 and the female electrical connection block 2, in the axis of the orifices. passing the closing plate and the sockets of said female electrical connection block 2 and being completely mechanically independent of the safety device 5, this complementary means 6 being operable via a coding device 7 fitted to the plug or an intermediate piece 8 that can be secured to said plug and through the closure plate 3. In the representation of the figure 1 , the intermediate piece 8 bearing the keying device 7 is shown in its insertion position in the closure plate 3, in which it passes through said closure plate 3 to cooperate with the complementary safety means 6.

As shown more particularly by figures 2 and 3 In the accompanying drawings, the safety device 5 extending between the closure plate 3 and the female electrical connection block 2 is constituted, for example, in the form of a rotary shutter having two blades-shaped wings. helix of which at least one is loaded by a return spring 9 in position and by a casing 10 for accommodating and guiding said shutter 5 and the return spring 9, this casing 10 being provided with two orifices 10 'of passage electrical connection pins of the plug. Of course, the security device 5 may also be in the form of a sliding shutter of known type and which does not require a detailed description. Indeed, in the case of a sliding shutter, the passage holes of the male connection pins are covered by two identical branches of a slide guided in displacement in a housing and loaded by a return spring.

The safety device 5, which is of known type, has a mounting of the rotary shutter or slider such that its operation is made impossible if the two wings of the propeller or the slider are not actuated simultaneously by the two connection pins of a plug.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the complementary safety means 6 is in the form of at least one slider extending above or below at least one wing of the rotary or sliding shutter forming the security 5 ( Figures 1 to 3 ). This slide forming the complementary safety means 6 has an upper surface facing a passage hole of a connecting pin of a plug of the closing plate 3 of the housing 1, flat.

Thus, the slider 3 prevents, in its operating position, any contact between the corresponding male connection pin and the corresponding socket of the female electrical connection block 2. The prevention of this contact is achieved both in the position shown in FIGS. Figures 1 to 3 , in which the slider forming the means 6 extends above the safety device 5 only in a position, not shown, in which the device forming the means 6 extends into below the safety device 5 and above the female electrical connection block 2.

As is clear from the figures 1 and 2 In the appended drawings, the slide forming the complementary safety means 6 has, at its upper surface facing the passage opening of a connection pin of a plug of the closing plate 3 of the housing 1, a recess 11 intended to cooperate with the corresponding male pin of the plug in the direction of holding the slide between the corresponding orifice of the closure plate 3 of the housing 1 and the safety device 5 or the corresponding socket of the connection means female 2 of the socket. As a result, in the case of an introduction of male pins in a socket 1, at least one of the pins will be placed in the recess 11 of the slide forming the complementary safety means 6 and will tend to move this means 6 in a complete shutter movement of the access to at least one female plug of the female terminal block 2, so that any electrical connection will be prevented.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the slider forming the complementary safety means 6 comprises a means 12 for automatically returning to the covering position of the opening orifice of the closure plate 3 of the housing 1 of the socket or the corresponding female plug of the female connection means 2. In known manner, the return means 12 may be formed as a return spring supported on a guide means of the slider forming the means 6 and said slider.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the slide forming the complementary safety means 6 comprises a displacement control means 13 cooperating with the coding device 7 fitted to the plug or the intermediate piece 8. This means 13 of displacement control may advantageously be in the form of an inclined plane extending inside the body of the slide forming the complementary safety means 6, in a direction opposite to that of covering the passage of the corresponding male connection pin resulting from the load exerted by the return means 12 on the slider. Consequently, during the introduction of the coding device 7, directly via the plug or by means of the intermediate piece 8, said coding device 7 comes into contact with the inclined plane forming the means 13 and, as it penetrates, the device 7 tends to move the slider 6 against the load of the return means 12 until completely free the passage for the electrical connection pin corresponding male in the direction of the corresponding female plug of the female electrical connection block 2.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, the return means 12 is housed directly in the slider 6 and rests on a portion of the guide element of said slider, this portion passing through said slider by a corresponding longitudinal groove.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the slide forming the complementary safety means 6 can advantageously be housed, as shown by the Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, directly in a guide space 10 "of the housing 10 of the safety device 5, a wall of this space passing through a longitudinal groove of the slider 6 to form a support for the return means 12 of the latter. embodiment, the housing 10 of the safety device 5, which simultaneously serves as a housing for the complementary safety means 6, can be directly mounted between the housing 1 for receiving the female electrical connection block 2 and the closure plate 3 of said housing 1.

It is also possible, according to another characteristic of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, to have the complementary safety means 6 in an independent intermediate housing that can be mounted above or below the housing 10 of the safety device 5. Such a housing could, for example, be in the form of a housing 14, as shown in FIG. figure 1 .

According to another embodiment of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, it is also possible to form the complementary safety means in the form of two sliders arranged parallel above or below the wings of the rotating or sliding shutter forming the safety device, under the passage holes of the male pins of the closure plate 3 of the housing 1 or above the female sockets forming the female connection block 2 of the socket. Such an embodiment of the additional safety means in the form of two sliders, each assigned to a wing of the shutter forming the safety device, further improves the safety of the whole of the grip against unwanted penetration via a rigid conductor or a rigid filamentary element such as a screwdriver and thus prevents access to the socket with the risk of electrocution resulting.

In the case of implementation of the safety device in the form of a rotary shutter, the two slides forming the complementary safety means are arranged to move in opposite directions, contrary to the direction of the wings of the rotary shutter and can advantageously being connected by means of a linkage moving them in opposition, when one of said sliders is actuated via the foolproofing means 7.

In the case of implementation of the safety device in the form of a sliding shutter, the two slides of the complementary security means move in the same direction and can be interconnected by means of a rigid connection device, each slider being loaded by a return spring, or the rigid connecting device alone being loaded by a return spring.

According to another characteristic of the invention, in such a case of implementation of a complementary safety means comprising two sliders, it is also possible to actuate each slider individually by means of a device of the keying type, or to actuate the two slides simultaneously via a single polarizer acting on the connecting linkage of the sliders or on the rigid connection device between the sliders.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, not shown in the accompanying drawings, the complementary safety means may also be formed in the form of at least one pivoting or revolving covering element, extending above or below a wing of the rotary or sliding shutter forming the safety device 5 and articulated on the closing plate 3 of the housing 1 or mounted in a specific guide housing, this element being actuated by means of the foolproofing device 7 of the plug or the intermediate piece 8 fitted to said plug and being held in the operating position, or recalled in this position via an elastically deformable return means, such as a spring or the like.

It is also possible to realize the complementary safety means in the form of a rotary element provided with two simultaneous covering lugs of the wings of the rotary or sliding shutter forming the safety device 5. In such a case, the rotary element forming the complementary safety means may advantageously be actuated in the same direction as a rotary shutter forming the safety devices 5. However, it is also possible to realize an actuation of the complementary safety device rotating in the opposite direction to that of the safety device 5.

Thanks to the invention it is possible to make a socket provided with a safety device operable via the male pins of a corresponding male plug, the security provided by this device being improved by the provision of a complementary safety means whose actuation is completely independent of that of the safety device and which has no mechanical link with said safety device.

Claims (16)

1. A socket, comprised of a housing (1) containing a female electrical connection block (2), a cover plate (3) equipped with orifices for receiving electrical connection pins of a male plug, these orifices being provided above the female plugs comprising the said female electrical connection block (2), and by a safety device (5), extending between the cover plate (3) and the female electrical connection block (2), and formed by a rotary or sliding shutter,
   characterised in that
   the socket is provided, in addition, with a complementary means of safety (6), extending between the cover plate (3) and the female electrical connection block (2), in the axis of the orifices of the cover plate (3) and the female plugs, and being completely mechanically independent from the safety device (5), this complementary device (6) being operable by means of a locating device (7) provided with the male plug, or an intermediate piece (8) which can be unitary with the said male plug, and extending across the cover plate (3).
2. A socket according to Claim 1, characterised in that the complementary means of safety (6) takes the form of at least one slide extending above or below at least one arm of the rotary shutter forming the safety device (5).
3. A socket according to Claim 2, characterised in that the slide forming the complementary means of safety (6) has a flat upper surface, turned towards an orifice on the cover plate (3) of the housing (1).
4. A socket according to Claim 2, characterised in that the slide forming the complementary means of safety (6) has on its upper surface, turned towards the orifice for receiving a connection pin of a male plug located on the cover plate (3) of the housing (1), a cavity (11) for cooperating with the corresponding male pin of the male plug to maintain the slide between the corresponding orifice of the cover plate (3) of the housing (1) and the safety device (5) or the corresponding female plug of the female means of connection (2).
5. A socket, according to any of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the slide forming the complementary means of safety (6) comprises a means (12) for automatically biasing it into a position to cover the orifice of the cover plate (3) of the housing (1) of the socket or of the corresponding female plug of the female means of connection (2).
6. A socket, according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the slide forming the complementary means of safety (6) comprises a means (13) for controlling its movement and for cooperating with the locating device (7) provided with the male plug or the intermediate piece (8).
7. A socket, according to either of Claims 5 and 6, characterised in that the means (13) for controlling the movement is presented in the form of an inclined plane, extending to the inside of the body of the slide forming the complementary means of safety (6), following a direction opposite to that for covering the orifice for receiving the corresponding male connecting pin resulting from the force exerted by the biasing means (12) on the slide.
8. A socket, according to any of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the slide forming the complementary means of safety (6) is placed directly in a guide space (10") of the safety device's (5) casing (10), a wall of this space crossing a longitudinal groove of the slide forming the means (6) to constitute a support for the biasing means (12) of the slide.
9. A socket, according to any of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the complementary means of safety (6) is positioned in an independent intermediate housing being mountable above or below the casing (10) of the safety device (5).
10. A socket, according to any of Claims I to 9, characterised in that the complementary means of safety (6) comprises two slides positioned in parallel above or below the arms of the rotary or sliding shutter forming the safety device, under the orifices for receiving the male pins of the cover plate (3) of the housing (1) or above the female plugs forming the female electrical connection block (2) of the socket.
11. A socket, according to Claim 10, characterised in that in the embodiment of the safety device in the form of a rotary shutter, the two slides forming the complementary means of safety (6) are positioned so as to move in opposite directions, contrary to the direction of the arms of the rotary shutter, and are connected via a rod for moving them in opposition, when one of the said slides is activated by the locating means (7).
12. A socket, according to Claim 10, characterised in that in the embodiment of the safety device in the form of a sliding shutter, the two slides of the complementary means of safety (6) are positioned in the same direction and are connected to each other via a rigid connecting device, each slide being biased by a biasing spring, or the rigid connecting device only being biased by a biasing spring.
13. A socket, according to any of Claims 10 to 12, characterised in that each slide is individually activated by means of a locating device.
14. A socket, according to any of Claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the two slides are simultaneously activated by means of a single locating device acting on the slides connecting rod or on the rigid connecting device between the slides.
15. A socket, according to Claim 1, characterised in that the complementary means of safety is comprised in the form of at least one pivotable or rotary covering element which extends above or below an arm of the rotary or sliding shutter forming the safety device (5) and connected to the cover plate (3) of the housing (1) or mounted in a specific guide casing, this element being activated via the locating device (7) of the male plug or of the intermediate piece (8) provided with the said male plug and maintainable in an operable position, or being biased into this position by an elastically deformable biasing means, such as a spring or similar.
16. A socket, according to Claim 1, characterised in that the complementary means of safety is in the form of a rotary component fitted with two flaps for simultaneously covering the arms of the rotary or sliding shutter forming the safety device (5).

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