Patent US3810070A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3810070A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Terminal connector for electric extension cord
Assignee: Cooper Wiring Devices Inc
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Filing: 1972-09-18
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Granted: 1974-05-07
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Expires: 1992-09-18
Abstract
Abstract A connector having a body of elastomeric material is molded around one end of an extension cord the other end of which terminates in a twin-prong plug. An electrically non-conductive rigid safety guard is slidably captive over an exterior surface of the body and has a pair of prong-passing passageways the dimensions and relative positioning of which conform to those of underlying prong-admitting passageways of the connector that lead to a pair of internal electrical female contacts. The prongadmitting passageways of the guard normally are disaligned with the prong-admitting passageways of the connector. However, the guard can be forced into a position in which its prong-admitting passageways are aligned with the prong-admitting passageways of the connector so as to permit entry of the twin-prongs of a plug into the connector. Forcing the guard to such position resiliently deforms a portion of the elastomeric body, thereby building up a stress which, when the plug is withdrawn, restores the guard to its idle position in which it covers the prongadmitting passageways of the connector and thus prevents a child from being subjected to an electrical shock or burn either through accidental or deliberate insertion of an electrically conductive element into a prong-admitting passageway of the connector or by having the child place the connector in his mouth.
Inventors
- 👤 M Ludwig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:34
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/44; H01R13/447; H01R13/64; H01R13/642
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
352 words
A terminal connector for an electric extension cord, said connector comprising a connector body of electrically nonconductive elastomeric material, female contacts in said connector body, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways from an exterior surface of said elastomeric body to said female contacts said connector further including a safety guard of electrically non-conductive stiff material, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways through the safety guard the cross-sectional configuration and spacing of which match those of the passageways of the elastomeric connector body, means captively retaining said safety guard over said exterior surface of the elastomeric connector body at which the mouths of the passageways of said body open, said last-named means constraining said guard for slidable motion of the guard relative to the elastomeric body in a predetermined direction and sense, said safety guard and elastomeric connector body having adjacent facing surfaces which oppose movement of the safety guard in said predetermined direction and sense whereby when said safety guard is, by the application of force, shifted in such direction and sense, the said facing surface of said safety guard will distort the elastomeric connector body at said facing surface of said body so as to store up energy and cause the safety guard to be restored to an idle position when the force is removed, the passageways of said body in idle position of said guard being disaligned with the passageways of the safety guard and being blocked by pOrtions of the safety guard, said passageways of the safety guard being alignable with the passageways of said connector body upon the application of force in said predetermined direction and sense, the connector body having on the said exterior surface thereof an upstanding flange with an in-turned ledge defining a cavity, said cavity having at least one gap therein through said flange and ledge and the safety guard being snugly receivable in said cavity and having a portion projecting through said gap beyond the adjacent surface of the connector body for application of a shifting force, a portion of the ledge opposite the gap being distorted upon the application of said force.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
352 words
A terminal connector for an electric extension cord, said connector comprising a connector body of electrically nonconductive elastomeric material, female contacts in said connector body, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways from an exterior surface of said elastomeric body to said female contacts said connector further including a safety guard of electrically non-conductive stiff material, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways through the safety guard the cross-sectional configuration and spacing of which match those of the passageways of the elastomeric connector body, means captively retaining said safety guard over said exterior surface of the elastomeric connector body at which the mouths of the passageways of said body open, said last-named means constraining said guard for slidable motion of the guard relative to the elastomeric body in a predetermined direction and sense, said safety guard and elastomeric connector body having adjacent facing surfaces which oppose movement of the safety guard in said predetermined direction and sense whereby when said safety guard is, by the application of force, shifted in such direction and sense, the said facing surface of said safety guard will distort the elastomeric connector body at said facing surface of said body so as to store up energy and cause the safety guard to be restored to an idle position when the force is removed, the passageways of said body in idle position of said guard being disaligned with the passageways of the safety guard and being blocked by pOrtions of the safety guard, said passageways of the safety guard being alignable with the passageways of said connector body upon the application of force in said predetermined direction and sense, the connector body having on the said exterior surface thereof an upstanding flange with an in-turned ledge defining a cavity, said cavity having at least one gap therein through said flange and ledge and the safety guard being snugly receivable in said cavity and having a portion projecting through said gap beyond the adjacent surface of the connector body for application of a shifting force, a portion of the ledge opposite the gap being distorted upon the application of said force.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the safety guard has a plateau which substantially fills the frame defined by the free edges of the ledge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
270 words
A terminal connector for an electric extension cord, said connector comprising a connector body of electrically non-conductive elastomeric material, female contacts in said connector body, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways from an exterior surface of said elastomeric body to said female contacts, said connector further including a safety guard of electrically non-conductive stiff material, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways through the safety guard the cross-sectional configuration and spacing of which match those of the passageways of the elastomeric connector body, means captively retaining said guard over said exterior surface of the elastomeric connector body at which the mouths of the passageways of said body open, said last-named means constraining said guard for slidable motion of the guard relative to the elastomeric body in a predetermined direction and sense, said safety guard and elastomeric connector body having adjacent facing surfaces which oppose movement of the safety guard in said predetermined direction and sense whereby when said safety guard is, by the application of force, shifted in such direction and sense, the said facing surface of said safety guard will distort the elastomeric connector body at said facing surface of said body so as to store up energy and cause the safety guard to be restored to an idle position when the force is removed, the passageways of said body in idle position of said guard being disaligned with the passageways of the safety guard and being blocked by portions of the safety guard, said passageways of the safety guard being alignable with the passageways of said connector body upon the application of force in said predetermined direction and sense.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
270 words
A terminal connector for an electric extension cord, said connector comprising a connector body of electrically non-conductive elastomeric material, female contacts in said connector body, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways from an exterior surface of said elastomeric body to said female contacts, said connector further including a safety guard of electrically non-conductive stiff material, means providing pairs of prong-admitting passageways through the safety guard the cross-sectional configuration and spacing of which match those of the passageways of the elastomeric connector body, means captively retaining said guard over said exterior surface of the elastomeric connector body at which the mouths of the passageways of said body open, said last-named means constraining said guard for slidable motion of the guard relative to the elastomeric body in a predetermined direction and sense, said safety guard and elastomeric connector body having adjacent facing surfaces which oppose movement of the safety guard in said predetermined direction and sense whereby when said safety guard is, by the application of force, shifted in such direction and sense, the said facing surface of said safety guard will distort the elastomeric connector body at said facing surface of said body so as to store up energy and cause the safety guard to be restored to an idle position when the force is removed, the passageways of said body in idle position of said guard being disaligned with the passageways of the safety guard and being blocked by portions of the safety guard, said passageways of the safety guard being alignable with the passageways of said connector body upon the application of force in said predetermined direction and sense.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the safety guard is planar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the retaining means constitutes a recess in the exterior surface of the connector body in which recess the safety guard is disposed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the retaining means permits slidable motion of the guard in a predetermined linear direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the retaining means constitutes a rectangular recess in the said exterior surface of the connector body and wherein the safety guard is disposed in said recess and has a matching configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 7 wherein the recess has at least one gap in a side wall thereof and wherein the safety guard has a protuberance that extends through said recess and projects beyond the adjacent surface of the connector body so that the same may be pressed to apply a shifting force to the safety guard in said predetermined direction and sense to align the passageways of the connector body and safety guard.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
97 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the captive retaining means includes a linearly elongated depression extending transversely across said exterior surface of said connector body, the safety guard being rectangular and slidable in said depression, said depression and guard having Matching dovetailed configurations, and wherein post means and cavity forming means are provided, one of said means being associated with said connector body and the other of said means being associated with the safety guard, said post means and cavity means having surfaces which abut when the safety guard is in idle position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 9 wherein the post means is a part of the safety guard and the cavity means is a part of the connector body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A terminal connector as set forth in claim 1 wherein means is included to limit the motion of the guard in said predetermined direction and sense in a position in which the passageways of the guard are aligned with the passageways of the connector body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2197910A
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US2820842A
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US2752581A
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US2988242A
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US3068442A
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US3571780A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-06 | 1977-11-05 | 1978-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-06 | 1981-11-05 | 1982-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-06 | 1985-11-05 | 1986-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |