HK1151891B - Rotating device for electrically connecting electric household appliances and electric tools - Google Patents

Description

Rotary device for electrically connecting household appliance and electric tool

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the technical field of devices for electrically connecting household appliances or electric tools.

Background

The present invention relates to a device for electrically connecting an electric household appliance or an electric tool as defined in the preamble of claim 1, comprising a female receptacle (receptacle) and a male connector which can be removably and rotatably inserted into the female receptacle, for example a hair dryer or hair dryer with such a device as defined in the preamble of claim 6.

In the present description, "household appliance" is understood to mean: an appliance for domestic use that uses and converts electrical energy into power or heat, such as: a blower, a vacuum cleaner or an iron. On the other hand, "power tool" is intended to mean an appliance for professional use, such as for example: professional blowers, drills, saws or sanders.

In the context of this patent specification, the definition "convex" is understood to mean: one part, or one end of one part, has a shape that allows access to a corresponding recess of the other part, in this case a concave receptacle.

In this specification, "connector" is understood to mean: an electrical connection device designed to allow a given current to pass from one end of the connection device to the other.

It is known that a household appliance (or power tool) has a cable for powering it in order to allow its operation. During use, the tool in question moves everywhere in space, provided that it is mobile; since the cable is connected to the tool, the cable follows the tool, becoming coiled or entangled around itself, during the various spatial movements that take place. This results in twisting/twisting of the cable and may have kinked tangles, or tangled/disorganized lumps, along the cable, depending on the spatial movement of the household appliance or power tool.

In the case of the twisting and/or flexing action in question, mechanical stresses occur in the vicinity of the point of insertion of the cable into the household appliance or power tool, due to the aforementioned winding action, causing wear of the cable and of the corresponding sleeve at this point. Said wear results in tearing of the cable insulation, thus causing the possibility of direct contact of the user with the conductors and, consequently, the risk of electric shock to the user.

The formation of the tangle of the nodules along the cable also limits the freedom of movement of the household appliance or power tool.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above technical drawbacks and to provide an electrical connection device which has a simple design and is capable of preventing twisting/twisting of the power supply cable during use of the connected household appliance or power tool, thus preventing wear of the cable (due to mechanical action) at the point of insertion of the cable into the household appliance or power tool.

This object is achieved by means of a structural part as described in the characterizing part of claim 1, in this case: a male connector is seated in a female receptacle by means of special electrical contact means, in particular leads and rings, the structural parts being removably connected in retaining springs so that the male connector can be continuously rotated relative to the female receptacle.

Drawings

The invention will now be better explained in detail with reference to the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment is shown, in a schematic way, provided as a non-limiting example to a person skilled in the art, since modifications of technology or construction can be made without departing from the scope of the invention described.

In the drawings:

fig. 1 shows an exploded isometric view of an embodiment of a device 1 for electrically connecting household appliances or electric tools. The supply cable 6 is externally sheathed and its inner wires are connected to the ends of both the male connector 3 and the female receptacle 2, so that direct or alternating current can be allowed to flow from a supply socket (not shown) to a household appliance (not shown) or a power tool (not shown) at a conventional voltage of 230V. As can be noted from the figures, the projecting connector 3 comprises two electrical contact means 4a, 4 b: a lead 4a having a longitudinal axis a-a and having a substantially cylindrical form; and a ring 4b concentric with the lead 4 a. Both the lead 4a and the ring 4b can be inserted inside two seat members 8a, 8b, in this case two retaining springs 8a, 8b with which the female receptacle 2 has, said retaining springs 8a, 8b having a substantially cylindrical form and being designed to seat/receive the lead 4a and the ring 4 b. In fig. 1, it can also be seen that the protective body 7 is connected to the connection device 1 by means of suitable fixing means (not shown), such as for example one or more screws (not shown). In this view, the male connector 3 is detached/disassembled from the female receptacle 2.

Fig. 2 shows an exploded isometric view of the device 1 for electrically connecting a power tool or a household appliance, as shown in fig. 1, but in an operating condition, i.e. with the male connector 3 inserted inside a suitable cavity of the female receptacle 2. As shown, the connection between the male connector and the female receptacle is closed, thus allowing the current to flow, since the two electrical contact means 4a, 4b of the male connector 3 are positioned inside suitable seats 8a, 8b provided with the receptacle 2.

Figure 3 shows an isometric view of a hair dryer 10 equipped with a device 1 for electrical connection at the base of the handle of the hair dryer according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows a perspective and exploded view of the detail of figure 3, namely the blower 10 (not shown in its entirety) having the handle 11 of the body 12 incorporating the receptacle of the electrical connection device 1. Moreover, the figure shows the male connector 2 separated from the female receptacle 3; the protective body 7 is in this embodiment directly fixed to the base of the handle 11 by means of suitable fixing means.

Detailed Description

The invention therefore relates to a device 1 for electrically connecting an electric household appliance or a power tool, comprising a female receptacle 2, the receptacle 2 being designed to seat a male connector 3 so that it can be inserted into said female receptacle 2, said connector 3 having two electrical contact means 4a, 4b concentric to each other and formed in one embodiment by a lead 4a and a ring 4 b.

The projecting connector 3 has a plastic body 5, and both the lead wire 4a and the ring 4b made of a metal type material are fixed to the plastic body 5. The lead 4a and the ring 4b are concentric and therefore their longitudinal axes a-a are identical; the lead 4a and the loop 4b can be removably inserted and extracted inside two seat members 8a, 8b, each of a metallic nature, of which the recessed receptacle is provided. In this case, the two seats comprise two retaining springs 8a, 8b, which have a metallic nature and are therefore designed to guide the current, have a substantially cylindrical form and a radius such as to allow the insertion and the detachment of the leads from the ring, and have suitable elastic characteristics.

The mating of the lead 4a and the ring 4b with the respective seats 8a, 8b allows a continuous rotation of the projecting connector 3 about the longitudinal axis a-a of the lead 4a and the ring 4 b.

The electrical connection of the device according to the invention is ensured by the aforementioned connection and it comprises a phase conductor and a neutral conductor; the conductors are formed by connecting the rings 4b to the respective connecting springs 8b and the leads 4a to the respective retaining springs 8a, or vice versa.

The device 1 for electrically connecting household appliances or power tools has, in a particular embodiment thereof, protection means 9 in the region where the cable engages with the device, the protection means 9 being designed to protect the current from breakage caused by flexing.

The means 9 for providing protection against breakage due to flexing, have the function of protecting the cable 6 from tearing and are made of plastic, rubber or a combination of plastic/rubber; the material has a modulus of elasticity such as to prevent damage resulting from abrasion caused by mechanical flexing or twisting in the region where the cable enters the device 1 for electrical connection.

With reference to one embodiment, the device 1 for electrically connecting household appliances or electric tools is enclosed in a protective body 7 made of plastic, with suitable dielectric and mechanical strength.

Preferably, the device 1 for connecting a household appliance or an electric tool, according to the subject of the present invention, is arranged at a distance of several centimeters from the household appliance or the electric tool along the power supply circuit.

Fig. 3 to 4 are an embodiment in which the connecting device 1 according to the invention is integrated with a household appliance or a power tool, and also show a hair dryer 10 with an electrical connecting device 1 according to one of the previous embodiments, in which the female receptacle 2 is integrated into the body 12 of the hair dryer, in this case in the handle 11, whereby, in one embodiment, the handle may have a recess at one end thereof, the recess being designed to allow rotation of the male connector relative to the hair dryer handle.

Claims (11)

1. Device (1) for electrically connecting a household appliance or an electric tool, comprising: a female receptacle (2) having two socket members (8a, 8 b); a male connector (3) insertable inside said female receptacle (2); wherein the male connector (3) has a first electrical contact means (4a) with a longitudinal axis (A-A), and a second electrical contact means (4b), the male connector (3) also having a plastic body (5), the first and second electrical contact means (4a, 4b) being fixed to the plastic body (5), characterized in that the first and second electrical contact means (4a, 4b) are concentric to each other, the first and second electrical contact means (4a, 4b) being removably insertable inside the seat means (8a, 8b) that the female receptacle (2) has, two retaining springs acting respectively as two seat means (8a, 8b) so as to enable the male connector (3) to be rotated about the longitudinal axis (A-A) with respect to the female receptacle (2) Is continuously rotated.

2. Device for electrically connecting household appliances or electric tools according to claim 1, characterized in that the connector has means (9) for protection against breakage caused by flexing.

3. Device for the electrical connection of an electric household appliance or a power tool according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is enclosed within a protective body (7) made of plastic.

4. Device for the electrical connection of household appliances or electric tools according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the first electrical contact means (4a) is a lead (4 a).

5. Device for electrically connecting an electric household appliance or a power tool according to claim 3, characterized in that the first electric contact means (4a) is a lead wire (4 a).

6. Device for the electrical connection of household appliances or electric tools according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the second electrical contact means (4b) is a ring (4 b).

7. Device for electrically connecting a household appliance or an electric tool according to claim 3, characterized in that the second electric contact means (4b) is a ring (4 b).

8. Device for electrically connecting an electric household appliance or a power tool according to claim 4, characterized in that the second electric contact means (4b) is a ring (4 b).

9. Device for electrically connecting an electric household appliance or a power tool according to claim 5, characterized in that the second electric contact means (4b) is a ring (4 b).

10. Hairdryer (10) with a device for the electrical connection of household appliances or electric tools according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said recessed receptacle (2) is integrated in the body (12) of the hairdryer (10).

11. The hair dryer of claim 10, characterized in that said concave receptacle (2) is integrated at one end of a handle (11) of the hair dryer.