WO2006037175A1

WO2006037175A1 - Electrical connection housing

Info

Publication number: WO2006037175A1
Application number: PCT/AU2005/001530
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nathan Arthur Tranter; Terrence Paul Brown
Original assignee: Flipper Automation Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Flipper Automation Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-10-06
Filing date: 2005-10-05
Publication date: 2006-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-06

Abstract

A housing (10) for an electrical connection has a front plate section (12) and a recess (14) formed within the plate (12). The recess (14) is defined by wall faces (24, 26) which are angled relative to each other. An electrical plug portion of the electrical connection is receivable within a plug socket (22) in one face (24) within the recess (14).for making an electrical connection.

Description

Electrical connection housing

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a housing for an electrical connection and more particularly to a housing for an electrical connection that is adapted for insertion into a surface cavity.

Background to the Invention

Electrical appliances that have electrical plugs adapted for fitting into corresponding electrical sockets generally have the plug protruding outwardly from the surface where the electrical connection is made, such as a wall or floor. Such an arrangement occupies useable space when allowing for the position of the appliance and in many cases does not allow the appliance to be positioned against the surface. As the plug is not inserted into a cavity behind the surface but positioned outwardly from the particular surface, a void or space remains between the appliance and the surface when the appliance is positioned as far back as possible without interfering with the plug.

In some situations a user may try to force their appliances against the surface and therefore put undue stress on the protruding plug and even damage the plug. This can damage a mains AC outlet and provide the risk of electric shock to the user. One way to minimise the space that is occupied by the plug, when it is fitted into a corresponding socket, is to retrofit a side entry mains plug to the power leads of the particular appliance. Such plugs generally have the two or three electrical pins orthogonal to the housing of the plug that protrudes from the socket. However, using such a side entry mains plug, although reducing the space occupied by a standard plug, requires removing a factory fitted standard plug which in many cases will void a manufacturer's warranty. A user may try to retrofit the plug themself and risk electric shock and risk potential damage to the appliance or the electrical outlet. Where a qualified electrician is sought to perform such a retrofit this provides an extra cost. Even so the actual housing around the retrofitted plug will still not be flush with the surface against which the appliance is positioned.

The present invention seeks to overcome one or more of the above disadvantages by providing a housing for an electrical connection which substantially reduces the space taken up by a plug when connected to a corresponding socket in a surface such as a wall or floor. Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a housing for an electrical connection means, the housing adapted for insertion into a cavity bounded by a surface and comprising: a plate and a recess formed within the plate; such that the plate abuts against the surface and a plug means of the electrical connection means is able to be contained within the recess for making the electrical connection.

A socket means may be disposed within the recess for receiving the plug means for making the electrical connection.

The recess may have at least one face at an acute angle to the plane of the plate.

The electrical connection means may be formed of at least one plug means and respective socket means for receiving the plug means. One or more plug and socket means may be formed in the angled face of the recess. Located within the recess may be a switch for each of the plug and socket means. Alternatively, a switch for each electrical connection means may be located on a cover adapted to fit over the plate or in a separate plate adjacent the housing. The cover may activate the switch when it is fitted to the plate of the housing. The housing may be oriented in the surface cavity in such manner that the state of each switch is identifiable, that is whether the switch is on or off.

The plate may have one or more channels for housing and guiding electrical cables of as many plug means that can be housed in the recess.

A cover may be adapted to fit over the plate and be substantially the same thickness as the plate so that the cover and plate fit flush against the surface. The cover may have an opening formed therein for a respective cable to protrude therethrough.

The plate preferably has a first plate surface for contacting the cover and a second plate surface for contacting the surface surrounding an aperture providing access to the cavity. The recess preferably fits within the aperture and extends into the cavity.

The surface may be any one of a wall, floor, ceiling or panel such that an appliance for which an electrical connection is made through the housing is able to be placed in a position without the respective plug means interfering with the position.

Preferably the housing is a unitary construction. According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a housing for an electrical plug and socket arrangement comprising: a plate for abutting against a surface; and a recess formed within the plate and adapted to extend into a cavity bounded by the surface; wherein the plug of the arrangement is contained within the recess in a position to make an electrical connection.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a front view of a housing for an electrical connection in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view of the housing of Figure 1; Figures 3 A and 3B are respective side views of the housing of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view from above of the housing shown fitted against a surface and a removable cover adapted to fit over a front plate of the housing;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the housing of Figure 1 shown with a plug of an electrical appliance attached to a socket; and

Figure 6 is a side view showing the housing fitted to a surface and showing a recess of the housing on one side of the surface and with the cover fitted to the plate of the housing on the other side of the surface.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a housing 10 for an electrical connection, specifically a plug and socket arrangement. The housing is of a unitary construction having a plate 12 which has a central portion formed as a recess 14. The plate 12 is adapted to abut against a surface and the recess 14 is adapted to protrude through an aperture in the surface into a cavity behind or underneath the surface. Located within the recess 14 are apertures 16, 18 and 20 forming a socket 22 for receiving respective pins of a plug. The socket 22 is located on a face 24 at an angle to the plate 12 to enable the plug to fit within the space defined by recess 14. On an opposite face 26 there is located a switch 28 for turning the connection on or off. Ideally the switch is located in a position such that it is visible to see the status, that is on or off, of the actual connection. Located behind the socket 22 will be a terminal box (not shown) for connecting individual wires of an outlet to the respective pins of the plug. Referring to Figures 3 A and 3B it is seen that the recess 14 forms a volume that protrudes outwardly from a rear face 30 of plate 12 and into a cavity, for example which may exist between two walls in a building. The volume created by the recess 14 is defined inwardly from the outer edges of the plate such that a thin border 31 and 32 (see Figure 1) forms part of the plate 12. Thus the second face or second surface 30 of the plate 12 abuts against the wall surface or floor surface.

With reference to Figure 4, plate 12 is shown abutted against a surface 34, which is typically a wall, floor, ceiling or panel. The plate 12 is secured by securing means, such as screws either in any one of the apertures 36 or through apertures 38. Also shown is a channel 40 and an alternative channel 42 which is made to accommodate the cable extending from the plug which fits into socket 22. When the cover 44 is placed over the front surface or first surface 46 of plate 12 corresponding openings 48 or 50 in cover 44 fit over the respective channels 40 and 42. The cover 44 is designed to be a snap-on fit over the periphery of plate 12. With reference to Figure 5 there is shown a plug 52 connected to socket 22 to make the electrical connection for the appliance to which the plug attaches through cable 54. As can be seen cable 54 resides in channel 40 so that when the cover 44 is placed over plate 12 it securely covers the plug 52 with the aperture or opening 48 correspondingly fitting over and securing in position the cable 54. With reference to Figure 6 there is shown the plate 12 and cover 44 fitted against a wall 56 with the recess 14 extending within a cavity 58 behind the wall 56.

The position of the housing 10 as shown in Figure 6 provides a convenient space in which to store the volume of the plug 52 so that the appliance to which it is attached may be moved back against the plate 12 and cover 44 such that only the width of either the plate 12 or cover 44 separates the wall 56 from the appliance.

The appliances to which electrical connection is made through the housing 10 are generally those that do not need to be frequently repositioned in order to turn the power supply on or off through housing 10. For example such appliances may be a fridge, a washing machine or a dryer which would ordinarily abut against a wall. If for some reason the appliance needs to moved and the power disconnected, it is a simple procedure of removing cover 44 and accessing the switch 28. Alternatively, fitting and removing the plate 44 from housing 10 may respectively turn the switch on and off through a mechanism on the inside surface of cover 44. The switch may be located on the cover 44 itself or on another plate adjacent plate 12. The present invention as described is able to be easily fitted into an aperture in the wall or floor surface that is taken up by a standard gang cut-out for existing electrical gang plates. However where more plugs need to be fitted into corresponding sockets such that the bulk of the plugs are contained within the recess, then a larger housing will need to be made to accommodate such fittings. In this situation a further wider gang cut-out and plate would be required. The sockets for multiple plugs may be co-located on the same face, such as face 24 or anywhere within the recess such that there is enough room within the recess to accommodate the bulk of each of the plugs and to provide access to the cables of the plugs through the various channels in the plate 12. Thus the invention is not limited to providing one socket and one plug but can be used to accommodate a multitude of plug and socket connections. Furthermore the socket arrangement is shown for standard Australian electrical outlet connections. However, the arrangement of the socket may be customised to take account of other socket arrangements in other countries. This may require changes to the shape of the recess 14 and also to the size of a gang plate cut-out in a wall, floor or ceiling in those other countries. The housing is preferably of a unitary construction and is preferably made of plastics material. However other appropriate non-conductive or insulating materials, such as fibreglass may be used. Furthermore, although the present embodiment has been used in context of connection of mains AC power, the invention is not so limited and can be used to provide a housing for connections such as telephone, MATV or data points. More than one such connection may be housed within the housing 10 to provide suitable connections.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A housing for an electrical connection means, the housing adapted for insertion into a cavity bounded by a surface and comprising: a plate and a recess formed within the plate; such that the plate abuts against the surface; and a plug means of the electrical connection means is able to be contained within the recess for making the electrical connection.

2. A housing according to claim 1 further comprising a socket means disposed within the recess for receiving the plug means for making the electrical connection.

3. A housing according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the recess has at least one face at an acute angle to the plane of the plate.

4. A housing according to any one of the previous claims wherein the electrical connection means comprises at least one plug means and a respective socket means for receiving the plug means.

5. A housing according to claim 4 wherein one or more plug and socket means are formed in the angled face of the recess.

6. A housing according to any one of the previous claims wherein the plate has one or more channels for housing and guiding electrical cables of respective plug means housed within the recess.

7. A housing according to any one of the previous claims wherein a cover is adapted to fit over the plate having substantially the same thickness of the plate so that the cover and plate fit flush against the surface.

8. A housing according to claim 7 wherein the cover has one or more openings formed therein to receive a respective cable of a plug within the recess, the one or more openings coinciding with the one or more channels of the plate.

9. A housing according to claim 8 wherein the plate has a first plate surface for contacting the cover and a second plate surface for contacting the surface surrounding an aperture providing access to the cavity.

10. A housing according to claim 9 wherein the recess fits within the aperture and extends into the cavity.

11. A housing according to any one of the previous claims wherein the surface is any one of a wall, floor, ceiling or panel such that an appliance for which an electrical connection is made through the housing is able to be placed in a position without a plug means fitted within the housing interfering with such position.

12. A housing for an electrical plug and socket arrangement comprising: a plate for abutting against a surface; and a recess formed within the plate and adapted to extend into a cavity bounded by the surface; wherein the plug of the arrangement is contained within the recess in a position to make an electrical connection.