# US 10,122,123 B1 · Electrical arc protection using a rotational shield > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,123 B1 - Document ID: US10122123B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/643,686 - Filed: 2017-07-07 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-07 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Arkadiy Tsfasman; John Werner; Byron Green; Jeffrey A. Newcomer; Robert Mullady; William Brodsky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122123B1 ## CPC - H01R 13/6485: {Electrostatic discharge protection (in general H05F1/00, for electric apparatus H05K9/0067)} - H01R 13/4532: {Rotating shutter} - H01R 13/4538: {Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement} - H01R 13/53: Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases {for high voltage} with means for preventing corona or arcing - H01R 13/7031: {Shorting, shunting or bussing of different terminals interrupted or effected on engagement of coupling part, e.g. for ESD protection, line continuity} - H01R 24/22: with additional earth or shield contacts - H01R 24/30: with additional earth or shield contacts - H01R 13/443: Dummy plugs - H01R 13/6456: {comprising keying elements at different positions along the periphery of the connector} - H01R 2103/00: Two poles - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract Embodiments of the present disclosure include a plug and receptacle. The receptacle may be configured to receive power and may include two or more sockets configured to electrically couple to two or more pins of the plug. A shorting contact included in the receptacle may be configured to contact two sockets of the two or more sockets. Further, shielding ribs included in the receptacle may be configured to block the shorting contact from contacting the two sockets. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a plug, wherein the plug includes two or more pins; and a receptacle, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive power and further comprises: two or more sockets configured to electrically couple to the two or more pins; a shorting contact, wherein the shorting contact is configured to contact two sockets of the two or more sockets; and a rotational shield, wherein the rotational shield includes shielding ribs, the shielding ribs being configured to block the shorting contact from contacting the two sockets. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the shielding ribs are configured to block the shorting contact from contacting the two sockets when the plug is entirely disconnected from the receptacle and when the plug is entirely connected to the receptacle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the shorting contact is configured to contact the two sockets during a plugging action, wherein the shorting contact is configured to open an upstream circuit breaker when contacting the two sockets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the rotational shield further comprises a locking latch, the locking latch being configured to prevent the rotational shield from rotating when the plug is not connected to the receptacle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the plug further comprises an unlocking pin, wherein the unlocking pin is configured to unlock the locking latch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plug further comprises an actuation key, and wherein the rotational shield further comprises a rotational shield track, wherein the actuation key is configured to slide through the rotational shield track causing the rotational shield to rotate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the rotational shield further comprises rotating pin holes, wherein the rotating pin holes are configured to block access to the two or more sockets when the plug is not connected to the receptacle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the receptacle further comprises a stationary housing, wherein the stationary housing encompasses the rotational shield and further comprises two or more pin holes corresponding to and aligned with the two or more pins of the plug. ### Claim 9 A power receptacle comprising: two or more sockets configured to electrically couple to two or more pins of a power plug; a shorting contact, wherein the shorting contact is configured to contact two sockets of the two or more sockets; and a rotational shield, wherein the rotational shield includes shielding ribs, the shielding ribs being configured to block the shorting contact from contacting the two sockets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The power receptacle of claim 9, wherein the shielding ribs are configured to block the shorting contact from contacting the two sockets when the power plug is entirely disconnected from the power receptacle and when the power plug is entirely connected to the power receptacle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The power receptacle of claim 9, wherein the shorting contact is configured to contact the two sockets during a plugging action, wherein the shorting contact is configured to open an upstream circuit breaker when contacting the two sockets. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The power receptacle of claim 9, wherein the rotational shield further comprises a locking latch, the locking latch being configured to prevent the rotational shield from rotating when the power plug is not connected to the power receptacle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The power receptacle of claim 9, wherein the power plug further comprises an actuation key, and wherein the rotational shield further comprises a rotational shield track, wherein the actuation key is configured to slide through the rotational shield track causing the rotational shield to rotate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The power receptacle of claim 9, wherein the rotational shield further comprises rotating pin holes, wherein the rotating pin holes are configured to block access to the two or more sockets when the plug is not connected to the receptacle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The power receptacle of claim 9, wherein the power receptacle further comprises a stationary housing, wherein the stationary housing encompasses the rotational shield and further comprises two or more pin holes corresponding to and aligned with the two or more pins of the power plug. ### Claim 16 A power plug comprising: two or more pins, wherein the two or more pins are configured to electrically couple to two or more sockets of a power receptacle; and an actuation key, wherein the actuation key is configured to slide within a rotational shield track of a rotational shield of a receptacle, wherein the actuation key is configured to cause the rotational shield to rotate as the actuation key slides within the rotational shield track, wherein the rotational shield includes shielding ribs and a shorting contact, wherein the shorting contact is configured to contact two sockets of the two or more sockets, and wherein the shielding ribs are configured to block the shorting contact from contacting the two sockets. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The power plug of claim 16, wherein the shielding ribs are configured to block the shorting contact from contacting the two sockets when the power plug is entirely disconnected from the power receptacle and when the power plug is entirely connected to the power receptacle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The power plug of claim 16, wherein the shorting contact is configured to contact the two sockets during a plugging action, wherein the shorting contact is configured to open an upstream circuit breaker when contacting the two sockets. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The power plug of claim 16, wherein the rotational shield further comprises a locking latch, the locking latch being configured to prevent the rotational shield from rotating when the plug is not connected to the receptacle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The power plug of claim 19, wherein the power plug further comprises an unlocking pin, wherein the unlocking pin is configured to unlock the locking latch.