Sliding contact assembly for accelerating relative separation speed between plug contacts and socket outlet contacts

A sliding contact assembly for a DC electrical outlet, the sliding contact assembly being constructed and arranged to receive plug contacts of an electrical plug, the sliding contact assembly comprising:

• sliding contact structure comprising a base and a plurality of electrical sliding contacts fixed to the base,
• a housing including a first end wall having an internal top surface and second end wall opposing the first end wall, the second end wall having an internal bottom surface, the housing having side wall structure defining an internal chamber between the top surface and the bottom surface, the sliding contact structure being disposed in the housing so as be movable linearly within the chamber, and
• at least one spring disposed between the top surface of the housing and a surface of the base, wherein the at least one spring is configured to (i) bias the sliding contact structure into engagement with the bottom surface of the housing in response to friction between the plug contacts and the plurality of electrical sliding contacts, (ii) store energy in response to the friction between the plug contacts and the plurality of electrical sliding contacts as the plug contacts are in the process of being disconnected from the plurality of electrical sliding contacts, and (iii) release the stored energy to cause the plurality of electrical sliding contacts to rapidly move away from the plug contacts once the plug contacts are completely disconnected from the plurality of electrical sliding contacts.