US 2008/0156512 A1Published application

Tamper-resistant electrical wiring device system

AssigneeLeviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.

InventorsCosmo Castaldo, Azer Ilkhanov

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A tamper-resistant electrical receptacle includes a cover defining a set of cover apertures; and a slider defining an aperture therein and being movable between a first position blocking the set of cover apertures and a second position not blocking the set of cover apertures, wherein when an object probes at least one and fewer than all of the set of cover apertures, the slider is constrained in the first position. When a set of prongs is inserted simultaneously through the set of cover apertures, the prongs contact a slider surface that is oriented substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the set of prongs such that the slider is urged from the first to the second position. When in the second position the slider aperture aligns with at least one of the set of cover apertures to enable the set of prongs to contact the receptacle contacts.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A platform/slider subassembly for use in a tamper resistant receptacle including a cover having at least a set of apertures, the platform/slider subassembly comprising:

a platform defining a cavity having a base surface within said cavity, at least part of said base surface including an inclined plane;
and
a slider reciprocally disposed within the cavity of the platform, the slider defining at least one aperture therein and at least one inclined plane, wherein the inclined plane of the slider cooperates with the inclined plane of the platform, the slider being movable between a first position in which the slider blocks a set of apertures formed in a cover and a second position in which the slider does not block the set of apertures formed in the cover,
wherein when a set of prongs is inserted simultaneously through the set of apertures formed in the cover, the prongs make contact with a surface on the slider urging the inclined plane of the slider to cam against the inclined plane of the platform such that the slider is urged from the first position to the second position, wherein when in the second position the slider aperture aligns with at least one of the apertures of the set of apertures of the cover to enable the set of prongs to move past the slider.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/030,396Filed 13 Feb 2008
Priority: 8 Sep 2005
Published: 3 Jul 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H01R 13/4534
Shutter or cover plate opened by engagement of counterpart: laterally sliding shutter
H01R 13/652
Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices , e.g. anti-static shielding: with earth pin, blade or socket
H01R 24/78
With sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall: with additional earth or shield contacts
H01R 25/006
Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more…

Family

Application60/715,081Us provisional application · filed 8 Sep 2005
Application11/470,995Continuation in part · filed 7 Sep 2006
Application12/030,396Continuation in part
US 2007/0114053 A1Published application
US 7,355,117 B2Related patent
US 7,820,909 B2Related patent
US 2008/0156512 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.