Electrical Receptacle with Self Engaging Power Shut-Off Protection

A power supply circuit comprising:

• a DC-AC inverter comprising an AC generation circuit;
• an electrical receptacle comprising a base and a cover, wherein:
• the base and the cover are formed of electrically insulating material,
• the cover is configured to be joinable with the base,
• the base is arranged to hold at least one pair of electrically conductive terminals that are electrically coupled to the DC-AC inverter,
• the cover comprises a top portion having a bottom surface and at least one separating tab attached to the bottom surface at an angle of approximately 90 degrees, and
• each separating tab is arranged to separate two terminals comprising a particular pair of electrically conductive terminals, only when the cover is at least partially joined with the base;
• and
• a protection circuit configured to prevent the DC-AC inverter from energizing the electrical receptacle when the power supply circuit is in an overload condition resulting from contact between two terminals comprising one of the pairs of electrically conductive terminals.

A method for protecting a power supply circuit, comprising an electrical receptacle, against an overload condition, the method comprising

• detecting an overload condition of the power supply circuit, the overload condition resulting from separation of a cover portion of the electrical receptacle from a base portion of the electrical receptacle;
• in response to detecting the overload condition, performing at least one of the following operations:
• decoupling the power supply circuit from an energy source;
• and
• disabling an output of the power supply circuit that is coupled to the electrical receptacle.