Adaptor for circuiting appliances to a cigarette lighter socket
OwnerRuben L. Rivenbarkinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adaptor for electrically circuiting wires of an appliance to the electrical contacts standard within a cigarette lighter socket. The housing of the adaptor is insertable into the lighter socket, and electrical contacts projecting from the housing are adapted to engage the lighter socket contacts. The adaptor also includes a pair of externally accessible electrical terminals which are positioned on the housing and to which may be attached wires of an appliance to be powered.
Claims14
An electrical adaptor comprising:
- a plug member sized and configured to insert within a cigarette lighter socket circuited to a power source;
- first and second electrical contacts positioned externally on said plug member and adapted to electrically connect with socket contacts when said plug member is inserted into the socket;
- a first electrical terminal positioned externally on said plug member and adapted for connection to a first lead of an electrical appliance;
- a second electrical terminal positioned externally on said plug member and adapted for connection to a second lead of the electrical appliance;
- wherein said first electrical terminal and said second electrical terminal each comprises a first portion and a second portion, said second portion of said first electrical terminal is structured and arranged to be movable along a length of said first portion of said first electrical terminal, and said second portion of said second electrical terminal is structured and arranged to be movable along a length of said first portion of said second electrical terminal;
- a first circuit electrically connecting said first electrical terminal with said first electrical contact;
- and
- a second circuit electrically connecting said second electrical terminal with said second electrical contact.
An adaptor for circuiting an appliance to a power source circuited with a cigarette lighter socket, comprising:
- a body having an insertion end and a distal end opposite said insertion end, said body movable to an operational position at which said body insertion end is removably inserted within the cigarette lighter socket;
- means on said body for forming electrical connections with contacts of the cigarette lighter socket circuited to the power source when said body in disposed in said operational position;
- means on said body for attachment to wires of an electrical appliance to be powered by the power source, said wire attachment means comprising first and second threaded shafts for electrical attachment with first and second wires, respectively, of the electrical appliance;
- and
- means for electrically interconnecting said wire attachment means and said means for forming electrical connections.
A method of circuiting an electrical appliance to a power source of a vehicle including a cigarette lighter socket connected to the power source, comprising the steps of:
- providing an adaptor comprising a housing, first and second contacts respectively projecting from an insertion end and a side of said housing, first and second electrical terminals protruding from said housing to be externally accessible, a first electrical circuit within said housing and connecting said first contact and said first electrical terminal, and a second electrical circuit within said housing and connecting said second contact and said second electrical terminal;
- connecting a first lead of the electrical appliance to said first electrical terminal;
- connecting a second lead of the electrical appliance to said second electrical terminal;
- and
- connecting first and second leads of a second electrical appliance to said first and second electrical terminals, respectively;
- and
- inserting said adaptor into the socket such that said first and second contacts are electrically circuited with contacts of the socket to thereby circuit the first and second appliance leads with the vehicle power source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.