Reorientable electrical receptacle
Assignee360 Electrical, L.L.C.
InventorKimberly R. Gerard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided systems and methods for a reorientable electrical outlet. In one embodiment, a system includes a housing configured to be coupled to an electrical power source, the housing having a first rotation stop, and an electrical plug receptacle, mountable within the housing, the insert having a second rotation stop, the first and second rotation stops configured to cooperate with each other to limit rotation of the insert within the aperture at a number of degrees, wherein the plug receptacle is configured to receive an electrical plug.
Claims20
An electrical outlet comprising:
- a housing comprising an electrical connector for connection of an electrical power source and an opening configured for an electrical plug to engage an electrical plug receptacle disposed in the housing;
- a first rotation stop;
- an electrical plug receptacle disposed within the housing and having an axis of rotation with respect to the housing extending through the opening in the housing, the plug receptacle comprising
- plug contacts engageable by an electrical plug through one or more openings in a surface oriented generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and
- a second rotation stop accessible from within the housing and rotatable with the plug receptacle, the second rotation stop configured to selectively contact the first rotation stop and limit rotation of the plug receptacle about the axis at a number of degrees;
- and
- an electrical path connecting the electrical connector to the plug contacts continuously within the limited rotation of the plug receptacle through the number of degrees.
A method of manufacturing a rotatable electrical outlet, the method comprising:
- placing a receptacle having an outer surface and a rotational axis generally perpendicular to the outer surface within a housing, such that a first stopping mechanism rotatable with the receptacle is configured to selectively contact a second stopping mechanism disposed within the housing to limit axial rotation of the receptacle within the housing to a rotational range;
- connecting a first wire between the receptacle and the housing;
- and
- connecting a second wire between the receptacle and the housing.
An electrical outlet comprising:
- a housing comprising a face, a connector for an external power source, and an internal first stop;
- a plug receptacle disposed within the housing and rotatable about an axis generally perpendicular to the face;
- a second stop engageable with the first stop to limit rotation of the plug receptacle about the axis;
- and
- an electrical path configured to maintain a power connection between the connector and the plug receptacle within the limited rotation of the plug receptacle about the axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.