US 8,616,904 B1Granted

Plug-retaining receptacle

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsLarry W. Martin, John Gee Tang

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A receptacle may include a locking mechanism for retaining a plug in a mated condition. For example, the locking mechanism may engage with a hole formed in at least one prong of the plug. The locking mechanism may include at least one locking pin that moves to a retracted position during insertion of the plug into the receptacle, and that moves to an engaged position when the hole in the prong aligns with the locking pin. In some implementations, an electrical connection is not formed until the locking pin at least begins to engage with the hole in the prong. In some instances, an electrical contact may move into electrical connection with the prong as the locking pin engages with the hole in the prong. Furthermore, in some implementations, the receptacle may be included in a plug adapter for securely mating a plug with the plug adapter.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A plug adapter comprising:

an adapter body;
a first receptacle contiguous with the adapter body, the first receptacle being a first type of receptacle having at least two apertures configured for receiving at least two first prongs of a plug of a first type, the first prongs having a hole formed through each of the first prongs;
a plurality of second prongs extending from the adapter body in a configuration of a plug of a second type for mating with a second type of receptacle;
a pair of locking pins located in the first receptacle and each positioned to engage with a respective one of the holes in the first prongs when the first prongs are inserted into the apertures of the first receptacle, the locking pins engaging with the respective holes for maintaining the plug in a mated condition with the plug adapter;
and
a pair of electrical contacts in the first receptacle to contact the first prongs for forming an electrical connection between the first prongs and the second prongs, at least one of the electrical contacts being positioned to form the electrical connection at least one of as or after the locking pins engage with the respective holes.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.