subject: Multiple Outlet Receptacle And Metal Stamping Therefor [print this page] A multi-station metal stamping conductor in a multi-outlet receptacle enables the simplified molding of the receptacle with less parts and wire connections. The conductor has articulated stations coinciding with the individual outlets, each station having a female receptacle with an appropriate pin or blade opening.
The conductors are easily held in position for molding of the receptacle. Each conductor requires only a single crimped conductor wire serving all of the stations. The molding may be done without change to prior art molds.
Multiple outlet receptacles for the plugging in of electricity for machinery in a factory for a wall outlet for the plugging in of power tools generally, have heavy duty electrical cable. Such multiple outlet receptacles generally have a flat array of polarized outlets for the male plugs in a single head, The connector plugs usually have a round or "U" shaped ground pin and blades. Each outlet usually has an opening to accept a round or "U" shaped ground pin and polarized openings for the blades, There are usually three outlets on each receptacle.
The prior art multiple outlet flat receptacle with three sets of outlets generally included nine female contacts and nine wire connections, three each, to each outlet.
Assembly of the receptacle required the connecting of nine wires to the nine female contacts, as well as the complexity of maintaining all parts together with load bars, during the molding process. The molding of the receptacle of the present invention can be done without changing prior art molds and load bars.
The manufacture of the prior art receptacle also required substantial labor, to get all the nine wires and pieces together for the molding of the receptacle even if the wires were automatically machine crimped to the contacts.
The present invention is a molded receptacle for a heavy duty electrical cable for male plugs. The connector plugs have a round or "U" shaped ground pin and blades. The outlets each have openings to accommodate the ground pin and blades.
A basic advantage of the present invention is the speed and economy of assembly and molding of the receptacle and outlets, with all the conductors connected and in place.
The prior art provided individual connections to each conductor. It was complicated and complex to mold with the concomitant additional labor and part cost.
The present invention provides modular articulated multi-station conductors. Thus, for each receptacle, only two type contact sets are required, a multi-station conductor for round or "U" shaped ground pins and two multi-station conductors for the other blades of the plug.
According to the present invention, a multi-outlet receptacle with at least two outlets in flat array, and articulated with regard to each other, has openings for male contacts on a plug. The receptacle has at least two unitary multi-station stamped metal conductors, each conductor having at least two stations. There is one station for each outlet. The conductor has a spine, female contact receptacles, one contact receptacle for each station and a conductor wire crimp end. The spine has one articulation between stations. The stations are oriented toward the outlets. The female contact receptacle is oriented to access one opening in one outlet. There is one conductor wire for each conductor. The conductors wires are crimped to the conductor's wire crimp end.
The female contact receptacles may include openings. When there are three conductors the openings in the female contact receptacles of two of the conductors are receivers to accept blade contacts. When there are three conductors, openings in female contact receptacles, of one conductor, are receivers to accept round or "U" shaped pin contacts.
The openings on the female contact receptacles on a conductor may be on a horizontal plane or even extending at a right angle to the spine.
The female contact receptacles on a conductor may be offset from the spine and may have an integral reenforcing ridge. The conductor wire crimp end on a conductor may be eccentric on the spine. The spine may include an arm.
An outlet in the receptacle may include more than two openings, the third being a round or "U" shaped pin contact opening. When there are three conductors, the female contact receptacles on one of the three conductors usually is a receptacle to receive a round or "U" shaped pin contact, the receptacle is accessable to the outlet ground pin contact opening and the female contact receptacle openings are receivers to accept blade contacts.
The outlet openings in the outlets may be at a right angle to the flat array of outlets with the ground pin opening of the outlets centered and openings in the female contact receptacles receiver blade contacts. The female contact receptacle matches the respective outlet opening.
The outlets may have more than three openings, and there may be more than three outlets in a receptacle and the conductors may have more than three stations.The conductors may be separated and held by a spacer.
Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the metal stamping invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried, may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawing.
