Engaging structure for electrical wires of a plug

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6547600
  • Patent Number
    6,547,600
  • Date Filed
    Monday, July 16, 2001
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 15, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Ta; Tho D.
    • Harvey; James R.
    Agents
    • Rosenberg, Klein & Lee
Abstract
An engaging structure for electrical wires of a plug. The plug provides a pair of elastic inclined clips at an end of the connector. In assembly, the clips will firmly clamp the wires, or a cover surrounding the wires and when the wires or cover are pulled outward, the clips will clamp the wires or cover more firmly to prevent release or loosening from the plug
Description




BACKGROUND OF INVENTION




As shown in

FIG. 1

, it is known that a conventional plug includes an inner connector (


1


) and an outer shell (


2


). An electrical wire (


3


) connected with a pin (


31


) and an electrical prong (


4


) is received in the inner connector (


1


) and all of the above means are put inside the shell (


2


). An insulated cover (


32


) provided around the wire (


3


) is clipped by the connector (


1


) and the shell (


2


). Since this frictional engagement between the wire (


3


) and the connector (


1


) as well as the shell (


2


) is not strong enough, the wire (


3


) or the cover (


32


) may be loosened when an accidental pulling occurs, and further the pin (


31


) may be moved with the result that the electrical connection will be inefficient.




Accordingly, the primary objective of this invention is to provide an engaging structure for electrical wires of a plug, which provides an elastic clip at the end of the connector to engage the wires or cover firmly for overcoming the drawback of a prior one and increasing the utilized effect. Now the features and advantages of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a cross-sectional plan view showing a plug of a prior art structure.





FIG. 2

is a cross-sectional plan view showing a plug according to the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view showing a plug according to the present invention.





FIG. 4

is an exploded perspective view of

FIG. 3

according to the present invention.





FIG. 5

is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a plug according to the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Please refer to

FIGS. 2 through 4

, where the present invention includes an inner connector (


1


) provided with electrical wires (


3


) and an electrical prong (


4


) connected with a contact (


31


), all of which are received in an outer shell (


2


) to complete a plug as similar to a conventional one. The prime characteristic of this invention is that it provides a pair of elastic clips (


11


) at each end of the inner connector (


1


). Each clip (


11


) is inwardly inclined toward the electrical prong (


4


) and is provided with an arched groove (


12


) at its end edge for firmly grasping the wires (


3


) or the insulated cover (


32


) in assembly.




Accordingly, if the wires (


3


) or the cover (


32


) is pulled outward, the clips (


11


) will be forced to clamp the wires (


3


) or the cover (


32


) more firmly. It is to be understood that the increased clamping force positively ensures the engagement between the wires and the plug which overcomes the previously identified drawback of a conventional plug.





FIG. 5

shows another embodiment according to this invention. In this embodiment the shape and size of the arched groove (


12


) of the elastic clips (


11


) is changed to fit with an electrical wire (


3


), not contained within an insulated cover (


32


), for providing the same secure clamping effect.



Claims
  • 1. An engaging structure for electrical wires extending from an electrical plug, said electrical plug having electrical prongs extending from a forward end of said electrical plug and said prongs being electrically coupled to said electrical wires, comprising:(a) an outer shell; (b) an inner connector slidably received within said outer shell from the forward end of said electrical plug, said inner connector having a pair of opposing elastic clip members forming one end section of said inner connector, each of said opposing elastic clip members having an arcuately contoured wall section a clip lug member inclined toward the forward end and terminating at an arched groove and engaging in grasping manner at least one of said electrical wires, said clip lug members of said elastic clip members being disposed to grasp said electrical wire therebetween with further retention responsive to said electrical wire being pulled rearward from said plug.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
2136498 Geyer Nov 1938 A
3986765 Shaffer et al. Oct 1976 A
4713023 Bixler et al. Dec 1987 A
5083938 Poliak Jan 1992 A
5252081 Hart Oct 1993 A
6315600 Droesbeke Nov 2001 B1