Claims
- 1. A plug, comprising:a shaft having an insertable portion adapted to be inserted into an electrical socket; a non conductive base attached to a base end of said shaft, said nonconductive base electrically isolating said shaft; a mechanical disabling mechanism having a nonreversible actuator, attached to said shaft; and at least one moveable member having a resiliently biased or plastically deformable portion, said at least one moveable member not in contact with said nonconductive base and coupled to said non reversible actuator, said at least one moveable member nonreversibly extending outwardly from said shaft after actuating said nonreversible actuator.
- 2. The plug of claim 1, further comprising a function changer activator disposed on said insertable portion of said shaft and adapted to engage an electrical contact of said electrical socket, wherein said function changer activator contacting said electrical contact changes a state of an electronic device electrically coupled to said electrical socket.
- 3. The plug of claim 1, wherein said nonconductive base further comprises a cross-sectional area larger than a cross-sectional area of said shaft, and said nonconductive base is adapted to limit insertion of the plug to a maximum predetermined position into said electrical socket.
- 4. The plug of claim 3, further comprising an indicator disposed within said nonconductive base providing an indication of activation of said disabling mechanism.
- 5. The plug of claim 1, wherein said at least one moveable member further comprises at least one arm coupled to said resiliently biased portion, wherein said arm is operable between a compressed position facilitating insertion of said shaft through said electrical socket and an extended position preventing removal of the plug from said electrical socket.
- 6. The plug of claim 1, wherein said nonreversible actuator further comprises a threaded shaft; said shaft further comprises a free end having a threaded portion receptive to said threaded shall, and a second end proximate to said base end having an inner opening through which said threaded shaft extends; and said at least one moveable member further comprises at least one deformable rib coupling said free end of said shaft to said second end of said shaft.
- 7. The plug of claim 6, wherein said threaded shaft further comprises:a screw head; and a break off mechanism, wherein applying a predetermined torque to said screw head, said screw head breaks off from said threaded shaft.
- 8. The plug of claim 6, wherein said threaded shaft further comprises a tamper resistant screw head.
- 9. The plug of claim 1, wherein said nonreversible actuator further comprises a screw; said shaft further comprises a free end and a threaded portion at a second end proximate to said base end wherein said screw threadably engages said threaded portion; and said at least one moveable member further comprises at least one moveable arm hingedly coupled to said shaft, said at least one moveable arm responsive to rotation of said screw pivoting outward from said shaft.
- 10. The plug of claim 1, wherein said shaft further comprises a hollow shaft, a free end, and at least one opening in said hollow shaft; said nonreversible actuator further comprises a rod mounted to said free end of said shaft, a base end rotatably attached to said rod, and a screw head attached to said base end; and said at least one moveable member further comprising at least one extendable arm resiliently biased in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal shaft axis attached to said base end of said nonreversible actuator, wherein rotation of said screw head rotates said at least one extendable arm relative to said shaft nonreversibly causing said at least one extendable arm to extend in a radial direction through said at least one opening in said hollow shaft, whereby removal of the plug from said electrical socket is prevented.
- 11. A plug comprising:a shaft having: an insertable end adapted to be inserted into an electrical socket, and a non conductive base end electrically isolating said insertable end from said base end; a base attached to said base end; a nonreversible actuator coupled to said insertable end of said shaft; and at least one moveably projecting member coupled to said non reversible actuator, said at least one moveably projecting member not in contact with said base or said non conductive base end, wherein said at least one moveably projecting member operates between an insertion position facilitating insertion of said shaft into said electrical socket and an extended position extending obliquely outward from said shaft after actuation of said nonreversible actuator.
- 12. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said extended position further comprises a nonreversible extended position whereby removal of the plug from said electrical socket is prevented.
- 13. The plug in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a contact breaker disposed on said insertable end of said shaft, wherein said contact breaker changes a state of an electronic device electrically coupled to said electrical socket.
- 14. The plug in accordance with claim 13, wherein said contact breaker is electrically isolated from said nonreversible actuator.
- 15. The plug in accordance with claim 13, wherein said contact breaker is electrically isolated from said moveably projecting member.
- 16. The plug in accordance with claim 13, wherein said contact breaker is conductive.
- 17. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said nonconductive base end further comprises a base portion having an end face, said base portion connected to said insertable end, wherein said base encloses said base portion and fully encloses said end face.
- 18. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said insertable end is adapted to be inserted into a microphone socket, inhibiting an internal microphone in a substantially permanent manner.
- 19. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said insertable end is adapted to be inserted into a telephone socket, inhibiting a telephone function in a substantially permanent manner.
- 20. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said insertable end is adapted to be inserted into a headphone socket, inhibiting a speaker function in a substantially permanent manner.
- 21. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said at least one moveably projecting member further comprises at least one arm, wherein said arm operates between a compressed position facilitating insertion of said shaft into a socket opening of said electrical socket and a nonreversible extended position.
- 22. The plug in accordance with claim 11, further comprising an externally visible indicator visually indicating actuation of said nonreversible actuator.
- 23. The plug in accordance with claim 11, further comprising an audio source disposed in or on said base providing an audio indication of actuation of said nonreversible actuator.
- 24. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said at least one moveably projecting member further comprises at least one deformable rib.
- 25. The plug in accordance with claim 24, wherein said shaft further comprises a threaded portion proximate to said insertable end; said nonconductivebase end further comprises a base portion having an opening through which a threaded screw extends, said threaded screw in threaded engagement with said threaded portion; wherein said at least one deformable rib couples said insertable end of said shaft to said base portion.
- 26. The plug in accordance with claim 25, wherein said threaded screw further comprises a tamper resistant head.
- 27. The plug in accordance with claim 25, wherein said threaded screw further comprises:a head coupled to a threaded section; and a break off mechanism, wherein actuating said nonreversible actuator, said head breaks off from said threaded section at a predetermined torque.
- 28. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said at least one moveably projecting member further comprises at least one moveable arm having an essentially L-shaped structure.
- 29. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said insertable end of said shaft further comprises a contact tip, wherein said contact tip is adapted to contact an electrical contact of said electrical socket.
- 30. The plug in accordance with claim 29, wherein said contact tip is electrically conductive and electrically isolated from a base portion of said shaft.
- 31. The plug in accordance with claim 30, further comprising an electrical conductor attached to said contact tip, said electrical conductor coaxial with a portion of said insertable end of said shaft.
- 32. The plug in accordance with claim 11, wherein said shaft further comprises a threaded portion, and the plug further comprises a threaded screw in threaded engagement with said threaded portion of said shaft; wherein said at least one moveable arm extends radially outward from said shaft in response to rotation of said threaded screw providing a nonreversibly extended position of said at least one moveable arm preventing removal of the plug from said electrical socket.
- 33. The plug in accordance with claim 32, wherein said threaded screw further comprises a tamper resistant head.
- 34. The plug in accordance with clam 32, wherein said threaded screw further comprises:a head coupled to a threaded section; and a break off mechanism, wherein actuating said nonreversible actuator, said head breaks off from said threaded section at a predetermined torque.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/699,855 filed on Oct. 3, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,792 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
US Referenced Citations (20)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/699855 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
10/456291 |
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US |