The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 01, 1989
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1988
Joe R Arechavaleta, Gilbert, AZ (US);
William D Berg, Glendale, AZ (US);
Frank P Dola, Hudson, FL (US);
AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, PA (US);
Abstract
An electrical receptacle is disclosed which deactivates the front of an electrical receptacle when an electrical plug is not present. The receptacle includes a semiconductor switch mounted between the hot contacts of the receptacle, and the hot conductor of an electrical power cable. The receptacle also includes a momentary contact switch located between the contacts of the ground receptacle portion, activated by the ground pin of an electrical plug upon engagement, and deactivated upon retraction of the electrical plug. The momentary contact switch, when activated, also activates the semiconductor switch which in turn, activates the receptacle front. A second embodiment of the invention further includes an optoelectronic switch in series between the momentary contact switch and the semiconductor switch which requires redundant activation of both switches for activation of the receptacle front, remotely activating the optoelectronic switch and local activation of the momentary contact switch by the electric plug.