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:
Oct. 22, 1996
Filed:
May. 08, 1995
Mark Lentz, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Steven R Moses, Carmel, IN (US);
Eloy F Pettiford, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Craig Stewart, Noblesville, IN (US);
Douglas D Wright, Clermont, IN (US);
Woods Industries, Inc., Carmel, IN (US);
Abstract
A low profile electrical plug includes a support plate formed from a rigid, nonconductive material such as a printed circuit board. Prongs extend perpendicularly from a face of the support plate and are oriented for insertion into a conventional electrical outlet. The prongs are adapted to snap into reciprocal apertures in the support plate during assembly. Paths of electrically conductive material are disposed on a face of the support plate and extend between the prongs and terminals formed in the edge of the support plate. A power cord has electrical conductors electrically connected to different ones of the prongs to provide an electrical connection to a remote device. For this purpose, each power cord conductor includes a connector adapted slide over one of the terminals and electrically contact a respective conductive path. The integral assembly of the power cord, support plate and prongs is molded in a nonconductive housing. The prongs exit perpendicularly from a flat face on the housing and the cord exits the housing generally parallel to the flat face. A handle is connected to the housing to facilitate removal of the plug from an outlet. In one embodiment, the handle pivots away from the housing to facilitate grasping. In another embodiment, the stretchable handle is fixedly secured to the housing.