Electrical Wiring Device with Shutters

摘要

The present invention is directed to an assembly that includes a shutter having an interface portion coupled to a railed guidance structure so that the shutter rides the railed guidance structure from a return position to an open position in response to being engaged by the plurality of plug blades; the interface portion and the railed guidance structure allowing the shutter to rotationally align with the ends of the plug blades in response to an asymmetry in respective lengths of the plug blades. The open position permits electrical engagement of the plurality of plug blades with the plurality of receptacle contacts. The shutter is also directed from the return position to a blocking position in response to being engaged by a foreign object via one of the plurality of receptacle openings to prevent the foreign object from engaging the set of receptacle contacts.

主权项

1. An electrical device comprising:
a housing including a front cover coupled to at least one body member, the front cover including a plurality of receptacle openings in a major front surface thereof, the plurality of receptacle openings being configured to receive a plurality of plug blades of a corded electrical plug, the at least one body member including at least one set of receptacle contacts including a hot receptacle contact and a neutral receptacle contact configured to mate with the plurality of plug blades when the corded electrical plug is inserted into the plurality of receptacle openings; a set of electrical terminations accessible via at least one aperture in the housing, the at least one set of receptacle contacts being configured to receive electrical power from the at least a portion of the set of electrical terminations; a guidance structure corresponding to the at least one set of receptacles coupled to the front cover, the guidance structure including a first guidance portion and a second guidance portion; and a shutter assembly including a shutter element coupled to the first guidance portion in a return position when not engaged by an object and rotatable about the first guidance portion from the return position to a shutter blocking position in response to being engaged by an object via one of the plurality of receptacle openings, the object being prevented from obtaining access to the at least one set of receptacle contacts in the blocking position, the shutter element being translated from the return position on the first guidance portion to an open position on the second guidance portion in response to being engaged by the plurality of plug blades via the plurality of receptacle openings, the shutter being coupled to the guidance structure so that the shutter rotationally self-aligns to the plurality of plug blades when the shutter element is translated from the return position to the open position wherein the plurality of plug blades are allowed to mate with the hot receptacle contact and the neutral electrical contact, respectively.