BACKGROUND Today there is an ever-increasing use of electrical consumers in the form of lighting equip- ment and electrical appliances etc. This causes problems in rooms where such electrical con- sumers are supplied with electric power through an electric cable that is connected to an ordinary wall socket by means of a connecting plug. Specifically, the problem is that pieces of furniture, such as couches, cupboards, bookshelves, music cabinets and TV-video cabinets, cannot be placed close up to the wall in front of wall sockets that are being used for connecting such electric appliances. An ordinary electrical connection by means of cable and connector plug, whether older types of plugs or the more recent Euro-plugs or E-plugs. in a wall socket makes it impossible to place pieces of furniture closer to the wall than 4-5cm. The solution presently at hand is to adapt the arrangement of the furniture to the positions of the available wall sockets, either by moving the furniture out from the wall or sideways to expose the wall socket.

An additional problem is that rooms normally have a restricted number of such wall sockets- either single or double sockets-often being quite inadequate to supply power to all nearby consumers. Conventionally using a separate multi-outlet box that is likewise connected to the wall socket through an electric cable and connector plug solves this basic problem. This provides for a convenient increase of the available number of outlet sockets. However such boxes will normally be positioned on the floor, thereby being a nuisance both with regard to cleaning and general appearance.

Another conventional. but presently less common way of solving the latter problem is to employ a multi-outlet box in the form of an adapter, that is having a connector plug 2 attached to a rear side of the box, for insertion into a wall socket 3. Such a prior art adapter is

schematically illustrated in the attached Fig. 1, and the problems associated therewith will now be discussed with reference to said drawing figure.

In homes as well as in other places where furniture in rooms is arranged mainly based on esthctic and, practical reasons, such as hotels, offices etc, the use of such a prior art adapter I even further reduces the available floor space. In other words such a prior art adapter makes it quite impossible to arrange pieces of furniture 4 even close to the wall 5 or alternatively in the desired position. With the adapter 1 connected to the wall socket 3 the adapter itself'and frequently the cable 7 and connector plug 6 of the consumer/appliance requires that a piece of furniture 4 is not placed closer to the wall 5 than a distance X that can be up to 10-12 cm.

Many times such a relatively large free floor space is not acceptable, which means that the piece of furniture 4 has to be moved to a position that is less esthetically appealing or less practical.

SUMMARY The invention overcomes the above discussed problems in an efficient and satisfactory manner.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a solution to the problem of reducing the free space required in front of wall sockets in order to connect electrical consumers thereto.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved electrical outlet adapter that in a particularly effective way utilizes the space around a wall socket_ thereby minimizing the useful space occupied bs the adapter and correspondingly increasing the flexibility when arranging furniture. Briefly, the reduction of the occupied useful space is achieved by arranging the e major part of the adapter in the space available between the wall and the outwardly facing side of the wall socket.

Speciticallv. this is accomplished by providing a flat thin adapter body having a connector plug fixed to its inner side that in use is facing the wall area surrounding the wall socket and

being provided with at least one outlet socket unit on said inner side. With this configuration no part or at least no essential part of the adapter except the flat thin body extends outwardly from the outer surface of the wall socket when the adapter is in use. connected to said wall socket.

In accordance with one basic embodiment of the invention the adapter is a double-sided multi- socket or distributor adapter. In this embodiment the connector plug is fixed to the inner side at a position intermediate two end portions of the thin flat body and one outlet socket unit is provided at each such end portion of the body.

In accordance with another basic embodiment of the invention the adapter is single-sided and may be configured either as a single-socket angle adapter or as a single-sided multi-socket or distributor adapter. In this embodiment the connector plug is fixed to the inner side at a first end portion of the thin flat body and one outlet socket unit is provided at the other end portion of the body.

In a further embodiment of the invention the at least one outlet socket unit is positioned in its entirety on the inner side of the body, thereby minimizing the space occupied by the adapter.

In the conventional way the individual outlet sockets of each unit are provided with an open end through which a connector plug of an electrical consumer is inserted for establishing the electrical connection. In a further embodiment of the invention each socket of the socket unit or socket units is arranged with its open end facing in a direction being substantially parallel to the outer side of the body. In use this means that the socket and the insertion direction of a connector plug into the socket is parallel to the wall to which an associated wall socket is attached. Thus. the space occupied by the adapter is minimized and insertion of a connector plug into a socket will be allowed even in the situation where a piece of furniture is arranged practically against the outer side of the adapter body.

In further embodiments of the invention at least a base of the connector plug and/or at least a base of the socket units are formed integral with the adapter body. thereby facilitating production and assembly of the adapter. In alternative embodiments the entire connector plug and/or the entirc socket units are attached as separate units to the adapter body.

In a further embodiment of the invention the adapter body is manufactured in one piece from a moldable electrically non-conducting material with electrical conductors for establishing an electrical connection between the contact pins of the connector plug and the or each outlet socket being integrated in the body.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the adapter body is likewise manufactured from a suitable electrically non-conducting material, but consists of two interconnectable halves. In this embodiment the electrical conductors for establishing the electrical connection are assembled and attached to one of the halves before fixing the two body halves to each other.

In a further embodiments of the invention the adapter body and/or the connector plug and/or the socket unit/units are manufactured from a suitable plastic material.

Preferred further embodiments of the invention are specified in the respective dependent sub- claims.

In summary, the present invention provides the following advantages over the state of the art : -The adapter occupies a minimum of room space : thereby Offering a great flexibility with regard to the arrangement of furniture; - Provides possibilities for a simple and inexpensive manufacturing"nevertlleless - Offering numerous possibilities of varying the number of outlet sockets of each adapter as well as their positioning : - Facilitates connecting a connector plug to the outlet sockets even in narrow spaces.

Other advantages offered by the present invention will be readily appreciated upon reading the below detailed description of embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by making reference to the foHowing description taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which : is a schematic view illustrating a prior art adapter : Fig.'A-C is a bottom perspective view, a bottom plan view and a partially exploded side view respectively of a basic embodiment of the adapter of the present invention ; Fig. 3A-C is a bottom perspective view, an exploded side view and a bottom plan view respectively of a second basic embodiment of the adapter of the present invention : Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a variant of the adapter of the first embodiment illustrated in fgs. nA-C : Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a variant of the adapter of the second embodiment illustrated in figs. 3A-C : Fig. 6A-C is a bottom plan view, a side view and an end view respectively of further variants of the first and second basic embodiments of the adapter according to the invention ; 7A-C is a bottom plan view. a side view and an end view respectively of further variants of the first and second basic embodiments of the adapter according to the in- vention; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of further variants of the first and second basic embodiments of the adapter according to the invention : Fig. 9A-B is a bottom plan view and an end view respectively of further variants of the first and second basic embodiments of the adapter according to the invention :

Fig. I OA-B is a bottom plan view and a side view respectively of further variants of the first and second basic embodiments of the adapter according to the invention : r ig. I IA-B is a bottom plan view and a side view respectively of a further variant of the second basic embodiments of the adapter according to the invention : Fig. 12 is a schematic view similar to fig. 1 but illustrating an adapter according to the invention connected to a wall socket ; Fig. 13 is a side view illustrating a further variant of the first basic embodiment of the adapter according to the invention : Fig. 14 is a side view illustrating a further variant of the first basic embodiment of the adapter according to the invention: Fig. 15 is a side illustrating yet another variant of the first basic embodiment of the adapter according to the invention ; Fig. 16A-B are bottom views of variants of the first basic embodiment of the adapter according to the invention using other types of connector plugs : and Fig. i7A-B are schematic illustrations of alternative socket units having sockets of different standards for use with the inventive adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description only elements necessary to explain the basic principles of the present invention will be described. Other elements that will typically be used in a practical implementation or that relate to standard components or installations that are well known or obvious to the man skilled in the art. such as socket and/or plug configurations of specific standards used in different countries, electrical supply means, such as rails or leads, and contacts within the adapter, have been omitted or very schematically illustrated.

N first basic embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to figs. 2A-C, which illustrate a single sided adapter 10 for use as an "angle adapter" for connecting one electrical consumer, primarily intended for wall sockets close to corners, doors etc, or as an adapter between plugs/sockets of'different standards, as will be discussed further below in connection with figs. 16A-B and 17A-B.

In the illustrated embodiment the adapter 10 consists basically of a body 1 1 in the form of a generally elongate, flat strip. The body 11 has first and second longitudinal ends 14 and 15 respectively, and inner and outer generally planar sides 112 and 113 respectively, where "inner"and"outer"refers to their positioning relative to a wall 5 (se figs. 1 and 1') of a room when the adapter 10 is in use, connected to a wall socket 3 therein. A connector plug 16 is attached to the inner side 12 of the body 1 I adjacent said first end 14 and an outlet socket unit 18 is likewise attached to said inner side 12, adjacent said second end 15.

The body 11 is manufactured from an electrically non-conducting and preferably non- combustible material, and in this first embodiment it is formed in one piece, preferably from an appropriate synthetic resin material through injection molding or any other appropriate manufacturing method known to the man skilled in the art. Conductors 30 for interconnecting the pins 21 of the connector plug 16 and the later described outlet socket 17 of the socket unit 18 are integrated in the body 11, as is schematically illustrated in fig. 2B. The conductors 30 are preferably supply rails or leads but will not be described in any detail herein since the choice of suitable conductors and their specific arrangement for supplying the electric power from the connector plug to the socket 17 will vary for different applications and will therefore be made with the knowledge of the man skilled in the art.

As was mentioned above the connector ptug ! 6 is provided on the inner side 12 of the body I I adjacent the first end 14 thereof, and it is positioned so that the connecting pins 16 thereof are extended generally perpendicular to said inner side 2. With reference to fig. 2C it is illustrated very schematically that in this embodiment the connector plug 16 is attached as a separate unit to the body 11. either by means of mechanical fasteners, adhesive or. with the body and plug housing manufactured from compatible plastic materials, through welding. The illustrated connector plug 16 is an unearthed round plug for insertion into carthed as well as unearthed wall sockets 3 of a specific standard, but it will be clarified below that it lies within the scope of the invention to provide the adapter with plugs and sockets for practically any other standard.

The socket unit 18 is likewise provided on the inner side 19 of the body. but adjacent the second end 15 thereof. In this embodiment the socket unit 18 contains one outlet socket 17 positioned with its open end 19 facing in a direction being substantially parallel to the outer side of the body. Smaller angular displacements relative to said parallel alignment are allowed, although often not desirable. In other words the socket 17 and the insertion direction of a connector plug 6 of an electrical consumer into the socket 17 are both essentially parallel to the wall 5 to wdtich an associated wall socket 3 is attached, as will be described further below with reference to fig. 12. With reference again to fig. 2C it is illustrated very schematically that in this embodiment the socket unit 18 is attached separately to the body 11, likewise either by means of mechanical fasteners, adhesive or, with the body and socket unit housing manufactured from compatible plastic materials, through welding. The illustrated socket unit 18 is provided with a socket 17 for the so-called Euro-plugs, but sockets of any other standard may be employed.

In order to minimize the space occupied by the adapter the body 11 shall be made as thin as possibles depending upon the material used therefore and upon the type of conductors 30 as well as their arrangement. In one practical embodiment the thickness T of the body will be less than approximately 10mm, preferably less than 5mm. However, where practically feasible with regard to the employed material etc the thickness T should be approximately 2-4 mm to provide the optimum space saving. It should be emphasized though, that for clarification the thickness T of the body has been exaggerated in all of the drawing figures.

Flais slim design is possible since the body is only required to accommodate the conductors 30 and to carry the socket unit 18. In order to meet safety regulations it may be desirable to provide a thin metal foil (not illustrated) in the body. between the conductors 30 and the outer side e 13 and/or between the conductors and the inner side 12. Likewise a metal or plastic laminate may be provided to strengthen the body. Furthermore the length L of the body 11 should be adapted to the dimensions of the socket unit 18, so that there will be sufficient space

between the socket unit 18 and the associated wall socket 3 to secure that the socket unit goes free from the wall socket, with an appropriate spacing W (see fig. 6B), as the adapter is connectedthereto, It will now be obvious that with the thin flat body and the socket unit 18 being positioned in its entirety on the inner side 12 of the body 1 1 the space required for the adapter 10 will be minimized compared to the prior art. This fact is clarified when comparing the illustration of the prior art device of fig. 1 and the illustration of the inventive adapter 10 in fig. 12. With the unique combination of the thin body 11, the positioning of the socket unit 18 in its entirety between the wall 5 and the outer surface of the wall socket 3. and the insertion direction of the electrical consumer plug 6 lying in a plane parallel to the wall 5 that is in a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the centre axis CA of the connector plug 16 (see fig.

6B\ the adapter 10 and the consumer plug 6 will together take up a space that only exceeds the thickness Z of the wall socket 3 with the thickness T of the adapter body. This in turn means that with the adapter 10 of the invention a piece of furniture 4 may be positioned almost up against the wall 5, without interfering either with the adapter 10 itself or with the desired easy access to the sockets 17 thereof. Accordingly the inventive adapter requires a minimum distance Y from the wall 5 that is significantly smaller than the corresponding distance X required when using conventional devices.

Figs. 3A-3C illustrate another basic embodiment of the inventive adapter 100¢ This is a double sided adapter having a body 111 that is extended compared to that of the first embodiment of figs. 2A-C and having the connector plug 16 attached to the central portion of the body 111. on its inner side 112. One socket unit 18 is attached to said inner side 112 adjacent each end 114, 115 of the body 111, so that the adapter 100 may be regarded as synmetrical with regard to the connector plug. In this embodiment the adapter 100 is a multi-outlet adapter having at least two outlet sockets 17, that is being an adapter/distributor. The outer side I) 3 of the body 1 11 is again substantially planar and conductors 130 like those described in connection with the first embodiment are likewise provided for supplying power to both socket units 18.

With reference : specifically to fig. 3B this second embodiment discloses an alternative to the one-piece adapter body of figs. 2A-C, and specifically utilizes a split body 111 consisting of

an upper relatively thin cover part 11 IA and a lower slightly thicker base 11 IB in which the conductors 130 are preferably provided and which is primarily responsible for providing the desired strength to the body. The cover part 111A and base part 111B are secured to each other when the conductors 130 have been assembled. Said parts may be secured to each other by means of mechanical fasteners, adhesive or, in the case where they consist of plastic material, they may be welded together. Although, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper cover is the thinner part, it should be obvious that the adapter could likewise be designed having a thicker upper cover part and a thinner base part or upper and lower parts of substantially the same thickness.

Fig. 4 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of a single sided adapter 108 corresponding to that of figs. 2A-C except that it is provided with an alternative socket unit 18B having three parallel sockets 17 being positioned with their open ends 19 facing in the same direction. This means that the single sided adapter becomes a multi-socket adapter/distributor. Likewise fig. 5 illustrates a double sided adapter 1 00A having at each end socket units 18A provided with two sockets 17, each unit likewise having the open ends 19 of the two sockets facing in the same direction. However. in both socket units 18A the sockets 17 are facing away from the connector plug 16 and thereby from the other socket unit.

In the practical configuration where the socket units 18. 18A, 18B (like other socket unit variants described below) are separate from the body I I, 111 and are separately attached thereto it will be possible to produce several variants of the adapters in a simple manner by using the same single or double sided body together with different socket units. With properly arranged conductors 30 130 in the bodies 11. 111 and in the socket units the electrical connection will present no problem.

Further variants of the single and double sided adapters will now be described with reference to Iigs. 6A-C. 7A-C. 8. 9. IOA-B and I IA-B. where (except for the variant uf f igs. 11 A-Bl the single sided variant is drawn with solid lines and the double sided variant is drawn with dash dot lines. The single and double sided variants, having the basic reference number 10 and 100 espectively, are throughout the drawings provided with the addition of a character corresponding to that of the socket unit variant used thereon, so that the adapter 10A of fig.

6A-C carries a socket unit I 8A etc. Thus, figs. 6A-C illustrate in plan views the embodiment of fig. 5 both as a single sided and as a double sided adapter 10A and 100A respectively carring one and two socket units 1 8A respectively. Fig. 6B specifically illustrates the use of this variant in a wall socket 3 and with a consumer plug 6 inserted into one of the sockets 17.

For the double-sided variant 1 00A the appropriate spacing W must be provided on both sides, although slightly exaggerated in the drawing figure.

In all variants of the adapter disclosed so far the sockets 17 have been directed with their open ends ! 9 facing outwardly in a direction parallel to the longitudinal extension of the adapter body. I-Iowever figs. 7A-C illustrate variants IOC, IOOC where the socket units 18C correspond to the socket unit 1 8A but are positioned with their sockets 17 opening upwardly, that is in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body 11, 111, Fig. 7B also clarifies that the body 11 of the single-sided variant 10C may likewise be made up of a cover part I I A and a base part I I B. In the right hand side of fig. 7B and in fig. 7C it is furthermore indicated with dash dot lines that it may be possible to provide a socket unit that in essence consists of two units 18A (or other variants) placed on top of each other. However, such solutions may only be used in applications where there is enough space between the outer side of a wall socket and the associated wall to accommodate such a"thick"unit, and would also require special provisions for the conductors.

Fig. 8 discloses adapters IOD. I COD having socket units 18D each comprising four sockets arranged in pairs being directed in mutually opposite directions. In most cases the eight sockets of such a double-sided variant IOOD would be the absolute practical upper limit with regard to the maximum allowed power fed through the adapter.

Figs. 9A-B illustrate adapters IUE, I 0E 11aving socket units 18E of the same general contigu- ration as in fig. 8. but with only two mutually opposite sockets. Moreover figs. 9A-B schematically illustrate a further alternative method of connecting the body 11E, 111E with the socket units 18E. In particular a dovetailed groove 26 is formed in the outer side of the socket unit 18F, and the longitudinal edges of the body 11E, 111E are chamfered 25 in the area of the respective end of the body. When the adapter is assembled the ends of the bod\ are

simply pushed into the groove 26 of the respective socket unit 18E and possibly fixed in position through mechanical means, through we) ding or by means of an adhesive.

Figs. I OA-B illustrate further variants of adapters 10F, 100F having socket units 18F each being provided with three sockets directed at right angles to each other. Further variants are likewise feasible, with the sockets directed in other mutual angles.

Figs. 11A-B illustrate a double sided adapter 100G being provided with socket units 18G essentially identical to the socket units 18C of figs. 7A-C. but here arranged with their sockets directed in opposite directions. upwardly and downwardly respectively, at the two ends of the body 111.

Moreover, further modifications may be made in order to adjust the adapter to different appli- cations and/or standards as well as to facilitate the production in different regards. Such further modifications will be briefly discussed below with reference to figs. 13-15, 16A-B and 17A-B.

Fig. 13 illustrates an adjustment to the variant briefly discussed in relation to figs 7A-C, where socket units 18 are placed on top of each other on the adapter 1 OH to form a"thick"unit 18H, In applications where there is not enough space between the wall and the outer side of the wall socket such a"thick"socket unit 18H may be attached to the body so that it extends slightly outside the outer side of the body. Although such a configuration increases the space require- ment. it is still far more space saving than the conventional devices.

Fig. 14 illustrates a variant where the connector plug 161 is rotated 90° in relation to its position in the other variants, so that in use the body 11 of the adapter 101 will be extended vertically rather than horizontally.

Fig. 15 illustrates an embodiment of the adapter 10J where a base 18' of the socket unit 18J and,'ol a base 16' of the connector plug 16 are formed integral with the body 11 or, where applicable. integral with the bottom part of the body. After producing the body the desired

socket unit 18J and a plug interior 22 with the pins 21 are attached thereto. This provides possibilities for an efficient production of only one or a few specific variants.

Figs. 16A-B illustrate adapters provided with other types of connector plugs. Thus, fig. 16A illustrates the use of a flat connector plug 16M of the Euro-plug type on the adapter 10M and fig. 16B illustrates the use of a three-pin connector plug 16N of the British type-and with dash-dot lines the Australian Y-pattern three-pin type-on the adapter ION. In the latter case, combined with a socket of the Euro-type the adapter 10N will serve as an adapter between standards.

Finally, figs. 17A-B illustrate possible variants of adapters 1014 100K and) OL, IOOL respectively having socket units 18K and 18L respectively being provided with three-pin sockets 17K of the British type and the older round type of sockets 17L respectively. Provided with the appropriate connector plug such adapters will likewise serve as adapters between standards.

Although several specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it should be obvious that. where applicable, the various features of said embodiments might be combined freely without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention also covers any such feasible combination of features.

In addition to the embodiments, variants and modifications described and illustrated herein, the invention also covers further modifications, such as an alternative choice of material for primarily the body. The body may be manufactured from any appropriate material having the appropriate electrically insulating properties, that is being electrically non-conducting. As an example even wood might be used for improved appearance. Therefore, the choice of material as well as manufacturing method will be optional in accordance with the intended use and/or for design purposes.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications and changes may be made to the present invention without departure from the scope thereof, which is defined by the appended claims.