| US4514026A | 1985-04-30 | |||
| US4440465A | 1984-04-03 | |||
| US6454576B1 | 2002-09-24 |
| 1. | A device used to keep a male and female connector of an electric cord and extension cord joined together while being used. |
| 2. | A device according to claim 1 which can be attached and removed from a male and female connector at will. |
| 3. | A device according to claim 1 and 2 which can remain on either the female or male side of the connector when disconnected and not being used. |
| 4. | A device according to claims 1, 2 and 3, which can have numerous variations in shape and configuration and perform the function of holding a male and female connector of an electric cord and an extension cord together while being used. |
It is a common occurrence that the cord of the appliance/power tool and the extension cord become disconnected during operation. This usually occurs while the operator/ user is moving from one position to another pulling the cord behind the appliance to the new desired position.
It is the object of this invention to address this phenomenon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided an independent device which is used to hold the male and female connectors of a cord and extension cord together.
The device is usually"C"shaped consisting of two"C"shaped structures located a short distance apart from each other and joined together by material, transversely positioned, which is substantially the same and of similar sectional shape between the two"C" shaped structures at the openings of the"C"shapes. The sectional shape of the"C" shape structures can be round, square, rectangular, triangular or any other shape.
The device is usually spring loaded and can be made from suitable injection moulded plastic materials such as acetal or the like, alternatively it can be made from metal, carbon fibre, wood or any other suitable material. The method for production may be injection moulding, casting, extruding, bending, forming, pressing, punching or die casting, to name a few.
The device being spring loaded in its nature of construction and choice of material is shaped to form two"C"shaped elements, joined together by two smaller"C"shaped elements, transversely positioned, allowing a double spring action in transverse directions in order to expand and contract over a male and female cord connector of different sizes and configurations within reason, causing a clamping action in one direction, keeping the male and female connectors together and transversely keeping itself wrapped around the joint.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 and Figure 2 are perspective views of the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the invention indicating the device
being attached to a male and female connector; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device indicating the spring action; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device assembled to the male and female connector.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The device 10 illustrated in Figure 1 is in a relaxed state and consists of two"C"shaped structures 1 located a short distance apart from each other and joined together by material 9, transversely positioned, which is substantially the same and of similar sectional shape between the two"C"shaped structures 1 at the openings 3 and 4 of the "C"shapes 1 and 2.
The device 10 illustrated in Figure 2 is in a relaxed state indicating the two"C"shaped structures 1 and the two"C"shaped structures 2 and where the two"C"shaped structures 1 are moveable away from each other in the directions 5 and 6 and by the nature of their shape and material characteristics, are able to move in the direction 5 and 6 and return to the rest position as shown in Figure 1; and where the two"C"shaped structures 2 are moveable away from each other in the directions 7 and 8 and by the nature of their shape and material characteristics, are able to move in the direction 7 and 8 and return to the rest position as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the invention indicating the device 10 attached to a connected male connector 11 and female connector 12.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device 10 indicating the spring action of the device 10 where the arrow 13 indicates the two"C"shaped sections 1 spread apart to position 14 allowing the assembled male connector 11 and female connector 12 to pass between
the"C"shaped structures 1 in the direction of the arrows 17. The arrow 15 indicates the two"C"shaped sections 2 spread apart to position 16 allowing the assembled male connector 11 and female connector 12 to pass between the"C"shaped structures 2 in the direction of the arrows 17.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device 10 in the rest position assembled in position keeping the male connector 11 and female connector 12 together. The arrows 18 and 19 show the direction of the force produced by the spring action of the device 10 on the male connector 11 and female connector 12 keeping them together. The arrows 20 and 21 show the direction of the force produced by the spring action of the device 10 on the male connector 11 and female connector 12 keeping them together.
It will be appreciated that the exact shape and configuration of the inventions described above, the connectors used and other elements and configurations and locations of male and female connectors is purely exemplary and that numerous variations are possible as shown in Figure 6, Figure 7 and Figure 8 without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.