The present invention relates to electric outlet devices and particularly to a new combination of an ordinary wall or socket outlet device and an electric outlet extension or adaptor device with several outlets / outlet receptacles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Socket outlets are well-known electrical accessories found in domestic and commercial installations.

A typical "wall mounted" standard configuration of a wall or socket outlet device is with a single outlet or with double outlets, being connected to the mains wiring and secured to a back-box portion which is recessed into the wall. By "wall mounted" it is meant that a recess in the wall accepts the entire or at least some of the depth of back-box portion of the socket outlet device and that only a front (decorative) plate of the socket outlet device is visible. By contrast, a surface mounted socket outlet device comprises a box-like portion mounted on the surface of the wall, which can accept some of the depth of the socket outlet, and a front (decorative) plate, wherein both the box-like portion and the front plate are visible.

The requirements of a typical domestic installation in terms of the number of electrical appliances used and hence the number of socket outlets needed has increased substantially, leading to instances of existing installations that have an insufficient number of outlets.

The provision of additional sockets or socket outlets usually requires either adaptor plugs or electric outlet extension devices, or even rewiring works involving additional cabling and disruption to decor and/or wall(s).

Many forms and types of different electrical socket adaptors, outlet plugs and outlet extension devices are known, all providing for several sockets or outlets or receptacles.

US 2,654,074 relates to a plug-in type of a plug receptacle which may be mechanically attached to or plugged into a standard flush mounted plug receptacle or outlet forming a permanent part of the wiring of a building. The assembly provides for a plurality of plug receptacles in a single insulating block, and the assembly is secured in position by a screw or screws as required clearing through the plug receptacle block and threadedly engaging the threaded hole in the standard double plug receptacle. JP 2005-190974 provides a plug-in adaptor for attaching to an existing socket outlet in order to increase the number of outlet receptacles. The outlet tap has a recess in a rear surface to which a plug is fitted. A hole penetrating from a front face to a rear face is made at a part corresponding to a position of a tapped hole for mounting an outlet plate of an outlet unit. The plug of the outlet tap is put in an outlet of the outlet unit in the condition that the outlet plate is removed. By putting a screw in another hole and screwing the screw into the tapped hole for mounting an outlet plate, the outlet tap is fixed to the outlet.

GB 2 296 825 describes a socket adaptor for use with a wall socket com- prising a plurality of pins for insertion into a wall electrical socket. All the socket connections are on a front face socket contacts. In use the adaptor conceals all or most of the front face of the electrical wall socket. The rear portion is shaped such as to fit round or on the face of a wall socket. Switches enable the user to choose which appliances to have on or off. Indicating light and fuse may be provided. The rear por- tion contains a switching mechanism that activates with the switch of a wall socket. Holes enable the adaptor to be fixed permanently or semi-permanently to the wall.

US 2,702,893 teaches an adaptor for electrical wall outlets, wherein one or more electrical plugs may be semi-fixed for transmitting a source of electrical energy from a conduit to household electrical appliances, such as heating units, lamps, hair driers, radios or power tools.

US 2003/096535 A1 concerns a power block being an AC adapter with a nightlight, air freshener and chemical light block. It has rocker switches that turn off and on the plugs located on the power strips or on the block itself. The power strips have eight plugs and two telephone connectors, and the power block has a surge protection. The power block has three screws at the top bottom and center of the block, so it can be screwed on to the wall panel for extra security.

GB 2 325 353 is related to a complete adaptor socket-outlet assembly having integral electrical connections providing power from the lower sockets to the upper sockets so that existing single and double socket-outlets can be replaced with 2 and 4 socket-outlets respectively, while retaining and connecting to the existing back-box and mains wiring. The adaptor is secured by the lower part of the assembly to the existing back-box by means of screw connections, with additional fixing of the upper part by appropriate means. The profile of the assembly allows the lead of the upper plug to pass downward, clear of the lower plug. US 6,077,086 teaches an electric outlet extension device for extending the location of the electrical sockets of an outlet. The device includes an elongate member having opposite first and second ends, front and back surfaces, and opposite sides surfaces. The elongate member is telescopically extendible along its longitudinal axis extending between its first and second ends. Each of the side surfaces has a pair of electrical sockets that are located towards the first end of the elongate member. The back surface of the elongate member has an electrical plug extending therefrom and is located towards the second end of the elongate member. The plug of the back surface is electrically connected to the electrical sockets of the side surfaces.

Anyone, who has a TV set, will most probably have one or more loose cables or wires or extension cords lying behind the TV and contributing to irritation and/or fire hazard(s). The present invention has been developed in order to get rid of any need for more or extra sockets or receptacles. More and more electrical appliances or apparatuses are being used in the present house(s), office(s), etc., and almost all of them need a socket outlet. As previously mentioned some of the most common current solutions are extension cords or external plug-in outlet adaptors. As also briefly mentioned, another solution is to use an electrician to install an extra or additional surface- or wall-mounted socket outlet that is connected to an existing outlet via a cable or wiring, which is a process that requires extra rewiring work(s) and/or that can give a distasteful or unpleasant or even ugly visual result, and/or that can be expensive to install.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and/or improved form of electrical wall or socket outlet device or assembly having more than two sockets or outlets or receptacles.

Another object of the invention is to provide an alternative electrical wall or socket outlet device or assembly having more than two sockets or outlets or receptacles.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method for assembling the new and/or improved and/or alternative electrical wall or socket outlet device or arrangement comprising more than two sockets or outlets or receptacles. The main features of the present invention are given in the independent claims. Additional features of the invention are mentioned in the dependent claims.

The above mentioned purposes and/or objects and/or solutions are achieved with the help of a socket outlet comprising more than two receptacles and adapted for replacing an existing wall outlet, wherein the socket outlet comprises a front cover, a back cover and a connector unit adapted for connection to a back-box of the existing wall outlet, the back-box being fixed or mounted into or onto a wall, where the connector unit comprises arrangement(s) or element(s) adapted or arranged to allow the socket outlet to be placed or mounted on the wall in one of at least two possible positions or orientations with respect to the floor and/or the back-box, without any need or necessity for rearranging or reorienting of the back-box.

The back cover can further comprise additional arrangement(s) or element(s) for cooperation with the arrangement(s) or element(s) of the connector unit, together allowing the socket outlet to be easily placed on the wall in one of at least two possible positions or orientations with respect to the floor and/or the back-box.

The socket outlet can comprise at least one USB charging or power-supplying port, and/or at least one current switch, and/or at least one surge or overvoltage protection arrangement or unit, wherein the socket outlet, respectively the current switch, can additionally comprise a programmable timer unit or arrangement allowing for programming at least one on-power time period and/or at least one off-power time period.

The arrangement(s) or element(s) of the connector unit can comprise at least two contact pins to be firmly fixed to the connector unit with the help of connector elements thereof, wherein the connector elements can be in the form of at least two connector plates or bars with several holes allowing for at least two possible placement positions of the contact pins. And the additional arrangement(s) or element(s) of the back cover can comprise(s) several holes through the back cover for cooperation with the arrangement(s) or element(s) of the connector unit.

The present invention concerns also an assembling method for replacing an existing wall outlet with a new socket outlet according to the invention, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

- dismounting or disassembling a front or decorative cover of the existing socket outlet in order to make a back-box of the existing socket outlet, that is mounted into or onto a wall, accessible and/or visible; - preparing arrangement(s) or element(s) of a connector unit of the socket outlet comprising a front cover and a back cover, in order to allow the socket outlet to be placed or mounted on the wall in one of at least two possible positions or orientations with respect to the floor and/or the back-box, without any need or necessity for rearranging or reorienting of the back-box;

- connecting the connector unit to the back-box; and

- fastening of the front cover, respectively the socket outlet, to the wall in the desired position or orientation.

The main features of this invention are stated in the independent claims.

Additional features of the present invention are given in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be further elucidated, by way of example(s), with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 A-1 C illustrate a method for replacing an existing socket outlet with a socket outlet according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a back cover and contact pins of a socket outlet according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates the back cover and a connector unit of the socket outlet according to the embodiment of the invention that is shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows in detail the back-box of the existing wall socket outlet that is shown in fig. 1A.

Fig. 5 illustrates one possible embodiment of the connector unit of the new socket outlet according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 A-1 C visualize a method for replacing an existing wall or wall-mounted socket outlet 1 with a new socket outlet 10 according to one embodiment of the invention, wherein the existing socket outlet 1 comprises mainly a front and/or decorative cover 2 and a back-box 4, and the new socket outlet comprises mainly a housing comprising a front cover 20 and a back cover 40, as well as inner

components or parts (wherein some element(s) and/or surface(s) thereof can be visible on the external or outer face or side of the front 20 and/or the back 40 cover). One purpose of this assembling method is to easily replace the existing wall outlet 1 having a single socket, or in this case double sockets or receptacles 3, with the new socket outlet 10 comprising more than only two sockets or receptacles or contact / connecting points 30. The first step of the assembling method is to dismount or disassemble or take off the front or decorative cover 2 of the existing socket outlet 1 , so that the back-box 4 of the existing socket outlet 1 , that is mounted into or onto the wall 5, will be accessible and/or visible (fig. 1 A). Thereafter, at least two contact pins 60, 61 (shown in fig. 2) are to be firmly fixed to the connector unit 100 (shown in fig. 3) of the new socket outlet 10, which connector unit 100 is adapted or arranged in such a way that the new socket outlet 10 will be allowed to have more than one possible positions or orientations on the wall 5 (fig. 1 B) and can thus be placed or mounted on the wall 5 in a desired manner or orientation with respect to the floor 55 and/or the back-box 4, e.g. horizontally as shown in fig. 1 B and/or 1 C, or vertically, or with / in / at a desired angle (e.g. about 45°, but not limited only thereto) or orientation (for different design shapes or forms of the new socket outlet). Said at least two contact pins 60, 61 will then be connected to or plugged into the contact holes 50, 51 (fig. 4) of the existing back-box 4, and the front cover 20 of the socket outlet 10 comprising several and/or more than two sockets or receptacles 30 will be firmly or permanently fixed or fastened (with respect) to the wall 5 and/or the back-box 4 and/or its element(s) with the help of at least one fastening organ 90 shown in fig. 1 C. From before, the back-box 4 and/or its element(s) are firmly or permanently fixed or fastened (with respect) to the wall 5. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 B-1 C the connector unit 100 with the contact pins 60, 61 can be arranged or placed in the middle of the socket outlet 10, which in this case can be horizontally placed and rectangular-shaped. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 2-3, the connector unit 100 with the contact pins 60, 61 can be arranged or placed nearer or at one side of the socket outlet 10. The fastening organ 90 can be screw(s), e.g. at least two screws that are to be screwed or fastened to the wall, and/or the back-box 4 and/or its element(s). In the embodiment shown on fig. 1 C, four screws are being used and threaded through holes 91 in / on-through the front cover 20 of the new socket outlet 10 in order to get the front cover 20, respectively the new socket outlet 10, firmly or permanently fixed or fastened to the wall 5. Alternatively, at least one piece of two- or double-sided tape (coated with adhesive on both sides) or suitable glue can be used to get the back cover 40, respectively the new socket outlet 10, firmly or permanently fixed or fastened to the wall 5 and/or (parts of the and/or the entire) back-box 4 and/or its element(s). Other suitable fastening organ(s) (e.g. clips) can be used for the above- mentioned purpose. Second fastening organ(s) (not shown) can be used to firmly or permanently fix or fasten together the back cover 40 and the front cover 20 of the new socket outlet 10. Such second fastening organ(s) can be, but are not limited to, e.g. screws, clips (using the so called click-and-lock or click-lock or click-click principle), etc. The new socket outlet 10, respectively the front cover 20, can additionally comprise (on the front cover 20) at least one USB charging or supply port or outlet 31 , as shown in fig. 1 B-1 C. Furthermore, the new socket outlet 10, respectively the front cover 20, can also comprise (on the front cover 20) at least one button or switch / switching arrangement or main current switch 35 in order to switch on and off the power of the socket outlet 10 or of a respective socket or receptacle 30 and/or USB port 31 or of a group of sockets / receptacles 30 and/or USB ports 31 , wherein the electric power is supplied from the (existing) mains wiring to the

(existing) back-box 4 and further to the (new) connector unit 100 of the (new) socket outlet 10. Finally, the front cover 20 of the new socket outlet 10 can have a

weakened area (not shown) that can be broken or cut in order to connect one end of an extension cable (not shown), having a desired length, to the connector unit 100 of the socket outlet 10, wherein the extension cable can comprise at the other end an electrical plug in order to allow the socket outlet 10 to be used as an electrical extension cord or lead or device with several sockets / receptacles.

Fig. 2 illustrates the external or outer side of the back cover 40 and the contact pins 60, 61 of the socket outlet 10 according to another embodiment of the invention. Here there are two power contact pins 60. Furthermore, it is possible to have one earth or ground contact pin 61 . The power contact pin 60 can have the same or different shape and/or form (e.g. length and/or diameter and/or cross- section) with regard to the earth or ground contact pin 61 . In the embodiment shown in fig. 2 the power contact pins 60 are slightly bigger (thicker and/or longer) than / compared to the earth or ground contact pin 61 . Furthermore, each contact pin 60, 61 can have a desired and/or suitable and/or required length and/or diameter and/or cross-section) and thus be adapted to the particular work situation (e.g. placement of the back-box 4 into or onto the wall 5) and/or to the requirements and/or standards of the particular country, where it 60, 61 is to be used. Fig. 3 shows the internal or inner side of the back cover 40 and the connector unit 100 of the socket outlet 10 according to the embodiment of the invention that is shown in fig. 2.

As shown in fig. 2 - 3, the back cover 40 can have several holes 70, 71 for the connector pins 60, 61 . The connector unit 100 is adapted or arranged in such a way that it, possibly together or in cooperation with the back cover 40, can provide for at least two possible positions for the contact pins 60, 61 (see the arrows in fig. 2 and 5) that are to be firmly fixed to the connector unit 100, allowing thus the new socket outlet 10 to have at least two possible placement positions on the wall 5, e.g. a vertical or a horizontal position. The holes 70, 71 of the back cover 40 can be concurrent with the elements 80, 81 of the connector unit 100 that are to firmly cooperate with the connector pins 60, 61. The firm fixation of each of the contact pins 60, 61 to the connector unit 100, respectively to each of the connector elements 80, 81 , can be done in several manners, e.g. but not limited only to those examples: by screwing or threading or using the click-and-lock principle of each of the contact pins 60, 61 onto or into the respective element 80, 81 , or vice versa. On fig. 3 the connector elements 80, 81 are shown, as a non-limiting example, as threaded pins for the contact pins 60, 61 (i.e. the threaded pins 80, 81 of the connector unit 100 are arranged and/or adapted for threadedly engaging with the contact pins 60, 61 ).

As shown in fig. 4 the existing back-box 4 comprises two power holes 50 for cooperation with the power pins 60 of the new socket outlet 10 and one possible ground or earth hole 51 for cooperation with the possible ground or earth pin 61 .

Since one of the purposes or objects of the invention is not to change the position of the back-box 4 and its contact holes 50, 51 (in order to ease the

replacement of the old wall-mounted socket outlet 1 with the new socket outlet 10), there can be several possibilities for allowing the socket outlet 10 to have several possible placement positions with respect to the wall 5. One example is to provide for the connector unit 100 to have several possible positions within the socket outlet 10, e.g. possibly cooperating also with the back cover 40 and particularly its 40 internal or inner side or surface (e.g. via the holes 70, 71 and/or third fastening organ(s) or element(s) on the connector unit 100 and/or on the back cover 40 allowing for several fastening positions of the connector unit 100 to the back cover 40). Another example is to provide the connector unit 100 itself with several positioning elements for cooperation with the connector elements 80, 81 for the contact pins 60, 61 or just with several positioning connector elements or plates or bars 80, 81 or carved or threaded holes therein for the contact pins 60, 61 , or also with at least two connector plates or bars 80, 81 for the pins 60, 61 , having several holes 80', 80", 81 ', 81 " allowing for at least two possible placement positions of the pins 60, 61 ; in this case, as shown in fig. 5, there are two contact power plates or bars 80 with several (carved or threaded) holes 80', 80" allowing for at least two possible placements of the power pins 60, and one possible ground or earth plate or bar 81 with several (carved or threaded) holes 81 ', 81 " allowing for at least two possible placement positions of the ground or earth pin 61 . Then the connector unit 100 can have only one position within the socket outlet 10, but the connector unit 100 itself will allow for several possible placement positions of the interchangeable contact pins 60, 61 and thus of the entire socket outlet 10 (with respect to the wall 5 and/or the floor 55 and/or the back-box 4). The connector unit 100 can further comprise a connector module 1 10 comprising e.g. clamps for direct connecting of current and/or earth wires or cables (e.g. up to about 25-30 A, but not limited only thereto).

In the alternative, when the orientation of the connector unit 100 can be changed with respect to the back cover 40 with the help of the third fastening organ(s) or element(s) on or for the connector unit 100 and/or on or for the back cover 40, thus allowing for several fastening positions or orientations of the connector unit 100 with respect to the back cover 40, it will also be possible to have only one hole (not shown) through the back cover 40, which is big enough to allow for the several positions of said at least two contact pins 60, 61 , but which is not bigger than the entire surface area of the contact side of the connector unit 100, so that there will be enough place for the third fastening organ(s) or element(s) on/for the connector unit 100 and/or on/for the back cover 40. The third fastening organ(s) or element(s) adapted or arranged on or for the connector unit 100 and/or on or for the back cover 40 can be for example, but not only limited to, elements or clips using the click-and- lock or click-lock or click-click principle, or screws and threaded / carved holes, or (small) bolts and nuts.

It is also understandable and clear that the connector unit 100, respectively the new socket outlet 10, should comprise all the necessary element(s) and/or circuit(s) and/or module(s) (known from before) arranged for conducting or leading of electric power or current from the connector unit 100 to each of the sockets or receptacles 30 and/or the possible USB charging or power-supplying port(s) 31 and/or the possible on-off current switch arrangement or device or assembly 35.

As previously mentioned, the socket outlets 10 can be manufactured with different placement(s) of the contact pins 60, 61 (respectively the connector unit 100) in relation to the wall or rear or back side or area of the back cover 40 of the outlet 10 depending on the design and the shape of the multiple outlet 10. The multiple socket outlet arrangement or device or assembly 10 can have different designs and shapes and is allowed to have different possible placements with respect to the wall 5 and/or the floor 55 and/or the back-box 4.

Additionally, the socket outlet, respectively the on-off switch arrangement 35, can comprise a programmable timer unit or arrangement 350 arranged within the socket outlet 10, i.e. in-between (in the space between) the front 20 and back 40 covers, (hinted or suggested in fig. 1 B-1 C and given or indicated as a box in fig. 3 and 5 only as a non-limiting example) allowing for programming of at least one desired time or hour for switching on and at least one desired time or hour for switching off, thus allowing for programming of at least one period of time where the entire socket outlet 10 or a respective socket or receptacle 30 and/or USB port 31 or a group of sockets / receptacles 30 and/or USB ports 31 will be powered, and/or at least one period of time where the socket outlet 10 or a respective socket or receptacle 30 and/or USB port 31 or a group of sockets / receptacles 30 and/or USB ports 31 will not supply or have electrical power. Some part(s) or surface(s) of the programmable timer unit 350 can be visible on the external or outer side of the front cover 20.

The socket outlet 10 can further comprise a surge or overvoltage protection arrangement or unit 120 arranged within the socket outlet 10 (indicated as a box in fig. 3 and 5 only as a non-limiting example). Some part(s) or surface(s) of the surge or overvoltage protection unit 120 can be visible on the external or outer side of the front cover 20.

With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to a person skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous or additional modifications, alterations, adaptations and changes of the present invention will readily occur or suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as expressed and stated in the following patent claims.