FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to electric power socket-outlets. More specifically the invention relates to fixed double socket-outlets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The need for electric power socket-outlet increases constantly, as the number of electric appliances increase. In the home or office environment traditional solution is to use extension leads and multiple portable socket-outlets to increase the number of available sockets. Buildings have fixed mounting boxes for the sockets; therefore retrofitting larger wall sockets is not possible.

One solution is presented in FI86927, wherein a double wall socket-outlet having two outlet openings forming a symmetric axis is at an angle inclined relative to the sides of a rectangular wall socket- outlet for fitting the double wall socket-outlet into the space defined by the attaching frame. The attaching frame is purposed for one Schuko outlet.

Many power plugs are equipped with a 90 - degree angle connector body. When the socket-outlet outlets are on the same axis, engaging plugs may cause overlapping of the angled cables. In such cases the angled plugs do not fit in, or another one may have to be engaged the angled cable facing up. This causes the cable to extend upwards that may have an unpleasant effect to the interior of the house.

Fixed socket-outlets should remain free from any maintenance for at least 30 years, even in harsh conditions. The existing design is kept as simple as possible to improve the durability. The symmetric structure helps the socket-outlet assembly to retain its form. The assembly according to prior art has prevented the double socket-outlet to fit into the mounting box in any other form than symmetric assembly . SUMMARY

The invention discloses a fixed double socket-outlet being provided with a cover-plate and a cylindrical mounting box, wherein the size of the mounting box is arranged for a single socket-outlet and the main part of the socket-outlet is arranged to fit into the space defined by the mounting box. According to the invention the first axis of the outlet openings of the first and the second socket- outlet is arranged at an angle between 38 and 42 degrees to the second axis of the first and second socket-outlet. In one embodiment the two socket- contact openings form a parallel axis for the first and the second socket-outlet. In another aspect of he invention the outlet openings are arranged to an asymmetric axis relative to the rectangular cover- plate and the openings for the electric plug are arranged at a same angle to the side of the cover- plate .

In one embodiment the socket-outlets are Schuko socket-outlets. In one embodiment the cover- plate comprises rectangular shape and the axis of the outlet openings is arranged at an angle between 38 and 42 degrees to the side of the rectangular cover-plate. In one embodiment the main part comprises straight fixed links for the interconnection of the socket- contacts in parallel between the two socket-contact openings. In one embodiment the main part comprises asymmetric fixed link for the interconnection of the earthing contacts between the two socket-outlets.

In one embodiment the fixed links for the interconnection of earthing contacts is constructed from a single piece of metal comprising a first earthing contact, a second earthing contact and a flat asymmetric link between the first and the second earthing contact. In one embodiment the fixed links for the interconnection of earthing contacts is constructed from a single piece of flat metal that is bent to the shape. In one embodiment the flat asymmetric link comprising a guiding portion arranged to be connected to the earthing terminal and retain the interconnection in the main part; and hole in the first and the second earthing contact for fixing the interconnection to the main part. In one embodiment the fixed link for the interconnection of the socket- contacts in parallel is constructed from a single piece of metal that is bent to the shape.

The present invention enables fitting double socket-outlet into a mounting box that has a space defined for a single device. Outlet terminal holes are parallel; therefore two angled plugs and cables can be inserted into both socket-outlets simultaneously. The arrangement is solid, preventing the double socket outlet or earthing contacts to be deformed by the insertion of a plug, without the risk of impairing the safety of the socket-outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exemplary illustration of one double socket-outlet according to the invention; Figs. 2a and 2b are exemplary illustrations of the combination of the cover-plate and the fixed link for the interconnection of the earthing contacts;

Figs 3a and 3b are exemplary illustration of the fixed link with earthing contacts;

Fig. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of the main part from different viewing angles;

Figs 5a and 5b are examples of the assembly comprising the cover-plate and the main part; and

Figs 6a and 6b are example of another embodiment of the invention having different earthing configuration .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

General requirements of the socket-outlets according to the present invention are laid out in the International Standard IEC 60884-1, Edition 3.1, 2006- 07; which is hereby incorporated by reference. The socket-outlet is also known as Schuko outlet.

The mounting box for a single Schuko socket- outlet is usually cylindrical in shape. The round form restricts the space available for any devices to be fitted into the box. The standard lays several requirements for the socket-outlets. Socket-outlets to be installed in a box are so designed that the conductor ends can be prepared after the box is mounted in position, but before the socket-outlet is fitted in the box. Multiple socket-outlets with a common base are provided with fixed links for the interconnection of the socket-contacts in parallel. The fixing of these links is independent from the connection of the supply wires. Figure 1 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the invention, viewing the cover-plate 101 that is covering the main part of the double socket-outlet 102 from the front. Earthing contacts 104 fixed to the main part protrude through the cover-plate 101. The cover-plate 101 and the link for the interconnection of the earthing terminals and corresponding earthing contacts 104 are connected by two screws through holes 105, 106. The socket-outlet is an accessory having socket-contacts 107, 108, 109, 110 designed to engage with the pins of a plug and having terminals for the connection of cable. The cover-plate 101 comprises socket-contact openings 111, 112, 113, 114.

The double socket-outlet is installed into the mounting box wherein the socket-contact openings 111, 112, 113, 114 of the first and the second socket- outlet 102, 103 are either horizontally or vertically. The socket-contact openings 111, 112 of the first socket-outlet 102 form an axis 115 that is parallel to the axis formed by the socket-contact openings 113,

114 of the second socket-outlet 103.

In this example the angle of the second axis

115 of the outlet openings is arranged at an angle of 40 degrees to the side 116 of the rectangular cover- plate 101. The angle of 40 degrees provides the optimum result with the biggest material thickness between the two socket outlets and the mounting box. Angles between 38 and 42 degrees are possible for this arrangement. The first axis 117 is defined for example passing via the first socket-outlet opening 113 and the second socket-outlet opening 114, in Fig. 1 this is illustrated by line 17 that is tangential to openings 113, 114. In this example the rectangular cover-plate 101 is squared, but the invention is not limited to rectangular cover-plate - the cover-plate 101 may be of any shape, for example round. The arrangement of the first 102 and second 103 socket- outlet is asymmetric in relation to the symmetry axis defined by the square cover-plate 101. Symmetry axis of the square cover-plate 101 is defined from one corner to the opposite corner.

Figures 2a and 2b illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the invention, viewing the combination of the cover-plate 101 and the fixed link 201 for the interconnection of the earthing contacts 104 between the first and the second socket-outlet 102, 103. The fixed link 201 is of asymmetric form. Figures 3a and 3b further illustrate one example of the fixed link 201 with earthing contacts 104. In one example the assembly is fabricated from a single piece of sheet metal that is bent to the desired shape. In another exemplary assembly the fixed link 201 and the earthing contacts 104 are separate pieces that are joined together for example by riveting. The fixed link 201 comprises a guiding portion 202 arranged to be connected to the earthing terminal . The earthing terminal is not illustrated.

Figure 4 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of the invention, viewing the main part 401 from different angles. The main part 401 comprises straight fixed links for the interconnection of the socket- contacts in parallel between the two socket-contact openings. The first straight fixed link 402 is configured to interconnect socket-contacts 107 and 110 and the second straight fixed link 403 is configured to interconnect socket-contacts 108 and 109. The first fixed link 402 and the second fixed link 403 are in this example bent to the shape from a single piece of sheet metal. Cable terminals are in this example arranged to the space beside the straight fixed links 402, 403, not illustrated in the figures.

Figures 5a and 5b illustrate one example of the assembly, wherein the cover-plate 101 and the main part 401 are connected together. The illustrations comprise two different views from side of the assembly .

Another example of the double socket-outlet according to the invention is illustrated in Figures 6a and 6b. In this example the configuration for earthing contacts is modified. Socket-outlets 102 comprise an earthing pin 601 protruding from the socket-outlet plate. Corresponding fixed link 201 is arranged accordingly to be connected to earthing pins 601.

Furthermore, if desired, one or more of the above-described functions may be optional or may be combined. Although various aspects of the invention are set out in the independent claims, other aspects of the invention comprise other combinations of features from the described embodiments and/or the dependent claims with the features of the independent claims, and not solely the combinations explicitly set out in the claims.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above; instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.