Power outlet with shield locking mechanism
View Patent ↗A power outlet comprises an enclosure with a plug jack, a reset button comprising an extension arm, a transition contour on the extension arm and at least one safety shield configured to selectively block at least a portion of the plug jack. The safety shield comprises an outer wall and a pin groove. A shield latch comprises a travel section configured to elastically contact the extension arm, a stop section in contact with the safety shield, the stop section comprising a convex pin, and a self-reset mechanism. When the extension arm is in an upward position, the travel section presses against it, and when the extension arm is in a downward position, the travel section has a buffer space. When the travel section presses against the extension arm, the convex pin presses against the outer wall to lock the safety shield.
1. A power outlet, comprising:
an enclosure with at least one plug jack;
a reset button comprising an extension arm, the extension arm comprising a transition contour;
at least one safety shield configured to selectively block at least a portion of the plug jack, the safety shield comprising an outer wall comprising a pin groove; and
a self-resetting shield latch comprising:
a travel section configured to elastically contact the extension arm;
a stop section in contact with the safety shield, the stop section comprising a convex pin; and
a self-reset mechanism,
wherein:
the travel section of the shield latch is configured to selectively press against the extension arm when the extension arm is in an upward position and to provide a buffer space between the safety shield and the extension arm when the extension arm is in a downward position,
when the travel section presses against the extension arm, the convex pin presses against the outer wall and the safety shield is in a locked position, and
when the extension arm is in a downward position, the self-reset mechanism moves the shield latch toward the reset button and the convex pin aligns with the pin groove to unlock the safety shield.
2. The power outlet of claim 1 , wherein the self-reset mechanism comprises a spring seat beneath the travel section and a travel reset spring in the spring seat, wherein a first end of the travel reset spring presses against a wall of the spring seat and a second end of the travel reset spring presses against the enclosure.
3. The power outlet of claim 2 , wherein:
the travel section further comprises an elastically bendable arm extending away from the shield lock and towards the extension arm,
the bendable arm contacts the extension arm when the extension arm is in the upward position, and
the bendable arm has a spring force that is greater than a spring force of the travel reset spring.
4. The power outlet of claim 3 , wherein:
stop section is plate-shaped and further comprises a lower end face and a positioning step,
at least a portion of the travel section extends beyond the lower end face, and the spring seat is provided in the portion of the travel section extending beyond the lower end face,
the travel section and the stop section are integrally formed and interface at a connection,
the positioning step is provided at the connection between the travel section and the stop section and the positioning step is flush with the convex pin, and
when the safety shield is in a locked position, the outer wall of the safety shield contacts the positioning step and the convex pin.
5. The power outlet of claim 4 , wherein:
the enclosure further comprises a middle layer support,
the middle layer support further comprises a positioning groove,
the shield latch further comprises a positioning pin in at least one side, and
the positioning pin is configured to slide in the positioning groove.
6. The power outlet of claim 3 , wherein:
the enclosure further comprises a middle layer support,
the middle layer support further comprises a positioning groove,
the shield latch further comprises a positioning pin in at least one side, and
the positioning pin is configured to slide in the positioning groove.
7. The power outlet of claim 2 , wherein the enclosure further comprises:
at least one socket;
a base;
a middle layer support configured to support the shield latch, the safety shield and the reset button; and
an upper cover with a lower frame, the lower frame comprising an inner edge, wherein an outer face of the stop section abuts the inner edge.
8. The power outlet of claim 7 , wherein:
the middle layer support further comprises a positioning groove,
the shield latch further comprises a positioning pin in at least one side, and
the positioning pin is configured to slide in the positioning groove.
9. The power outlet of claim 8 , wherein the middle layer support further comprises a positioning hook with a lower end, and the lower end is configured to abut an upper end face of the extension arm.
10. The power outlet of claim 7 , wherein the middle layer support further comprises a positioning hook with a lower end, and the lower end is configured to abut an upper end face of the extension arm.
11. The power outlet of claim 1 , wherein:
the self-reset mechanism comprises a spring seat with a pushing force,
the travel section and the stop section are integrally formed,
the stop section further comprises a lower end face,
at least a portion of the travel section extends beyond the lower end face,
the spring seat is provided in the portion of the travel section that extends beyond the lower end face,
the travel section further comprises:
a cavity;
a buffer tongue with a front end configured to selectively extend out of the cavity; and
a guiding groove,
the buffer tongue comprises:
a guiding slide block configured to interface with the guiding groove,
a buffer spring seat in a rear end of the buffer tongue,
a buffer tongue reset spring in the buffer spring seat, and
a transition contour in a front end of the buffer tongue configured to contact the extension arm when the extension arm is in the upward position, and
the buffer tongue reset spring has a greater pushing force than the pushing force of the travel reset spring.
12. The power outlet of claim 11 , wherein:
the enclosure further comprises a middle layer support,
the middle layer support further comprises a positioning groove,
the shield latch further comprises a positioning pin in at least one side, and
the positioning pin is configured to slide in the positioning groove.
13. The power outlet of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further comprises a middle layer support, the middle layer support further comprises a positioning hook with a lower end, and the lower end is configured to abut an upper end face of the extension arm.
14. The power outlet of claim 1 , further comprising a right safety shield, wherein the at least one safety shield is a left safety shield, and the right safety shield and the left safety shield are selectively locked from motion and unlocked for motion by the shield latch.
15. The power outlet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a right safety shield; and
a second shield latch,
wherein:
the second shield latch adjoins the right safety shield,
the at least one safety shield is a left safety shield,
the shield latch adjoins the left safety shield,
the extension arm is configured to selectively press against both the shield latch and the second shield latch to selectively lock the right safety shield and the left safety shield from motion.
16. The power outlet of claim 1 , further comprising:
a right safety shield; and
a small shield,
wherein:
the small shield is provided beneath the right safety shield, and
the shield latch is provided outside the at least one safety shield.