Mark T Levy

US Patent:

56649584, Sep 9, 1997

Filed:

Jan 22, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/589530

Inventors:

Dale Chadwick - Endwell NY
Mark Levy - Vestal NY
Gary Roden - Apalachin NY
John Schneider - Apalachin NY

Assignee:

Society of American Independent Inventors - Binghamton NY

International Classification:

H01R 1122

US Classification:

4392692

Abstract:

The present invention features a removable electrical connector or adapter for securing the contact prongs of an electric plug to a worn outlet. The connector has a housing with at least two opposing, nonconducting side portions. Each side portion has a top and a bottom. Two contact prongs are spaced apart from each other and are movably mounted to at least one of the side portions. The contact prongs extend out of the top of the housing, which housing also has at least one aperture at the bottom. Electrical plug prongs can be inserted through this aperture to make an electrical connection with the set of contact prongs. In another embodiment, the electrical connector is a self-contained plug, permanently attached to its associated electrical appliance, and having movable prongs and a spring for biasing the prongs inwardly, against the contacts of an outlet, after insertion. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a spring is secured to outwardly-biased prongs, so that, upon squeezing the plug and inserting it into the outlet, the prongs are forced to separate and make contact with the inner contacts of the outlet.