Corded Multitap

grabcad

I live in Korea where we have the same plugs as Europeans, and I am often frustrated getting the plug to go in the correct way to the socket. In the first stages of the design I tried many methods of allowing the plug to rotate in the socket, but it would both cost too much to manufacture and I never could find a way to also have the grounding tab rotate with the plug. I eventually realized that if you could hold the female side of the plug with your hand to see it straight on that it would be easier to plug the male part in. I solved this by using loose rubber cords attached from the wall plug to the female plug heads. I also added an easy ON/OFF push button that allows each plug to be turned on and off separately from one another. This design is composed of flexible (either completely loose and bendable, or slightly rigid for angling as desired) rubber cords and plastic (rubberized) plug housings. The inside edges of the female plug are rounded so as to allow for easier connecting while not reducing the friction that holds the plugs together. The edge of the wall plug also has a lipped edge for easier removal by the user. All power and grounding wires are contained within the cables from each plug head. For a higher end model, the power button on each plug head would have a small led to indicate whether it is on or off through an ambient blue or green color glow (example shown in renders). Producing this design in a variety of colors would also add a bit of personalization that would differentiate the product in the market. Oh, and I like big rubber buttons...