FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to electrical sockets and more particularly, provides an electrical socket assembly with an improved housing member to accommodate planar contact elements.

BACKGROUND

Commonly, electrical power outlets are employed for allowing a flow of electric current from a power source to a wide range of appliances. In particular, an electrical appliance is connected to a power socket through an electrical plug. Usually, the electrical plug includes multiple electrical pins which form an electrical connection with the power socket, when the electrical plug is inserted in the power socket. For instance, during plugging of the electrical plug, each of the electrical pins forms the electrical connection with a contact element of the power socket. In such an instance, when the electrical connection is formed, the electrical current flows through the contact element to the electrical pins of the electrical plug, and further to the electrical appliance.

Constructional aspects and design of the contact element are essential for effectively forming an electrical contact with the electrical pins and thereby, conducting optimal electrical current to the electrical plug. Currently, the contact element includes a pin-accepting surface that extends parallel to a sheet metal coil surface of the contact element. However, in order to manufacture such contact element, extensive manufacturing techniques are employed which results in a substantial increase in overall manufacturing time and cost of the contact element. Further, the overall material employed for manufacturing the contact element is substantially vast which also contributes toward the manufacturing cost of the contact element. Further, such contact element forms a planar contact with the electrical pin of the electrical plug. This results in a substantially less amount of pressure between the contact element and the electrical pin to conduct optimal electrical current from the electrical pin to the contact element. SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electrical socket assembly is disclosed. The electrical socket assembly includes a housing member having at least one slot adapted to receive an electrical pin of an electrical plug. Further, the electrical socket assembly includes at least one contact element disposed in a recess adjacent to the at least one slot of the housing member. The at least one contact element is adapted to resiliently expand to allow insertion of the electrical pin through the at least one contact element. The housing member includes a plurality of regulating members surrounding the recess adjacent to the at least one slot. Each of the plurality of regulating members is adapted to regulate expansion of the at least one contact element when the electrical pin is inserted in the at least one slot through the at least one contact element.

To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure la illustrates a perspective view of an electrical plug connected with an electrical socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figures lb and lc illustrate different perspective views of the electrical socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the electrical socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3 illustrates a partial planar view of the electrical socket assembly depicting a plurality of contact elements disposed in the electrical socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figures 4a and 4b illustrate different perspective views of a contact element from among the plurality of contact elements, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 5a illustrates an isometric view of a housing member of the electrical socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 5b illustrates an enlarged view of a portion A of the housing member as shown in Figure 5a, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion B of the electrical socket assembly as shown in Figure 3, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figures 7a and 7b illustrates assembling of the contact element with an electrical terminal of the electrical socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 8 illustrates a partial planar view of the electrical socket assembly depicting an arrangement of the plurality of contact elements in a housing member of the electrical socket assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

Figure 9 illustrates a partial sectional view of the electrical socket assembly taken along an axis A- A’ of Figure 8, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments. Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”

The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents. More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”

Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . . ” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”

Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skills in the art.

Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.

Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure la illustrates a perspective view of an electrical plug 100 connected with an electrical socket assembly 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures lb and lc illustrate different perspective views of an electrical socket assembly 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The electrical socket assembly 102 may be adapted to connect electrical appliances to an Alternating Current (AC) power source through an electrical plug 100. The electrical appliances may include, but are not limited to, household appliances. In an embodiment, the electrical plug 100 may be connected to the electrical appliances through a cable, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Further, the electrical plug 100 may include a plurality of electrical pins adapted to conduct electrical current, when inserted in the electrical socket assembly 102. For instance, when the electrical plug 100 is attached to the electrical socket assembly 102, the electric current may flow through the plurality of electrical pins and subsequently, to the electrical appliances through the cable. The plurality of electrical pins may interchangeably be referred to as the electrical pins, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, the electrical pins may individually be referred to as the electrical pin.

In an embodiment, the electrical pins may be formed of any electrically conductive material known in the art, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical plug 100 may be embodied as a three-pin plug having three electrical pins. Accordingly, the electrical socket assembly 102 includes three socket apertures for receiving corresponding electrical pins. The present disclosure is explained with respect to the electrical socket assembly 102 which is adapted to receive the three-pin plug. However, it should be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that it should not be construed as limiting, and the present disclosure is equally applicable to other combinations of electrical plugs and electrical sockets as well, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the electrical socket assembly 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure la, Figure lb, Figure lc, and Figure 2, in the illustrated embodiment, the electrical socket assembly 102 may include, but is not limited to, a face plate 202, a shutter member 204, a shutter spring 206, a cover member 208, a housing member 210, a plurality of electrical terminal 212, and a plurality of improved contact elements 214. The housing member 210 may be adapted to accommodate various sub components of the electrical socket assembly 102. In one embodiment, the face plate 202 may be coupled to the housing member 210 through a plurality of fasteners including, but not limited to, screws. In another embodiment, the face plate 202 may be coupled to the housing member 210 through snap locks.

In an embodiment, the face plate 202 may include at least one socket apertures 216 adapted to be aligned with at least one slot 302 (as shown in Figure 3) of the housing member 210 and to receive the electrical pin of the electrical plug 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the face plate 202 may include a plurality of socket apertures 216-1, 216-2, 216-3 adapted to receive the electrical pins of the electrical plug 100. The plurality of socket apertures 216-1, 216-2, 216-3 may interchangeably be referred to as the socket apertures 216-1, 216-2, 216-3, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The socket apertures 216-1, 216- 2, 216-3 may individually be referred to as the socket aperture 216-1, the socket aperture 216- 2, and the socket aperture 216-3.

Figure 3 illustrates a partial planar view of the electrical socket assembly 102 depicting a plurality of improved contact elements 214 disposed in the electrical socket assembly 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the plurality of improved contact elements 214 may be interchangeably be referred to as the plurality of contact elements 214, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. As mentioned earlier, the electrical socket assembly 102 may include the plurality of electrical terminals 212 and the plurality of contact elements 214. Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3, in the illustrated embodiment, the electrical socket assembly 102 may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3, a plurality of electrical terminals 212-1, 212-2, 212-3, and a plurality of fastening members 304-1, 304-2, 304-3. In an embodiment, the housing member 210 may be adapted to accommodate the plurality of contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3, the plurality of electrical terminals 212-1, 212-2, 212- 3, and the plurality of fastening members 304-1, 304-2, 304-3.

In an embodiment, the plurality of contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 and the plurality of electrical terminals 212-1, 212-2, 212-3 may interchangeably be referred to as the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 and the electrical terminals 212-1, 212-2, 212-3, respectively. The contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 may individually be referred to as the contact element 214-1, the contact element 214-2, and the contact element 214-3. Similarly, the electrical terminals 212-1, 212-2, 212-3 may individually be referred to as the electrical terminals 212-1, the electrical terminals 212-2, and the electrical terminals 212-3.

Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3, the housing member 210 may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of slots adapted to receive the electrical pins of the electrical plug 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing member 210 may include three slots 302-1, 302-2, 302-3 adapted to receive three electrical pins of the electrical plug 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The plurality of slots 302-1, 302-2, 302-3 may interchangeably be referred to as the plurality of longitudinal slots 302-1, 302-2, 302-3, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In an assembled condition, when the face plate 202 may be coupled to the housing member 210, the socket apertures 216-1, 216-2, 216-3 may be aligned with the longitudinal slots 302-1, 302-2, 302-3 of the housing member 210, to allow insertion of the electrical pins in the electrical socket assembly 102. The plurality of longitudinal slots 302-1, 302-2, 302-3 may interchangeably be referred to as the longitudinal slots 302-1, 302-2, 302-3, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Each of the longitudinal slots 302-1, 302- 2, 302-3 may extend in a direction parallel to a central axis X-X’, as shown in Figure 3.

In an embodiment, the housing member 210 may include, but is not limited to, a support surface 210-1 adapted to support the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 on the housing member 210. Further, the housing member 210 may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of recesses 502 (as shown in Figure 5b) corresponding to the plurality of longitudinal slots 302. The plurality of recesses 502 may be formed on the support surface 210-1 of the housing member 210. Each of the plurality of recesses 502 may be adapted to removably accommodate one of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of recesses 502 may receive one of the contact elements in a manner that such contact element may be aligned substantially parallel to the support surface 210-1 of the housing member 210.

For the sake of simplicity and better understanding, constructional and operational details of the electrical socket assembly 102 are explained with respect to the longitudinal slot 302-1, the contact element 214-1, and the electrical terminal 212-1. As would be appreciated by the person skilled in the art, the description of the longitudinal slot 302-1, the contact element 214-1, and the electrical terminal 212-1 is equally applicable to the longitudinal slots 302-2, 302-3, the contact elements 214-2, 214-2, and the electrical terminals 212-2, 212-3, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Figures 4a and 4b illustrate different perspective views of a contact element from among the plurality of contact elements, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The contact element 214-1 may be adapted to form an electrical contact with one of the electrical pins to supply the electric current when the electrical plug 100 is inserted in the electrical socket assembly 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact element 214-1 may be disposed in the recess 502 formed on the support surface 210-1 of the housing member 210 of the electrical socket assembly 102. The contact element 214-1 may be disposed in the recess 502 in a manner that the contact element 214-1 may be aligned substantially parallel to the support surface 210-1.

Referring to Figure 4a and Figure 4b, in the illustrated embodiment, the contact element 214-1 may be adapted to be disposed in the recess 502 adjacent to the longitudinal slot 302-1 of the housing member 210. The contact element 214-1 may include, but is not limited to, an engaging portion 402 and a receiving portion 404 distal to the engaging portion 402. The engaging portion 402 may be adapted to be attached to the electrical terminal 212-1 disposed in the housing member 210. The engaging portion 402 may form an electrical contact with the electrical terminal 212-1 of the electrical socket assembly 102. The contact element 214- 1 may conduct electrical current from the electrical terminal 212-1 through the engaging portion 402 of the contact element 214-1. In the illustrated embodiment, the engaging portion 402 may include an opening 402-1 adapted to be engaged with the electrical terminal 212-1.

Further, the receiving portion 404 may be adapted to receive the electrical pin in a vertical direction (as denoted by axis X-X’ in Figure lb) along a length of the longitudinal slot 302-1. The receiving portion 404 may include, but is not limited to, a first planar element 406-1 and a second planar element 406-2. In an embodiment, the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2 may collectively be referred to as the planar elements 406-1, 406-2, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Each of the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2 may be adapted to be positioned on the support surface 210-1 of the housing member 210. Each of the first planar element 406- 1 and the second planar element 406-2 may be adapted to be aligned parallel to the support surface 210-1. In particular, the contact element 214-1 may be disposed in the recess 502 in a manner that the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 of the contact element 214-1 may be aligned parallel to the support surface 210-1.

Further, the receiving portion 404 may include an opening 404-1 adapted to radially expand when the electrical pin is inserted in the at least one slot 302 through the receiving portion 404. The opening 404-1 may be defined between opposite ends 405, 407 of the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2. In an embodiment, a size of the opening 404-1 may vary based on the radial movement of the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2 when the electrical pin is inserted through the receiving portion 404. In an embodiment, the opening 404-1 may allow resilient movement of the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2 with respect to each other in a radial direction, when the electrical pin is inserted through the receiving portion 404.

In an embodiment, each of the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2 may apply a restoring force on the electrical pin based on a distance between the opposite ends 405, 407 of the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406- 2. Further, the receiving portion 404 may include a bridge segment 404-2 connecting the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2, the bridge segment 404-2 comprises a cutoff portion 404-3 facing the opening 404-1. In an embodiment, the receiving portion 404 may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of bending members 408 adapted to be in contact with the electrical pin of the electrical plug 100. Each of the plurality of bending members 408 may be adapted to resiliently move in a radial direction when the electrical pin is inserted in the longitudinal slot 302-1 through the receiving portion 404 of the contact element 214-1. The plurality of bending members 408 may be disposed circumferentially on the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 of the receiving portion 404. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of bending members 408 may be positioned opposite to each other on the planar elements 406-1, 406-2.

Referring to Figure 4a and Figure 4b, in the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of bending members 408 may include, but is not limited to, a curved portion 410 extending from one of the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2. Further, each of the plurality of bending members 408 may include a flat portion 412 extending from the curved portion 410. In an embodiment, the flat portion 412 may extend in a direction parallel to a direction of insertion of the electrical pin in the longitudinal slot 302-1 through the receiving portion 404. Referring to Figure 4a, the flat portion 412 may extend in a direction parallel to a central axis A-A’ of the receiving portion 404 of the contact element 214-1.

Further, the receiving portion 404 may include, but is not limited to, an opening 409 defined collectively by the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 and the plurality of bending members 408. The opening 409 may be adapted to receive the electrical pin of the electrical plug 100. In the illustrated embodiment, one end of the curved portion 410 may align with one of the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 of the receiving portion 404 and another end of the curved portion 408 aligns with the flat portion 412. Each of the plurality of bending members 408 may be adapted to be in a linear contact with the electrical pin 302-1 of the electrical plug 100

Figure 5a illustrates an isometric view of the housing member 210 of the electrical socket assembly 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5b illustrates an enlarged view of a portion A of the housing member as shown in Figure 5a, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As explained earlier, the contact element 214-1 may be adapted to resiliently expand to allow insertion of the electrical pin through the contact element 214-1. Referring to Figure 5a and Figure 5b, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing member 210 may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of regulating members 504 surrounding the recess 502 adjacent to the longitudinal slot 302-1.

Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion B of the electrical socket assembly 102 as shown in Figure 3, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figures 5a, 5b, and 6, each of the plurality of regulating members 504 may be adapted to regulate expansion of the contact element 214-1, when the electrical pin is inserted in the longitudinal slot 302 through the contact element 214-1. In particular, the plurality of regulating members 504 may be adapted to restrict radial expansion of the contact element 214-1 beyond a predefined radial distance R from the central axis X-X’ of the longitudinal slot 302-1.

The plurality of regulating members 504 may be formed on a wall 506 defining the recess 502 adjacent to the at least one slot 302 of the housing member 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of regulating members 504 may be embodied as a protrusion formed on the wall 506 defining the recess 502 of the housing member (210). The plurality of regulating members 504 may be circumferentially distributed on the wall 506 and positioned at equidistant from each other. Referring to Figure 5b, in the illustrated embodiment, four regulating members 504 may be formed on the wall 506 adjacent the longitudinal slot 302-1 of the housing member 210. However, it should be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that it should not be construed as limiting, and more than four regulating members 504 can be formed on the wall 506 of the housing member 210, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of regulating members 504 may individually be referred to as the regulating member 504-1, the regulating member 504-2, the regulating member 504-3, and the regulating member 504-4, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, the plurality of regulating members 504 may interchangeably be referred to as the regulating members 504.

In an embodiment, when the electrical pin is inserted in the longitudinal slot 302-1 through the receiving portion 404 of the contact element 214-1, the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 may move in a direction parallel to a plane defining the support surface 210-1 of the housing member 210 and away from the central axis X-X’ of the longitudinal slot 302-1. Referring to Figure 6, the plurality of regulating members 504 may be adapted to restrict planar movement of each the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2 away from the central axis X-X’ of the longitudinal slot 302-1 beyond the predefined radial distance R. In particular, the regulating members 504-1, 504-2 may be adapted to restrict planar movement of the first planar element 406-1 beyond the predefined radial distance R. Similarly, the regulating members 504-3, 504-4 may be adapted to restrict planar movement of the second planar element 406-2 beyond the predefined radial distance R from the central axis X-X’ of the longitudinal slot 302-1.

Figures 7a and 7b illustrate assembling of the contact element 214-1 with the electrical terminal 212-1 of the electrical socket assembly 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 7a, in the illustrated embodiment, the engaging portion 402 of the contact element 214-1 may be adapted to be attached to the electrical terminal 212- 1 of the electrical socket assembly 100 disposed in the housing member 210. Referring to Figure 7b, one end of the electrical terminal 212-1 may be coupled to the engaging portion 402 of the contact element 214-1 and another end may be adapted to receive the fastener 304- 1 to couple the contact element 214-1 with the electrical terminal 212-1. In an embodiment, each of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 and the electrical terminals 212-1, 212-2, 212-3 may be formed of the same material, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an example, each of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 and the electrical terminals 212-1, 212-2, 212-3 may be formed of any electrically conductive material known in the art, such as brass.

Figure 8 illustrates a partial planar view of the electrical socket assembly 102 depicting the arrangement of the plurality of contact elements 214 in the housing member 210 of the electrical socket assembly 102, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 illustrates a partial sectional view of the electrical socket assembly 102 taken along an axis A- A’ of Figure 8, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to Figure 2, Figure 8, and Figure 9, the electrical socket assembly 102 may include the cover member 208 having a plurality of slots 802 corresponding to the plurality of slots 302 of the housing member 210. Each of the plurality of slot 802 of the cover member 208 may be adapted to be coaxially aligned with one of the plurality of slots 302 of the housing member 210. The cover member 208 may be positioned on the housing member in a manner that the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 may be cramped between the cover member 208 and the plurality of recesses of the housing member 210.

Referring to Figure 9, the cover member 208 may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of protruding portions 902 surrounding the plurality of slots 802 of the cover member 208. Each of the protruding portions 902 may be adapted to abut at least one of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 disposed in the housing member 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the each of the protruding portions 902 may be adapted to be in contact with the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 of the receiving portion 404 of at least one of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3.

Further, the cover member 208 may be adapted to support the shutter spring 206 to allow resilient movement of the shutter member 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the shutter member 204 may be adapted to be disposed on the cover member and coupled to the shutter spring 206. The shutter member may be adapted to cover the longitudinal slots 302 of the housing member 210 and the plurality of slots 802 of the cover member 208. In an embodiment, the shutter member 204 may resiliently move to allow insertion of the electrical pins in the longitudinal slots 302 of the housing member 210 through the plurality of slots 802 of the cover member 208.

As would be gathered, the present disclosure offers the electrical socket assembly 102 having the plurality of contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 placed flat on the support surface 210-1 of the housing member. Each of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 may include the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 and the plurality of bending portions 408 extending from the planar elements 406-1, 406-2. The opening 404-1 may be defined between the opposite ends 405, 407 of the first planar element 406-1 and the second element 406-2. The opening 404-1 may allow maximum radial movement of the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 when the electrical pin is inserted within the opening 409 of the receiving portion 404. This ensures that the electrical pins having different dimensional characteristics can be inserted within the receiving portion 404 without damaging the electrical pin or the planar contact element 214- 1. Further, based on a size of the opening, the restoring force may be applied on the electrical pin by the first planar element 406-1 and the second planar element 406-2. This ensures that optimal electrical contact is formed between the contact element 214-1 and the electrical pin of the electrical plug 100. Further, the housing member 210 may include the plurality of regulating members 504 adapted to restrict planar movement of the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 beyond the predefined radial distance R. This ensures that the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 should not expand beyond an optimal limit and thereby, maintain the overall structural integrity of the planar contact element 214-1 when the electrical pin is inserted in the longitudinal slot 304-1 through the receiving portion 404. Further, this ensures that the planar elements 406-1, 406-2 resiliently contracts to an initial position when the electrical pin is removed from the longitudinal slot 304-1. Such constructional aspect of the housing member 210 results in a substantial increase in the overall service life of the planar contact elements 406-1, 406-2.

The plurality of bending portion 408 may be adapted to be in electrical contact with the electrical pins of the electrical plug 100. Each of the plurality of bending portions 408 may include the curved portion 410 and the flat portion 412. Further, the flat portion 412 may be substantially perpendicular to one of the planar elements 406-1, 406-2. Owing to such constructional aspects of the plurality of contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3, each of the plurality of bending portions 408 may be adapted to form a linear contact with the electrical pin of the electrical plug 100. Further, this results in the linear contact with optimal pressure required for conducting electrical current from the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 to the electrical pins. Furthermore, an overall amount of material employed in manufacturing of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 is substantially less compared to the conventional contact elements and therefore, reducing the overall weight and the manufacturing cost of the electrical socket assembly 102. Also, the overall design complexity of the contact elements 214-1, 214-2, 214-3 may be substantially less than the conventional contact elements. Therefore, the electrical socket assembly 102 of the present disclosure is safe, risk-free, flexible in implementation, cost-effective, compact, convenient, and operationally effective.

While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.