GB2562761A

GB2562761A - A levelling device

Info

Publication number: GB2562761A
Application number: GB1708318.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edwards Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-05-24
Filing date: 2017-05-24
Publication date: 2018-11-28
Also published as: GB201708318D0

Abstract

A levelling device comprising a plug configured to be received in an electrical power socket, the plug comprising at least two pins 5, each pin being configured to be received within a respective hole in the socket. The plug also comprising a spirit level 1 configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the plug about an axis substantially parallel to the pins. The levelling device may also comprise a socket tester which may include first and second LEDs 7 configured to indicate the operational state of their respective holes in the socket. The first and second LEDs on the socket tester may reflect the physical locations of the pins on the plug. The levelling device may further comprise a second spirit level disposed on the plug configured to indicate the orientation of the plug about an axis substantially at right angles the at least two pins. A method of use is also claimed.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: A levelling device Abstract Title: Levelling device (57) A levelling device comprising a plug configured to be received in an electrical power socket, the plug comprising at least two pins 5, each pin being configured to be received within a respective hole in the socket. The plug also comprising a spirit level 1 configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the plug about an axis substantially parallel to the pins. The levelling device may also comprise a socket tester which may include first and second LEDs 7 configured to indicate the operational state of their respective holes in the socket. The first and second LEDs on the socket tester may reflect the physical locations of the pins on the plug. The levelling device may further comprise a second spirit level disposed on the plug configured to indicate the orientation of the plug about an axis substantially at right angles the at least two pins. A method of use is also claimed.

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A LEVELLING DEVICE

The present invention relates generally to a levelling device and a method of ensuring correct placement of an electrical socket and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in installation of electrical sockets by electricians.

In new builds and/or refurbishments of commercial and domestic property, it is necessary for electricians to secure electrical sockets in place on walls. For aesthetic reasons, it is desirable that the sockets are positioned on the wall to be substantially level. Such electrical sockets often include at least one flat edge, which is intended to extend substantially horizontally. Typically, an electrician may align the socket by eye, for instance making the flat edge parallel to a floor, skirting board, or other structure that is assumed to be level (but which may not be). Alternatively, an electrician may choose to balance a spirit level on the straight edge of the socket, to ensure the socket is level, before securing the socket to the wall. This can be difficult to achieve, as an electrician may need to hold a screw, screw driver, the socket and a spirit level throughout the operation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a levelling device, comprising: a plug configured to be received in an electrical power socket, the plug comprising at least two pins, each pin configured to be received within a respective hole in the socket; and a spirit level disposed on the plug and configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the plug about an axis substantially parallel to the at least two pins.

In this way, the inclination of the socket on the plane of a wall to which it is affixed may be determined.

The pins may comprise male electrical contacts, and/or blades. The holes may comprise female electrical contacts, and/or slots.

The or each pin may be configured to engage with a respective contact of the socket, disposed within a respective hole. For instance the engagement may be mechanical and/or electrical engagement. In particular, the engagement may be exclusively mechanical (i.e. not electrical); for instance, the pins may be made from a substantially non-conductive, e.g. insulation, material.

The levelling device may comprise an accessory that is unable to modify an electrical output from the socket. The levelling device may comprise an accessory that is able to modify an electrical output from the socket. The levelling device may comprise an accessory that is merely able to disconnect the electrical output from the socket, for instance with a switch and/or fuse.

The levelling device may comprise direct plug-in electrical equipment, for instance in which the at least two pins form an integral part of the direct plug-in electrical equipment such that the equipment is mechanically supported by the socket. The direct plug-in electrical equipment may comprise at socket tester.

The levelling device may comprise a socket tester.

The socket tester may comprise at least one LED for indicating an operational state of the socket to which the plug is connectable, when connected thereto.

The socket tester may comprise at least two LEDs, each of the at least two LEDs configured to indicate an operational state of a respective one of a plurality of electrical contacts of the socket into which a respective one of the at least two pins is in receivable, when received therein.

The socket tester may comprise a first LED associated with a first one of the at least two pins, for indicating an operational state of a first hole in a socket into which the pin is receivable, when received therein; and a second LED associated with a second one of the at least two pins, for indicating an operational state of a second hole in the socket into which the pin is receivable, when received therein.

Arrangement of the first and second LEDs on the socket tester reflect the physical location of the pins on the plug.

The levelling device may further comprise a second spirit level disposed on the plug and configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the plug about an axis substantially at right angles to the at least two pins.

In this way, the inclination of the socket to the plane of a wall to which it is affixed may be determined.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of ensuring correct placement of an electrical socket, the method comprising the steps of: providing the levelling device of any preceding claim; inserting each of the at least two pins into respective holes in the socket; adjusting alignment of the socket such that the spirit level indicates that the levelling device is level; and securing the socket in position.

The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a levelling device.

Figure 2 is a front plan view of the levelling device of figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear plan view of the levelling device of figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side plan view of the levelling device of figure 1.

The present invention will be described with respect to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are nondimiting. Each drawing may not include all of the features of the invention and therefore should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

It is to be noticed that the term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.

Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term “connected”, used in the description, should not be interpreted as being restricted to direct connections only. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device A connected to a device B” should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means. “Connected” may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or electrical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other. For instance, wireless connectivity is contemplated.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “an aspect” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one embodiment or aspect of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in an aspect” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or aspect, but may refer to different embodiments or aspects. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments or aspects.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the description various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Moreover, the description of any individual drawing or aspect should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The use of the term “at least one” may mean only one in certain circumstances.

The principles of the invention will now be described by a detailed description of at least one drawing relating to exemplary features of the invention. It is clear that other arrangements can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a levelling device comprising a spirit level 1 encased within a two-part housing 3, such that it is visible to a user. On the side of the housing 3 to the spirit level 1 are provided three electrical pins 5 for engagement with corresponding holes in an electrical socket. Three LEDs 7 are also provided for indicating an operational state of each one of the sockets into which the electrical pins 5 are inserted. The LEDs 7 are also encased within the two-part housing 3, such that they are visible to a user. The circuitry for controlling activation of the LEDs is not shown, for clarity.

In particular, the bottom left LED is configured to show the operational state of the bottom left pin, the bottom right LED is configured to show the operational state of the bottom right pin, and the top LED is configured to show the operational state of the top pin.

The plug shown is a compatible with the BS 1363 (Type G) plug socket used in the United Kingdom, amongst other countries; however, other plug layouts are envisaged without loss of generality to the invention, for instance layouts having only two pins, or having different shape pins.

Figure 2 is a front plan view of the levelling device of figure 1 location of the spirit level 1 and the LEDs 7 within the housing 3.

Figure 3 is a rear plan view of the levelling device of figure 1 location of the three electrical pins 5 on the housing 3.

Figure 4 is a side plan view of the levelling device of figure 1 showing the showing the showing the respective locations of the electrical pins 5 and the LEDs 7 on the housing 3.

Claims

1. A levelling device, comprising:

a plug configured to be received in an electrical power socket, the plug comprising at least two pins, each pin configured to be received within a respective hole in the socket;

a spirit level disposed on the plug and configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the plug about an axis substantially parallel to the at least two pins.

2. The levelling device of claim 1, further comprising a socket tester.

3. The levelling device of claim 2, wherein the socket tester comprises:

a first LED associated with a first one of the at least two pins, for indicating an operational state of a first hole in a socket into which the pin is receivable, when received therein; and a second LED associated with a second one of the at least two pins, for indicating an operational state of a second hole in the socket into which the pin is receivable, when received therein.

4. The levelling device of claim 3, wherein arrangement of the first and second LEDs on the socket tester reflect the physical location of the pins on the plug.

5. The levelling device of any preceding claim, further comprising a second spirit level disposed on the plug and configured to indicate a rotational orientation of the plug about an axis substantially at right angles to the at least two pins.

6. A method of ensuring correct placement of an electrical socket, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the levelling device of any preceding claim;

inserting each of the at least two pins into respective holes in the socket; adjusting alignment of the socket such that the spirit level indicates that the levelling device is level; and securing the socket in position.

Intellectual

Property Office

Application No: GB1708318.9 Examiner: Mr Tom Smith