Electrical adaptor having a temperature indicator

Abstract

An electrical adaptor comprising a housing. A male electrical plug comprises a prong extending from the housing and is configured as a standard 120-volt male plug. The prong comprises a distal tip, and the distal tip forms an end to the male electrical plug. A female socket is electrically connected to the male electrical plug and comprises an electrical contact positioned in the housing. The female socket is configured to receive a standard 120-volt male plug. The electrical contact comprises a distal tip, and the distal tip forms an end to the female socket. At least one thermal indicator circuit is electrically connected to the male electrical plug and the female socket and is electrically positioned between an end of the male plug and an end of the female socket. The thermal indicator circuit is configured to actuate an alarm upon detecting a temperature at or above a threshold temperature without interrupting electrical flow between the male electrical plug and the female socket.

The claimed invention is: 
     
         1 . An electrical adapter comprising:
 a male electrical plug;   a female socket electrically connected to the male electrical plug; and   at least one thermal indicator circuit electrically connected to the male electrical plug and the female socket and electrically positioned between an end of the male plug and an end of the female socket, the thermal indicator circuit configured to actuate an alarm upon detecting a temperature at or above a threshold temperature without interrupting electrical flow between the male electrical plug and the female socket.   
     
     
         2 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1 , further comprising two or more male electrical plugs and two or more corresponding female sockets, each female sock being electrically connected with one of the male electrical plugs providing a one-to-one correspondence between male electrical plugs and female sockets. 
     
     
         3 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is a light source. 
     
     
         4 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 3 , wherein the indicator is a light emitting diode. 
     
     
         5 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is an audible alarm. 
     
     
         6 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal indicator circuit includes a thermal switch. 
     
     
         7 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 6 , wherein the thermal switch comprises a thermistor. 
     
     
         8 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1  wherein the male electrical plug and female socket form at least part of an electrical path and the thermal indicator is electrically connected to the electrical path proximal to the male electrical plug. 
     
     
         9 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1  wherein the male electrical plug and female socket form at least part of an electrical path and the thermal indicator is electrically connected to the electrical path proximal to the female socket. 
     
     
         10 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1  wherein the male electrical plug and female socket form at least part of an electrical path and the thermal indicator is electrically connected to the electrical path at a location between the male electrical plug and the female socket. 
     
     
         11 . The electrical adapter of  claim 1  wherein the male electrical plug is directly connected to the female socket. 
     
     
         12 . The electrical adaptor of  claim 1  further comprising an electrically conductive wire connected between the male electrical plug and the female socket. 
     
     
         13 . The electrical adapter of  claim 1  wherein the male electrical plug is configured as a standard 120-volt male plug and the female socket configured to receive a standard 120-volt male electrical plug. 
     
     
         14 . The electrical adapter of  claim 13  wherein the male plug comprises three prongs and the female socket comprises three contacts. 
     
     
         15 . The electrical adapter of  claim 13  wherein:
 the male plug comprises a prong having a distal tip, the distal tip of the prong forming the end of the male plug; and 
 the female socket comprises an electrical contact having a distal tip, the distal tip of the electrical contact forming the end of the female socket. 
 
     
     
         16 . The electrical adapter of  claim 1  further comprising a housing, the male electrical plug having at least two prongs projecting from the housing and the female socket having at least two electrical contacts positioned within the housing. 
     
     
         17 . An electrical adaptor comprising:
 a housing;   a male electrical plug, the male electrical plug comprising a prong extending from the housing and being configured as a standard 120-volt male plug, the prong comprising a distal tip, the distal tip forming an end to the male electrical plug;   a female socket electrically connected to the male electrical plug, the female socket comprising an electrical contact positioned in the housing, the female socket configured to receive a standard 120-volt male plug, the electrical contact comprising a distal tip, the distal tip forming an end to the female socket; and   at least one thermal indicator circuit electrically connected to the male electrical plug and the female socket and electrically positioned between an end of the male plug and an end of the female socket, the thermal indicator circuit configured to actuate an alarm upon detecting a temperature at or above a threshold temperature without interrupting electrical flow between the male electrical plug and the female socket.