Reinventing the Great British Plug?

Werewolf · 18 Jun 2009 at 15:31

AcidHell2 said:
Why not, Most sockets are away from places where you could kick or knock it. And I think it would be great for items that you need to take away. If it does break you just turn the socket of and you have no issues.

Also fuses don't get hot, so I don't see why you wouldn't use it with heavier equipment.

Small chargers often use part of the space of the actual plug "footprint" for the transformers/electronics (and even then can get quite warm).
The new plug design won't work for that sort of thing, it'll mainly be of benefit to devices with a plug on a cable separate to the charger, for which there are already workable (fairly robust) alternatives (the figure 8 connector that the likes of Sony, and canon use to connect the transformer block to the mains plug, or the style divosuk posted for "on plug" transformers), or for light duty fixed appliances (where space isn't really an issue).

Glaucus · 18 Jun 2009 at 15:35

That is true. But if the plug took of, then it's possible for things to be redesigned. But with many things like this I doubt it will take off.

Blackbadger · 18 Jun 2009 at 15:44

Rubbish idea imo.. If something is not broken, don't fix it. The 3 pin UK plug type is probably the safest any country uses, which is why many other countries use it too, its very robust and safe. This concept design is so flawed in safety aspects, I think people often forget how dangerous the mains is.

If your worried about your macbook getting scratched get a case for it, or even have the sense to get a battery that enables your device to be used as a laptop.

Vulcan · 18 Jun 2009 at 16:26

Blackbadger said:
Rubbish idea imo.. If something is not broken, don't fix it.

Mobile phones from the 1980's worked.
Thermionic valves worked.
Candles worked.
Sharpened rocks on sticks worked.

Why were they replaced? Progression.

Blackbadger said:
This concept design is so flawed in safety aspects

Enlighten me....

Freefaller · 18 Jun 2009 at 16:28

I always modifiy my plugs and just put a european 2-pin on them for mobile things like laptops makes life easier. I just push the pin in with a screwdriver to open the live/neutral flaps.

however I like the design it would work well for mobile devices, but for fixed long term devices it wouldn't be robust enough IMO.

RandomTom · 18 Jun 2009 at 16:33

Just a few notes:

The website I linked to is a completely different product. Only the video applies.

The above blackberry charger is awesome, cannot complain with mine! :cool:

Raumarik · 18 Jun 2009 at 17:21

Great idea - hope they can get funding and get it into production

Surely Ikea would be keen on this!

Xee · 19 Jun 2009 at 11:11

Nice design but some what flawed:

Looks like it will overheat - specially the multi plug design.
Flimsy design, will probably break.
You can only use this plug on products it comes fitted with.

A.N.Other · 19 Jun 2009 at 11:24

I'd buy that. Since the battery on my MBP packed up, I have to carry the charger around everywhere, and I have to say it's a pita (literally) when you're being poked in the back by a 3-pin plug.

Mr Jack · 19 Jun 2009 at 11:40

Xee said:
Looks like it will overheat - specially the multi plug design.

Why would it overheat? Plugs just don't get that hot.

Flimsy design, will probably break.

I keep seeing that: I don't see why it would. Providing a decent plastic is being used it should be pretty robust.

You can only use this plug on products it comes fitted with.

It'd be easy enough to offer ones that could be wired onto an existing product; but, yes, the target market is probably OEM.

Squark · 19 Jun 2009 at 11:50

The locking clips would probably be the biggest weakness, possibly breaking over time.

Fusion · 19 Jun 2009 at 12:03

It's great that they can still function while folded, that actually would save a lot of space, but generally I think it's trying to reinvent the wheel somewhat. What we currently have works very well.

Berserker · 19 Jun 2009 at 12:41

divosuk said:
I know it's not as fancy - but still a great design I thought.

Yes, I've got a few of those (or other similar designs). Getting the 'adapters' off them can be quite a struggle though so it's maybe not as practical as it could be.

I'd be worried about the cover opening while the plug was inserted. I didn't see anything that prevented that and if that happened there might be a risk of exposed live parts. Not good.

As for overheating, I wouldn't want to use that sort of plug for high current devices, but you're not really going to be carrying around a washing machine, microwave or vacuum cleaner in a backpack, are you? It would be of benefit mainly to portable devices, which are almost always low current.

The idea of wiring multiple devices into one socket is very far from new. For example:

http://www.focusdiy.co.uk/TV-and-Au...-Socket-Individually-Switched-13A/invt/210626

so how can it be 'unsafe'?

There was even a mini-plug system around in the 90s (based on an adapter system rather than folding plugs). I've got one here but sadly my Google-fu is failing me and I can't find a picture of it.

G-MAN2004 · 15 Sep 2009 at 18:53

Whilst impressive, I have better things to worry about than the minuscule amount of space lost from a plug.

EDIT: Damn, holy thread revival Batman!

Sankari · 15 Sep 2009 at 19:34

If this kid thinks the UK plug is "the world's largest", he's obviously never seen Australian plugs. They don't even lie flat, and it's a nightmare to make them fit behind furniture:

The horror! The horror! :eek:

British plugs are so much easier to work with.

Tefal said:
where's the fuse go?

Why would you need one? We don't have fuses in Australian plugs, and we get along just fine.

Tonyator · 15 Sep 2009 at 19:42

Those sockets look worried....

Dark_Angel · 15 Sep 2009 at 19:47

That is really really nice.

I wonder how long it will be before this becomes standard.

jak731 · 15 Sep 2009 at 19:52

Tonyator said:
Those sockets look worried....

They remind me of the scream painting.

mctiny · 15 Sep 2009 at 19:53

This idea is great for travllers in particular, I would certainly have a few of this plugs and even travel adapters could be made a lot smaller with this design.

Ross1234 said:
if we switch to these, how do transformers fit in? We would still need big sockets for them.

Why do they need to fit in? why not just start redesigning them into the same "flat design".

or companies could just change the layout of them.

Out here in brazil we use 2 (flat/round) pin plugs for almost everything, devices that require 3 pins have a simple design (a 2pin plug with a third pin added smaller layout to the UK plug) so in fact it's jsut a little bigger than the standard 2 pin plug.

Also most sockets here are of modular design and each modal is the same sizefor you can have up to 6 2 or 3 pin sockets or switches in one single location, whereas in the UK you generally only have 2 sockets in one location.

mctiny · 15 Sep 2009 at 19:56

Evangelion said:
If this kid thinks the UK plug is "the world's largest", he's obviously never seen Australian plugs. They don't even lie flat, and it's a nightmare to make them fit behind furniture:

The horror! The horror! British plugs are so much easier to work with.

Why would you need one? We don't have fuses in Australian plugs, and we get along just fine.

We have these sockets in Brazil (minus the switches though) for Air-Con and high powered devices.