Receptacle with shaped surface

Abstract

The instant invention discloses a receptacle where the surface of the face along its width is flat in one plane and along its length has a constant radius. The shape of the face of the receptacle allows for the proper seating of an inserted plug. The receptacle is adapter to be located in a wall plate having a vertical axis of positive first differential and zero second differential, comprised of a combination of splines drawn between points of varying distance from a datum plane and zero second differential when the rate of height increase of individual splines is constant. The receptacle can be placed next to a switch, the front face of which follows the shape of the wall plate.

1. A duplex receptacle having a mounting strap with first and second outwardly projecting ends for mounting within a wall box comprising:
 an alignment plate having a centrally located opening sized to be positioned around the receptacle and having alignment pins for engaging the mounting strap; 
 a clip coupled to each outwardly projecting end of said mounting strap having first and second apertures located in tandem along a center line of the projecting ends and back from an end of the outwardly projecting end, each first aperture having inwardly projecting yieldable members to form openings for receiving and holding captive said alignment pins on said alignment plate when said receptacle is positioned within said centrally located opening in said alignment plate and each second aperture is a clearance opening for receiving a threaded fastener for coupling said receptacle and said alignment plate to a wall box; 
 said receptacle having a rectangular body and a top surface; 
 openings for receiving ground prongs, neutral blades and phase blades of a first and a second plug located in the top surface of said rectangular body; 
 said openings for said prong and blades of said first plug are at a first end of said top surface; 
 said openings for said prong and blades of said second plug are at a second end of said top surface; 
 said neutral and phase blade openings for said first and second plugs are disposed along a pair of parallel lines which extend along the length of the top surface of the receptacle, one on each side of said ground prong openings; 
 the profile of the top surface of the receptacle along the pair of parallel lines has a convex curvature with a substantially constant radius; and 
 the profile of the top surface of the receptacle across its width and transverse to the pair of parallel lines is substantially flat. 
 
     
     
       2. The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein the convex surface along the length of the face of the receptacle has a constant radius that is greater than ten inches. 
     
     
       3. The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein the convex surface along the length of the face of the receptacle has a constant radius that is greater than ten inches and less than forty inches. 
     
     
       4. The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein the convex surface along the length of the face of the receptacle has a constant radius that is greater than twenty inches an less than thirty five inches. 
     
     
       5. The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein the convex surface along the length of the face of the receptacle has a constant radius of between thirty and thirty one inches.