Universal Plug Holder Jonathan Rajkowski Benjamin Dean Jonathan Fitzwater

Problem Statement Electrical appliance users in the US are potential victims of short circuiting, injuries, fires, and possibly death caused by the misuse or exposure of the prongs of an electrical plug by dislodging it from the electrical socket

Statement of Purpose The purpose is to create a mechanism which prevents the dislodging of a plug from an outlet

Justification Approximately 4,900 electrical fires, 3,900 injuries, 360 deaths, and the loss of $995 million occur each year The Universal Cord Holder can prevent these occurrences from happening

Survey Results 20% of survey participants were unaware that nearly 5,000 electrical fires occur each year due to plugs 100% utilize appliances with plugs on a regular basis 89% stated they have found a plug partially dislodged from the socket 71% would be willing to purchase a solution to the problem 33% would spend 6-10 dollars on this solution

Existing Solutions Patent No. 8,021,174- Cord Securing Cover for an Electrical Outlet ◦Utilizes a hinged cover over each outlet which contains a single prong that holds the plug in place when the cord is pulled

Existing Solutions (cont.) Patent No. 3,838,383- Device for Preventing Disengagement of Electrical Cord from Wall Outlet ◦A stopper is held in place next to the existing plugs on an outlet face and the cord is looped into a hole in the metal prongs which functions to keep the plug connected to the wall when the cord is pulled

Requirements/Specifications Needs to hold plug in wall when force is unintentionally put onto it Needs to be cost efficient in order to be purchased by anyone Needs to be safe and easy to use Must fit regular faceplate dimensions Must hold twenty pounds of force

Decision Matrix WEIGHT Concept 1Concept 2Concept 3Concept 4Concept 5Concept 6Concept 7Concept 8Concept 9 Specifications Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Rating Weighted Score Potential Cost Durability Ease of Use Appeal Potential Effectiveness Safety TOTAL

Top 3 Solutions Two hooks are attached to side of faceplate to hold plug in by holding cord

Top 3 Solutions (continued) Three prongs “snap” the plug into place

Top 3 Solutions (continued) Plastic clamps encase the plug and hold in into the socket

Chosen Solution

Sketches

Prototype Construction

Prototype Construction (continued)

Consumer Instruction Manual

Testing Procedure

TESTING Success

TESTING

TESTING Failure

TESTING

Test Results

Extraneous Issues Can’t hold plug lengths less than 1 ½ inches Can’t fit wire thickness of more than a half inch Hook does deform slightly (1/16 of an inch) with repeated testing at 50 lbs. of force With continuous force, faceplate pulls away from the wall

Data Analysis All but one type of wire was tested successfully when using the product Wire plug needs to be longer than 1 1/2” in order to properly work Some deformation does occur to the faceplate, but goes back to normal after a few moments Product takes 50 lbs. of force to completely break

Cost of Materials 2 hooks= one dollar Faceplate= 56 cents Cost of product should be around $5.56, yielding $4 profit per item. This costs less money than the amount the majority of the survey takers said they would pay.

Conclusion Testing was a success in finding the points at which the product works and fails It was determined that it works for almost all plugs and will remain sturdy for continual use within 50 lbs. of force If more time was allotted, product would have been altered so that the force was on the screw rather than on the faceplate Product was successful in solving problem

Gantt Chart Task Assigned to 2/15/20122/16/20122/17/20122/21/20122/22/20122/23/20122/24/20122/27/20122/28/20122/29/2012 3/1/20123/5/2012 3/6/ /9/2012 3/12/ /16/2012 3/19/ /23/2012 3/26/ /30/2012 4/9/ /13/2012 4/16/ /120/2012 4/23/ /27/2012 4/30/ /4/2012 5/7/ /11/2012 5/14/ /18/2012 5/21/ /25/2012 Possible ProblemsAll Finalize Top 3 ProblemsAll Entertainment Chair ResearchBen Rechargeable Heating Thermos ResearchJon R Anti-Unplug Socket Cover ResearchJon F Finalize ProblemAll Further Anti-Unplug Socket Cover ResearchAll Create Problem StatementAll Anti-Unplug Socket Cover Market ResearchAll Brainstorming SolutionsAll Refining Solutions (Decision Matrix)All Selecting Solution (Sketches)All Technical DrawingsAll Business Plan (Materials, Cost, Tools, Etc.)All Plan PrototypeAll Build PrototypeAll Develop Testing ProceduresAll Test PrototypeAll Improve PrototypeAll Retest PrototypeAll Determine ConclusionAll Documentation and PresentationAll

References m/tags/electricity/ m/tags/electricity/ html html