Absolutely Genius: Slide Your Plugs Into Slots Instead Of Individual Holes

9:20AM July 21, 2010 | Christina Bonnington

I can’t believe no one has thought of this until now. I will never have to rearrange my mobile phone charger plug, laptop plug and the dozen others that fight for space on a single traditional power strip ever again.

You can thank Chen Yinfeng for this innovation, called, appropriately, the Slot-Type Power Outlet. Rather than incorporating holes that you have to jam plugs into (and often, rearrange if there are more than one and they vary in shape), a swipe-in slot design is used. Now the plugs can comfortably rest next to one another, thus allowing more plugs to fit than on a regular strip.

The slots for 3-pin and 2-pin plugs are different (as shown in the pic above), but not difficult to manage. [Yanko Design]

Comments

  • lolsnarfsnarf

    July 21, 2010 at 9:53 AM

    Wonder what is blocking the slots/gaps for when they are not used.

    • Adam

      July 21, 2010 at 10:08 AM

      just use your fingers!

    • kalarr

      July 21, 2010 at 1:21 PM

      Simple: just slide in any number of those child safe socket protectors you can get at Bunnings…

  • Darius

    July 21, 2010 at 10:57 AM

    DANGER WILL ROBINSON

  • Dave Jacka

    July 21, 2010 at 12:06 PM

    What would stop you reversing the polarity??

    • ahiddenfigure

      July 21, 2010 at 12:50 PM

      More importantly, why would it matter? It is AC; the “polarity” reverses on its own 50 or 60 times a second depending on where you live.

    • Jeff

      July 21, 2010 at 1:02 PM

      It’s AC the bridge rectifier would rectify the problem ;)

    • StevoTheDevo

      July 21, 2010 at 1:04 PM

      It’s AC, there is no Polarity…

      • Ben

        July 21, 2010 at 7:02 PM

        Of course there is polarity. With a standard Australian power point the left hole is “active” (which alternates peak-peak between about -330V and +330V (240V RMS) and the right one is “neutral” which should be at 0V – both relative to ground (bottom hole).

        Some things actually wire the neutral wire onto the chassis which can be very dangerous if the polarity is reversed. I know personally of a lamp and a TV where this occurs.

        But since most things are double insulated and unpolarised these days it doesn’t matter. If it is a “universal” PSU (ie the ones that can handle 100V-240V 50-60Hz) then there is no problem.

    • StevoTheDevo

      July 21, 2010 at 1:05 PM

      Perhaps I could say the polarity reverses… 50 times per second..

      Good idea, but you wouldn’t want visitors under the age of 10!!

    • Captain Pajama Shark

      July 21, 2010 at 1:20 PM

      Apes!

    • Bernhard de Kok

      July 21, 2010 at 1:27 PM

      It’s called AC (alternating current). Only DC has the concept of positive and negative. With AC, the polarity is changing 50 times per second (50Hz) in Australia and 60Hz in the US.

      Whilst there is the concept of Active and Neutral, it is really just a convention in maintaining which side of the generator is used for grounding (maybe someone can clarify that point).

      • Sylver

        July 21, 2010 at 2:46 PM

        In your standard Australian house, you have the MEB, or main earth bridge, which connects the earth to the neutral line. It’s not vital, but it does help when testing for faults on your active, for example.

  • wha...

    July 21, 2010 at 6:30 PM

    Eventhough it is AC, you shouldn’t reverse the active and neutral lines. If the earth line becomes detached/damaged in a metal cased appliance the neutral will earth the current safely if you should touch the case. If you reverse the active and netral the case is live = shock hazard.

  • Ha

    July 21, 2010 at 6:54 PM

    But what if you had more than one/two of the plug shown up top? The cable coming out would block space anyway.

  • ZZap

    July 22, 2010 at 5:06 PM

    That slot design will never pass the Australian standards as it greatly exceeds the maximum allowable apeture size of a mains voltage adapter.

    Nice design concept (in theory) but a real product will never see the light of day.

  • beau

    July 22, 2010 at 9:48 PM

    because our pins aren’t parallel the slots are not only dangerously large but the pins only make a minute connection (at the very top and bottom of the pin) with the contacts on the inside – this would mean a larger ohmic resistance meaning voltage drop and where there is current and voltage there is heat (in this case quite considerable for medium appliances). this would be so unsafe. why don’t the sockets we already have slide on a rack system? this would also limit the total amount of appliances (according to standards)

  • nick

    August 18, 2010 at 3:58 AM

    This is nothing new they about 50 years agao they made thease not 3 prong but built in to you house but they stoped making i used to have one they are safe but they get loose after time

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