International Appliance Manufacturing 2008 - (Page 74) Light the way | THE ‘HOLE’ IDEA | A plug is a plug is a plug, unless it is more than that. In the case of one plug, it became a company’s symbol of innovation. The Assist Plug from Australia-based Breville was first developed in 1987 and soon became a company symbol that was incorporated into the kitchen appliance manufacturer’s business cards and stationary. Developed first for the Australian market and now in use around the world on every Breville appliance sold, the Assist Plug features a finger “pull” to make pulling the plug easier for the user. Its development came as a response to consumer complaints about the difficulty of removing the plugs. Richard Hoare, Breville’s Innovation Director, Housewares International, says that the company felt there had to be a better way and began R&D work on a cost-effective solution. What they developed was simple and elegant. The Australian plug had a vertical loop that needed to be behind the pins (blades). This meant designing an inner chassis to direct the wires below the loop, Hoare says. When it came time to export the design, other considerations came to the fore. For instance, the Assist Plug for North America required a different design. In this case, the loop is horizontal and the wires pass through either side of the loop. The design also needs to accommodate two and three pin plugs as well as several sizes of cord. Hoare says that the challenge was to design a plug with an adequate finger hole size, with enough room for the wires, without being too large for standard socket requirements. Manufacturing and cost constraints also created limits to the design. “We needed a design that could be made in high volume at the right cost so we could afford to use it on every appliance, he adds. The design process started with simple mockups to test ergonomics and progressed to 3D CAD models that were used to create rapid prototypes for further testing. The shape and size of the hole required considerable tuning and refinement, he says and that process began using anthropometric data — data that refers to measuring body parts to better understand physical variations — on the range of sizes of human fingers. Hoare says that numerous tests were performed using people with various finger sizes. The company determined that the hole needed to accommodate the finger to between the first and second knuckle. The initial hole size was determined and the plug underwent more testing by people with myriad finger sizes and then the hole was shaped for comfort. Since the success of the Assist Plug, the company has used the concept of a loop for improved grip in many other applications, including a better way to remove a blender lid and kettle lid, and as a way to move a hot espresso steam wand. “We thought there had to be a better way,” says Hoare. “Since its release we have received many letters from consumers praising the Assist Plug for its ease of use. I have spoken to a consumer who said his wife couldn’t plug and unplug the cooking appliances she needed to use without his help. Now with the Assist Plug she can cook when he’s out of the house.” Plug suppliers can customize and personalize their products in many different ways ranging from embossing to having colored plugs and cords to match a particular design need. They can be packaged differently or tagged with various labels. Lighted plugs are also a relatively new innovation. Quail and Volex both offer a lighted plug or connector. Made from clear PVC, when the plug is lit, it indicates a live circuit that with one look will ensure that power is getting to the outlet and to the product. This could be important in cases of power surges that may knock out the power. In addition, it helps make the outlet or power strip easier to find in dark work areas or behind equipment or office furniture. Volex’s lighted plug, the AEC30 is a 5-15P plug with clear PVC compound encasing the wiring and a standard bulb or optional neon bulbs or bulbs in different colors. Quail’s lighted products utilize LED illumination. In the cases of appliances that may be vulnerable to EMI/RFI issues, cables can be shielded with foil wrap and plugs can be fitted with ferrite beads. These beads are an iron core component that are attached around a power cord at either end of the cord to help filter EMI/RFI. Conductive Cable offers the CP-24 light duty, EMC filtered plug with a maximum 15 A and 125V. Cords are basically big antennas, as Ruppert calls them, and they can pick up interference directly from the wall outlet, or from the surrounding environment as the power travels between the outlet and the equipment. The result is dirty power, that is, power carrying unwanted and undesirable signals along for the ride. Carbonel says that there was one medical application where this was an important consideration in patient health. The product sent an electrical pulse meant to stimulate tissue and heal wounds, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. The electrical energy was being affected by EMI/RFI and creating dirty power. After a ferrite bead was added to the power cord, the unit began to operate properly. “It is amazing that such a small characteristic could affect the outcome of a product,” he says. “But, it did.” 74 International Appliance Manufacturing 2008
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