Schuko earthing plug
Enchufe con toma de tierra Schuko
- Date
- 1926 · confidence high
- Place
- Lauingen, Bavaria, Germany
- Credited to
- Albert Büttner (Bayerische Elektrozubehör)
- Field
- Matter & energy
What it is
A plug and socket with two round pins and two lateral earth contacts, reversible and with a large contact area. It became the German standard and, with variants, that of much of Europe.
The name comes from Schutzkontakt ('protective contact'); the patent dates from 1926 and it became a German standard in the following decade.
What it led to
- the CEE 7/4 and 7/7 standard (the Europlug family)
- safety for class I appliances
- spread of earthing in household wiring