IEC 60320 - Application

Application

Detachable appliance couplers are used in office equipment, in measuring instruments, in IT environments and in medical devices, among many other types of equipment for worldwide distribution. Each appliance's power system must be adapted to the different plugs used in different regions. An appliance with a permanently-attached plug intended for use in one country cannot be readily sold in another country using an incompatible wall socket. This requires keeping track of variations throughout the life cycle of the product from assembly and testing through to shipping and repairs.

Since a country-specific power supply cord can be included in the product packaging, model variations are minimized and factory testing is simplified. Wiring of a supply cord can be eliminated in some cases, where an inlet can be mounted on an appliance's printed circuit board. Assembly and handling of an appliance is made easier if the power cord can be easily removed.

Appliances can be easily used in another country, with a simple change of the power supply cord including a connector and a country-specific power plug. When the power supply cord is damaged, it can be replaced easily, because it is a standardized part that can simply be unplugged and re-inserted. Safety hazards, maintenance expenditure and repairs are thus minimized.