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I wasn't sure whether it was more appropriate to post here or rather on electronics SE, but please bear with me...

Why was the 120 VAC outlet and the pinout of the plugs shaped the way they are?

enter image description here

I thought it would be obvious to anyone working on the layout that this outlet is a depressing looking design. Other countries, for example like Denmark, have a design which is much more pleasing to look at and makes me feel like I'm having a good day. A simple modification of the design of the outlet/plugs proposed below seems to provide this same perk, without compromising functionality in any obvious way.

enter image description here

wim
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    This is done to make a kid think twice before putting anything stupid into the happy smiling outlet... – Deer Hunter May 24 '13 at 07:19
  • +1 Exactly my thought. I wonder if there are studies on how many accidents per child happen with outlets in the US versus Denmark? – David K. May 24 '13 at 07:36
  • @DKOATED - let's be frank. This was supposed to be a joke (dunno, maybe once in a blue moon a joke is true); the real problem lies with the parents, not electrical engineers - however, there are specifically kid-safe outlet designs (U.S. Patent 3990758, 1976 by Tor H. Peterson - probably a Dane :) ). – Deer Hunter May 24 '13 at 07:48
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    Still ;) ... My point is valid. I'd like to see statistics on how many accidents happen with US outlets versus Danish outlets... – David K. May 24 '13 at 08:07
  • Because they're installed upside down! Having the ground pin on the top is theoretically safer, because anything falling on a partly exposed plug will not short hot and neutral together. – Alex Feinman May 24 '13 at 14:10
  • Also, you might consider asking this on http://diy.stackexchange.com/ instead. – Alex Feinman May 24 '13 at 14:11
  • @AlexFeinman - It's not really the sort of question we accept on DIY. Though we do have one about which way up to install them - http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/8229/which-way-is-up-electric-outlet – ChrisF May 24 '13 at 15:07

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Because, more often than not, an engineer is made solely responsible for something that has a visual component. I'm sure no one considered bringing a visual or product designer into the mix when the basic structure of this interface was conceived.

For the record, I have no historical reference to back this. Just experience ;)

plainclothes
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