US 11,450,997 B1Granted

Functional indoor electrical wall outlet cover

AssigneeSocket Solutions, LLC

InventorMichael George Insalaco

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An indoor electrical wall outlet cover permitting full functional use of a two-plug or duplex electrical wall outlet while fully concealing the plug contact openings of the outlet. The cover has two functional electrical plugs that insert respectively into the two receptacles in the outlet and are respectively connected to two extended electrical cords having at their distal ends one or more functional electrical receptacles or a direct connection to a small appliance or electronic device for indirect use of the wall outlet. The electrical cords can extend outward from the cover in the same or different directions and from the same or different sides of the cover. The functional electrical plugs have electrical connection pins that are bent at an angle enabling the cover to function without extending any significant degree outward of the wall outlet. In one embodiment, the cover can also hide the outlet from view.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An apparatus for hiding a standard indoor electrical duplex wall outlet having a first receptacle and a second receptacle while affording continued use of both of said receptacles, the apparatus comprising:

a. a cover having a top side, bottom side, left side and a right side, and a front and a back comprising:
(i) a frontplate;
(ii) a backplate comprising a first set of electrical prongs including a hot prong, a neutral prong, and optionally a ground prong, positioned to correspond to the first receptacle of the wall outlet;
and a second set of electrical prongs including a hot prong, a neutral prong, and optionally a ground prong, positioned to correspond to the second receptacle of the wall outlet;
and
b. a first electrical cord extending from the backplate, or the cover, said first electrical cord comprising at the cord's proximal end:
at least one hot pin, at least one neutral pin and optionally a ground wire positioned on or fastened or attached to the backplate of the cover in such manner as to minimize distance between the frontplate and the backplate, and respectively connected to or associated with the first set of electrical prongs including a hot prong, neutral prong and any ground prong on the exterior of the backplate, and comprising at the cord's distal end at least one receptacle;
c. a second electrical cord extending from the backplate, or the cover, said second electrical cord comprising at the cord's proximal end:
at least one hot pin, at least one neutral pin and optionally a ground wire positioned on or fastened or attached to the backplate of the cover in such manner as to minimize distance between the frontplate and the backplate, and respectively connected to or associated with the second set of electrical prongs including a hot prong, neutral prong and any ground prong on the exterior of the backplate, and comprising at the cord's distal end at least one receptacle or preparation for direct connection to a small appliance or electronic device;
wherein the first set of electrical prongs and the second set of electrical prongs are positioned one with respect to the other so as not to interfere with the function of one or the other, and so as not to add bulk to the cover;
and
wherein the first electrical cord and the second electrical cord can extend from the backplate or cover at the same or different sides of the cover and in the same or different directions.

9 more elements

A functional indoor electrical wall outlet cover for hiding a standard indoor electrical duplex wall outlet having a first receptacle and a second receptacle while affording continued use of said first and second receptacles, the apparatus comprising:

a. a frontplate of the cover;
b. a backplate of the cover comprising:
(i) a first set of electrical prongs including a first hot prong, a first neutral prong, and a first ground prong, positioned to correspond to a first receptacle of the wall outlet;
and
(ii) a second set of electrical prongs including a second hot prong, a second neutral prong, and a second ground prong, positioned to correspond to the second receptacle of the wall outlet;
c. a first electrical cord extending from the backplate or the cover, said first electrical cord comprising:
(i) at the first electrical cord's proximal end:
at least a first hot pin, at least a first neutral pin and a first ground wire positioned at right angles on the backplate of the cover in such manner as to minimize the distance between the frontplate and the backplate so that said distance does not exceed the thickness of the first electrical cord, and said first hot pin, first neutral pin and first ground wire are respectively connected to or associated with the first hot prong, first neutral prong and first ground prong on the exterior of the backplate;
(ii) at the first electrical cord's distal end:
at least one, third receptacle;
(iii) at the second electrical cord's proximal end:
at least a second hot pin, at least a second neutral pin and a second ground wire positioned at right angles on the backplate of the cover in such manner as to minimize the distance between the frontplate and the backplate so that said distance does not exceed the thickness of the second electrical cord, and said second hot pin, second neutral pin and second ground wire are respectively connected to or associated with the second hot prong, second neutral prong and second ground prong on the exterior of the backplate;
and;
(iv) at the second electrical cord's distal end:
at least one, fourth receptacle or preparation for direct connection to a small appliance or an electronic device.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/175,604Filed 12 Feb 2021
Granted: 20 Sep 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H01R 25/003
Coupling parts adapted for simultaneous co-operation with two or more identical counterparts, e.g. for distributing energy to two or more…
H01R 31/02
Coupling parts supported only by co-operation with counterpart: intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel,…
H01R 13/504
Composed of different pieces: different pieces being moulded, cemented, welded, e.g. ultrasonic welding, or swaged together
H01R 13/512
Composed of different pieces: assembled by screw or screws