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US 4,228,317 AGranted
Protective face plate for an electrical outlet
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorNorbert Cziment
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorNorbert Cziment
Estimating the term…
A face plate for an electrical outlet which provides a safety covering for the socket receptacles. The face plate includes a base member which has an outer shell that can be positioned over the electrical outlet. A recessed compartment is located within the outer shell. A bottom wall of the recessed compartment has a pair of socket openings which can be aligned with a duplex socket receptacle of the electrical outlet. A removable insert member is snap-fit into the recessed compartment, and in conjunction with the outer shell forms a flush surface. The insert member includes a pair of covers which can be selectively opened in order to uncover each one of the socket openings. Cooperating portions on the base member and the insert member securely retain the insert member in the recessed compartment. Both the base member and the insert member are symmetrically formed so as to be reversably positionable with respect to each other.
A face plate for an electrical outlet, said face plate comprising a base member having an outer shell adapted to be positioned over the electrical outlet, a recessed compartment provided within said outer shell and including a bottom wall having a pair of socket openings for alignment with a duplex socket receptacle disposed within the electrical outlet, a removable insert member received in said recessed compartment over said socket openings and providing in cooperation with said outer shell a substantially flush surface, said insert member having a pair of covers, each of said covers being selectively openable to uncover a respective one of said socket openings disposed therebeneath, cooperating securing means on said base member and said insert member for securely retaining said insert member in said recessed compartment, said base and insert members each being symmetrically structured so as to be reversibly positionable with respect to each other, said insert member including central connecting bar means through upright sections lying in a common plane with said connecting bar means, said upright sections opposedly extending perpendicularly from ends of said connecting bar means, integral hinges forwardly extending from said upright sections, each cover being coupled to a respective one of said integral hinges, whereby said covers can swing outwardly from said connecting bar means in opposing directions from each other.
A face plate for an electrical outlet, said face plate comprising a base member having an outer shell adapted to be positioned over the electrical outlet, a recessed compartment provided within said outer shell and including a bottom wall having a pair of socket openings for alignment with a duplex socket receptacle disposed within the electrical outlet, a removable insert member received in said recessed compartment over said socket openings and providing in cooperation with said outer shell a substantially flush surface, said insert member having a pair of covers, each of said covers being selectively openable to uncover a respective one of said socket openings disposed therebeneath, cooperating securing means on said base member and said insert member for securely retaining said insert member in said recessed compartment, said base and insert members each being symmetrically structured so as to be reversibly positionable with respect to each other, said outer shell including a forward wall of substantially rectangular shape, a rearwardly directed peripheral flange provided around said forward wall, and said recessed compartment including rearwardly extending side walls interconnecting said bottom wall and said forward wall, said cooperating securing means including bars spaced from said side walls and extending outwardly from a front surface of said bottom wall to define channels with said side walls, said insert member including transverse connecting bar means having forwardly extending integral hinges respectively interconnecting said covers and said connecting bar means, and said integral hinges having a thickness dimensioned to be tightly received in said channels.
A face plate for an electrical outlet, said face plate comprising a base member having an outer shell adapted to be positioned over the electrical outlet, a recessed compartment provided within said outer shell and including a bottom wall having a pair of socket openings for alignment with a duplex socket receptacle disposed within the electrical outlet, a removable insert member received in said recessed compartment over said socket openings and providing in cooperation with said outer shell a substantially flush surface, said insert member having a pair of covers, each of said covers being selectively openable to uncover a respective one of said socket openings disposed therebeneath, cooperating securing means on said base member and said insert member for securely retaining said insert member in said recessed compartment, said base and insert members each being symmetrically structured so as to be reversibly positionable with respect to each other, said outer shell including a forward wall of substantially rectangular shape, a rearwardly directed peripheral flange provided around said forward wall, and said recessed compartment including rearwardly extending side walls interconnecting said bottom wall with said forward wall, projections outwardly extending from a periphery of said insert member, and apertures provided in said side walls for matingly engaging said projections, whereby said insert member can snap into said recessed compartment with said projections locking into said apertures, said apertures extending upwardly from said bottom wall through said side walls and tapering inwardly in an upward direction and terminating in spaced relationship with said forward wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
Means for preventing access to live contacts: shutter or cover plate
Electrically-conductive connections
Term ended 13 Nov 1998 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates to face plates for electrical outlets, and more particularly to a face plate including safety protection means which normally cover the socket receptacles of the electrical outlet.
Electrical outlets are generally placed throughout a building whereby electrical apparatus can be interconnected to the main electrical power lines. The electrical outlets typically include socket receptacles, generally of the duplex socket receptacle type, which are placed in an electrical box through which the wires are connected. In order to cover the electrical box and prevent access to the wires, a face plate is generally positioned over the electrical outlet. The face plate is usually shaped to cover the electrical box and overlap onto the adjacent wall to provide a decorative finish to the outlet. Openings are provided in the face plate in alignment with the socket receptacles, so that a plug can easily be inserted into any one of the socket receptacles. Typically, the face plates are provided with decorations to permit blending of the face plate into the surrounding decor of the wall covering.
Although the typical face plate prevents access to the wires in the electrical box, the socket receptacles themselves are uncovered and provide an attractive nuisance to children and other individuals, and thus may cause great harm. Because of the easy access to the electrical socket receptacles, a child can insert a piece of metal into the openings in the socket receptacles, and may be severly harmed. Also, even adults may accidentally push against the socket receptacles with a piece of metal and accidentally cause a short circuit or a fire by such accidental encounter with the socket receptacles.
With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described by way of example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the face plate showing the base member and the removable insert member according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the face plate showing the covers of the insert member in their closed position;
Referring now to the drawings, the face plate 10 of the present invention is shown to include two separable sections, which are a base member, shown generally at 12, and a removable insert member, shown generally at 14. The base member is formed as an outer shell of substantially rectangular configuration having a forward wall 16 and a rearwardly directed peripheral flange 18. The size of the outer shell is such as to permit the base member to be placed over an electrical outlet so that it covers the electrical box and overlies the adjacent wall area thereby closing and protecting entrance into the electrical box. A recessed compartment is disposed within the outer shell and includes a base or bottom wall 20. The side walls 22 and 24 interconnect the bottom wall 20 with the forward wall 16 along the side portions. There are also provided an upper end wall 26 and a lower end wall 28 also interconnecting the rear wall 20 with the forward wall 16 along its upper and lower end portions. The upper and lower end walls 26, 28 are each formed in an arcuate shape with side shoulders 30. However, the shape may be modified to accommodate other configurations for aesthetic value.
The bottom wall 20 has a pair of socket openings 32, 34 vertically aligned with each other and symmetric about a transverse center line. The socket openings 32, 34 are positioned to be in alignment with a duplex socket receptacle contained in the electrical outlet. Located centrally of the bottom wall 20 and spaced between the two socket openings is a clearance hole 36 for use in mounting the base member 12 over the outlet.
Across opposite end portions of the bottom wall 20 are raised shelves 38 extending transversely across the arcuate sections 26, 28 of the upper and lower interconnecting end walls. On each raised shelf 38, adjacent the arcuate sections 26, 28, is a support member 40, shown in FIGS. 1, and 3-6 as an integral step positioned at the edge of the arcuate sections 26, 28. The support members 40 are laterally spaced apart from each other and are symmetrical at the upper and lower ends of the base member 12. Additional support members 41, having a semi-circular shape, extend outwardly from the side walls 22, 24 and upwardly from the bottom wall 20. Preferably, there is one support member 41 on each side wall 22, 24. The top surfaces of the support members 40 and 41 are in the same plane which is spaced below the forward wall 16.