US 5,393,946 AGranted

Wall switch plate adaptor

OwnerHerman H. DeLaHozinventor

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a wall switch plate adaptor for use by children or the disabled to turn off and on wall switches which are located above the reach of the potential user. The wall switch plate adaptor comprises a switch plate cover that includes raised areas to the left and right of the middle opening. These raised areas of the switch plate cover are used as guides for the flared edges wing-like projections at the end of an elongated member which projects a distance below the bottom edge of the switch plate cover. The wing-like projections fit in between the raised areas to the left and right of the opening in the switch plate cover. The top of the elongated member has a box channel shaped cross-section with flared edges forming wing-like projection has an opening in the center so the toggle switch can be put through when assembled. The wing-like projections at the end of the elongated member move in the space between the raised areas in the switch plate cover and the toggle switch bracket enabling the user to turn the wall switch on and off by pushing or pulling the lower end of the elongated member.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A wall switch plate adaptor device for assisting an unabled person to have normal use of a toggle switch comprising a modified wall switch plate attachable to an existing toggle switch, said modified wall switch plate having an opening of a shape and size slightly larger than a cross section of the toggle switch and raised areas on opposite sides of the opening and an elongated member comprising an extended rod element projecting a desired distance below the bottom edge of the switch plate when assembled to the switch plate and a protruding end section of a length approximately one-half a length of the raised areas of the switch plate, said end section having a box channel shaped cross-section with a width equal to a width of the opening in the switch plate and flared edges forming wing-like projections, said end section also having an opening of a shape and size slightly larger than the cross-section of the toggle switch, whereby the toggle switch fits through the opening and is exposed for activation in a conventional manner and the wing-like projections fit behind the raised areas of the switch plate and move vertically within the space formed beneath the raised areas as the toggle switch moves up and down.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.