Tamper resistant assembly for an electrical receptacle

A tamper resistant assembly for an electrical receptacle, comprising:

• a base member having first and second side walls extending forwardly from a rear wall;
• first and second grooves in said first side wall of said base member and third and fourth grooves in said second side wall, each said groove having a first portion and a second portion connected to said first portion, said first portion being substantially perpendicular to said rear wall of said base member and said second portion forming an obtuse angle with said first portion;
• a shutter member slidably and pivotally connected to said base member for movement between open and closed positions;
• and
• first and second protrusions extending outwardly from said shutter member and being slidably and pivotally received in said first and second grooves in said base member and third and fourth protrusions extending outwardly from said shutter member and being slidably and pivotally received in said third and fourth grooves,
• wherein said protrusions are disposed in said first portions of said grooves when said shutter member is in said closed position and preventing lateral sliding of said shutter member to prevent insertion of a foreign object past said shutter member and in said second portions when said shutter member is in said open position by allowing lateral sliding of said shutter member, said first portions preventing lateral movement of said shutter member and allowing pivoting movement of said shutter member to positions preventing insertion of the foreign object past said shutter member.

An electrical receptacle, comprising:

• a front cover;
• a back housing secured to said front cover;
• a tamper resistant assembly disposed between the front cover and the back housing, including
• a base member having first and second side walls extending forwardly from a rear wall;
• first and second grooves in said first side wall of said base member and third and fourth grooves in said second side wall, each said groove having a first portion and a second portion connected to said first portion, said first portion being substantially perpendicular to said rear wall of said base member and said second portion forming an obtuse angle with said first portion;
• a shutter member slidably and pivotally connected to said base member for movement between open and closed positions;
• and
• first and second protrusions extending outwardly from said shutter member and being slidably and pivotally received in said first and second grooves in said base member and third and fourth protrusions extending outwardly from said shutter member and being slidably and pivotally received in said third and fourth grooves,
• wherein said protrusions are disposed in said first portions of said grooves when said shutter member is in said closed position and preventing lateral sliding of said shutter member to prevent insertion of a foreign object past said shutter member and in said second portions when said shutter member is in said open position by allowing lateral sliding of said shutter member, said first portions preventing lateral movement of said shutter member and allowing pivoting movement of said shutter member to positions preventing insertion of the foreign object past said shutter member.