Enlarged wall switch plate

• US 5,900,584 A
• Filed: 05/06/1997
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Faces On The Wall, LLC
• Original Assignee: Faces On The Wall, LLC
• Inventors: Cady, James L., Brady, Philip O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waks, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US08/853,611
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 220/241, 220/242, 200/332, 200/332.1, 200/339
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 23/141 provided with extensions, e.g. for actuation by a child

Abstract

An enlarged cover plate assembly is used with a conventional electrical wall switch having a rotatable rocker arm within a mounting bracket with threaded mounting holes with a spacing for conventional cover plates. An enlarged cover plate has an area substantially greater than the area of the wall switch and has a front surface forming a decorative surface and a back surface facing the wall switch. The cover plate further defines an aperture connecting the front and back surfaces and having a length less than the distance between the mounting holes. The enlarged cover plate is attached to the switch mounting bracket. Two flanges extend between the back surface of the enlarged cover plate and the wall switch and are oriented so that the rocker arm moves parallel with the flanges. A rocker arm extension toggle has a first actuating portion that is accessible from the front surface of the enlarged cover plate and a second engaging portion that has a cavity therein for loosely engaging the wall switch rocker arm so that the toggle moves through a greater angle than the switch rocker arm as the toggle rotates to actuate the switch rocker arm. The toggle engages the flanges to define rotation of the toggle within the enlarged plate and within the length of the aperture.

Claims

1. An enlarged cover plate assembly with use with a conventional electrical wall switch having a rotatable rocker arm within a mounting bracket with threaded mounting holes with a spacing for conventional cover plates, comprising:

an enlarged cover plate having an area substantially greater than an area of said wall switch and having a front surface forming a decorative surface and a back surface facing said wall switch, and further defining an aperture connecting said front and back surfaces having a length less than a distance between said mounting holes;

means for attaching said enlarged cover plate to said mounting bracket;

two flanges extending between said back surface of said enlarged cover plate and said wall switch and oriented so that said rocker arm moves parallel with said flanges; and

a rocker arm extension toggle having a first actuating portion that is accessible from said front surface of said enlarged cover plate, a second engaging portion having a cavity therein for loosely engaging said wall switch rocker arm;

wherein said flanges define arcuate grooves therein and said toggle defines raised portions thereon that engage said arcuate grooves for arcuate sliding movement of said raised portions within said grooves as said toggle rotates.

2. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 1, wherein said means for attaching said enlarged cover plate to said mounting bracket is a wall plate fixed to said wall switch.

3. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 2, wherein said flanges depend from said wall plate toward said back surface of said cover plate.

4. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 2, further including a toggle mounting fixture having a base plate for mounting on said wall plate and two flanges depending from said base plate for guiding rotation of said rocker arm extension toggle.

5. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 2 further including a face plate configured to removably engage said cover plate to provide decorative enhancements above said cover plate.

6. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 5, wherein said face plate and said cover plate define mating components that snap together to removably attach said face plate to said cover plate.

7. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 1 further including a face plate configured to removably engage said cover plate to provide decorative enhancements above said cover plate.

8. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 7, wherein said face plate and said cover plate define mating components that snap together to removably attach said face plate to said cover plate.

9. An enlarged cover plate assembly with use with a conventional electrical wall switch having a rotatable rocker arm within a mounting bracket with threaded mounting holes with a spacing for conventional cover plates, comprising:

an enlarged cover plate having an area substantially greater than an area of said wall switch and having a front surface forming a decorative surface and a back surface facing said wall switch, and further defining an aperture connecting said front and back surfaces having a length less than a distance between said mounting holes;

means for attaching said enlarged cover plate to said mounting bracket;

two flanges extending between said back surface of said enlarged cover plate and said wall switch and oriented so that said rocker arm moves parallel with said flanges; and

a rocker arm extension toggle having a first actuating portion that is accessible from said front surface of said enlarged cover plate, a second engaging portion having a cavity therein for loosely engaging said wall switch rocker arm so that said toggle moves through a greater angle than said switch rocker arm as said toggle rotates to actuate said switch rocker arm;

wherein said toggle defines arcuate grooves therein and said flanges define raised portions thereon that engage said arcuate grooves for arcuate sliding movement of said raised portions within said grooves as said toggle rotates through said greater angle than said switch rocker arm.

10. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 9, wherein said means for attaching said enlarged cover plate to said mounting bracket is a wall plate fixed to said wall switch.

11. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 10, wherein said flanges depend from said wall plate toward said back surface of said cover plate.

12. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 10, further including a toggle mounting fixture having a base plate for mounting on said wall plate and two flanges depending from said base plate for guiding rotation of said rocker arm extension toggle.

13. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 10 further including a face plate configured to removably engage said cover plate to provide decorative enhancements above said cover plate.

14. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 13, wherein said face plate and said cover plate define mating components that snap together to removably attach said face plate to said cover plate.

15. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 9 further including a face plate configured to removably engage said cover plate to provide decorative enhancements above said cover plate.

16. An enlarged cover plate assembly according to claim 15, wherein said face plate and said cover plate define mating components that snap together to removably attach said face plate to said cover plate.