Protective electrical outlet cover

• US 5,912,432 A
• Filed: 01/22/1997
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ieshea L. Thomas
• Original Assignee: Ieshea L. Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, Ieshea L.
• Primary Examiner(s): REICHARD, DEAN ALAN
• Application Number:
  US09/010,746
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 220/3.8, 220/241, 220/242, 439/144, 439/142, 361/118, 292/202, 292/210, 292/281, 292/285
• US Class Current: 174/67
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

A PROTECTIVE ELECTRICAL OUTLET COVER for helping prevent electrical cords from being pulled from an electrical outlet. The device includes a base plate having a pair of receptacle openings for aligning adjacent the electrical receptacles of an electrical outlet. A cover box is hingedly coupled at one of its end walls of its perimeter wall to one of the end edges of the base plate to permit pivoting of the cover box between an open position and a closed position in relation to the base plate. When in the closed position, the base plate substantially covers the cover box interior space. Another of the end walls of the cover box perimeter wall is detachably coupled to another of the end edges of the base plate when the cover box is positioned in the closed position. Additionally, through each side wall of the cover box perimeter wall are a pair of spaced apart cord slots designed for permitting extension of an electrical cord therethrough.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet protective cover, comprising:

a base plate having front and back surfaces, a pair of opposite end edges and a pair of opposite side edges being extended between said end edges, said back surface being for abutting an electrical outlet, said base plate having a pair of receptacle openings, said receptacle openings being for aligning adjacent electrical receptacles of an electrical outlet;

a cover box having a front plate, and a perimeter wall, said front plate having front and back surfaces, said perimeter wall of said cover box being extended around an outer perimeter of said front plate outwardly from said back surface of said front plate to define a cover box interior space;

said perimeter wall having a terminal edge, said perimeter wall including a pair opposite side walls, and a pair of opposite end walls, each of said side walls having a pair of spaced apart cord slots being extended from said terminal edge of said perimeter wall towards said front plate to a point immediately adjacent said front plate, each said cord slot being for permitting extension of an electrical cord therethrough;

one of said end walls of said cover box perimeter wall being hingedly coupled to one of said end edges of said base plate, said cover box being pivotable between an open position and a closed position in relation to said base plate, said base plate substantially covering said cover box interior space when said cover box is positioned in said closed position, said back surface of said cover box front plate facing said front surface of said base plate when said cover box is positioned in said closed position, said other of said end walls of said cover box perimeter wall being detachably coupled to the other of said end edges of said base plate when said cover box is positioned in said closed position; and

an electrical surge protector device having at least one pair of insertion blades for inserting into an electrical outlet, said electrical surge protector device being positioned adjacent said front surface of said base plate, said pair of insertion blades being inserted through said one of said receptacle openings of said base plate, said electrical surge protector device being disposed within said cover box interior space when said cover box is positioned in said closed position, wherein outlets of the surge protector are in electrical communication with the insertion blades and positioned in perpendicular relationship therewith, wherein a pair of laterally spaced indicator lights are positioned on a face of the surge protector device on which the outlets are positioned and further situated above the outlets;

wherein one of the side walls of the perimeter wall of the cover box has a substantially rectangular window positioned above the slots for viewing the indicator lights on the surge protector.