Safety cover for dual electrical wall mounted outlets

• US 6,545,218 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Issued: 04/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald J. Blaess
• Original Assignee: Donald J. Blaess
• Inventors: Blaess, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/145,437
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 174/67, 174/66, 174/53, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.8, 220/3.2, 439/135, 439/195, 439/137, 439/145, 439/136
• US Class Current: 174/67
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/4532 Rotating shutter
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

A safety cover for a dual electrical wall mounted outlet has a base plate with apertures that register with dual electrical wall mounted outlets. A pair of covers are pivotally located to cover the outlets. Resilient members such as elastic bands are provided to yieldingly hold the covers over the outlets. Slideable operating rods or elements are mounted for movement towards each other with one of the elements each being connected to one each of the covers so that when the separate operating elements are simultaneously moved towards each other, the covers will pivot away from the apertures to expose the outlets. The outer ends of the slideably mounted members are spaced apart sufficiently to prevent a small child from using the thumb and fingers of one hand to move the slideable members towards each other to disarm the safety cover.

Claims

1. A safety cover for dual electrical wall mounted outlets, comprising,

a base plate having apertures for registering with dual electrical wall mounted outlets,

a pair of covers pivotally mounted on the base plate and covering the outlets;

resilient means connecting the covers and the plate to yieldingly hold the covers over the outlets,

separate operating elements connected to the base plate for movement towards each other with each of the elements each being connected to one of the covers so that when the separate operating elements are simultaneously moved towards each other, the covers will pivot away from the apertures to expose outlets aligned with the apertures, and

wherein the operating elements are elongated slidably mounted members having outer ends extending between and beyond opposite sides of the base plate.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a cover plate having apertures that register with the apertures in the base plate extends over the base plate and is attachable thereto.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein a pair of elongated slots are in the cover to receive and longitudinally guide longitudinal movement of the operating elements.

4. A safety cover for dual electrical wall mounted outlets, comprising,

a base plate having apertures for registering with dual electrical wall mounted outlets,

a pair of covers pivotally mounted on the base plate and covering the outlets;

resilient means connecting the covers and the plate to yieldingly hold the covers over the outlets,

separate operating elements connected to the base plate for movement towards each other with each of the elements each being connected to one of the covers so that when the separate operating elements are simultaneously moved towards each other, the covers will pivot away from the apertures to expose outlets aligned with the apertures,

wherein the operating elements are elongated slidably mounted members having outer ends extending between and beyond opposite sides of the base plate;

flexible filaments each connected by one end to one of the covers and extending to connection with one of the slidably mounted members, and being connected to the respective covers at a location offset from the pivotal mounting of the covers to the base plate so that tension on the filaments in a direction away from the covers will cause the covers to pivot on the base plate in a direction away from the apertures, the other ends of the filaments being connected to one of the slidably mounted members so that when the members are simultaneously moved towards each other, the members will pull on the filament to pivot the covers away from the apertures.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the filaments are normally in a slacked condition, but move to a taut condition when the slidably mounted members are simultaneously moved towards each other.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the other ends of the filaments are each fixedly secured to one of the slideable members, and wherein the other ends move in a longitudinal direction towards each other when the slideably mounted members are moved towards each other, whereby the filaments secured to each slideable member impinges on protrusions on the other slideable member, whereby the filaments are drawn to a taut condition.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the protrusions on the slideable members move in a longitudinal direction towards each other to accelerate tensioning of the filaments to the taut condition.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the protrusions and the other ends of the filaments are located such that longitudinal movement of only one of the slideable mounted members will be insufficient to fully remove the slack from the filaments so as to exert sufficient tension thereon to pivot the covers from the apertures.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein the outer ends of the slideably mounted members are in excess of three inches apart to prevent a young child from simultaneously engaging the outer ends between the child'"'"'s thumb and any one of the child'"'"'s fingers on one hand.