US4733017A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical outlet cover plate
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1986-12-03
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Granted: 1988-03-22
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Expires: 2006-12-03
Abstract
Abstract A safety improvement in cover plates for electrical outlets. A cover plate for electrical outlets having sets of a spring-loaded sliding traverse plates which shift to open and close electrical wall outlets used in residential, commercial, and industrial locations. The sliding spring-loaded traverse plates being positioned between sets of tracks which are laterally parallel to outlet holes located in the cover plate, and each traverse plate having a hole which may be manually positioned to be in line with outlet holes located in the cover plate. When holes in the traverse plates and the cover plates are in line, the prongs of male terminals may be inserted into the female recepticle. When the male terminal is removed from the female recepticle, the traverse plates automatically spring into a closed positions thereby shielding the said female recepticle, which thereby prevents a child from being electricuted by sticking a small metal object into female electrical outlets.
Inventors
- 👤 Sherry J. Wolfe-Taylor
- 👤 Donald B. Keys
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 12:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/44; H01R13/447
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A cover plate having means for covering electrical outlets of the standard type used in residential, commercial and industrial locations, said cover plate including a pair of shutters for each outlet of said standard type electrical outlets, each shutter of said pair being spring-loaded and having an access hole located therein, each shutter of said pair including an independent-positioning lever to shift said shutter, said shutter access holes when shifted being alignable with each other and also with a corresponding access hole located in said cover plate, there being one outlet of said standard type electrical outlets exposed for each said pair of shutters shifted into such alignment, thereby allowing the insertion of an electrical-plug terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A cover plate having means for covering electrical outlets of the standard type used in residential, commercial and industrial locations, said cover plate including a pair of shutters for each outlet of said standard type electrical outlets, each shutter of said pair being spring-loaded and having an access hole located therein, each shutter of said pair including an independent-positioning lever to shift said shutter, said shutter access holes when shifted being alignable with each other and also with a corresponding access hole located in said cover plate, there being one outlet of said standard type electrical outlets exposed for each said pair of shutters shifted into such alignment, thereby allowing the insertion of an electrical-plug terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
236 words
A cover plate for electrical outlets having standard outlet holes located therein, and said cover plate having sets of two independent laterally-shifting traverse plates underlining each said outlet hole and said traverse plates being flatly positioned one over the other in independent sets of guides being aligned with and laterally parallel to the said outlet holes located in said cover plate, said guides serves to contain and limit the independent movements of each said traverse plate to lateral reciprocating movements across said outlet access holes located in said cover plate, each traverse plate having an opening being the same shape and size and being laterally aligned with the outlet holes located in the said cover plate and said lateral movements of said traverse plates at certain points positioning said openings in each set of independent and laterally-shifting traverse plate to be in line with said outlet holes located in said cover plate and thereby exposing electrical outlet for insertion of electrical plug and into said outlet, the said inserted electrical plug forcing said traverse plates to remain in said aligned positions exposing said electrical outlet, when said electrical plug is extracted from said outlet, the said traverse plates, by springs, being simultaneously pulled laterally into positions whereby solid areas of said traverse plates are positioned under each said outlet access hole and thereby shielding each said outlet with a set of two independently shifting traverse plates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
236 words
A cover plate for electrical outlets having standard outlet holes located therein, and said cover plate having sets of two independent laterally-shifting traverse plates underlining each said outlet hole and said traverse plates being flatly positioned one over the other in independent sets of guides being aligned with and laterally parallel to the said outlet holes located in said cover plate, said guides serves to contain and limit the independent movements of each said traverse plate to lateral reciprocating movements across said outlet access holes located in said cover plate, each traverse plate having an opening being the same shape and size and being laterally aligned with the outlet holes located in the said cover plate and said lateral movements of said traverse plates at certain points positioning said openings in each set of independent and laterally-shifting traverse plate to be in line with said outlet holes located in said cover plate and thereby exposing electrical outlet for insertion of electrical plug and into said outlet, the said inserted electrical plug forcing said traverse plates to remain in said aligned positions exposing said electrical outlet, when said electrical plug is extracted from said outlet, the said traverse plates, by springs, being simultaneously pulled laterally into positions whereby solid areas of said traverse plates are positioned under each said outlet access hole and thereby shielding each said outlet with a set of two independently shifting traverse plates.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-22 | 1991-09-21 | 1992-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-22 | 1995-09-21 | 1996-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-22 | 1999-09-21 | 2000-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |