BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cover apparatus for electrical outlets, including electrical sockets, switches and other electrical devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cover apparatus mountable to a conventional wall-mounted electrical outlet with safety features for preventing access to the electric outlet by an infant or small child.

Description of the Related Art

There have been many accidents that happen when small children accidentally insert objects into electrical outlets thus resulting in electrical shock. Most homes have the electrical outlets that are uncovered and readily visible to children, which may cause a child to insert an object into the openings, many times with serious consequences. The most common way of protecting children against accidental contact with electrical outlets is by the use of childproof plastic covers. The cover must be removed and set aside before the electrical outlet can be used. For one, the cover is cumbersome to insert and remove, and further it can still be removed by children with some force and/or easily lost or become a choking hazard.

An alternative to plastic covers is tamper resistant electrical outlets. Tamper resistant outlets have slidable outlet blocks that sit behind the front face of the electrical device and move to an open position when an electrical plug is properly inserted. However, when another object or the plug is improperly inserted, the blocks prevent the object from contacting the electrified portions of the outlet. The tamper resistant electrical outlet although effective, has a number of disadvantages, including that it is cumbersome to operate and involves difficult installation that may require a professional electrician.

Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus to cover an existing wall-mounted electrical outlet, and prevent access to the electric outlet by an infant or small child by incorporating sufficient and effective safety features therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cover apparatus which can be easily closed and opened between locked position and unlocked position to provide an effortless access to the electrical outlet.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a cover apparatus with a child safety feature to prevent access to the electrical outlet by an infant or small child.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a cover apparatus in which a cover door may be retracted when desired, to provide unrestricted access to the electrical outlet housed therein.

It is further an object of the invention to provide a cover apparatus which can be mounted flushed to or recessed into the wall creating an esthetic look.

The present invention meets these objects by providing the cover apparatus with a child safety latch which can only be disengaged by inserting a standard electrical plug; a spring clip which automatically locks a cover door to housing of the cover apparatus upon closing the cover door and unlocks the cover door by a simple press in order to open the cover door; a slidable cover door which can be pushed towards rearward of housing to be retracted into the wall in order to be hiding from plain view; and a recess in the housing for flushing the cover apparatus against the wall.

According to one presently preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a child-resistant cover apparatus for an electrical device in a wall comprising a housing, a cover door and a child safety latch. The housing surrounds the electrical outlet, and includes a planar baseplate having one or more openings therein for receiving the electrical device and a frame engaging the outer edges of the baseplate. The cover door is attached to the frame in a manner that permits the door to be selectively moved from an open position wherein the electrical device is exposed, and a closed position wherein the electrical device is covered by the cover door. The child safety latch is located proximate to an edge of the cover door and comprises a latch member disposed in an opening in the cover door. The latch member is selectively movable from a first unlocked position wherein a lip of the latch member is retracted into the opening in the cover door, and a second locked position wherein the lip is extended beyond the edge of the cover door and engages a slot in the frame of the housing. The cover door includes a plurality of elongated openings in an outer surface thereof. The elongated openings are in the area of the opening in the cover thereby exposing the latch member to the exterior of the cover door through the elongated openings.

The plurality of elongated openings may preferably comprise two elongated openings arranged in parallel a distance apart corresponding to a distance between contact pins of a type A electrical plug. A latch retainer may be fixed to the edge the cover door, with the lip of the latch member extending through a slot in the latch retainer. The latch retainer may include hooked members which may engage with apertures formed in the cover door to fix the latch retainer in the cover door. The latch member may be biased such that the lip of the latch member projects from the slot in the latch retainer in a resting position. The latch member may further include a pair of elongate grooves aligned with the elongate openings in the cover door.

The housing may be partially recessed in the wall, or it may be mounted flush with the wall.

The cover door may include a hinge at one end thereof to permit rotation of the cover door about said hinge from the open position to the closed position. A casing extending rearward of the housing in a direction generally perpendicular to the base plate and into a cavity of the wall may be provided. The casing may include a slot configured to slidably receive the cover door therein when the cover door is in a fully-open position.

According to an alternative aspect of the invention, the frame of the housing includes a pair of grooves in opposing walls thereof and wherein opposing edges of said cover door are slidably positioned in said grooves. Stops are positioned in each groove near an end thereof to prevent the cover door from being separated from the housing.

The present invention also contemplates a method for opening a child-resistant cover apparatus for an electrical device. First, a pair of flat live contact pins from an electrical plug are inserted through a corresponding pair of elongate openings in a front face of a cover door, which is attached to a frame of a housing of the cover apparatus in a manner that permits the door to be selectively moved from an open position wherein the electrical device is exposed, and a closed position wherein the electrical device is covered by said cover door. Second, the pair of flat live contact pins engage with a corresponding pair of elongate grooves formed in a latch member of the cover apparatus. The latch member may be disposed in an opening in the cover door and having a lip that extends beyond the edge of the cover door and engages a slot in the frame of said housing. Third, lateral pressure is applied to the electrical plug thereby forcing the latch member to move in a direction wherein the lip is withdrawn into the opening in the cover door and disengages the slot in the frame housing. Lastly, the cover door is moved to an open position wherein the electrical device is exposed.

The step of moving the cover door to an open position may comprise sliding the cover door sideways in grooves located in opposing walls of the frame of the housing. The cover door may be slid until projections in the cover door come into contact with stops positioned in the opposing grooves.

Alternatively, the step of moving the cover door to an open position may comprise rotating the cover door about a hinge at one end until the cover door is substantially perpendicular to the housing. The cover door may then be slid into a slot of a casing extending rearward of the housing in a direction generally perpendicular to the base plate and into a cavity of the wall.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a review of the following drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

