Abstract:
A wall mounted protective guard is located below a wall switch, alarm pull box station, thermostat or the like to prevent damage, inadvertent operation or actuation of the device. In the preferred embodiment the guard is a curved member located adjacent and below the device in order to receive and deflect objects that otherwise would contact the device. The guard may have a reflective feature to allow the switch or like device to be located in dark or emergency situations. The guard allows for full access to wall mounted devices by individuals having limited range of motion or disabilities.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (1) Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This disclosure pertains to a wall mounted switch guard or bumper that is located adjacent and usually below the switch or fixture it is intended to protect. The guard does not require the protected device to be disassembled for attachment and does not interfere with operation of the fixture.  
         [0003]     (2) Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Various arrangements have been used in the past to prevent inadvertent operation of wall switches and to protect them from damage. The Fleischman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,120 (1985) and the Poirier U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,944 (1982) show typical switch protectors that are in form of curved metal bars that are attached using the same connecting screws that attach the switch cover plate. Two other patents, one to Lore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,471 (1978) and one to Spacek, U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,914 (1970) show similar switch protectors that are mounted on the switch to prevent inadvertent operation or damage. While the devices shown in these patents do prevent damage to the switch and prevent its unintended operation, each device requires the switch to be dismantled for attachment of the protector.  
         [0005]     Another type of protective arrangement to prevent accidental operation of a switch is shown in two patents to Buturuga, U.S. Pat. No. 2,824,915 (1958) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,170,050 (1965). The first Buturuga patent (1958) shows a contoured switch plate having raised sections that protect the switch from unintentional operation. The second patent also shows a device like the first patent to protect the switch but additionally has latches  13 , 14  ( FIG. 1 ) and  45  ( FIG. 6   a ) that provide stops that must be manually moved before the switch can be operated. The Buturuga patents are similar to the patents discussed above in that the switch must be dismantled and the substitute switch plate attached. These patents do not suggest the structure shown in the instant disclosure.  
         [0006]     Other attempts at providing protective bumpers have been made to prevent door hardware from being damaged from carts, equipment and the like pass through the doorways. The Rittner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,372 (1978) discloses a protector bar that is to be attached to the door adjacent the door handle, lock or the like. Another such device is shown in the Gurzenda, U.S. Pat. No. 5,867,941 (1999) that shows a similar device to protect panic bars on doors. Neither of these patents discloses or suggests providing a protective device mounted on a wall away from the device to be protected in order to protect devices such as switches, thermostats, intercom stations, alarm pull boxes and the like.  
         [0007]     Yet another of common type of wall mounted device protectors are the structures shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,549 (1981) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,955,939 (1999) both to Taylor. The patents disclose clear covers that protect wall mounted devices yet, unlike the disclosure shown herein, must be moved, i.e. by pivoting about hinges or by sliding in a bracket attached to the wall, before the protected device can be reached to operate.  
         [0008]     The guard shown in the present disclosure, on the contrary, departs from the direction suggested by these patents that show attaching the protective device to the switch, or over the device to be protected. The wall guard shown herein goes in a totally different direction to solve the same type problem by placing a different type device at a different location. The guard of this invention does not require either attachment to the protected device or covering of the device to achieve the same result. Similarly, the door mounted protective bars deal only with movable doors and door hardware and do not suggest any application, modification or adaptation to fixed walls to protect wall mounted fixtures. The guard shown herein is fully compliant with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) that suggests that wall mounted devices such as the guard disclosed with this invention do not extend any more that four inches from the supporting wall. By not extending more that four inches from any wall there is little danger that the protective guard will form an obstruction for visually impaired persons.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The instant disclosure pertains to protective devices or so-called wall guards that are used to protect wall switches, alarm pull boxes, thermostats, intercom stations, push button controls and the like that protrude from a wall. More specifically, the bumper shown herein is made of a formed piece of metal, plastic, or even rubber, wood or the like and is easily attached to the wall and functions without dismantling the protected switch. The wall guard is located away from the switch and allows easy access to the protected switch, i.e. protected device, for operating, inspecting, maintaining and the like. A modified version is manufactured of a softer, shock absorbing material that may be in the form of a coating on the rigid version or a complete formed piece of resilient, soft material such as low density polyethylene that is easy to clean.  
         [0010]     In operation, the switch guard or bumper is a piece of metal or plastic that is formed into a shape to allow part of the bumper to extend away from the surface on which it is attached at least a minimum distance corresponding to the depth of the device to be protected whether it be an alarm, switch, thermostat and the like. The guard is usually mounted below the device to be protected; however, it may be located above in certain applications. Similarly, the guard may be split in half and located on each side of the protected device. The usual fasteners may be used to securely attach the device. The formed part of the bumper may have a curve or bar like ramp structure that provides a ramp or cam like portion that must extend a distance from the wall sufficient to protect the associated device. Thus, the outer surface of the bumper will provide a strike plate to deflect objects and thereby prevent damage to the adjacent device whether it be a switch, alarm pull station, intercom or the like. In mounting the guard away from and not integral with the switch, locating and operating the switch are not impaired or prevented. Also, the wall guard may be installed by maintenance personnel and does not require an electrician for its installation.  
         [0011]     It is thus a purpose or object of the present invention to provide an improved wall protector device in the form of a bumper that is easily attached adjacent to the associated switch or other wall mounted device and does not require the switch to be dismantled or reconfigured.  
         [0012]     Another object of the invention is to provide a switch protector in the form of a flat piece of material that is curved to form a spring like device that is held in place with conventional fasteners.  
         [0013]     It is another object of the invention to provide a contoured bar that is attached to a wall adjacent a switch in such a fashion to protect the switch from damage.  
         [0014]     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a switch bumper that has a reflective surface to aid in location of the switch under poor light or emergency situations.  
         [0015]     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a wall mounted guard for switches and the like that can be provided in two parts.  
         [0016]     These and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art with reference to the following description, drawings and appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the flat plate type of bumper;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a section view taken along lines  2 - 2  of  FIG.1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a section view taken along lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a section view taken along lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a modified form of the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is another modified form of the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a cross section view taken along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is another modified form of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  is a cross section view taken along lines  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 .;  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  is yet another version of the invention showing a two piece unit; and,  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  is another modified, two piece form of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIG. 1  there is shown a guard or bumper  10  attached adjacent a switch  12  with both attached to a common wall  14 . The switch  12  in this illustration is a fire alarm pull box as it is called. Although the term switch or fixture is used throughout it is to be understood that the protective device of this invention will protect any wall mounted device that protrudes from a wall and is subject to inadvertent actuation or damage by passing objects or persons. The guard  10  provides a generally curved body  16  and a pair of attaching tabs  18  having a pair of openings  20 . Fasteners  22  are positioned in the usual fashion in openings  20  and attached to the wall  14 . Access holes  24  may be provided to allow a screwdriver or other tightening tool to have easy access to the fasteners  22  for tightening and removal.  
         [0029]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the curvature of the bumper  10  must provide a space “d” that is at least the depth, or greater, of the fixture to be protected  12 . With such a dimension, any object that contacts the bumper  10  will be guided away from the wall  14  and along the curved body  16 . Such guiding action provided by the bumper  10  prevents the fixture from being actuated, as in the case of a wall switch, or from being damaged as in the case of a wall mounted thermostat.  
         [0030]     A trim piece or rim  28  may be attached to the upper and lower edges to provide a decorative effect and a smooth edge. The rims may also be turned over as designated by the numeral  30  in  FIG. 4  to provide a round surface that not only provides a smooth edge but also stiffens bumper  10  and increases its spring effect.  
         [0031]     The surface of the guard  10  may include a reflective surface provided by a tape  32  or by a reflector member  34 ,  FIGS. 4-5 , to increase visibility and allow an associated switch  12  to be more easily located. For example, it is suggested that when a number of guards  10  are installed that each be located in the same area below the protected switch device  12 . It is recommended that the guard  10  be centered with the center of the switch  12  and that the top rim be within one foot from the bottom of the switch  12 . By attaching each guard  10  in a designated and known location it will be easy to find the switch  12  in the dark, through smoke, or when otherwise not clearly visible. Also, as shown in  FIG. 5 , words  36  such as alarm, lights, fan, intercom or identifying symbols could be attached to the guard  10 . The purpose of using the guard  10  with such words or symbols is that it has a larger area than the device it protects. It would be impractical and self defeating to place words or symbols on a small device since the required small letters or indicia would be difficult to read and thus meaningless.  
         [0032]     It is contemplated that guard  10  will be approximately eight inches wide and five inches high. The material is suggested as  14  gauge stainless steel that provides the desired flexibility and strength. Such dimensions allow the guard  10  to be adapted to protect a variety of wall mounted fixtures that may extend varying amounts from the supporting all  14 . Also, such a product provides the necessary spring effect that stiffens the sheet and adequately resists bumps and impact when it is fastened in place. It is also contemplated that a plastic material may be utilized that may be clear and attached in the same or similar fashion as the steel sheet without disrupting the aesthetics of the wall area. However, sheet type construction is suggested but not required for practicing the invention since it may be convenient or economical to manufacture the wall protector as an assembly of pieces, as a molded part or extruded piece and not in sheet form.  
         [0033]     One outstanding feature of the guard  10  is that its installation and use does depend in any fashion upon the device to be protected. In other words, unlike the prior art, the guard  10  is not attached by dismantling and/or using any of the fasteners or attaching screws of the device it protects. The manner of installation simply involves installing suitable fasteners in the particular wall at a distance apart that will allow the attaching tabs  16  to be spaced apart a sufficient distance to allow the curved body  16  to be spaced from wall  14  a sufficient distance to deflect objects far enough from the wall to prevent contact with the switch  10  or other device to be protected.  
         [0034]     Other versions of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 6-9  that disclose bar type members that are manufactured as solid pieces as opposed to the flexible, sheet type member discussed above. The bar  38  shown in  FIG. 6  is held in place by fasteners  22  and provides cam or ramp type sections  39  that guide objects outwardly from the wall  14 , across the connector  40  and thus prevent contact with the protected device. The cross section shown in  FIG. 7  shows a hollow bar; however, a solid bar or any other suitable contour could be utilized to provide the required strength to guide objects away from the wall and protected fixture  12 .  
         [0035]     The guard device  42  depicted in  FIG. 9  is similar to the device of  FIG. 6  with only a change in geometric features wherein the bar is curved rather than a composite of straight pieces that makes up the guard of  FIG. 6 . The usual fasteners  22  attach the guard  10  to the wall  14 . Once again the modified version  42  is located below and extends the width of the switch  12 . Like the versions disclosed in  FIGS. 1-9  the preferred location is below switch  12  and extends beyond the furthest point the switch  12  extends from wall  14 .  
         [0036]      FIGS. 10-11  show yet another modified form of the invention wherein the single unit disclosed and described above is split in two with each half  43  located alongside the protected device.  FIG. 10  shows the protected devicel 2  mounted to a wall  14 . Along each side of the device  12  are mounted protector sections  43 . Each section  43  has a mounting section  44  for attaching to wall  14 . A leg section  46  extends from the wall  14  a distance corresponding to the distance the wall mounted device  12  extends from wall  14 . Extending between and connecting sections  44 ,  46  is a curved or deflector portion  48 .  
         [0037]     Similarly, the bar type guard  50  shown in  FIG. 11  is a two piece version of the devices shown in  FIGS. 6-9 . Wall bracket sections  52  attach the units to wall  14  and are connected to a leg section  54  that extends away from the wall  14 . The contacting portion of the guard  50  is provided by a two piece ramp or cam section  55 - 56 . Section  55  is parallel with wall  14  and is connected to sloped portion  56 .  
         [0038]     Thus it can be observed that the modified versions shown in  FIGS. 10-11  provide a structure that can be used where space or other considerations do not advise that the guard be mounted in line with the wall mounted switch, alarm pull box or the like. In such instances the invention can be used as a two piece assembly with one portion mounted on each side of the switch. One feature of the invention when used in two pieces is that there is only one piece that needs to be manufactured since it is capable of being reversed or inverted to be mounted on the left or right of the device.  
         [0039]     The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those who are skilled in the art and have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.