Abstract:
The present disclosure is a wall plate with a multiple flexible member covered opening. A wall plate with a multiple flexible member covered opening may allow for multiple types of wires to run through the same wall box and wall plate. Wall plate may be designed to directly attach to a standard single gang wall box for an easy installation. Wall plate may include multiple flexible members that may allow cables to enter and exit through the flexible members while covering an opening defined by a frame of the wall plate to provide a finished appearance.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure generally relates to the field of cable management, and more particularly to a wall plate with a multiple flexible member covered opening. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    With the recent surge in flat panel televisions, more and more people are moving towards replacement of conventional televisions with flat panel televisions. This has also led to a huge demand for mounting these televisions directly on the wall. Unfortunately, these flat panel televisions still require multiple wires connected from various components, such as a digital video disk (DVD) player, game player, cable box and the like to the television. 
         [0003]    The wires may be run outside the wall, however; this is visually unappealing. While there are many wall plates available for specific types of wires, the use of multiple wall plates for each type of wire is burdensome. Additionally, a wire raceway may guide wires from the various components to one another, but is aesthetically unappealing as there will be a structure running between the components. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure is directed to a wall plate with a multiple flexible member covered opening. A wall plate with a multiple flexible member covered opening may allow for multiple types of wires to run through the same wall box and wall plate. The wall plate may be designed to directly attach to a standard single gang wall box for easy installation. Wall plate may include multiple flexible members that may allow wires and cables to enter and exit through the flexible members while covering an opening defined by a frame of the wall plate to provide a finished appearance. 
         [0005]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not necessarily restrictive of the present disclosure. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate subject matter of the disclosure. Together, the descriptions and the drawings serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The numerous advantages of the disclosure may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating a wall plate in accordance with an embodiment; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front view illustrating a wall plate in accordance with an alternative embodiment; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front view illustrating a wall plate in accordance with a second alternative embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a front view illustrating a wall plate  100  in accordance with an embodiment is shown. Wall plate  100  may include a frame  110  and may include a first collection of flexible members  120  and a second collection of flexible members  130 . Frame  110  may be constructed of a rigid material, such as plastic, steel and the like. Frame  110  may represent a rectangular shape with four exterior sides and four interior sides. 
         [0012]    It is contemplated that wall plate  100  may be operable with a standard gang wall box. For example, frame  110  may include apertures  140 ,  150  for attachment of the wall plate to the wall box. In an embodiment, apertures may be placed 3¼ inches apart to correlate with a standard wall box. It is contemplated that wall plate may be manufactured according to various dimensions and specifications. For example, wall plate may be manufactured to cover a double gang wall box. It is further contemplated that wall plate may also be presented in ornamental designs and shapes rather than a conventional rectangular design. 
         [0013]    A first collection of flexible members  120  may comprise a plurality of flexible members. Flexible members of the first collection of flexible members may be elongated, and may comprise a first end  122  and a second end  124 . Each flexible member of the first collection of flexible members may be coupled to a first interior side  160  of the frame  110  at the first end of the flexible members. A second collection of flexible members  130  may comprise a plurality of flexible members. Flexible members of the second collection of flexible members may also be elongated, and may comprise a first end  132  and a second end  134 . Each flexible member of the second collection of flexible members  130  may be coupled at the first end  132  to a second interior side  170  of the frame  110 . 
         [0014]    Flexible members may include a flexible material, such as plastic, foam, cloth and the like. Wall plate  100  may provide maximum flexibility in a minimal amount of space. Wall plate  100  may provide flexibility regarding the types of wires required for a given installation, both now and in the future. For example, RCA, HDMI, speaker, component, and S-video cables could all run through the same opening of wall plate  100 . If a new standard is developed in the future, those types of cables may also be run through wall plate  100 . 
         [0015]    The first collection of flexible members and second collection of flexible members may allow cables to enter and exit through wall plate  100 . Wall plate  100  may provide a finished appearance. For example, flexible members may be provided in different colors to match a frame color, or a color of a wall. For example, white flexible members may be employed with a white frame, but black flexible members may be employed with a stainless steel frame. 
         [0016]    It is contemplated that wall plate  100  may comprise multiple layers of collections of flexible members. For example, a first layer of collections of flexible members may be oriented in a first direction and a second layer of collections of flexible members may be oriented in a perpendicular direction to the first direction. Multiple layers of flexible members may provide maximum coverage of the opening of the wall plate opening without impeding the entry or exit of the wires to and from wall plate  100 . 
         [0017]    It is contemplated that collections of flexible members may be oriented within the frame of a wall plate in a variety of fashions. As shown in  FIG. 1 , wall plate  100  may include a first collection of flexible members may be coupled to a first interior side (e.g. a left side) while the second collection of flexible members may be coupled to a second interior side (e.g. a right side). Referring to  FIG. 2 , a front view illustrating a wall plate in accordance with an alternative embodiment is shown. Wall plate of  FIG. 2  may include a first collection of flexible members may be coupled to a first interior side  210  (e.g. a top side) while the second collection of flexible members may be coupled to a second interior side  220  (e.g. a bottom side). 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a front view illustrating a wall plate in accordance with a second alternative embodiment is shown. Wall plate may include a frame and four collections of flexible members whereby a first collection of flexible members is coupled to a top side  310 , a second collection is coupled to a bottom side  320 , and the third and four collections of flexible members are coupled to a mid-level frame portion  330 . It is further contemplated that other orientations of collections of flexible members may be employed by those with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and intent of the present invention. 
         [0019]    While  FIGS. 1-3  depict flexible members as generally straight and of a similar length, it is contemplated that flexible members may be constructed of various shapes, widths and lengths amongst the collections of flexible members without departing from the scope or intent of the disclosure. 
         [0020]    In the present disclosure, the methods disclosed may be implemented as sets of instructions or software readable by a device. Further, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed are examples of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the method can be rearranged while remaining within the disclosed subject matter. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented. 
         [0021]    It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosed subject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.