Protective cover for electrical wall sockets

An electrical wall plug outlet enclosure and safety device wherein a face plate is detachably mounted to the wall over the electrical wall plug outlet and in turn a generally rectangular shaped cover or box-like structure is hingedly or pivotally attached to and over the face plate to prevent touching of the prongs of an inserted electrical plug and to prevent the insertion of an object, especially a metal object, into the electrical outlet when a plug is not inserted. The face plate has a raised shoulder on all four sides and a flange receiving recess is formed in the shoulder at its lower end. Further, tabs are formed integrally on the inside of each of the two vertical shoulders near the top of the face plate and apertures are formed through the tabs and adjacent shoulders for receiving pins associated with the top of the cover for pivotably mounting the cover to the face plate. The lower end of the cover has a flange which is received in the shoulder recess for further securing the cover to the face plate. A cam surface attached to the face plate, at its upper end and at about its mid-point, cooperates with a flange of the cover for securing the cover in an open position when the cover is rotated upwardly about the pins from its closed position.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
Applicant has two co-pending applications; Ser. No. 07/910,522 filed Jul. 
8, 1992 Pat. No. 5,195,901 and, Ser. No. 07/906,488 filed Jun. 30, 1992 
Pat. No. 5,252,083 both of which are Continuation-In-part applications and 
which are for the same general subject matter as the instant invention. 
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention generally involves the field of technology pertaining 
to devices for covering an electrical wall outlet receptacle and more 
specifically, the invention relates to a combination of a face plate 
detachably mounted to a wall and over the electrical receptacle and a 
cover or box-like structure hingedly or pivotally attached to the face 
plate for covering it when an electrical appliance cord is plugged into 
the receptacle. The face plate comprises a generally rectangular planar 
surface having a raised shoulder on all four edges generally perpendicular 
to the planar surface and a flange receiving recess is formed in the 
shoulder, adjacent to the planar surface at its lower edges, tabs are 
formed integrally on the inside of each of the two vertical shoulders near 
the top of the face plate and adjacent to the planar surface. Apertures 
are formed through each of the two tabs and through the adjacent shoulders 
for receiving pins associated with the top of the cover or box-like 
structure for pivotally mounting the cover to the face plate. Vertical 
slots are formed in each tab extending downwardly from the top of the 
vertically extending shoulders and intersecting the apertures formed 
through the tabs whereby the pins of the cover are slidably received and 
then extended through the apertures. The lower end of the cover or 
box-like structure has a flange which is received in the recess formed in 
the bottom shoulder of the face plate for further securing the cover to 
the face plate. A cam surface is attached to the planar cover, at its 
upper end, at about its mid-point, which cooperates with a flange formed 
on the upper surface of the box-like cover for securing the cover in the 
opened position when it is rotated upwardly to an open position. 
Openings are provided in the cover or box-like structure through which 
electrical cords pass when an electrical appliance is plugged into the 
electrical outlet and the cover is pressed over the face plate. 
Electrical wall outlets present several significant dangers to children and 
adults alike. Electrical cords tend to become worn or frayed where they 
enter an electrical plug; an electrical plug may become partially 
disengaged from an outlet thereby exposing the prongs of the plug; or, if 
no appliance is plugged into the electrical outlet, there is the danger of 
someone, especially a child, inserting a metal object into the outlet and 
receiving a shock. 
Therefore, a need exists for a safety device which prevents against these 
dangers. 
2. 
Description of the Prior Art 
In applicant's co-pending application the Examiner has cited the following 
references as examples of other devices which provide protection against 
the inherent dangers of electrical wall outlets; Ruskin U.S. Pat. No. 
2,880,264, Hirsch U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,733, Shotey U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,906, 
Domian U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,638, Gartner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,921, 
Leong U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,063 and Bowden, Jr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 
4,505,403. 
In the Domian U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,638 a box-like cover is pivotally 
connected to a base plate or face plate by means of a lip which projects 
outwardly and generally parallel to the plane of an opening from the edge 
of the cover and which is received in a horizontal slot in the base plate. 
This is substantially structurally different from the instant invention 
wherein pins located near the top of a box-like cover cooperate with 
openings formed in a shoulder of a base plate to form a hinge or pivot 
type opening. 
The Gartner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,921 discloses a much more 
complicated pin and recess means as clearly indicated in the section 
entitled "Cover 32" in Columns 5 and 6. Further, the Gartner et al. patent 
does not teach the lower closure member of the instant invention. 
The face plate or base plate of Ruskin U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,264 does not 
have the shoulder or boarder with cavities as described in the instant 
invention. Further, the Ruskin patent of necessity depends upon a rib 
projecting forwardly from one end of the face plate which rib has a pair 
of oppositely directed stub shafts for mating with apertures formed in the 
box-like cover. This combination is obviously substantially structurally 
different from the pins - cavities - shoulder combination of the instant 
invention. 
The Hirsch U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,733 discloses an electrical socket outlet 
protector comprising a face plate and cover pivotally connected to the 
face plate. This pivot connection between the face plate and cover is 
described in Column 2, lines 29-39 and comprises a series of lugs, 
pintles, and rivets which differs substantially from the mechanism of the 
instant invention. 
The Shotey U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,906 discloses a lid member pivotably and 
demountably connected to a mounting plate or face plate by means of a lip 
element having an inwardly turned hook portion which fits over an 
elongated top flange and into a groove formed in the mounting or face 
plate "to form a pivotable demountable inter-connection". See Column 3, 
lines 56-65. This pivotable demountable interconnection obviously differs 
substantially from the pin and slot connection structure of the instant 
invention. 
The Leong U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,063 teaches a weatherproof cover assembly for 
electrical wiring devices comprising a housing and a pivotally attached 
cover. A hinge between the cover and housing is shown in FIG. 5 and 
described in Column 4, lines 40-66 and is obviously of a much more 
complicated structure than the pin and groove assembly of the instant 
invention and includes at least a cylindrical opening, a post and slot, a 
torsion spring with end loops, a pivot insert including a base portion and 
post having a slot etc. 
The U.S. Pat. No. to Bowden, Jr. et al. 4,505,403 also discloses a 
weatherproof cover for an electrical receptacle comprising a base plate 
and lid cover. 
In this invention, and as best seen in FIG. 9, and described in Column 3, 
lines 3-8, lids are snapped into a coverplate and are retained by j-shaped 
slots cooperating with bosses carried by the lids. In addition, a 
butterfly spring is used to exert a force upon the lids to keep them held 
in close proximity to the cover plate. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention a face plate having one or more openings 
therethrough for receiving a standard electrical plug is attached by any 
well known means, such as a screw or other fastening device, to a wall 
mounted electrical plug receptacle. The face plate has a raised shoulder 
on all four edges generally perpendicular to a planar surface which is 
attached to the wall. A flange receiving recess is formed between the 
planar surface and the raised shoulder at the bottom edge of the face 
plate for receiving a flange for securing a box-like cover to the face 
plate as will be more particularly described below. Further, tabs are 
formed integrally with the upper ends of the vertical shoulders and pin 
receiving apertures are formed through the tabs and adjacent shoulders for 
slidably receiving pins formed integrally with a flange formed on the 
upper end of the box-like cover for further securing it to the face plate. 
Vertical slots are formed in each tab which extend downwardly and 
intersect the pin receiving apertures whereby the pins of the box-like 
structure are slidably received and then extended through the apertures. 
Formed integrally with the face plate, at its upper end, and at about its 
mid-point, and extending downwardly, is a cam surface which cooperates 
with the flange formed on the upper end of the box-like structure for 
securing the cover in the open position when it is rotated upwardly from 
its closed position about the pins. 
Electrical cord receiving openings are formed in the lower end of the 
box-like cover which provides flexibility to the lower end of the box-like 
structure and through which electrical cords pass when an electrical 
appliance is plugged into the electrical outlet and the cover is pressed 
over the face plate. 
To further provided flexibility to both the upper and lower ends of the 
box-like cover and to provide recesses for receiving the vertical 
shoulders of the face plate when the cover is positioned over the face 
plate, slots are formed at all four corners of the box-like cover adjacent 
its open end. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a protective 
cover for an electrical wall outlet. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved protective 
cover for an electrical wall outlet having a protective cover engaging a 
face plate which in turn is mounted on an electrical plug receptacle. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved protective 
cover for an electrical wall outlet wherein the protective cover is 
hingeably connected to the face plate by means of pins formed integrally 
with the cover engaging apertures formed through shoulders formed 
integrally with the face plate. 
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved protective 
cover for an electrical wall outlet wherein the protective cover member is 
a generally rectangular box-like structure having one open end for 
engaging the face plate and wherein the box-like structure has a flange at 
one end, adjacent the open end, for engaging a recess formed in the lower 
shoulder of the face plate, adjacent its planar surface, for securing the 
cover to the face plate. 
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall 
become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred 
embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein 
like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several 
views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
An electrical wall plug outlet enclosure and safety device according to a 
preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with initial 
reference to FIGS. 1-7 of the drawings. 
A face plate 10 having a raised shoulder 11 on all four edges is shown 
particularly in FIG. 1. Electrical plug receiving openings 12 are formed 
through face plate 10 for receiving an electrical plug not shown. An 
electrical cord is attached at one end to the electrical plug and at its 
other end to an electrical appliance also not shown. A fastener 13, such 
as a screw, is located at the approximate mid-point of face plate 10 for 
securing it to the electrical wall plug outlet. 
A flange receiving recess 14 is formed in the raised shoulder 11 adjacent a 
planar surface 15 of face plate 10 at the lower edge of the face plate for 
purposes to be more fully described below. 
Tabs 16 are formed integrally on the inside of each of the two vertical 
shoulders near the top of the face plate and adjacent to the planar 
surface 15 and apertures 17 are formed through each of said tabs and 
through the adjacent shoulders from purposes to be more fully described 
below. Vertical slots 18 are formed in each tab extending downwardly from 
the top of the vertically extending shoulders and intersect the apertures 
17. 
Formed integrally with the planar surface 15 of face plate 10, at its upper 
end, and at about its mid-point, and extending downwardly therefrom, is a 
cam surface 19 which cooperates with a flange as will also be more fully 
described below. 
Referring now particularly to FIG. 3 there is shown a box-like cover 20 
having an open end 21 for engaging said face plate 10 and a first flange 
22 formed on its lower end adjacent said open end 21 for engaging said 
flange receiving recess 14 formed in the raised shoulder 11 for securing 
the box-like cover 20 to the face plate 10 when the box-like cover is 
placed over the face plate. 
A second flange 23 is formed on the other end of said box-like structure, 
adjacent said open end, and opposite the end having the first flange, and 
having one pin 24 extending horizontally from each end thereof for 
engaging apertures 17 of tabs 16 and shoulders 11 when the box-like cover 
20 is placed over the face plate 10. This second flange 23 cooperates with 
the cam surface 19 of face plate 10 when the box-like cover 20 is pivoted 
about pins 24 to the position shown in FIG. 6 to keep the box-like cover 
in the open position. 
A plurality of electrical cord receiving openings are formed in one end of 
the box-like cover 20 adjacent said first flange 22 which allow for 
passage of electrical cords and which further lend flexibility to the 
lower end of the box-like cover. 
Slots 26 are formed at each of the four corners of said box-like cover 20, 
adjacent its open end, for receiving the vertical shoulders 11 of face 
plate 10 when the box-like cover is positioned over the face plate, the 
first flange 22 is engaging the flange receiving recess 14, and the 
box-like cover 20 is pivotably mounted to face plate 10. 
In operation, the pins associated with the second flange of the box-like 
cover are slid downwardly through the vertical slots formed at the top of 
the tabs and shoulders until they cooperate with and extend through the 
apertures formed through the tabs and adjacent shoulders. The box-like 
cover is then rotated or pivoted downwardly and the first flange is 
pressed into the flange receiving recess formed in the bottom shoulder of 
the face plate. 
To disengage the box-like cover upward pressure is applied to the first 
flange at the bottom outside of the box-like cover until the first flange 
becomes disengaged from the flange receiving recess and the cover is 
rotated or pivoted about the pins to the position shown in FIG. 6 where it 
is held open by means of the second flange resting on the cam surface. 
Though the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a 
preferred embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will appreciate 
that various changes and modifications in shape, size, composition and 
arrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit 
of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.