Abstract:
A safety cover for an electrical receptacle using two half covers, each of which can be slightly compressed to cause projection locks secured into slots in an inner collar about the mounting plate to withdraw thereby releasing each half door. Electrical cords are fed through openings shared by each half cover.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to safely devices and more particularly to safety devices for electrical wall outlets. 
     2. Prior Art and Objects 
     There has been a longstanding need to cover electrical outlets both when in use and when not in use. The placement of improper articles into an electrical receptacle is a major hazard for children. Plugs exist that can be inserted into an unused outlet to prevent a child from inserting an object into the receptacle. There have been numerous patents issued over the years to provide a solution to this problem. The inventions pertaining to this problem for which patents have been granted, generally sought to provide a device which could not be opened by a child but could be opened by an adult. It is critical for safety cover to be readily opened by an adult while not being capable of being opened by a child. If the safely cover is sufficiently complex to frustrate an adult who desires to open the safety cover, the device will not be used and have no benefit. Making a device which is attractive is important and of even greater importance is making a device which has sufficient simplicity so as to be economically produced. It is also important to limit the space needed by the device, particularly when it is opened. It is also important that the device be capable of being assembled into one unit, to prevent parts becoming separated from one another thereby rendering the device unusable. 
     The safety covers patented to date have provided covers for an electrical outlet but the complexity of certain of the safety covers and the difficulty of use as well as the space required, particularly when opened, has limited the practicality of safety covers. 
     The Marbais Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,690, teaches an electrical outlet cover using three pieces fit together. All three pieces are held by a pre-existing outlet plate by flanges that are held behind the plate. Obviously, the plate screw holding the plate in place must be turned down to a point were the three pieces can slide but still be retained in place. The three pieces include a center piece which must be slid into place after the tension in the plate screw is set as the center piece covers the plate screw and would thus prevent turning of the plate screw when in place. The end pieces include flanges that engage indentations in the center piece. The end pieces can be depressed to release the flanges from the indentations and the end pieces slid away from the center piece to reach the outlets. The center piece, however, would also need to be moved. The resulting operation is sufficiently complex as to cause the device not to be used. Should the retention of the plate screw be sufficiently loose, the entire cover could be slid off the cover plate even by a child. The separate pieces invite loss of a part rendering the device unusable. 
     The Drapkin Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,886 was not intended as a safety device but rather as an electrical receptacle cover for outdoor use to prevent water from interfering with an electrical receptacle. Drapkin, uses a split design having a longitudinal slot aligned with the major axis of the electrical receptacle. When pressure is applied to the end panels, the opening is enlarged sufficiently to provide access to the outlet. No hinges or pivoting covers is provided for by Drapkin and accessibility to the electrical receptacle appears to be restricted. 
     The McDonald Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,616, provides a single piece cover with various post designs to hold the cover against the wall plate. The tension of the post would have to be the controlling factor in determining whether or not a child could remove the cover. Therefore, it would not be certain that the device would be left with sufficient tension on the post to prevent turning by the child. 
     The Calderon Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,999, uses a variety of parts that are most apt to be lost and which require an inordinate amount of time to install. A box is held over the outlet cover in a manner similar to that used by McDonald but with openings in the face of the cover that have solid plates over the openings. Each plate has four fasteners holding it in place. When an electrical plug is installed, the solid plate is replaced by two half plates, each with semicircular openings, that mate with one another to form one circular opening. Again, the same four fasteners are needed. The mechanical work required to utilize the electrical receptacle is unduly burdensome and the loss of parts is an ultimate certainty. 
     Riceman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,019, teaches a cover with three pieces, one of which is a special wall plate to retain the other two pieces. A second piece is secured to the wall plate by flanges. The second piece includes three buttons, one on the top, one on the bottom and one on the side. A third piece mounted on hinges rotates over the second piece and has openings in it into which the three buttons fit. For the third piece to be swung open, all three buttons must be depressed together. The electrical cord passes through an opening in the second piece, which opening is sufficiently large for the cord and the plug to fit. The resulting device is complex and expensive to construct. 
     The Domian Patent, U.S. Pat. 4,915,638, uses a single box with a special outlet plate. The box is secured at the top to an outlet plate of special design by a lip on the box which engages a slot in the outlet plate. A cantilevered locking tab at the bottom of the box engages another slot in the locking plate. By pressing the cantilevered locking tab upwardly, the box is released. In this design only one pressure point permits the box to be removed. The box can be misplaced when removed from the locking plate can be separated. 
     The Pedigo Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,963, teaches a simple box hinged at one side to an outlet plate which is produced to operate with the box. Tubular fasteners on the plate match with tubular fasteners on the box so that a pin can be inserted through the tubular fasteners to retain the box in a closed position. The pin, if readily usable by an adult, would be removable by many children. Thus the protection desired would not be achieved. 
     Riceman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,169, provides a cover of a general box design which is hinged at one side edge to an outlet plate specially designed to be used in conjunction with the cover. On the opposite side from the hinge and on the top and bottom of the cover, projections are located which engage slots in the outlet plate. To open the cover, pressure must be applied in three places at one time. The use of three points of pressure might well pose some difficulty for many adults and the single cover requires room to swing open. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a safety cover for an electrical outlet which cannot easily be operated by a child but can be operated by an adult and which is attractive and requires minimal space to open. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety cover with all parts interconnected to avoid loss of parts. 
     It is still another object to provide a safety cover that can be economically produced and which is durable. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a mounting assembly is provided which replaces the standard outlet plate. The mounting assembly includes a plate which is capable of being affixed to an electrical receptacle in place of the standard outlet plate. An inner collar, which is rigid, is affixed about the plate. The mounting assembly has a longitudinal axis which is the centerline along the longest length of the mounting assembly. A pair of half covers are located on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. Each half cover is generally a mirror image of the other half cover. The half covers are mounted on the mounting assembly by hinges. Locking means are provided to lock each half cover to the inner collar. Each half cover is slightly deformable so that when pressed, the locking means is released. The spread of the hand required to compress the half cover is sufficiently large to prevent compression by a child and with two hands, insufficient pressure could be applied by a child. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may be readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial exploded view of the electrical receptacle with the mounting assembly. 
     FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of the right side (as faced) of the safety cover showing a half cover open on hinges mounted on the mounting assembly. 
     FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of the front of the safety cover with the half covers closed on the mounting assembly. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the safety cover along the longitudinal axis of the mounting assembly. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A safety cover for an electrical receptacle  11  is provided that can be readily accessed by an adult but cannot be opened by a small child. Two half covers  13  close over the electrical receptacle  11  so as to prevent access to the electrical receptacle  11  by a child while also providing a pleasing appearance. The two half covers  13  may be opened in half the available distance from the wall required by a single cover. 
     A mounting assembly  15  is mounted on the electrical receptacle  11  in place of a standard plate used to decorate an electrical receptacle  11 . The mounting assembly  15  includes a mounting plate  17  and an inner collar  19  affixed to one another or formed together. The mounting plate  17  is capable of being mounted on the electrical receptacle  11  and thus must have an opening  21  for a mounting screw  23  used to mount standard plates on electrical receptacles  11  and also have outlet openings  25  that frame the outlets  27  of the electrical receptacle  11 . The mounting plate  17  has a top edge  29 , a bottom edge  31  and two side edges  33 . The inner collar  19  surrounds the mounting plate  17  along the top edge  29 , bottom edge  31  and two side edges  33  and has a top section  35 , a bottom section  37  and two side sections  39 . The top section  35 , the bottom section  37  and the two side sections  39  extend from the top edge  29 , bottom edge  31  and two side edges  33  of the mounting plate  17  at essentially right angles to the mounting plate  17 . The mounting assembly  15  has a longitudinal axis which is the centerline of the mounting assembly  15  along the longest length or major axis of the mounting assembly  15 . 
     A cover assembly  41  which is mounted on the inner collar  19  includes the two half covers  13 . The two half covers  13  are essentially mirror images of one another. The two half covers  13  are mounted on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis. Each half cover  13  includes an outer collar  43 . The outer collars  43  adjoin the inner collar  19  when the half covers  13 are closed and are aligned with the inner collar  19 , and together, leaving room for clearance between the two half covers  13 , essentially match the configuration of the inner collar  19 . Each outer collar  43  of each half cover  13  also has a top section  45 , a bottom section  47  and two side sections  49 . The top sections  45  and the bottom sections  47  of the outer collars  43  align with the top section  35  and bottom section  37  respectively of the inner collar  19 . Similarly, the two side sections of the inner collar  19  aligns with the side sections  49  of the outer collars  43 . Between the two side sections  39  of the inner collar  19  and the two side sections  49  of the outer collars  43 , a pair of hinges  51  are located. The hinges  51  may be separate hinges  51  or may be a folding line of material which is capable of repeated rotation of the half covers  13  without breaking. If such a folding line is used rather than an interlocking hinge with a pin for a hinge  51 , the entire safety cover may be molded in one piece. 
     The two half covers  13  meet at the longitudinal axis of the safety cover and the two edges of the half covers  13  that meet one another are referred to herein as the longitudinal edges  53 . To secure the half covers  13 in place, locking projections  56  are mounted on each half cover  13  along the top section  45  and the bottom section  47  of the outer collar  43 . Each locking projection  55  is an L-shaped elongated member extending under the inner collar  19  and turning up into the inner collar  19 . Lock openings  57  are formed in the inner collar  19  which are engaged by the locking projection  55  when the respective half cover  13  is closed. 
     Two semicircular openings  59  are formed along the longitudinal edge  53  of both half covers  13 . The semicircular openings  59  on the two half covers  13  oppose one another to form two circular openings  60  through which can pass the electrical cord  61  of any electrical device plugged into the electrical receptacle  11  being covered. The circular openings  60  are located in spaced relationship to one another and generally equidistant from the top section  45  and the bottom section  47  of the outer collar  43 . 
     A front surface  63  extends from the top section  45 , bottom section  47  and side section  49  of the outer collar  43  to the longitudinal edge  53 . Preferably, the front surface  63  has an arcuate shape which extends outwardly from the mounting assembly  15  as it extends from the side section  49  and top section  45  and bottom section  47  of the outer collar  43 . As a result, the portion of the two half covers  13  about the two circular openings  60  is farthest from the mounting assembly  15 . The arcuate shape provides a pleasing appearance and the necessary space under the half covers  13  to accommodate any electrical plugs using the electrical receptacle  11 . 
     To provide greater strength for the half covers  13 , a lip  65  is mounted on one of the half covers  13  along the longitudinal edge  53  without obstructing the circular openings  60 . 
     The inner collar  19  is rigidly constructed. The half covers  13 , although strong and durable, have sufficient flexibility so that when the top section  45  and the bottom section  47  of the outer collar  43  are forced together, each half collar  13  will compress sufficiently to permit its respective locking projections  55  on that half cover  13  to withdraw from the lock openings  57  in the inner collar  19  thereby permitting that half cover  13  to be opened. Since only half covers  13  are opened, when the half covers  13  are fully opened, the distance from the mounting assembly  15  is half of the distance from the mounting assembly  15  that a full door would use. Also, effectively to reach the electrical plugs mounted in the electrical receptacles  11 , both half covers  13  need to be opened requiring the compression of a half cover  13  to be performed twice. The length of each half cover  13  from the top section  45 vof the outer collar  43  to the bottom section  47  of the outer collar  43  is of sufficient size to prevent a child from opening the safety cover due to inadequate hand size as well as the strength needed to compress the half cover  13  with two hands. As a result, the electrical receptacle  11  is protected from intrusion by a child by can be opened easily by an adult. The space required in front of the half covers  13  to open both half covers  13  is maintained at a minimum. An attractive cover is also provided when the half covers  13  are closed. 
     It is to be understood that the drawings and description matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, rather than as limiting the same in any way, since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in various elements to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.