Patent Publication Number: US-6699060-B1

Title: Electrical outlet protection device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electrical outlet covers and more particularly pertains to a new electrical outlet protection device for preventing power cords from falling out or being pulled out of electrical outlets. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of electrical outlet covers is known in the prior art. More specifically, electrical outlet covers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,159,034; 5,174,773; 6,198,046; 2,761,112; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 283,221. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new electrical outlet protection device. The prior art describes inventions having plates being hingedly attached to the electrical outlets. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new electrical outlet protection device which has many of the advantages of the electrical outlet covers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new electrical outlet protection device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art electrical outlet covers, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a cover assembly including a first cover member having a main wall, top and bottom walls, and a side wall, and also including a second cover member having a main wall, top and bottom wall, and a side wall with the first cover member being in contactable relationship with the second cover member and with the cover assembly being adapted to be fastenable with fasteners over an electrical outlet; and also includes semi-circular support members being attached to the top and bottom walls of the first and second cover members for fastening the cover assembly to the electrical outlet; and further includes semi-circular pad members being disposed upon the first and second cover members for engaging a power cord being plugged into the electrical outlet. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the electrical outlet protection device in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new electrical outlet protection device which has many of the advantages of the electrical outlet covers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new electrical outlet protection device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art electrical outlet covers, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new electrical outlet protection device for preventing power cords from falling out or being pulled out of electrical outlets. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new electrical outlet protection device that is easy and convenient to set up and use. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new electrical outlet protection device that prevents damage to the power cords and electrical sockets. 
    
    
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a new electrical outlet protection device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 3 thereof, a new electrical outlet protection device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the electrical outlet protection device  10  generally comprises a cover assembly including a first cover member  11  having a main wall  12 , top and bottom walls  13 , 14 , and a side wall  15 , and also including a second cover member  19  having a main wall  20 , top and bottom wall  21 , 22 , and a side wall  23  with the first cover member  11  being in contactable relationship with the second cover member  19 . The cover assembly is adapted to be fastenable with fasteners  38  over an electrical outlet  36 . The first and second cover members  11 , 19  have longitudinal edges  16 , 24  which are in contactable relationship to one another upon the first and second cover members  11 , 19  being fastened upon the electrical outlet  36 . Each of the first and second cover members  11 , 19  also has a pair of semi-circular slots  17 , 18 , 25 , 26  being spacedly disposed in the longitudinal edge  16 , 24  of the main wall  12 , 20 . Each semi-circular slot  17 , 18  of the first cover member  11  is aligned with a respective one of the semi-circular slots  25 , 26  of the second cover member  19  thus forming holes upon the first and second cover members  11 , 19  being in contact with one another and being fastened over the electrical outlet  36 . The holes are adapted to be aligned with the sockets  37  of the electrical outlet  36  upon the first and second cover members  11 , 19  being fastened over the electrical outlet  36 . The first and second cover members  11 , 19  are generally mirrored halves of one another. 
     Semi-circular support members  27 - 30  are conventionally attached to the top and bottom walls  13 , 14 ,  21 , 22  of the first and second cover members  11 , 19  for fastening the cover assembly to the electrical outlet  36 . The semi-circular support members  27 - 30  are disposed near the longitudinal edges  16 , 24  of the first and second cover members  11 , 19  and form grommets upon the first and second cover members  11 , 19  being in contact with one another. 
     Semi-circular pad members  31  are conventionally disposed upon the first and second cover members  11 , 19  for engaging a power cord being plugged into the electrical outlet  36 . The semi-circular pad members  31  are engaged in the semi-circular slots  17 , 18 , 25 , 26  with each of the semi-circular pad members  31  having a convex outer side  32  with an arcuate groove  33  being disposed therein and engaging an edge of a respective one of the semi-circular slots  17 , 18 , 25 , 26  and also having a concave inner side  34 , 35 . The concave inner side  34 , 35  includes a rear portion  34  which is generally parallel to the convex outer side  33 , and also includes a front portion  35  which is angled relative to the rear portion  34  and slanted from the rear portion  34  toward the convex outer side  33 . 
     In use, the user places the first and second cover members longitudinal edge  16  to longitudinal edge  24  about one or more power cords which are disposed through the holes formed by the semi-circular slots  17 , 18 , 25 , 26 , and inserts the fasteners through the grommets and into the electrical outlet  36  to securely fasten the cover assembly thereto to prevent the power cords from being pulled out of the sockets  37 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size,.materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the electrical outlet protection device. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.