Patent ID: 7011535

Claim:
A safety device for attachment to an electrical plug to prevent accidental contact with the blades that extend from the front face of the plug during insertion and removal of the plug from a wall socket, the safety device comprising: a housing having a rear wall and side walls extending outwardly from the rear wall; at least one blade-receiving aperture and at least one recess formed in the rear wall; a collapsible, dielectric shield member having a first end and a second end, the first end being receivable within the recess, wherein the shield member extends outwardly from the rear wall to surround the blades when the safety device is attached to the plug; and wherein the shield member collapses toward the rear wall when the plug is inserted into the wall socket and expands to surround the blades when the plug is removed from the wall socket; and a connector to secure the housing to the electrical plug.