Decorative electrical outlet and switch plate cover

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to plates for covering electrical outlets and switches. In particular the present invention relates to decorative electrical outlet and switch plate covers.

2. Description of the Related Art

Electrical outlet and electrical switch covers are well known in the art. However, none of the electrical outlet and electrical switch covers enables the color of the electrical outlet and switch to be quickly and easily changed.

To change the color of an electrical outlet and electrical switch, the electrical outlet or electrical switch must be removed and replaced with an electrical outlet or electrical switch of the desired color, and a new electrical outlet and electrical switch cover plate of the desired color must be added.

Exemplary of the Patents of the related art are the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,984,725; 3,028,467; 3,892,935; 4,234,774; 4,731,511; 4,972,045; 5,212,347; 5,240,426; 5,675,125; 5,675,126; 6,051,788 and 6,444,909; European Patent EP341805; Japanese Patent JP10021774; and Japanese Patent JP11031429.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an electrical outlet cover and an electrical switch plate cover which enable the color of an electrical outlet or an electrical switch plate to be changed without replacing the electrical outlet or electrical switch.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the electrical outlet cover of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2 — 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3 — 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the circled portion of FIG. 3 indicated by the numeral 4 ,

FIG. 5 is an exploded, perspective view of the installation of the first embodiment of the electrical outlet cover of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the electrical outlet cover of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 7 — 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded, perspective view of the installation of the second embodiment of the electrical outlet cover of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the switch plate cover of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 10 — 10 of FIG. 9; and FIG. 11 is an exploded, perspective view of the installation of the switch plate cover of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-5, the electrical outlet cover of the first embodiment of the invention is generally indicated by the numeral 20 . Cover 20 is configured to cover the conventional electrical outlet generally indicated by the numeral 22 shown in FIG. 5 and thereby enable the color of electrical outlet 22 to be concealed when cover 20 is installed as shown in FIG. 5; thus, the color of the outlet 22 viewed by an observer is the color of cover 20 . Utilizing electrical outlet cover 20 , the color of electrical outlet 22 is effectively changed without having to remove and replace electrical outlet 22 .

Cover 20 is preferably integrally formed from a single piece of rigid material such as a polymeric material commonly referred to as plastic. Cover 20 includes a rectangular face plate 20 a preferably having sloping shoulders 20 b around the periphery thereof.

Face plate 20 a has two plug receptacle covers 20 c and 20 d formed therein on each side of circular screw receiving opening 20 e . Receptacle covers 20 c and 20 d are positioned on face plate 20 a to align with the plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b , respectively, and screw receiving opening 20 e if positioned on face plate 20 a to align with internally threaded screw receiving channel 22 c.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, plug receptacle covers 20 c and 20 d are thinner in cross-section that the cross-sectional thickness of face plate 20 a to enable plug receptacle covers 20 c and 20 d to cover plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b and lie in a plane with face plate 20 a . A groove or slot 20 f surrounds plug receptacle cover 20 c as shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, and a groove or slot 20 g surrounds plug receptacle cover 20 d to simulate the space between the electrical plug receiving openings 24 a in conventional electrical outlet cover 24 in FIG. 5 and the conventional plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b of electrical outlet 22 .

Plug receptacle covers 20 c and 20 d haves a plurality of openings 26 - 28 and 29 - 31 therein, respectively, for receiving the electrically conductive metal prongs of a conventional male electrical plug, and are selected to align with the openings in plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b of electrical outlet 22 .

As shown in FIG. 5, cover 20 is installed over a conventional electrical outlet 22 located in a wall by first removing the conventional electrical outlet cover plate 24 from electrical outlet 22 . This is accomplished by removing the screw 26 from screw receiving opening 24 e and threaded screw receiving channel 22 c in electrical outlet 22 and removing conventional electrical outlet cover plate 24 from conventional electrical outlet 22 . A cover plate 20 of the desired color is then aligned with electrical outlet 22 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5 and connected thereto by screw 28 .

Referring now to FIGS. 6-8, the electrical outlet cover of the second embodiment of the invention is generally indicated by the numeral 30 . The electrical outlet cover 30 is adapted to be used with a conventional electrical outlet cover 24 shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 and only covers the plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b of conventional electrical outlet 22 . Outlet cover 30 thereby enables the color of the plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b of conventional electrical outlet 22 to be concealed when cover 20 is installed as shown in FIG. 8; thus, the color of the plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b of outlet 22 viewed by an observer are the color of cover 30 . Utilizing an electrical outlet cover 30 , and a second conventional electrical cover 24 if the color of the existing cover 24 is not desired, the color of electrical outlet 22 is effectively changed without having to remove and replace electrical outlet 22 .

Cover 30 is integrally formed from a single piece of rigid material such as a polymeric material commonly referred to as plastic. Cover 30 includes two plug receptacle covers 30 c and 30 d formed therein connected by a U-shaped member generally indicated by the numeral 30 a . U-shaped member 30 a preferably has two parallel generally rectangular-shaped legs 30 b — 30 b each connected at their upper end to receptacle covers 30 c and 30 d respectively and each connected at their bottom ends perpendicularly to a generally rectangular connecting member 30 f having a circular screw receiving opening 30 e in the center thereof.

Preferably plug receptacle covers 30 c and 30 d lie in a plane and each have a lip 30 g and 30 h , respectively, which extend around the periphery of covers 30 c and 30 d . Lips 30 g and 30 h extend inward perpendicular to the plane contained covers 30 c and 30 d and fit over the outside edges 22 d and 22 e of plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b , respectively to snugly position plug receptacle covers 30 c and 30 d over plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b.

Plug receptacle covers 30 c and 30 d haves a plurality of openings 32 - 34 and 36 - 38 therein, respectively, for receiving the electrically conductive metal prongs of a conventional male electrical plug, and plug receptacle covers 30 c and 30 d and openings 32 - 34 and 36 - 38 are positioned to align with the plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b and the openings in plug receptacles 22 a and 22 b of electrical outlet 22 shown in FIGS. 5 and 8.

As shown in FIG. 5 and 8, cover 30 is installed over a conventional electrical outlet 22 located in a wall by first removing the conventional electrical outlet cover plate 24 from electrical outlet 22 in a similar manner as explained in reference to FIG. 5 . This is accomplished by removing the screw 26 from screw receiving opening 24 e and threaded screw receiving channel 22 c in electrical outlet 22 and removing conventional electrical outlet cover plate 24 from conventional electrical outlet 22 . A cover plate 30 of the desired color is then aligned with electrical outlet 22 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8. A conventional electrical outlet cover 38 identical in shape to conventional outlet cover 24 but of a desired color is then connected to outlet 22 by placing the cover 30 over outlet 22 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8, and then by inserting screw 36 through conventional outlet cover 38 and cover plate 30 into threaded screw receiving channel 22 c of outlet 22 .

Referring now to FIGS. 9-11, the electrical switch plate cover of the invention is generally indicated by the numeral 40 . Cover 40 is configured to replace the conventional electrical switch plate generally indicated by the numeral 42 shown in FIG. 11 and cover the conventional switch 44 c of the conventional electrical switch assembly generally indicated by the numeral 44 , thereby enabling the color of electrical switch 44 a to be concealed when cover 40 is installed as shown in FIG. 11; thus, the color of the switch 44 a viewed by an observer would be the color of cover 40 . Utilizing electrical switch cover 40 , the color of electrical switch 44 a is effectively changed without having to remove and replace conventional electrical switch assembly 44 .

Cover 40 is integrally formed from a single piece of rigid material such as a polymeric material commonly referred to as plastic. Cover 40 includes a rectangular face plate 40 a preferably having sloping shoulders 40 b around the periphery thereof Cover 40 has two circular screw openings 40 g — 40 g for receipt of screws 46 - 48 .

Face plate 40 a has a switch cover sleeve generally indicated by the numeral 40 c extending from rectangular opening 40 h in face plate 40 a which receives switch 44 a therein and covers switch 44 a . Switch cover sleeve 40 c conforms to the shape of switch 44 a and is preferably made from a polymeric plastic material.

Cover 40 has two rigid tabs 40 d — 40 d formed perpendicularly and parallel to each other on the inside of face plate 40 a on the periphery of rectangular opening 40 h , one of which tabs 40 d is shown in FIG. 10 . Switch cover sleeve 40 c has two parallel side walls 40 e — 40 e which are rotatably connected to tabs 40 d — 40 d by fastener 40 f . Fastener 40 f is preferably a pin. Tabs 40 d — 40 d and sloping shoulders 40 b are selected of sufficient length to prevent tabs 40 d — 40 d from striking any portion of switch assembly 44 .

As shown in FIG. 11, cover 40 is installed over a conventional electrical switch 44 located in a wall by first removing the conventional electrical switch cover plate 42 from electrical switch 44 . This is accomplished by removing the screws 46 and 48 from screw receiving openings 42 a and 42 b and threaded screw receiving channels 44 a and 44 b in conventional electrical switch assembly 44 and removing conventional electrical switch cover plate 42 from conventional electrical switch assembly 44 . A cover plate 40 of the desired color is then aligned with electrical switch assembly 44 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 11 and connected thereto by screws 46 and 48 .

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, it should be understood that the invention is in no sense limited thereby, and its scope is to be determined by that of the following claims: