Universal wall plate for electrical devices

None.

The present invention relates to the field of mounting electrical devices (such as switches, outlets, phone jacks, USB Connectors, cable connectors etc.) on the wall, and covering the devices with wall plates. The wall plate is also referred as face plate or cover plate.

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The electrical devices such as switches and outlets available worldwide have different sizes and shapes. For electrical devices such as 120V switches/outlets in the United States and Canada; and 240V in Europe, China, India and other countries, a wall plate is required for safety to cover the high voltage wires and terminals. These switches and outlets are mounted on the walls of buildings. For cost and safety reasons, typically, these devices are mounted inside a recessed section (hole) of the wall. Some times, only one switch/outlet is installed by itself, whereas most of the times, multiple switches/outlets in different combinations are installed side-by-side. Since most of these wall plates are installed inside the buildings, the wall plate has evolved into a piece of decoration. Typically, a decorative wall plate costs more than the switch/outlet itself. These variations have resulted in having many different types (shape, size, color, decorative design etc.) of wall plates. In the United States alone, 3,000+ types (models) of wall plates are sold at the present time. This forces the manufacturers and sellers to keep a big and complex inventory of wall plates. Many times, a particular combination-plate for switches/outlets is not available at the retail store causing inconvenience to the customer, and delay to the construction/upgrade project.

Till date, there has been very little innovation in the field of wall plates. Each wall plate is built to cover a particular type of switch/outlet or a combination thereof. For example, in USA, there are two types of wall plates ( 1 ), ( 2 ) sold for 120V switches, namely for a Toggle switch ( 3 ) and a Rocker switch ( 4 ). When a home owner decides to upgrade a smaller Toggle switch with a Rocker switch or a Smart switch, he has to throw away his old wall plate and buy a new one. In upgrade/renovation projects which involve large number of electrical switches, outlets, phone jacks, USB connectors and cable connectors etc., this increases the cost of the project.

The current invention overcomes the underlined problems cited above. A Universal Wall Plate (UWP) is a smaller plate ( 5 ) that fits to cover a hole for a device in a bigger Outer Wall Plate ( 6 ). The UWP may have one, or more, smaller holes ( 11 ) for electrical devices installed behind it. The device-holes allow a user to access electrical devices without removing the wall plate.

The UWP may be used to cover low voltage devices (12V, 24V, 48V etc.), high voltage devices (100V, 110V, 120V, 240V etc.), Direct Current devices, or Alternating Current devices. The UWP may be used in commercial buildings, residential buildings, mobile vehicles, or anywhere else where an electrical device is used. The UWP may be built and used in low cost applications like apartments, or higher priced decorative applications such as luxury houses.

In the above example of paragraph [005], if an Outer wall plate with a bigger hole ( 10 ) to accommodate a Rocker switch was originally installed, along with a UWP with a device-hole for a Toggle switch ( 9 ), the new Rocker switch could be installed without replacing the Outer wall plate. The UWP could be removed and saved by the home owner for future use. Thus, the UWP allows installation/replacement of electrical devices without replacing the Outer wall plates—a cost saving for the renovation projects.

FIG. 1 illustrates an existing wall plate for a Toggle switch.

FIG. 2 illustrates an existing wall plate for a Rocker switch.

FIG. 3 illustrates the Universal Wall Plate (UWP) and an Outer wall plate.

FIG. 1 illustrates a Toggle switch ( 3 ) covered by a wall plate ( 1 ) specifically designed for the Toggle switch. FIG. 2 illustrates a Rocker switch ( 4 ) covered by a wall plate ( 2 ) with a bigger hole to accommodate the Rocker switch. When a home owner needs to upgrade his switch from older Toggle to newer Rocker switch, the home owner also has to buy a new wall plate for the Rocker switch. The UWP ( 5 ) overcomes this shortcoming.

FIG. 3 illustrates a bigger Outer wall plate ( 6 ) with four device-holes ( 10 ). Each hole can accommodate one larger electrical device such as a Rocker switch ( 4 ), or more than one smaller devices that would fit within the same space, such as two electrical outlets. A UWP with a Toggle switch hole ( 9 ), and one with three smaller holes ( 11 ) is also shown in FIG. 3 . The UWP may be mounted on the outer wall plate by simply pushing in the device-hole (push-fit type UWP), or inserting screws through holes ( 12 ). Typically, an Outer wall plate ( 6 ) is mounted on the wall by inserting wall screws ( 8 ) through the wall screw holes ( 7 ).

At the time of new construction, if all outer wall plates ( 6 ) with bigger device holes ( 10 ) are installed in the building, upgrading/replacing electrical devices later would be easily and cost effectively done by installing UWPs with appropriate device holes ( 9 ), ( 11 ). Thus, UWPs will reduce the overall cost of the upgrade project. In case decorative wall plates, which are more expensive, are used in a building such as a luxury home/commercial building, the cost savings will be much higher.