GB2189945A

GB2189945A - Assembly for covering plug in a socket

Info

Publication number: GB2189945A
Application number: GB08610109A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yu-Man Wong
Original assignee: WONG YU MAN
Current assignee: WONG YU MAN
Priority date: 1986-04-25
Filing date: 1986-04-25
Publication date: 1987-11-04
Also published as: GB8610109D0

Abstract

An assembly comprises a back plate 18 mounted behind a wall socket 27 and a cover 1 detachably mounted on the back plate 18 by tangs which engage in loops 20 on the back plate, and resilient arms 17 on the back plate 18 which have barbs 30 engaging with a slot 16 on the cover 1. The cover may enclose an adaptor 33 and several plugs 34 connected to the socket. A fire extinguishing composition 12 is held in a low melting point plastics bag 13 in the top of the cover and in the event of overheating or a fire will be released onto the plugs to extinguish the fire. Pest control material 15 is carried in a compartment in the bottom of the cover and wires 22 from the plugs 34 pass out through a recess 21 in the bottom wall 6 of the cover. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Socket cover assembly The present invention relates to a socket cover assembly, and in particular to a socket cover assembly applicable to 13A or 15A wall-mounted 3-pin socket outlets.

The use of 13A or 15A wall mounted 3-pin socket outlets for connecting appliances to a 1 10V or 240V mains power supply is common in both domestic and industrial applications, this type of socket outlet is frequently located at the the foot of a wall in order to preserve the appearance of the wall. This can be particularly dangerous to children who risk electrocution when playing with such socket outlets which are within easy reach.

The present invention aims to reduce or eliminate this risk by providing a socket outlet cover assembly which may be mounted on the socket outlet in order to keep the socket and plugs connected thereto out of reach of children.

With the increasing use of electric appliances, it is common to use socket adaptors in order to provide more outlets at a given socket. This increases the likelihood a main socket being overloaded, which may lead to overheating and may result in a fire.

A further aim of the invention, therefore, is to provide fire extinguishing means adjacent a socket.

A first aspect of the invention provides a socket outlet cover assembly comprising a back plate member mountable on or adjacent a socket outlet assembly, and a socket cover member releasably engageable with the back plate member and arranged to enclose a plug connected to the socket outlet.

Preferably pest control means is provided in the cover to prevent the nesting or accumulation of insects in the cover.

Preferably, fire estinguishing means is provided in the cover member.

Preferably the back plate member is held between a front cover and a back box member of the socket outlet assembly or the wall.

Preferably the socket cover member has an opening in a bottom wall thereof for the passage of wires.

A second aspect of the invention provides fire extinguishing means for an electrical socket outlet comprising means for holding a fire extinguishing composition above a plug in the socket, the fire extinguishing means being held in a low melting point or readily burnt casing so as to be released as the plug or socket overheats or catches fire.

The invention will be further described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a socket cover member of a socket cover assembly according to the invention, from front, bellow and one side and showing the internal construction thereof; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a back plate member of a socket cover assembly according to the invention, from front, above and one side showing the manner in which the back plate member is held between a socket front cover and a base box member of a socket outlet assembly; Figure 3 in a cross section along the lines I-I of Figs. 1 and 2, showing the installation of the socket cover assembly with the cover mounted on the back plate.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a socket cover member 1 comprising housing walls 2 to 6 formed of plastics material, preferably a high melting point or fire resistant plastics composition, by injection moulding.

These housing walls 2 to 6 form a hollow cubic structure, open at one face.

A compartment 7 is formed inside and at the top of the socket cover member 1 by means of a partition wall 8 which comprises a plurality of prongs 10 which extend parallel to the top wall 2 from a planar wall portion 9.

Also shown in Fig. 1 are internal walls 14 which are integrally formed with the bottom wall 6 and front wall 5 and, with the side walls 3, 4 form compartments for receiving blocks of pest control material 15.

On the outside of upper wall 2 at its rear edge, a slot 16 is formed for receiving tangs 17 of a back plate member 18.

On the rear edge of bottom wall 6 a pair of tangs 19 are formed for engagement in loops 20 on the bottom edge of back plate member 18. Bottom wall 6 has a cutout 21 for the passage of wires 22 (Fig. 3).

At the rear edge of one side wall 3, a rearwardly projecting tab 11 is formed to cooperate with a gap 23 in the back plate member 18.

The back plate member 18 is of generally 'U' shape comprising a vertical portion 24 and two horizontal arms 25, 26. The vertical portion 24 and arms 25, 26 are dimensioned so that they can be trapped behind socket 27, as illustrated in Fig. 2. A hole 28 may be formed in portion 24 for the passage of a screw connecting the socket 27 to back box 29.

The horizontal arms 25, 26 are spaced apart so that the back plate 18 may be slid sideways behind the socket 27, screws holding the socket against the back box being loossened to allow the socket to be moved away from the box 29.

At the bottom edge of lower member 26 a pair of loops 20 are formed for receiving tangs 19 of cover member 1.

At the top edge of upper member 25 a pair of resilient tangs 17 are formed. Tangs 17 have barbs 30 and are spaced apart so that the tangs 17 can be urged into the slot 16, the barbs 30 engaging the front edge 31 of the sidewalls of slot 16 to hold the cover member 1 against the back plate 18 with the aid of the engagement between the tangs 19 and loops 20.

Back plate member 18 may be moulded from plastics material as for the cover member 1.

To use the socket cover assembly, the back plate member 18 is mounted behind a socket 27 which, in the example illustrated is mounted on a back box 29 which is recessed in a wall 32. Screws 33 mounting the socket 27 on the back box 29 are loosened to allow the socket 27 to be brought forward and the back plate 18 slid behind. The screws 33 are then tightened to clamp the back plate 18 against the wall between the socket 27 and back box 29.

It will be appreciated that the back plate 18 may be mounted directly on the wall 32, sandwiched between the socket 27 and the wall, or the space between the arms 25, 26 being larger than the socket 27. Also in systems utilising a box which is mounted on the surface of the wall the back plate 18 may be arranged to be trapped between the socket and box, between the box and wall, or even mounted directly on the wall.

The cover 1 is then attached to the back plate 18 by inserting the tangs 19 in the loops 20 and pivoting about the lower edge to engage the tangs 17 in the slot 16, barbs 30 engaging with the front edge 31 of the slot 16 to hold the cover in position. To remove the cover the barbs 30 are pressed inwardly, towards each other, allowing the slot to be slid off the tangs 17.

The cover 1 is dimensioned to enclose a socket adaptor 33 and associated three plugs 34. It will be appreciated that the cover may be small to enclose only a single plug. Wiring from the plugs extends through recess 21.

A fire extinguishing powder 12 is held in a low melting point plastics bag 13. If the adaptor and plugs overheat and catch fire the bag 13 will melt, releasing the powder 12 which extinguishes the fire. Such fire extinguishing compositions 12 are readily available, for example in Hong Kong.

Pest control tablets 15 prevent the nesting or accumulation of insects in the box 1.

Tab 11 on the rear edge of wall 3 is received between the upper and lower arms 25, 26 of back plate 18..

Various modification will be apparent to those in the art. For example, the cover 1 may be hinged to the back plate 18, preferably at the side thereof. The partition wall 8 may have a mesh like structure for exposing the fire extinguishing means 11 to the plugs.

The assembly may be dimensioned to enclose double or triple socket outlets, etc. It is desired to include all such modifications as fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A socket cover assembly comprising a socket cover member and a back plate member, the back plate member being mountable on or about a socket outlet and the socket cover member being mounted or mountable on the back plate member and adapted to enclose a plug inserted in the socket.

2. A socket cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein fire extinguishing means is provided inside the cover.

3. A socket cover assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fire extinguishing means comprises a fire extinguishing material held in a container which will readily melt or burn to release the material.

4. A socket cover assembly as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the fire extinguishing means is held above the level of a plug in the socket and is exposed to the socket.

5. A socket cover assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the back plate member is releasably engaged with a socket outlet assembly by being clamped behind a front cover of the socket outlet.

6. A socket assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the back plate is substantially 'U' shaped so that it can be slid behind the socket front cover.

7. A socket cover assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the socket cover member has at least one opening or recess for the passage of a wire connected to a plug inserted in the socket outlet.

8. A socket cover assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the socket cover member has at least one compartment to accommodate pest control material.

9. A socket cover assembly as claimed in any Preceding claim, wherein the socket cover is pivotably connected or connectable to the back plate at a first die thereof and latching means is provided to latch the cover to the back plate at second side thereof.

10. Fire extinguishing means for an electrical socket outlet, comprising means for holding a fire extinguishing composition above a plug in the socket, the fire extinguishing composition being held in a low melting point or readily burnt casing so as to be released onto the plug and/or socket in the event of the plug or socket catching fire.

11. A socket cover assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.