GB2477974A

GB2477974A - Socket cover

Info

Publication number: GB2477974A
Application number: GB201002923A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ashley Bateup
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-02-22
Filing date: 2010-02-22
Publication date: 2011-08-24
Also published as: WO2011101648A1; GB201002923D0

Abstract

A socket cover 2 has a body 4 to be secured to a socket and a switch cover 14 that overlays one or more socket switches, and includes an access element to selectively permit access to a switch. The access element can be a pivoting flap 14 having a hinge 12 and a lug 20 to engage the body and lock the flap. The access element can include apertures in the switch cover (fig 3, 130) through which a detachable wand (fig 3, 132) can be inserted to operate the switch. The switch cover can be formed of a rigid material that resists deflection and the body can be a web 4 interposed between the socket and a plug, have apertures 6a,b for the plug pins and be secured to the face of the socket using a releasable adhesive. The body 4 can be a transparent polymeric material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and electrically insulating. The switch cover can be used to prevent unintentional switching off of electrical equipment such as freezers, computers and medical equipment, and prevent switch operation by children.

Description

Socket Cover The present invention relates to a socket cover and, in particular, to a socket cover including a switch cover which selectively permits access to the operating switch or switches for the socket.

Socket covers generally are known. These may be the type which include pins made of an insulating material that simply blank off the pin apertures of the socket, but still allow access to the socket switch or switches. This type of cover needs to be removed prior to use of the socket. However, such covers can provide a potential hazard for small children. The child has access to the socket switch and as such can make live the socket. With the cover partly in place, the live aperture becomes accessible and a small child could theoretically place a thin metallic object into the live aperture and electrocute themselves.

Alternative socket covers which prevent access to the socket switch(es), but permit access to the socket apertures are also known. Such covers are described in GB1567175, GB2077509, GB2171263, GB2222322 and GB2385987, for example. However, all of the known socket covers cover the switches in such a way that that the cover must be removed before the switches can be operated.

Socket covers are typically used in situations where it is desired to prevent young children from playing with electrical sockets or where it is important that sockets are not switched on or off.

More specifically, children can become fascinated with sockets if they learn that their actions can provoke or generate a response. Examples of this include where a light is plugged into a socket and the child learns that the light can be made to come on or go off by operation of the switch or where a radio or music system is plugged into a socket and the music can be made to come on or go off. Such learnt behaviour is then typically applied to all sockets, which can potentially damage sensitive electrical equipment plugged into the relevant socket and/or risk electrocution of the child.

Similarly, it is often undesirable for specific electrical equipment to be switched off. This applies in particular to medical equipment located in hospitals and to equipment such as freezers and refrigerators.

Furthermore, certain modern electrical equipment may be damaged by being unintentionally switched off. Such equipment includes computers and servers, which can lose information if the power supply is interrupted without first properly shutting down the equipment.

It is also sometimes desirable to prevent a socket being activated. For example if maintenance work is being carried out on an electrical appliance which is hard-wired into an electrical system via a switched faceplate, then, for the safety of the maintenance worker, it would be desirable to prevent the switch being activated.

In all of the above situations, access to the switch or switches at certain times is desirable and it is often inconvenient or simply not possible to remove the cover to gain access to the switch(es) and then replace the cover.

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a socket cover including a body adapted to be secured to a socket and a switch cover coupled to the body, the switch cover being configured to overlay in use one or more switches carried by the socket, wherein the switch cover includes an access element which permits selective access to the or each switch in use.

The term "socket" is intended to include electrical sockets into which plugs are releasably inserted and also switched electrical faceplates or spurs which control the electrical flow to electrical components hard-wired into the electrical system, e.g. a ring main.

The switch cover is typically formed from a rigid or semi rigid material which prevents or resists deflection such that the or each switch is not capable of being unintentionally operated. Such material may be a polymeric material or a metal. Suitably the material will be a dielectric material.

In an embodiment of the invention as defined anywhere herein, the access element comprises a flap adapted selectively to cover the or each socket switch, the flap including a locking element, wherein the locking element has a locked configuration in which the flap is prevented from movement and an open configuration in which the flap is movable between a covered and uncovered position to selectively permit access to the or each switch.

In this embodiment, a user must first move the locking element to the open configuration, then move the flap to an uncovered position and then operate the or each switch. Such an arrangement prevents unintentional operation of the or each switch. It also functions as a child-proof arrangement, as it would prevent access to the switch by a young child.

The flap may be rotatably coupled to the socket cover body, for example, it may be hingedly coupled to the body. Thus, the switch cover may comprise a flap and a hinge, wherein the hinge couples the flap to the socket cover body.

The cover body, flap and hinge may be formed as a unitary or single-piece component. Alternatively, the flap and the hinge may be a single-piece component and the hinge may snap fit to a receiving element or post carried by the socket cover body.

The locking element may comprise one or more lugs carried on a peripheral edge portion of the flap.

Suitably the or each lug is engaged with a corresponding portion of the switch cover in the locked configuration. In this embodiment, the flap may be resiliently deformable such that a portion of the flap can be deflected to release the or each lug and in so doing, move the locking element to the open configuration.

The skilled person will appreciate that the engineering art is replete with examples of alternative child-proof or child-resistant locking arrangements and that the scope of the invention encompasses such alternative locking elements.

Additionally or alternatively, the access element may include one or more apertures formed through the switch cover and the socket cover may include a detachable operating wand which is sized and configured to be insertable through the or each aperture and is capable of operating the or each switch when inserted.

Typically, the switch cover will include two apertures per switch, where the operating wand may be inserted through a first aperture to engage a first portion of the switch which when pressed moves the switch to an "ON" position and it may be inserted through a second aperture to engage a second portion of the switch which when pressed moves the switch to an "OFF" position. Thus, the two apertures may be vertically aligned for switches which rock or pivot about a horizontal axis and they may be horizontally aligned for switches which rock or pivot about a vertical axis. As most switches are arranged to pivot about a horizontal axis, each pair of apertures are suitably arranged in a spaced vertical configuration.

The apertures are typically sized to prevent access to the switches by objects other than the operating wand or similarly shaped elongate objects.

By having the operating wand detachable from the socket cover, it may be spaced away from the cover in a secure place to prevent unintentional operation of the switches.

In a further embodiment of the invention as defined anywhere herein, the body includes a web adapted to be interposed between the socket and a plug in use. The web is suitable selected to be of a thickness that does not interfere with the frictional fit and/or electrical connection between the pin(s) of a plug and the corresponding apertures of the socket.

Thus, the web may include one or more apertures through which one or more pins of the plug may be inserted in use. In this way, the cover may effectively be held in place by the friction between the pins of the plug and their respective sockets.

For maximum stability in use, the web includes a corresponding number of apertures as the pins of the plug. Thus, for standard 3-pin UK plugs, the web may include three spaced apart apertures and for 2-pinned plugs, the web may include two spaced apart apertures.

In an alternative embodiment, the socket cover may be used to prevent access not only to the switches of the socket, but also to the pin apertures of the socket. In such an embodiment, the cover body includes one or more pins extending orthogonally from the plane of the body, wherein the pin or pins are adapted to locate within respective socket apertures. In this way, the pins of the socket cover are used to secure the cover to the socket, using the same frictional coupling as used by a plug coupled to the socket, and they blank off or prevent access to the socket apertures, thereby preventing young children for example from inserting objects into the socket apertures. The pins of this embodiment will typically be formed from an electrically insulating material.

Additionally or alternatively, the body may include a releasable adhesive wherein the body is releasably securable to the face of the socket. In this embodiment, the adhesive may form a substantially continuous layer on at least a part of the body. Typically, the adhesive will form a substantially continuous layer of adhesive on a planar part of the body which in use is located adjacent to the face of the socket.

The body may also or alternatively include areas which carry a releasable adhesive on the outward facing face of the body (i.e. the face which faces away from the socket in use). This adhesive layer provides an additional layer of security for the plug, as it provides an additional resistive force to prevent unintentional removal of the plug from the socket.

The body is suitably formed from an electrically insulating material. The electrically insulating material may be a polymeric material, such as a synthetic polymer.

In domestic situations, plug sockets may be decorative and formed from brass or a chromed metal. In order not to detract from the aesthetic qualities of such sockets, the cover may be formed from a transparent material.

The skilled person will appreciate that the features specified above in connection with embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other and any of the aspects of the invention as defined. Thus, the present invention includes within its scope an aspect of the invention combined with two or more of the features described anywhere herein as optional features. All such combinations of features described herein are considered to be made available to the skilled person.

An Embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is plan view from above of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is plan view from above of a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 3.

For the avoidance of doubt, the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification, the terms "up", "down", "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "width", etc. refer to the orientation of the components as found in the socket cover in normal use as shown in the Figures.

Figures 1 and 2 show a socket cover 2 according to one embodiment of the invention. The socket cover 2 comprises a body 4 in the form of a planar web of transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The web is 1 mm thick such that it is able to be sandwiched between a plug and a socket without interfering with the electrical connection between the plug and socket.

The body 4 defines two arrays of apertures 6a, 6b which are configured to match the arrangement of pins carried by a standard UK 3-pin plug. The skilled person will appreciate that whilst this embodiment is described in relation to a UK 3-pin plug, the inventive concept is applicable to any pin arrangement for plugs that are adapted to be inserted into respective sockets.

The dimensions of the apertures 6a, 6b are greater than the dimensions of the pins of a standard plug. This is to allow the socket cover to be used with different sockets where there are small differences in the relative locations of the socket apertures. In this embodiment, a 5mm tolerance has been included in the dimensions of the apertures 6a, 6b. Thus, each dimension of each aperture 6a, 6b is 5mm greater than the corresponding pin dimension.

A socket switch aperture 8 is defined by the body 4 between the two arrays of apertures 6a, 6b. The socket switch aperture 8 is sized to surround the operating switches of a standard UK twin socket. At a top peripheral edge portion 10 of the socket switch aperture 8, is provided a hinge 12 which connects a switch cover 14 to the body 4. The body 4, hinge 12 and switch cover 14 are all formed as a single unitary (i.e. one piece) component via an injection moulding process.

The switch cover 14 includes a rectangular planar flap portion 16 and four supporting wall portions 18 (an upper wall portion, a lower wall portion and a pair of opposed side wall portions), where each supporting wall portion extends from a respective side of the flap portion 16, such that the switch cover is frustopyramidal in shape.

A lug 20 is provided on the peripheral edge portion of the lower supporting wall portion 18a. The lug is shaped to engage the portion of the body which defines a bottom side 22 of the socket switch aperture 8. The lower supporting wall portion 18a which carries the lug 20 is resiliently deformable such that it can be deflected to engage or disengage the lug 20 from the body portion 22.

In use, the socket cover 2 is located between a plug and a socket and is held in place by the frictional force exerted by the socket on the plug pins. Each of the three pins of a standard UK plug passes through a respective aperture 6a, 6b defined by the body 4 of the cover 2.

Initially, the socket switch cover 14 is in an open configuration in which a user has access to the socket switches. Once the switches are set as desired, the socket switch cover 14 is rotated about the hinge 12 to a closed configuration in which it covers the switches. The lower supporting wall portion 18a is deflected inwards and the lug 20 engages the body portion 22. The lug 20 resists disengagement from the body portion 22 when the lower supporting wall portion 18a is released and is biased towards the body portion 22.

In this locked configuration (i.e. with the lug 20 engaged with the body portion 22), access to the socket switches is prevented by the switch cover 14.

In order to access the switches, the lower supporting wall portion 18a is deflected inwards until the lug 20 is capable of being disengaged from the body portion 22 of the body 4. Once the lug 20 is disengaged, the switch cover 14 is rotated about the hinge 12 to an open configuration in which the switches are accessible by the user.

The skilled person will appreciate that although this embodiment is concerned with a twin socket arrangement, a similar cover, with only one array of apertures 6a, could be used with a single socket.

Similarly, a socket cover with multiple arrays of apertures could be used with sockets adapted to receive more than two plugs at any given time.

In a further embodiment (not shown), the supporting wall portions could form part of the socket cover body and the flap could be hinged to one of the supporting walls. In this embodiment, the locking lug would be carried by one of the flap and a supporting wall and it would engage the other of the flap and supporting wall.

A third embodiment is shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this embodiment the socket switch cover forms part of the cover body and does not rotate relative to the body. Thus, this embodiment provides a socket cover 102 including a cover body 104 which defines therein two arrays of apertures 106a, 106b. Located between the two arrays of apertures 106a, 106b is a switch cover 114 formed from a top cover 116 which is supported by four support walls 118 projecting outwardly from the body 104 such that the top cover 116 and the support walls 118 define therein a hollow cavity sized to receive therein the socket switches. The body 104, support walls 118 and top cover 116 are formed as a single one-piece component by an injection moulding process.

The socket cover 102 is made from the same material and to similar dimensions as the socket cover 2 of the first embodiment.

The top cover 116 includes four access apertures 130 which have identical circular cross-sections and which are arranged in a rectangular configuration (i.e. each aperture represents one corner of a rectangle).

The socket cover 102 includes an operating wand 132 comprising an elongate operating arm 134 and a handle 136. The operating arm 134 has a cross-sectional diameter which is less than the cross-sectional diameter of the access apertures 130.

In use, the cover 102 is located in place in the same way as the cover 2 of the first embodiment.

However, the operation of the switches when the cover is in place is achieved via the operating wand 132, rather than by rotating the switch cover about a hinge to an open position. More specifically, with the cover 102 in place, the operating arm 134 of the operating wand 132 is inserted through one of the access apertures 130 until it contacts the switch located underneath the top cover 116.

The operating wand 132 is then urged towards the switch to rock it about its pivot point. For example, if the left hand socket is switched off and it is desired to switch it on, the operating arm 134 of the operating wand 132 is inserted through the lower left access aperture 130 (as shown in Figure 3). It will then contact the "ON" portion of the socket switch. The operating wand 132 is then urged forwards (i.e. towards the switch), whereupon the switch rocks about its central pivot point and moves from an OFF position to an ON position. The operating wand 132 can then be removed from the socket cover so that undesired operation of the switches is prevented.

Claims

Claims 1. A socket cover including a body adapted to be secured to a socket and a switch cover coupled to the body, the switch cover being configured to overlay in use one or more switches carried by the socket, wherein the switch cover includes an access element which permits selective access to the or each switch in use.
2. A socket cover according to Claim 1, wherein the switch cover is formed from a rigid or semi rigid material which prevents or resists deflection.
3. A socket cover according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the access element comprises a flap including a hinge and a locking element, wherein the locking element has a locked configuration in which the flap is prevented from movement and an open configuration in which the flap is permitted to pivot about its hinge to allow access to the or each switch.
4. A socket cover according to Claim 3, wherein the access element is formed as a unitary component.
5. A socket cover according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the locking element includes a lug carried on a peripheral edge portion of the flap and wherein the lug is adapted to engage a portion of the switch cover in the locked configuration.
6. A socket cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the access element includes one or more apertures formed through the switch cover and the socket cover includes a detachable operating wand which is sized and configured to be insertable through the or each aperture, whereby the operating wand is capable of operating the or each switch.
7. A socket cover according to Claim 6, wherein the access element includes two apertures per switch.
8. A socket cover according to any preceding claim, wherein body includes a web adapted to be interposed between the socket and a plug in use.
9. A socket cover according to Claim 8, wherein the web includes one or more apertures through which one or more pins of the plug may be inserted in use.
10. A socket cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the body includes a releasable adhesive such that it is releasably securable to a face of the socket.
11. A socket cover according to any preceding claim, wherein the body is formed from an electrically insulating material.
12. A socket cover according to Claim 11, wherein the body is formed from a transparent polymeric material.
13. A socket cover substantially as described in any embodiment herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.