GB2367697A - Wall socket safety cover using sucker - Google Patents

Abstract

A Plug Socket Safety Cover, eg for a two plug electrical socket, has a cover 1 of a size to fit over standard electrical sockets with plugs that are in use. It incorporates a screw thread 2 that rotates in a barrel 3 that is operated by a key 12. A screw thread 9 is permanently fixed to a sucker 4 and fits into the female thread 2. The sucker is secured to an area between the two plugs and the cover is placed over it to connect the screw threads. It is secured by screwing clockwise and pulling it tight onto the socket. It is tightened to such a pressure that the cover cannot easily be pulled off by a child but can be removed by an adult with reasonable force.

Description

PLUG SOCKET SAFETY COVER This invention is related to the safety of standard electrical sockets for plugs. It is a safety cover for electrical sockets with live plugs currently in use and located in areas accessible by young children.

Electrical plug sockets are widely used and most are at or near floor level. Young children will with natural inquisitiveness, seek to pull leads and plugs and push switches that may cause injury or inconvenience. This is a potential problem in homes, hospitals and other public places such as childrens'clubs and other activity centres.

An objective of this invention is to significantly reduce the risk of young children turning plug switches off and pulling live plugs from the socket. A secondary objective is to reduce visual clutter.

Accordingly this invention provides a cover that covers the plugs and the socket without the need to make any physical changes or adjustments to either socket or plugs.

Preferably the cover is made of a hard white plastic material to match standard electrical sockets although it could be made of any stiff material with suitable properties.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1 shows a plan view, figure 2 is a view from below, figure 3 is a side view, figure 4 is an overall view.

Figures 1,2 and 3 show the cover 1 is just sized to fit over a standard electric socket 11 usually fixed to a wall 10 by screws 13. It is attached through a sucker 4 fixed to a screw thread 9 that fits a screw thread in a barrel arrangement 3 that is permanently fixed to the cover 1. The barrel 3 is of an existing design commonly found on window stay locks. The female screw thread 2 within the barrel 3 is operated by an appropriate key 12 that fits the key receptor 7 which is part of the female screw thread 2.

To secure the cover the sucker is slightly moistened and is pushed onto the appropriate area of a clean, grease free socket. The cover is put over the sucker's screw thread 9 and the screw thread 2 is engaged with it by turning the key 12 clockwise. The key is turned until the sucker is pulled out to create enough suction to hold the cover secure. The cover is removed by adults by pulling to release the airtight seal between the sucker and the socket.

The cover 1 has gaps 8 for the electrical leads 6 attached to the plugs 5. These gaps should be just large enough to accommodate most electrical leads.

The sucker should be made of a material and of a design whereby the plug socket cover 1 cannot usually be removed by a young child but in case of an emergency it can easily be removed by an adult with reasonable force.

Other examples of the cover can also be described to fit over a single socket, switches or other arrangements and requires a different cover size, different positions of the suckers and possibly more than one sucker and screw thread arrangement.

Claims (2)

1. CLAIMS 1. A plug socket safety cover comprising a cover and a sucker with screw thread arrangement to allow a secure fitting over an electrical plug socket
2. 2. A plug socket safety cover substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawing.