Outlet cover

Abstract

To provide an outlet cover that can be used without the use of tools and without removing the decorative panel. [Solution] An outlet cover (1) used by attaching it to a rectangular outlet plate (200) provided on a wall surface (100) comprises a cover part (2) and a connector (3) for attaching the cover part to the wall surface. The connector has thin flap portions (4a, 4b) that surround all or part of the outer edge of the outlet plate and can be inserted into the gap between the wall surface and the outlet plate, reinforcing walls (5a, 5b) that extend perpendicularly to the thin flap portion and are convex in shape that fit into the opening of the container-shaped cover part to make the thin flap portion less likely to bend, and locking parts (6a, 6b) provided alongside the reinforcing walls and locking into the opening (2c) of the container-shaped cover part. The thin flap portion has an inclined surface on all or part of its edge to facilitate insertion into the gap. The outlet cover can be used easily without the use of tools.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a socket cover used by covering a socket plate provided on a wall surface.

Background Art

[0002] The socket plate is composed of a base that holds the socket insertion opening of the electric wire arranged inside the wall in an opening provided in the wall, and a rectangular decorative plate that is used by covering the base. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9(a) and (b), the socket cover 300 disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which, instead of the decorative plate, a cover attachment portion 301 is screwed to the wall surface together with the base by screws 301a and 301b, and a cover body 302 is attached to the cover attachment portion 301.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventional socket covers require removing the decorative plate attached to the socket plate and instead screwing the cover attachment portion, which not only requires tools but also necessitates storing the removed decorative plate for restoration work when removing the socket cover for use, etc., which is troublesome.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a socket cover that can be easily attached by hand without removing the originally attached decorative plate and without the need for tools.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an outlet cover for use attached to a rectangular outlet plate provided on a wall, comprising: a container-shaped cover portion having a rectangular opening that covers the outlet plate; and a connector for attaching the cover portion to the wall in a state that covers the outlet plate, wherein the connector comprises: a thin piece portion that surrounds all or part of the outer edge of the outlet plate and can be inserted into the gap between the wall and the outlet plate; a reinforcing wall that extends perpendicularly to the thin piece portion, is convex in shape that fits into the opening of the container-shaped cover portion, and at the same time makes the thin piece portion difficult to bend; and a locking portion provided alongside the reinforcing wall and locking into the opening of the container-shaped cover portion. Occasionally, The thin portion has an inclined surface on all or part of its edge to facilitate insertion into the gap, the connector is composed of one or more parts that surround a part of the outer edge of the outlet plate, including one or more corners, and the locking portion is provided at the end of each part, spaced apart and parallel to the reinforcing wall. Occasionally, The connector is composed of two parts that surround a portion of the outer edge of the outlet plate in a roughly U-shape, including two corners. It is characterized by.

[0007] Furthermore, in an outlet cover used by being attached to a rectangular outlet plate provided on a wall, the outlet cover comprises a container-shaped cover portion having a rectangular opening that covers the outlet plate, and a connector for attaching the cover portion to the wall in a state that covers the outlet plate, wherein the connector comprises a thin piece portion that surrounds all or part of the outer edge of the outlet plate and can be inserted into the gap between the wall and the outlet plate, a reinforcing wall that extends perpendicularly to the thin piece portion and is convex in shape that fits into the opening of the container-shaped cover portion and at the same time makes the thin piece portion difficult to bend, and a locking portion provided alongside the reinforcing wall and locking into the opening of the container-shaped cover portion. Occasionally,The thin portion has an inclined surface on all or part of its edge to facilitate insertion into the gap, and the side of the opening of the cover is provided with a rectangular hole of predetermined dimensions into which a coin can be inserted for locking purposes, and the locking portion of the connector has a locking claw at its tip, which is locked by fitting the claw into the rectangular hole of the cover, and the engagement is released by pressing the claw through the rectangular hole with the predetermined coin. Occasionally, The locking claw of the connector is provided with a guide surface that guides the claw to move in a direction that allows it to be released using the coin if force is applied to the cover from a pre-expected direction and its position shifts. It is characterized by. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The outlet cover of the present invention The locking parts are provided at the ends of each component, spaced apart and aligned with the reinforcing wall, and the thin sections between the locking parts and the reinforcing wall are more flexible than other parts. This structural feature reduces the amount the outlet plate is bent upward when inserting the thin sections into the gap, effectively preventing the outlet plate from cracking when the resin becomes brittle due to deterioration. In addition, the claws of the connector's locking parts are equipped with guide surfaces that guide the claws to move in a direction that can be released using a coin if force is applied to the cover from a pre-expected direction and the position shifts. If a large force is applied, such as when a child hits the cover, the guide surfaces will release the engagement, preventing the outlet plate from bending excessively and cracking. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing an outlet cover according to one embodiment of the present invention attached to an outlet plate provided on a wall. [Figure 2] An exploded perspective view showing the components of a wall outlet plate and outlet cover. [Figure 3] A perspective view of a connector that is inserted between the wall and the outlet plate. [Figure 4] (a) Locking portion of the connector. (b) Side view of the reinforcing wall of the connector. [Figure 5] A diagram showing how to insert a connector into the gap between the wall and the outlet plate. [Figure 6] A diagram showing how to attach the cover portion of the outlet cover to the connector. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates how a connector can be disconnected from the outlet cover under normal operation, or how it can be disconnected due to the action of the guide surface when external force is applied. [Figure 8]An exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of an outlet cover used for a rectangular outlet plate having four outlet sockets. [Figure 9] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing conventional outlet covers. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] The outlet cover of the present invention is used by attaching it to a rectangular outlet plate installed on a wall surface and consists of a container-shaped cover part having a rectangular opening that covers the outlet plate, and a connector for attaching the cover part to the wall surface while covering the outlet plate. The connector comprises a thin piece portion, a reinforcing wall, and a locking portion. The thin piece portion surrounds all or part of the outer edge of the outlet plate and can be inserted into the gap between the wall surface and the outlet plate. The reinforcing wall extends perpendicularly to the thin piece portion and is convex in shape that fits into the opening of the container-shaped cover part, while simultaneously making the thin piece portion less likely to bend. The locking portion is provided alongside the reinforcing wall and is designed to lock into the opening of the container-shaped cover part. The thin piece portion has an inclined surface on all or part of its edge to facilitate insertion into the gap. By adopting this configuration, the thin piece portion can be easily installed by simply inserting it into the gap between the wall surface and the outlet plate without removing the decorative panel or using any tools. The thin piece that can be inserted into the gap between the wall and the outlet plate alone would not provide sufficient strength, but because it has a reinforcing wall, it can maintain a robust mounting strength that can withstand, for example, the mischief of a young child.

[0015] One embodiment of an outlet cover having the above-described features will be explained with reference to the attached drawings.

[0016] Figure 1 shows the state where the socket cover 1 is attached to a rectangular socket plate 200 provided on the wall surface 100. For the sake of convenience, the wall surface 100 is shown as a rectangular plate-like object. The socket cover 1 is composed of a container-shaped cover portion 2 having a rectangular opening that covers the socket plate 200, and a connector 3 that attaches the cover portion 2 to the wall surface 100 in a state of covering the socket plate 200. In the present embodiment, the socket cover 1 is made of resin.

[0017] Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the socket plate 200 and the socket cover 1.

[0018] The socket plate 200 has a general configuration that was widely known at the time of filing the present application, and is composed of a resin base 202 that secures two socket insertion ports 201 led out to the opening 101 of the wall surface 100 to the wall surface 100, and a rectangular resin decorative plate 203 that is used to cover the base 202. The base 202 is secured to the wall surface 一百 by screws 202a and 202b. The decorative plate 203 is attached in a clip-on manner around the base 202.

[0019] The socket cover 1 is composed of a container-shaped resin cover portion 2 having a rectangular opening that covers the socket plate 200, and a resin connector 3 that attaches the cover portion 2 to the wall surface 100 in a state of covering the socket plate 200.

[0020] The cover portion 2 is composed of a main body 2a and an opening / closing lid 2d that is pivotally attached to the short side 2b at the upper part of the main body 2a. The cover portion 2 has an opening 2c at the lower part that mates with the connector 3. On the main body 2a and the opening / closing lid 2d, there is an opening 2e provided on the side for leading out a cord (not shown) connected to the socket insertion port 201 of the socket plate 200 to the outside while hiding the power connector part.

[0021] Connector 3 completely encloses the outer edge of the rectangular outlet plate 200 (i.e., the outer edge of the decorative panel 203, hereafter the same) and consists of two roughly U-shaped parts 3a and 3b that include two corners.

[0022] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the connector 3 that is inserted into the gap between the wall surface 100 and the outlet plate 200. Parts 3a and 3b consist of thin sections 4a and 4b, reinforcing walls 5a and 5b, and locking sections 6a and 6b. The thin sections 4a and 4b surround the entire outer edge of the outlet plate 200 and are resin parts, for example, 0.8 mm thick and with an insertion width (horizontal width) of 3 mm, that can be inserted into the gap between the wall surface 100 and the outlet plate 200. The thin sections 4a and 4b are inserted into the gap created by lifting the edge of the outlet plate 200 by about 1 mm using a fingernail. More specifically, the thin sections 4a and 4b are inserted into the gap created between the wall surface 100 and the base 202 of the outlet plate 200 shown in Figure 2 (the same applies hereafter). In this embodiment, plastic resins such as HiPS (high-impact polystyrene) are used for the thin flake portions 4a and 4b, but soft materials such as ABS (synthetic resin), PP (polypropylene), elastomers, and silicones can also be used. Furthermore, from the standpoint of preventing cracking of the outlet plate 200, especially the decorative panel 203 (see Figure 2), it is preferable to lift the outlet plate 200 as little as possible to create a gap. If the thin sections 4a and 4b have a hardness of approximately 65 (tire hardness) on an index representing rubber hardness, for example, only the tip can be inserted into the gap, and the rest can be pushed in. In this case, the amount that the outlet plate 200 needs to be lifted can be reduced. However, the hardness is not limited to this value, and it is preferable to set it appropriately from the standpoint of ease of insertion, based on the material properties and thickness of the thin sections 4a and 4b actually used. Regarding the thin slice portion, a thin metal piece with a thickness of 0.1 mm may be used, provided that it can be connected to the reinforcing wall described later. This allows for the use of thinner materials compared to the resin version, making insertion easier. The reinforcing walls 5a and 5b extend perpendicularly to the thin, easily bendable slice portions 4a and 4b, and are convex in shape that fits into the opening 2c of the container-shaped cover portion 2. At the same time, they make the slice portions 4a and 4b less likely to bend. They are resin parts, for example, with a thickness of 1 mm and a height of 5 mm. The locking portions 6a and 6b are provided at the ends of each component 3a and 3b, spaced apart (for example, about 1 mm apart) from the reinforcing walls 5a and 5b, and are resin parts, for example, with a thickness of 0.9 mm and a height of 5 mm, that lock into the opening 2c of the container-shaped cover portion 2.

[0023] As long as the conditions of having a thin section, a reinforcing section, and a locking section are met, the components constituting the connector 3 can be modified in ways other than the roughly U-shaped components 3a and 3b, for example, by having one L-shaped component including the upper corner in this figure, or two L-shaped components symmetrically or diagonally, or by having one or more I-shaped components without corners on one or more sides. If the mounting strength required for the cover 2 is strong, it is preferable to construct it with two roughly U-shaped components 3a and 3b including two corners, as in this embodiment. Note that the connector 3 can also be constructed as a single rectangular component having three or four corners.

[0024] Figure 4(a) is a view of the locking portion 6a of part 3a in Figure 3, as seen from the direction of arrow A in Figure 3, and Figure 4(b) is a view of the reinforcing wall 5a of part 3a as seen from the side, as seen from the direction of arrow BB' in Figure 3. The thin slice portion 4a has an inclined surface 7a on part of its edge, for example, the end and corners, to facilitate insertion of the thin slice portion 4a into the gap. This inclined surface 7a may be provided on all edges, for example. The configuration of part 3b is the same as that of part 3a, and a redundant explanation is omitted here (the same applies hereafter).

[0025] The locking portion 6a and reinforcing wall 5a are provided on the outer edge side of the thin slice portion 4a, as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), and are formed on a base that is 1.2 mm thicker in the vertical direction than the thin slice portion 4a. However, as long as they can be connected to the thin slice portion and the desired strength (reinforcement of the thin slice portion) can be obtained, they may be formed on a base with the same thickness as the thin slice portion 4a, as shown by the dotted line.

[0026] Figure 5 shows how to insert part 3a into the gap between the wall surface 100 and the outlet plate 200 while holding the reinforcing wall 5a near point C with, for example, the thumb and index finger (not shown). The locking portion 6a is provided at the end of part 3a, spaced apart from the reinforcing wall 5a. That is, the thin portion 4a between the locking portion 6a and the reinforcing wall 5a is more flexible than other parts. As shown in the figure, this structural feature reduces the amount that the outlet plate 200 is bent upward when inserting the thin portion 4a of part 3a into the gap, effectively preventing the outlet plate 200 from cracking when the resin has become brittle due to deterioration.

[0027] Figure 6 shows how the cover portion 2 of the outlet cover is attached to the connector 3. Connector 3 consists of two parts 3a and 3b that surround a portion of the outer edge of the outlet plate 200 in a roughly U-shape, including two corners (see Figure 3). The locking parts 6a and 6b of connector 3 are provided at the ends of each part, spaced apart from the reinforcing walls 5a and 5b. A rectangular hole 2f, sized to allow a predetermined coin to be inserted, is provided on the side of the opening 2c of the cover part 2 for locking. The locking parts 6a and 6b of the connector have locking claws 6c at their tips, and are locked by fitting the claws 6c into the rectangular hole 2f of the cover part 2, and are released by pressing the claws 6c with a predetermined coin. Furthermore, the claws 6c are provided with guide surfaces 8a and 8b that guide the claws 6c to move in the direction in which the coin can be used to release the engagement if the cover part 2 is displaced by force applied from a predetermined direction. As a modified example, the right edge 9a of the clip portion 9 in the diagram can be attached to the inner wall side of the cover portion 2, near the opening 2f, that is, on the edge that does not block the opening 2f, or, for example, 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm to the right in Figure 6, and added to the position shown by the dotted line, thereby sandwiching the locking portion 6b between the inner wall of the cover portion 2 and the clip portion 9 and holding it securely. Provided that the thin portion 4b is securely held in the gap between the wall surface 100 and the outlet plate 200, the cover portion 2 can be held by the connector 3b alone. As long as the condition is met that the thin portion 4b is firmly held in the gap between the wall surface 100 and the outlet plate 200, and the locking portion 6b is firmly held by the clip portion 9, the shape of the connector 3b is not limited to a U-shape, but can also be L-shaped or inverted L-shaped ("L-shaped"), having only one corner, or even I-shaped, having a reinforcing wall and locking portion on only one side, and the cover portion 2 can be held. However, considering the case where the thin portion 4b is not firmly held in the gap between the wall surface 100 and the outlet plate 200 due to distortion of the wall surface 100 or the like, it is preferable that the connector be composed of the U-shaped 3a and 3b of this embodiment.

[0028] Figure 7 shows the state in which the claws 6c of the locking parts 6a and 6b are fitted into the hole 2f of the cover part 2 (see Figure 6). In this state, if a predetermined coin is inserted and the claw 6c is pressed in the direction of arrow D, the engagement is released and the cover part 2 is removed from the connector 3. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to prevent young children from easily removing the cover part 2. If a large force is applied to the cover part 2, such as when a young child hits it in the direction of arrow E1 or E2, the cover part 2 will shift in that direction, and the guide surface 8a or 8b will act as a force in the direction indicated by arrow F, pressing the claw 6c and resulting in the engagement being released. If a large force is applied to the cover part 2 from the outside, the thin parts 4a and 4b of the connector 3 will apply a force that pries open the gap, but by adopting this configuration, it is possible to prevent the outlet plate 200 (not shown) from bending and cracking significantly.

[0029] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without changing the spirit of the invention. For example, the connector 3 may surround all or part of the outer edge of the outlet plate 200, including one or more corners, and may also have inclined surfaces 7a at the corners. Preferably, the connector 3 is composed of one or more parts that surround a part of the outer edge of the outlet plate 200, including one or more corners, and the locking parts 6a and 6b may be provided at the ends of each part, spaced apart from the reinforcing walls 5a and 5b. Most preferably, the outlet 3 is composed of the connector 3 and two parts 3a and 3b that surround a part of the outer edge of the outlet plate 200 in a substantially U-shape, including two corners, as shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, the outlet plate 200 is not limited to those with standard power plug sockets, but also includes those equipped with USB or LAN connection ports, etc.

[0030] The outlet cover of the present invention can be configured for use with rectangular outlet plates having more or fewer outlet sockets than those in this embodiment. Specifically, as described above, as long as the cover portion of the outlet cover is container-shaped with a rectangular opening that covers a rectangular outlet plate, and the connector has the aforementioned configuration that attaches the cover portion to the wall surface in a manner that covers the outlet plate, the size of the connector and cover portion of the outlet cover can be made larger or smaller to match the size of the rectangular outlet plate. For example, Figure 8 shows an exploded perspective view of an outlet cover 21 used for an outlet plate 300, which is a modified version of the outlet cover 1 and has twice the number of outlets as the outlet plate 200 shown in Figure 3, i.e., four outlets. The outlet cover 21 consists of a cover part 22 and a connector 23. The connector 23 has a configuration in which connectors 23a and 23b, which are similar in shape to the connectors 3a and 3b shown in Figure 3, are provided at intervals. The configuration of the cover part 22 and the connector 23 is the same as that of the cover part 2 and the connector 3, so a redundant explanation is omitted here. [Industrial applicability]

[0031] The outlet cover of the present invention can be used to prevent tampering by young children, and can also be used outdoors to protect against rain. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 1. 21 Outlet cover 2, 22 Cover section 3, 23 connectors 100 Wall surfaces 200, 300 outlet plate

Claims

1. In an outlet cover used by attaching it to a rectangular outlet plate installed on a wall, It consists of a container-shaped cover portion having a rectangular opening that covers the outlet plate, and a connector that attaches the cover portion to the wall surface while covering the outlet plate. The connector comprises: a thin strip portion that surrounds all or part of the outer edge of the outlet plate and can be inserted into the gap between the wall surface and the outlet plate; a reinforcing wall that extends perpendicularly to the thin strip portion, is convex in shape that fits into the opening of the container-shaped cover portion, and simultaneously makes the thin strip portion less likely to bend; and a locking portion provided alongside the reinforcing wall and engaging with the opening of the container-shaped cover portion. The thin portion has an inclined surface on all or part of its edge to facilitate insertion into the gap. The connector is composed of one or more parts that surround a portion of the outer edge of the outlet plate, including one or more corners, and the locking parts are provided at the ends of each part, spaced apart and aligned with the reinforcing wall. The connector is characterized by being composed of two parts that surround a portion of the outer edge of the outlet plate in a roughly U-shape, including two corners.

2. In an outlet cover used by attaching it to a rectangular outlet plate installed on a wall, It consists of a container-shaped cover portion having a rectangular opening that covers the outlet plate, and a connector that attaches the cover portion to the wall surface while covering the outlet plate. The connector comprises: a thin strip portion that surrounds all or part of the outer edge of the outlet plate and can be inserted into the gap between the wall surface and the outlet plate; a reinforcing wall that extends perpendicularly to the thin strip portion, is convex in shape that fits into the opening of the container-shaped cover portion, and simultaneously makes the thin strip portion less likely to bend; and a locking portion provided alongside the reinforcing wall and engaging with the opening of the container-shaped cover portion. The thin portion has an inclined surface on all or part of its edge to facilitate insertion into the gap. The side of the opening in the cover portion is provided with a rectangular hole of predetermined dimensions into which a coin can be inserted for locking purposes. The locking portion of the connector has a locking claw at its tip, and is locked by fitting the claw into the rectangular hole of the cover portion. The engagement is released by pressing the claw through the rectangular hole using a predetermined coin. An outlet cover characterized in that the claws of the locking portion of the connector are provided with a guide surface that guides the claws to move in a direction in which the coin can be used to disengage them if force is applied to the cover portion from a pre-expected direction and the position shifts.

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