Rotatable Night Light Concealing Outlet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard night lights that plug into electrical outlets often block one of the outlets, requiring removal to use another device, and do not aesthetically conceal the receptacle.
Innovation Solution
A night light with a rotatable body that can conceal the entire electrical receptacle in one orientation and expose one outlet for use in another, allowing 360-degree rotation without unplugging, while remaining energized and functional.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the night light is plugged into an electrical outlet, then it provides lighting function, but it blocks the other outlet from being used
Solution Approach 1:
The night light body is made rotatable around the plug axis, allowing dynamic repositioning between concealing and exposing the second outlet. This rotational freedom enables the device to adapt its orientation based on whether aesthetic concealment or outlet accessibility is the priority at any given time.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the problem from a two-dimensional plane (front/back of outlet) to three-dimensional space by enabling rotation around the plug axis. This adds a rotational dimension that allows the night light to access different spatial orientations, simultaneously achieving concealment and outlet exposure at different angles.
2Shape
If the night light conceals the electrical receptacle, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but the outlet is not accessible for other devices
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable design transforms a static concealment device into a dynamic one. When aesthetic concealment is desired, the night light rotates to cover the receptacle; when outlet accessibility is needed, it rotates to expose the second outlet, all without unplugging the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The night light serves multiple functions: it provides lighting, conceals the receptacle for aesthetics, and allows access to the second outlet. The rotational mechanism enables a single device to fulfill all these functions by changing its orientation, eliminating the need for separate devices for each function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the night light body is rotatable to expose or conceal outlet, then versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The night light is divided into separable components: a rotatable body and a fixed plug assembly. This segmentation allows the body to rotate independently around the plug axis, achieving versatility without requiring the entire device to be complex. The plug remains stationary while the functional body rotates.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug assembly acts as an intermediary element that remains fixed while the body rotates around it. This intermediary structure provides a stable anchor point, simplifying the rotational mechanism by eliminating the need for complex moving parts in the plug itself, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a night light that plugs into an electrical outlet and has means that allow the night light body, without unplugging the night light, alternatively to conceal from view the entire electrical receptacle in a first orientation and to expose one of the electrical receptacle's outlets for use in a second orientation. The invention thus serves to conceal electrical receptacles in an aesthetically pleasing way while operating as a night light. It can be reoriented from that position, without removing it from the electrical outlet into which it is plugged, to expose for use by another electrical device the electrical outlet of the electrical receptacle not being used by the night light, while continuing to function as a night light.