Outlet Safety Plug Cavities for Warp-Resistant Child Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety plug covers do not effectively protect USB, Ethernet, Telephone, and Coaxial outlets from damage and child safety hazards, as they lack structure and stiffness, leading to potential breakage into small parts that can be a choking hazard and may warp due to inconsistent wall thickness.
Innovation Solution
The safety covers incorporate rows of cavities with specific shapes and patterns to provide structure and stiffness, with interfacing elements on ridges between cavities to prevent warping and ensure consistent wall thickness, designed for easy installation and use in various outlet types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If existing safety plug covers are used to cover outlets, then child safety is improved, but the covers lack structure and stiffness leading to breakage into small parts
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is divided into multiple sections with ribs and cavities that segment the structure to provide reinforcement without adding overall complexity. The interfacing elements are positioned on ridges between cavities, creating a segmented yet unified structure that maintains stiffness while preventing breakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover incorporates multiple material properties through its design, combining flexible sealing material with rigid structural elements (ridges and cavities). This composite approach allows the cover to be both safe for children and structurally sound, preventing breakage into hazardous small parts.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If existing safety plug covers are used, then outlet protection is provided, but inconsistent wall thickness causes warping
Solution Approach 1:
The design implements local quality variations through strategically placed ribs and cavities that provide targeted reinforcement. The interfacing elements are positioned on ridges between cavities, creating local structural enhancements that prevent warping in critical areas while maintaining consistent wall thickness throughout the cover.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the cover by incorporating ribs and cavities with specific shapes and patterns. These parameter modifications create a structure that resists warping while maintaining consistent wall thickness, solving the stability issue without compromising outlet protection.
3Ease of manufacture
If thin cover plates are used to cover outlets, then installation simplicity is improved, but the covers lack structural integrity and may break
Solution Approach 1:
The cover transitions from a simple two-dimensional thin plate to a three-dimensional structure with ribs and cavities. This dimensional enhancement provides structural integrity and prevents breakage while maintaining ease of installation, as the cover remains a single piece that can be easily mounted on outlets.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method directed for one or more safety plugs whereby safety plugs may either be individual plates that will insert into unused Telephone, Ethernet, and USB outlets, the safety plug may also be an individual coaxial plate that will cover a coaxial stud thus preventing any damage.