Sliding Child-Resistant Outlet Cover with Spring-Lock Latch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for protecting electrical outlets from infant or small child access, such as childproof plastic covers and tamper-resistant outlets, are either cumbersome to use or difficult to install, and lack effective safety features to prevent accidental electrical shock.
Innovation Solution
A cover apparatus with a child safety latch that can only be disengaged by a standard electrical plug, a spring clip for automatic locking and easy unlocking, and a slidable cover door that can be retracted into the wall for aesthetic and secure access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If childproof plastic covers are used to protect electrical outlets, then child safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because the covers are cumbersome to insert and remove and can be removed by children with force
Solution Approach 1:
The cover door is designed to be slidable rather than fixed, allowing it to move between covering and non-covering positions. The spring mechanism provides dynamic automatic locking when closed and automatic unlocking when opened, eliminating the need for manual latching while maintaining child resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded latch mechanism automatically locks the cover door when closed and automatically unlocks it when opened, eliminating the need for manual latching or unlatching operations. The system serves itself by using the act of closing or opening the door to trigger the locking or unlocking action.
2Reliability
If tamper resistant outlets with slidable outlet blocks are used, then child safety is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty worsen requiring professional electrician installation
Solution Approach 1:
The safety function is segmented from the electrical outlet itself and placed in a separate cover apparatus. This allows the outlet to remain simple and standard while the cover provides the child resistance features, eliminating the need to modify the outlet structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover apparatus serves multiple functions: it provides child safety protection, maintains aesthetic appearance by covering the outlet, and allows easy access when needed. It can be applied to any standard outlet without requiring outlet-specific modifications.
3Reliability
If a covered electrical outlet design is used, then child safety is improved, but aesthetic appearance worsens due to visible covers
Solution Approach 1:
The cover door can be slid rearward to be retracted into the wall cavity, completely hiding it from view when not in use. This dynamic positioning allows the outlet to maintain aesthetic appearance while still providing safety protection when the door is in the forward position.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover door moves along the depth dimension of the wall cavity rather than protruding outward. By sliding rearward into the wall, the cover transitions from a visible external element to a hidden internal element, preserving aesthetic appearance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides effortless access to electrical outlets while preventing access by children, offering a secure and aesthetically pleasing design that is easy to use for adults but difficult for children to manipulate, thus reducing the risk of electrical shock.
Implementation Method 1
a spring clip which automatically locks a cover door to housing of the cover apparatus upon closing the cover door and unlocks the cover door by a simple press
Data Source
AI summary
A child-resistant cover apparatus for an electrical device in a wall comprising a housing, a cover door and a child safety latch. The housing surrounds the electrical outlet, and includes a planar baseplate having one or more openings therein for receiving the electrical device and a frame engaging the outer edges of the baseplate. The cover door is attached to the frame in a manner that permits the door to be selectively moved from an open position wherein the electrical device is exposed, and a closed position wherein the electrical device is covered by the cover door. The child safety latch is located proximate to an edge of the cover door and comprises a latch member disposed in an opening in the cover door. The latch member is selectively movable from a first unlocked position wherein a lip of the latch member is retracted into the opening in the cover door, and a second locked position wherein the lip is extended beyond the edge of the cover door and engages a slot in the frame of the housing. The cover door includes a plurality of elongated openings in an outer surface thereof. The elongated openings are in the area of the opening in the cover thereby exposing the latch member to the exterior of the cover door through the elongated openings.