Powered wall plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10630031-B1
Application number	US-201916655204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 16, 2019
Priority date	May 7, 2017
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A powered wall plate with a plug-in module having two electrical plug prongs, the two electrical plug prongs configured to removably mate with an electrical receptacle of an electrical device. The plug-in module has a mounting screw aperture extending therethrough that receives a mounting screw, attaching the plug-in module to the powered wall plate, and a surround on a portion of the perimeter of the plug-in module that is configured to cover a portion of the wall plate. A plurality of LED lights is located along a bottom edge of the front surface, a photocell is exposed on the front surface of the wall plate, and a control switch has an on position, an off position, and an auto position. A transformer housing may extend forward from the front surface and includes a circuit therein operatively coupled to a USB port on a perpendicular surface of the transformer housing. The USB port is configured to provide power when power is supplied to the at least two electrical plug prongs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A powered wall plate adapter system comprising:
a wall plate having a first front surface opposite a first rear surface and at least one opening extending through the first front surface and the first rear surface that is large enough to expose an electrical device therethrough;
a first plurality of mounting screw apertures extending through the wall plate and configured to receive a plurality of mounting screws to attach the wall plate to the electrical device;
a plug-in module extending forward from the first front surface and having:
a second front surface opposite a second rear surface, wherein the second rear surface is adjacent to the first front surface;
at least two electrical plug prongs extending away from the second rear surface, the at least two electrical plug prongs configured to removably mate with an electrical receptacle of the electrical device;
a plurality of electrical plug apertures extending into the second front surface and configured to receive an electrical plug therein;
at least one mounting screw aperture extending through the plug-in module, the at least one mounting screw aperture configured to receive a mounting screw which extends through the plug-in module and couples with the wall plate through one mounting screw aperture of the first plurality of mounting screw apertures;
a surround located around a portion of a perimeter of the second rear surface and configured to extend around a bottom edge and a portion of a right edge and a left edge of the wall plate;
a plurality of LED lights located along a bottom edge of the plug-in module;
a photocell exposed on the front surface of the plug-in module;
a control switch having an on position, an off position, and an auto position; and
a transformer housing located adjacent to the plurality of electrical plug apertures, the transformer housing comprising a circuit therein, the circuit operatively coupled to at least one USB port, the at least one USB port exposed on a side surface of the transformer housing and facing perpendicular to the front surface, the circuit electrically coupled between the at least one USB port and the at least two electrical plug prongs and configured to provide power to the at least one USB port, the plurality of electrical plug apertures, and the control switch when power is supplied to the at least two electrical plug prongs; and

a spacer configured to fit within the opening between the plug-in module and the electrical device;
wherein the at least two electrical plug prongs extend through the spacer to removably mate with the electrical receptacle.

2. The powered wall plate of claim 1 , wherein the transformer housing is located below the plurality of electrical plug apertures.

3. The powered wall plate of claim 1 , further comprising an adapter positioned within the opening and configured to adapt a shape of the opening to a shape of the electrical device.

4. A powered wall plate comprising:
a wall plate having a first front surface opposite a first rear surface and at least one opening extending through the first front surface to the first rear surface that is large enough to expose an electrical device therethrough;
at least one wall plate mounting screw aperture extending through the wall plate and configured to receive at least one mounting screw to attach the wall plate to the electrical device; and
a plug-in module extending forward from the first front surface and having:
a second front surface opposite a second rear surface;
at least two electrical plug prongs extending away from the second rear surface, the at least two electrical plug prongs configured to removably mate with an electrical receptacle of the electrical device;
a plurality of electrical plug apertures extending into the second front surface and configured to receive an electrical plug therein;
at least one module mounting screw aperture extending through the plug-in module, the least one module mounting screw aperture configured to receive the at least one mounting screw therethrough;
a surround located around a portion of a perimeter of the second rear surface and configured to cover a bottom edge and a portion of a right edge and a left edge of the wall plate; and
a transformer housing located adjacent to the plurality of electrical plug apertures, the transformer housing comprising at least one USB port exposed on a surface of the transformer housing, wherein the at least one USB port is electrically coupled to the at least two electrical plug prongs.

5. The powered wall plate of claim 4 , the plug-in module further having a plurality of lights located along an edge of the plug-in module.

6. The powered wall plate of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of lights is located along a bottom edge of the plug-in module.

7. The powered wall plate of claim 4 , further comprising a spacer configured to fit within the opening between the plug-in module and the electrical device; wherein the at least two electrical plug prongs extend through the spacer to removably mate with the electrical receptacle.

8. The powered wall plate of claim 4 , further comprising an adapter positioned within the opening and configured to adapt a shape of the opening to a shape of the electrical device.

9. The powered wall plate of claim 4 , wherein the transformer housing is located below the plurality of electrical plug apertures.

10. A powered wall plate comprising:
a wall plate having a front surface opposite a rear surface and at least one opening extending through the front surface to the rear surface that is large enough to expose an electrical device therethrough;
at least one wall plate mounting screw aperture extending through the wall plate and configured to receive at least one mounting screw to attach the wall plate to the electrical device; and
a plug-in module extending forward from the front surface and having:
at least two electrical plug prongs extending away from the plug-in module, the at least two electrical plug prongs configured to removably mate with an electrical receptacle of the electrical device;
at least one module mounting screw aperture extending through the plug-in module, the least one module mounting screw aperture configured to receive the at least one mounting screw therethrough; and
a surround located around a portion of a perimeter of the plug-in module and configured to extend around a first edge and a portion of a second edge and a third edge of the wall plate.

11. The powered wall plate of claim 10 , the plug-in module further having a plurality of electrical plug apertures extending into the second front surface and configured to receive an electrical plug therein.

12. The powered wall plate of claim 10 , the plug-in module further having a control switch with an on position, an off position, and an auto position.

13. The powered wall plate of claim 10 , further comprising an adapter positioned within the opening and configured to adapt a shape of the opening to a shape of the electrical device.

14. The powered wall plate of claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of LED lights located along an edge of the plug-in module and configured to light up based on an ambient light level.

15. The powered wall plate of claim 10 , the plug-in module further having a transformer housing comprising at least one USB port exposed on a surface of the transformer housing, wherein the at least one USB port is electrically coupled to the at least two electrical plug prongs and the at least two electrical plug prongs are configured to provide power to the at least one USB port when power is sup

Assignees

• Baldwin Jeffrey P

Inventors

• Baldwin Jeffrey P

Classifications

• H01R25/006

  the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle · CPC title

• H01R13/748 Primary

  using one or more screws (H01R13/746 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/665 Primary

  with built-in electronic circuit (H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01R27/02

  for simultaneous co-operation with two or more {dissimilar} counterparts · CPC title

• H01R13/717

  with built-in light source · CPC title