Dimmable tamper-resistant nightlight

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11268684-B1
Application number	US-202117203658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2021
Priority date	Jan 23, 2019
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A dimmable tamper resistant nightlight may include a body comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED). Plug blades may extend from the body. A dimming switch may be coupled to the at last one LED, the dimming switch configured to move between a first position that activates about 50% luminosity of the at least one LED, a second position that deactivates about 100% luminosity of the at least one LED, and a third position that activates about 100% luminosity of the at least one LED. A housing may be coupled to the body, the housing comprising an access opening through which the dimming switch may be moved among the first position, the second position, and the third position. A housing may also comprise a locking element configured to prevent the dimmable tamper resistant nightlight from being removed from the electrical receptacle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dimmable tamper resistant nightlight, comprising:
a body comprising a light;
plug blades extending from the body and configured to electrically couple with the light and with an electrical receptacle of an electrical device;
a dimming switch coupled to the light and configured to activate a first level of luminosity of the light when in a first position and activate a second level of luminosity of the light less than the first level of luminosity when in a second position; and
a housing coupled to the body, the housing comprising a locking element configured to mount to a wall plate on a rear side of the wall plate, extend through a receptacle aperture in the wall plate configured to expose the electrical receptacle, and restrict the dimmable tamper resistant nightlight from being removed from the electrical receptacle while the wall plate is coupled to the electrical device.

2. The nightlight of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a translucent material and is disposed over a front of the body, and wherein the body is configured to directly contact a face of the electrical receptacle.

3. The nightlight of claim 1 , wherein the housing is disposed over a side of the body and is not disposed over a front of the body, and wherein the body is configured to directly contact a face of the electrical receptacle.

4. The nightlight of claim 1 , wherein the locking element is configured as a flange that extends away from the body such that a distal edge of the flange is configured to be positioned behind a rear surface of the electrical wall plate.

5. The nightlight of claim 1 , wherein a footprint of the body is less than a footprint of the electrical receptacle, such that the footprint of the body is contained completely within the footprint of the electrical receptacle when the plug blades are coupled with the electrical receptacle.

6. The nightlight of claim 1 , wherein the body and the housing are formed as a single piece.

7. A dimmable tamper resistant nightlight, comprising:
a body comprising a light;
plug blades extending from the body and configured to electrically couple with the light and with an electrical receptacle of an electrical device;
a dimming switch coupled to the light; and
a housing coupled to the body, the housing comprising a locking element configured to restrict the housing from being removed from the wall plate while the wall plate is coupled to the electrical device, wherein the wall plate has a receptacle aperture configured to expose the electrical receptacle and the locking element is configured to extend through the receptacle aperture.

8. The nightlight of claim 7 , wherein the housing comprises a translucent material and is disposed over a front of the body, and wherein the body is configured to directly contact a face of the electrical receptacle.

9. The nightlight of claim 7 , wherein the housing is disposed over a side of the body and is not disposed over a front of the body, and wherein the body is configured to directly contact a face of the electrical receptacle.

10. The nightlight of claim 7 , wherein the housing is coupled to the body with a keyhole connector, the housing comprising slots through which the plug blades extend when the body is coupled to the housing.

11. The nightlight of claim 7 , wherein the locking element is configured as a flange that extends away from the body such that a distal edge of the flange is configured to be positioned behind a rear surface of the electrical wall plate.

12. The nightlight of claim 7 , wherein the body comprises a low profile body in which a thickness of the body is less than or equal to a width of the body, wherein the thickness is measured parallel to the plug blades and the width is perpendicular to the thickness.

13. The nightlight of claim 7 , wherein the body and the housing are formed as a single piece.

14. A dimmable tamper resistant nightlight, comprising:
a body comprising a light;
plug blades extending from the body and configured to electrically couple with an electrical receptacle of an electrical device; and
a locking element configured to restrict the dimmable tamper resistant nightlight from being removed from the wall plate while the wall plate is coupled to the electrical device, wherein the wall plate has a receptacle aperture configured to expose the electrical receptacle and the locking element is configured to extend through the receptacle aperture.

15. The nightlight of claim 14 , further comprising a housing coupled to the body, wherein the locking element is part of the housing.

16. The nightlight of claim 15 , wherein the housing is disposed over a side of the body and is not disposed over a front of the body, and wherein the body is configured to directly contact a face of the electrical receptacle.

17. The nightlight of claim 15 , wherein the housing is coupled to the body with a keyhole connector, the housing comprising slots through which the plug blades extend when the body is coupled to the housing.

18. Then nightlight of claim 15 , wherein the housing comprises a translucent material and is disposed over a front of the body, and wherein the body is configured to directly contact a face of the electrical receptacle.

19. The nightlight of claim 14 , wherein the locking element is configured as a flange that extends away from the body such that a distal edge of the flange is configured to be positioned behind a rear surface of the electrical wall plate.

20. The nightlight of claim 14 , further comprising a dimming switch coupled to the light, the dimming switch configured to control the luminosity of the light.

Assignees

• Baldwin Jeffrey P
• Klein John E

Inventors

• Baldwin Jeffrey P
• Klein John E

Classifications

• F21V23/04

  the elements being switches (safety devices F21V25/00) · CPC title

• F21V15/005

  Measures against vandalism, stealing or tampering (F21V15/02, F21V15/04 take precedence) · CPC title

• F21S8/035 Primary

  by means of plugging into a wall outlet, e.g. night light · CPC title

• F21V25/00 Primary

  Safety devices structurally associated with lighting devices (gas- tight or water-tight arrangements F21V31/00; in general F16P; protective circuit arrangements per se H02H7/00) · CPC title

• F21V23/0464

  the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors · CPC title