Electrical wiring device assemblies with easy to clean surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12396114-B2
Application number	US-202217704385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Mar 26, 2021
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

An electrical wiring device assembly having a uniform user facing surface that can be provided with a new electrical wiring device or retrofit to an existing wiring device. The surface is a sleeve that omits crevices, gaps, indentations and other irregularities that can collect and harbor harmful pathogens. The sleeve can be rigid or flexible and is coupled to the wiring device to allow a user to operate the wiring device, such as by allowing a user to move a toggle or paddle switch, while covering the user facing side of the wiring device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical wiring device assembly, comprising: a sleeve dimensioned to be positioned in covering relation to a front of an electrical wiring device, wherein the sleeve has a uniform user facing surface, wherein the uniform user facing surface omits crevices, gaps, protrusions, or indentations and includes a wall extending around a peripheral edge of the uniform user facing surface; the wall has a first inclined surface extending toward a rocker switch of the electrical wiring device assembly and an undercut extending around an interior of the sleeve between the uniform user facing surface and the first inclined surface for engaging with a plate of the electrical wiring device; and the plate of the electrical wiring device assembly comprises a mounting plate having a set of protruded rails and second inclined surfaces for slidingly engaging opposite sides of the undercut and the first inclined surface respectively so that the sleeve can move between a first position and second position to activate and deactivate the rocker switch of the electrical wiring device assembly respectively; and a subframe coupled to the electrical wiring device and forming a barrier preventing access to an interior of the electrical wiring device.

2. The electrical wiring device assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plate of the electrical wiring device comprises a wall plate of the electrical wiring device.

3. The electrical wiring device assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate is configured to be positioned behind the wall plate of the electrical wiring device.

4. The electrical wiring device assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is flexible.

5. The electrical wiring device of claim 1 , wherein the cover is formed of a chemically resistant or antibacterial material.

6. The electrical wiring device of claim 5 , wherein the electrical wiring device includes a front surface extending in a first plane and a peripheral edge extending in a second plane and wherein the cover is fully positioned over the front surface and around the peripheral edge.

Assignees

• Pass & Seymour Inc

Inventors

• Savicki Jr Gerald R
• Rohmer Richard
• Murphy Patrick J
• Roberts Clayton
• Jamal Syed J
• Junko Theodore P
• Brindisi Alec J

Classifications

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• H05K5/0208

  Interlock mechanisms; Means for avoiding unauthorised use or function, e.g. tamperproof · CPC title

• H02G3/12

  for flush mounting · CPC title

• H01H23/08

  Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon · CPC title

• H01H23/04

  Cases; Covers · CPC title