Powered electrical wall plate with a touch-sensitive surface

Inventors: Jeffrey P. Baldwin (Anthem, AZ); John E. Klein (Chandler, AZ)

Assignee: Titan3 Technology LLC

H02G3/081 F21S8/035 F21V33/006 H01R13/748 H01R25/006 H02G3/14 H03K17/962 H03K17/964 H03K17/9645 H05B47/11 H05B47/196 H01R13/6215

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12671237
App. No.: 18/736,012
Granted: Jun 30, 2026
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A powered wall plate with a wall plate, an electrical circuit, at least one light, and a touch-sensitive control switch. The wall plate has at least two electrical plug prongs extending rearward from the wall plate that are configured to receive power from an electrical device. The electrical circuit is electrically coupled to the at least two electrical plug prongs. The at least one light is positioned on the wall plate and is electrically coupled to the electrical circuit. The touch-sensitive control switch is electrically coupled to the at least one light and is configured to control the supply of power from the electrical device to the at least one light. The touch-sensitive control switch is configured to respond when a user contacts the touch-sensitive control switch.

Claims (32)

1 . A powered wall plate, comprising:

a wall plate with at least two electrical plug prongs extending rearward from the wall plate, the wall plate having at least one opening configured to expose a first electrical receptacle of an electrical device therethrough, the at least two electrical plug prongs configured to removably mate with a second electrical receptacle of the electrical device;

an electrical circuit located behind the wall plate and electrically coupled to the at least two electrical plug prongs;

at least one light on the wall plate electrically coupled to the electrical circuit; and

a touch-sensitive control switch electrically coupled to the at least one light and configured to control the supply of power from the electrical device to the at least one light through the electrical circuit coupled to the at least two electrical plug prongs, wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to respond when a user contacts the touch-sensitive control switch.

2 . The powered wall plate of claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a capacitive sensor.

3 . The powered wall plate of claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a resistive sensor.

4 . The powered wall plate of claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

5 . The powered wall plate of claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to change a brightness level of the at least one light.

6 . The powered wall plate of claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to change a setting of the at least one light between an on setting in which the at least one light receives power from the electrical device, an off setting in which the at least one light is electrically isolated from the electrical device, and an auto setting in which the at least one light receives power from the electrical device when an ambient light level is lower than a threshold light level.

7 . A powered wall plate, comprising:

an electrical circuit located behind the wall plate and electrically coupled to the at least two electrical plug prongs;

at least one light on the wall plate electrically coupled to the electrical circuit; and

a touch-sensitive control switch electrically coupled to the at least one light and configured to control the supply of power from the electrical device to the at least one light, wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to respond when a user contacts the touch-sensitive control switch.

8 . The powered wall plate of claim 7 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a capacitive sensor.

9 . The powered wall plate of claim 7 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a resistive sensor.

10 . The powered wall plate of claim 7 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

11 . The powered wall plate of claim 7 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to change a brightness level of the at least one light.

12 . The powered wall plate of claim 7 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to change a setting of the at least one light between an on setting in which the at least one light receives power from the electrical device, an off setting in which the at least one light is electrically isolated from the electrical device, and an auto setting in which the at least one light receives power from the electrical device when an ambient light level is lower than a threshold light level.

13 . A powered wall plate, comprising:

a wall plate with at least two electrical plug prongs extending rearward from the wall plate, the at least two electrical plug prongs configured to receive power from an electrical device;

an electrical circuit electrically coupled to the at least two electrical plug prongs;

at least one light on the wall plate electrically coupled to the electrical circuit; and

14 . The powered wall plate of claim 13 , wherein the wall plate has at least one opening configured to expose a first electrical receptacle of an electrical device therethrough.

15 . The powered wall plate of claim 13 , wherein the electrical circuit is located behind the wall plate.

16 . The powered wall plate of claim 13 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a capacitive sensor.

17 . The powered wall plate of claim 13 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a resistive sensor.

18 . The powered wall plate of claim 13 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch comprises a piezoelectric sensor.

19 . The powered wall plate of claim 13 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to change a brightness level of the at least one light.

20 . The powered wall plate of claim 13 , wherein the touch-sensitive control switch is configured to change a setting of the at least one light between an on setting in which the at least one light receives power from the electrical device, an off setting in which the at least one light is electrically isolated from the electrical device, and an auto setting in which the at least one light receives power from the electrical device when an ambient light level is lower than a threshold light level.