Active cover plates

1. An active cover plate comprising:

a face plate having a length in a vertical direction and a width in a horizontal direction;

a load;

a first magnet;

a first electrically insulated power extractor extending rearward from the face plate to tap electrical power from an electrical receptacle and energize the load;

the first electrically insulated power extractor tethering the first magnet to the face plate and comprising a fixed end fixed with respect to the face plate and an opposite free end connected to the first magnet; and

the first electrically insulated power extractor comprising a ribbon of flexible dielectric material and a flexible metal wire embedded within the ribbon, the ribbon having a width in the vertical direction and a thickness in the horizontal direction, the width of the ribbon being at least two times greater than the thickness of the ribbon.

2. The active cover plate of claim 1 , further comprising a second magnet.

3. The active cover plate of claim 2 , further comprising a second electrically insulated power extractor.

4. The active cover plate of claim 3 , wherein the first and second electrically insulated power extractors collectively tap electrical power from the electrical receptacle to energize the load.

5. The active cover plate of claim 4 , wherein the second electrically insulated power extractor tethers the second magnet to the face plate and comprises a fixed end fixed with respect to the face plate and an opposite, free end connected to the second magnet.

6. The active cover plate of claim 5 , wherein:

the first magnet contacts a first terminal of the electrical receptacle; and

the second magnet contacts a second terminal of the electrical receptacle.

7. The active cover plate of claim 6 , wherein:

a first magnetic attraction biases the first magnet toward the first terminal; and

a second magnetic attraction biases the second magnet toward the second terminal.

8. A wall-plate system comprising:

a face plate comprising a front and a back and having a length in a vertical direction and a width in a horizontal direction;

electronic circuitry positioned adjacent the back of the face plate;

a first magnet;

a first conductor tethering the first magnet to the electronic circuitry and having a first end connected to the electronic circuitry and a second end connected to the first magnet;

a ribbon of flexible dielectric material extending between the back of the face plate and the first magnet;

the first conductor comprising a flexible metal wire embedded within the ribbon; and

the ribbon having a width in the vertical direction and a thickness in the horizontal direction, the width of the ribbon being at least two times greater than the thickness of the ribbon.

9. The wall-plate system of claim 8 , wherein the face plate further comprises a rectangular outer perimeter forming lengthwise and widthwise extremes of the face plate in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively.

10. The wall-plate system of claim 9 , wherein the electronic circuitry is circumscribed by the rectangular outer perimeter of the face plate.

11. The wall-plate system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises at least one light.

12. The wall-plate system of claim 11 , further comprising a second magnet and a second conductor.

13. The wall-plate system of claim 12 , wherein the second conductor tethers the second magnet to the electronic circuitry and has a first end connected to the electronic circuitry and a second end connected to the second magnet.

14. The wall-plate system of claim 13 , further comprising an electrical outlet secured to the face plate.

15. The wall-plate system of claim 14 , wherein:

a first magnetic attraction maintains the first magnet in contract with a first terminal of the electrical outlet;

a second magnetic attraction maintains the second magnet in contract with a second terminal of the electrical outlet the second magnet contacts a second terminal of the electrical outlet; and

the first and second conductors collectively tap electrical power from the electrical outlet to energize the at least one light.

16. A lighting system extending in longitudinal, lateral, and transverse directions that are orthogonal to one another, the lighting system comprising:

an electrical device having first and second terminals;

a face plate secured to the electrical device and comprising a front, a back, and at least one aperture, wherein the at least one aperture surrounds at least a portion of the electrical device that extends therethrough in the transverse direction;

electronic circuitry positioned adjacent the back of the face plate, the electrical circuitry comprising at least one light;

a first magnet held by magnetism in contact with the first terminal of the electrical outlet;

a second magnet held by magnetism in contact with the second terminal of the electrical outlet;

a first conductor tethering the first magnet to the electronic circuitry and having a fixed end fixed with respect to the electronic circuitry and a second, free end connected to the first magnet;

a second conductor tethering the second magnet to the electronic circuitry and having a fixed end fixed with respect to the electronic circuitry and a second, free end connected to the second magnet;

first and second ribbons of flexible dielectric material extending in the transverse direction between the back of the face plate and the first and second magnets, respectively;

the first and second ribbons each have a width and a thickness, the width being at least two times greater than the thickness for each of the first and second ribbons;

the first conductor comprising a first flexible metal wire embedded within the first ribbon;

the second conductor comprising a second flexible metal wire embedded within the second ribbon; and

the first and second conductors collectively tapping electrical power from the electrical device to energize the at least one light.

17. The lighting system of claim 16 , wherein the electrical device is an electrical outlet or an electrical switch.

18. The lighting system of claim 17 , wherein:

the face plate further comprises a rectangular outer perimeter forming lengthwise and widthwise extremes of the face plate in the longitudinal and lateral directions, respectively; and

the electronic circuitry is circumscribed by the rectangular outer perimeter of the face plate.