|Publication number||US7484973 B2|
|Application number||US 11/541,709|
|Publication date||Feb 3, 2009|
|Filing date||Oct 2, 2006|
|Priority date||Oct 2, 2006|
|Also published as||US20080081496|
|Publication number||11541709, 541709, US 7484973 B2, US 7484973B2, US-B2-7484973, US7484973 B2, US7484973B2|
|Inventors||Walter W. Westhoff|
|Original Assignee||Westhoff Walter W|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (4), Classifications (4), Legal Events (3)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to boxes and housings for electrical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates weather-resistant electrical enclosures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional electrical boxes used as connection boxes, receptacle boxes and switch boxes are typically constructed with little or no protection against the entry of moisture, dust, particles, rain and direct impingement of water. The primary purpose of the standard enclosure is to prevent inadvertent contact with the body, tools or other objects that would cause damage or a safety hazard. In a clean, dry environment this would normally not be a problem. In an area where exposure to contaminants is continuous, special enclosures are available that are designed to withstand the elements, but they come with some inconvenience such as special mating parts or caps that must be opened or removed for use. In areas where the possibility of exposure to contaminants is intermittent or only remotely, possible, the additional cost and inconvenience of the special enclosures makes them prohibitive.
What is needed is a device or devices that can be used with standard enclosures to improve their ability to withstand the environmental conditions without the use of special mating devices or caps and their attendant cost and inconvenience. An example of this would be an area that is protected against the spread of fire by a sprinkler system. Activation of the sprinkler system would permit the resultant moisture to enter unprotected electrical devices, causing short circuits, grounds, personal hazards and loss of power to circuits that may be vital. Another example would be in a garage or workshop where woodworking or metalworking is performed. The buildup of sawdust or metal dust in electrical boxes can cause serious problems.
Various attempts have been made to provide weatherproof electrical junction, switch and outlet boxes and covers, particularly for use in outdoor environments.
Many prior designs purport to make electrical receptacles more-or-less weather-proof by attaching some sort of hinged cover (or covers) to the face of an outlet box, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,982,381. In other prior devices, a slide-type connection is provided between a box and an outlet cover, so that the cover may be temporarily slid out of the way in order to make a plug connection, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,614. In all such prior devices, the cover member is rigid and requires displacing the cover member in order to insert or disconnect a plug into the electrical receptacle.
In some prior devices, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,021, although a plug can be inserted into the outlet without complete detachment of the device's cover, the outlet's water-resistance is compromised (often significantly) whenever the cover member is repositioned for insertion of a plug into the outlet.
In other prior devices, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,108, one or more hole is provided in a cover or box member, through which can pass an electric cord that is attached to a plug, thus reportedly providing some measure of weather resistance while a plug is inserted into the electrical outlet. All such prior devices typically require that a cover be “opened” for insertion of a plug, and then that the cover be “closed” after the plug is inserted, in order to operate as designed. In most such prior devices, weather-resistance is compromised by the opening through which the electric cord passes.
In some prior devices, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,097,474 and 4,424,407 and 7,097,474, the cord openings are provided with sealing-type members that reportedly form a weather resistant seal between a housing and an electric cord attached to a plug. While such prior devices may effect a weather resistant assembly, they all require that a cover be “opened” for insertion of a plug, and then that the cover be “closed” after the plug is inserted, in order to operate as designed.
It is also known in the prior art to provide various forms of boots, jackets or shrouds, which are designed to enclose a cord-and-plug that can be connected to an electrical outlet in order to provide a weather-resistant connection. U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,080, for example, discloses such a device. Such prior devices, however, generally render the outlet unprotected from moisture whenever a plug (and associated boot/jacket/shroud) is not connected to the outlet.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known electrical connection boxes now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a weather-resistant cover for an electrical connection box that remains operationally positioned on the face of an electrical outlet (both when there is a plug connected to the outlet as well as when no plug is connected to the outlet) to provide moisture and contaminant protection to both the interior of the outlet box and the internal contacts of the electrical receptacle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an outlet box cover of the character described that can be immovably attached to an outlet box, and wherein the cover may remain immovably attached to said outlet box before, during and after the plugging in of an electrical cord to the electrical receptacle.
It is another object to provide a device of the character described in which the moisture- and contaminant-resistance of the outlet box is not compromised by insertion of an electric plug into the electrical receptacle.
It is another object to provide a device of the character described in which a water-proof resilient material substantially seals the outlet box and covers the face of an electric receptacle, and wherein thin slots are provided in the resilient material through which the prongs of an electric plug can be inserted into the electric receptacle.
It is another object to provide a device of the character described in which removal of the prongs of an electric plug from the receptacle causes the thin slots in the resilient material close due to the elastic memory of the resilient material.
It is another object to provide a device of the character described wherein a moisture resistant seal is effected between the prongs of an electric plug and the cover (rather than between the cord of an electric plug and the cover) when an electric plug is inserted into the electrical receptacle.
It is another object to provide an embodiment of a cover of the character described that is adapted for use on flush-mounted electrical outlet boxes.
It is another object to provide an embodiment of a cover of the character described that is adapted for use on surface-mounted electrical outlet boxes.
In these respects, the outlet box cover device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.
These, together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosures. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention and a variation thereof.
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:
An electrical outlet box cover (generally indicated as 10 in the drawing figures) constructed in accordance with the present invention is preferably made of a water-proof, electrically-insulating, resilient material, such as, but not limited to, silicone rubber.
A preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in drawing
Referring now to
Common duplex electrical receptacle 16 comprises a pair receptacle flanges 34, which are used (in conjunction with screw fasteners 20) to secure receptacle 16 to housing 14; and a pair of spaced-apart outlet faces 36, each of which protrudes forward of receptacle flanges 34 through corresponding openings 38 in face plate 18; and a centrally located female threaded opening 42 for receiving a screw fastener 40, which holds face plate 18 to receptacle 16. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, outlet faces 36 protrude forward of face plate 18.
Each outlet face 36 has a plurality of plug prong openings 44, sized and configured in a pattern in accordance with standard practice to receive prongs of common electrical plugs. Each plug prong opening 44 in outlet face 36 leads to an electrical contact (not shown) within the receptacle's interior.
Referring now to
Two outlet face cover portions 48 protrude forward of front surface 10 a, forming a pair of outlet face cover recesses 58 on the back side of cover 10, as illustrated in
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, cover 10 is sandwiched between face plate 18 and electrical receptacle 16, as illustrated in
Cover side wall 46 partially extends over, and is in direct contact with, housing side wall 26, as illustrated in
Holes 54 and/or 56 may be provided in cover 10 for screw fasteners 20 and/or 40.
Narrow, self-closing slits 50 are cut into outlet face cover portion 48 in alignment with prong openings 44 in receptacle 16. Self-closing slits 50 are preferably approximately the same length as the length of prong openings 44, such that the prongs of an electrical cord attached to an electrical appliance can be operationally inserted through slits 50 and into prong openings 44 in receptacle 16.
The thickness of outlet face cover portion 48 is relatively thin, preferably no more than 3/32-inch thick in its uncompressed state, thus affording sufficient depth of insertion of a standard plug's prongs into the electrical receptacle 16.
In operation, the face of a plug of an electric cord, when inserted fully into receptacle 16, makes positive contact with the elastomeric cover material, thereby creating a seal between the face of the plug and the elastomeric cover. When the plug is removed, the elastic memory of the resilient material from which the cover 10 is constructed causes the slits 50 to close, thereby resealing the outlet face cover portion 48 of the device.
It will be appreciated from a review of the above description that the present invention provides means for electrical boxes to withstand adverse environmental conditions such as moisture, dust, airborne particles, rain and direct impingement of water.
It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above described weather-resistant cover can be used, for example, in conjunction with common electrical outlet box assemblies, without requiring significant modification of the assemblies' components. It will also be understood that, in the event that the described weather-resistant cover becomes damaged or worn out, it is a simple matter to remove the cover 10 (by removing screw fasteners 20, 40), and replace it with a new cover.
The above description of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrates the use of a relatively thing, elastomeric cover member to seal an electrical connection box, wherein self-sealing “slits” (50) in the elastomeric cover allow a moveable member to extend from the exterior of the device into the interior of the device, while a seal is maintained around the moveable member. In the embodiment illustrated, the “electrical connection box” is an outlet box, and the “moveable member” is plug prong from connected to an electric cord. I should be appreciated however, that various other “electrical connection boxes” (such as an electrical switch box) and “moveable members (such as a switch toggle handle) can be employed in modified embodiments of the invention.
As will be appreciated from a review of the above description, the present invention provides one or more self-sealing “slits” (50) in an elastomeric cover 10. As used herein, the term “slit” refers to an narrow cut in the elastomeric member that extends between opposite faces of the elastomeric member. The present invention contemplates that a “slit” can be either elongated and linear (for example slit 50) so as to accommodate substantially flat plug prongs, or can be a straight piercing (for example at slit 52) so as to accommodate a plug prong having, for example, a substantially circular cross-section.
Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example:
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US4109095||Oct 28, 1976||Aug 22, 1978||Mulberry Metal Products, Inc.||Weatherproof electrical outlet box cover|
|US4424407||Nov 30, 1981||Jan 3, 1984||Barbic Mark J||Electrical outlet safety cover|
|US4484021||Aug 26, 1982||Nov 20, 1984||Harvey Hubbell Incorporated||Electrical outlet seal|
|US5017153 *||Aug 20, 1990||May 21, 1991||Butler Manufacturing Company||Membrane for outlet fittings|
|US5078614||Oct 12, 1990||Jan 7, 1992||Shotey Michael J||Sliding cover and shroud for electrical outlets|
|US5317108||Dec 15, 1992||May 31, 1994||L.E. Mason Company||Weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly|
|US5342995 *||Sep 16, 1993||Aug 30, 1994||Molex Incorporated||Protective cover system for electrical receptacles|
|US6148742 *||Apr 24, 1996||Nov 21, 2000||Needle Incinerator Company Limited||Apparatus for disposing of hypodermic needles|
|US6537089 *||Dec 14, 2001||Mar 25, 2003||Safer Home, Inc.||Gated electrical safety outlet|
|US6982381||Jun 3, 2005||Jan 3, 2006||Orbit Industries, Inc.||Weather resistant electrical enclosure|
|US7094080||Mar 14, 2005||Aug 22, 2006||American Tack & Hardware Co., Inc.||Safety device for electrical plugs and a method of attaching the same|
|US7097474||Sep 23, 2005||Aug 29, 2006||Naylor Robert M||Safety outlet cover|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US8022298 *||Jul 1, 2008||Sep 20, 2011||Hubbell Incorporated||Weatherproof outlet and gasket assembly|
|US8497424||May 25, 2010||Jul 30, 2013||Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.||Universal box system|
|US20100000757 *||Jan 7, 2010||Hubbell Incorporated||Weatherproof outlet and gasket assembly|
|US20140109892 *||Oct 23, 2012||Apr 24, 2014||Jose Luis Rosso Streeter||Multisource appliance or device systems|
|Sep 17, 2012||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Feb 3, 2013||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Mar 26, 2013||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20130203