System for protecting wall voids against construction debris

• US 10,158,215 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2017
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dean W. French
• Original Assignee: Dean W. French
• Inventors: French, Dean W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US15/814,506
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 174 50, 174 66
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/088 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/12 for flush mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

A void insert device for positioning in a wall void having void surfaces may have a perimeter with a perimeter surface configured to be positioned in contact with the void surface of the wall void, and the perimeter has a perimeter shape and a perimeter size. A portion of the insert device adjacent to the perimeter surface of the insert device may be formed of a compressible material permitting compression of the insert device to inset the insert device into the wall void, and the compressible material of the insert device may be characterized by having a degree of resiliency. The perimeter shape, size, and degree of resiliency of the compressible material may be configured to press the perimeter surface against the void surface of the wall void to resist movement of the insert device further into the void.

Claims

1. A void insert device for positioning in a wall void located in a wall surface of a wall, the wall void having a void opening in the wall surface and void surfaces extending from the void opening in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the wall surface to extend about an interior of the void opening;

the void insert device having a front surface and a rear surface, the front surface being positionable in the plane of the wall surface, a thickness of the void insert device being defined between the front and rear surfaces,

the void insert device having a perimeter with a perimeter surface to be positioned in contact with the void surface of the wall void, the perimeter surface having a perimeter width measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front surface and which corresponds to the thickness of the void insert device,

at least a portion of the void insert device adjacent to the perimeter surface of the insert device being formed of a compressible material permitting compression of the insert device to inset the insert device into the wall void, the compressible material of the insert device being characterized by having a degree of resiliency,

wherein the perimeter width of the perimeter surface is thick enough to generate sufficient friction or pressure between the perimeter surface and the void surface to permit the void insert device to maintain the position of the void insert device in the wall void when pressure or force is applied to the front surface of the void insert device by paint sprayers or drywall compound trowels, and

wherein the perimeter surface extends along an entirety of the perimeter of the insert device, and the perimeter width of the perimeter surface is uniform from the front surface to the rear surface to permit full insertion of the void insert device into the wall void opening.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the resiliently compressible material comprises a foamed material.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the foamed material has a plurality of air-containing cells surrounded by flexible cell walls.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the rear surface and the front surface of the insert device are oriented substantially parallel to each other.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the void insert device has a manipulation structure to facilitate manipulation of the void insert for removal of the void insert device from the wall void.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the manipulation structure comprises a finger manipulation hole in the insert device, the manipulation hole being open to receive a finger of a user of the device.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the manipulation hole extends through the void insert device between front and rear surfaces of the insert device to permit the finger of the user to be inserted into the hole from the front surface to reach the rear surface with the tip of the finger.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the manipulation hole comprises a single hole formed in the void insert device.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the manipulation hole is substantially centered on the front surface of the void insert device.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the compressible material extends to the front surface of the device and extends to the rear surface of the device.

11. A system comprising:

a wall having a wall surface;

a wall void formed in the wall, the wall void having a void interior and a void opening in the wall surface, the void opening having a void opening shape and a void opening size, the void opening having a perimeter edge in the plane of the wall surface, the wall void having void surfaces extending from the void perimeter edge in an orientation substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wall surface to define at least a portion of the void opening; and

a void insert device positioned in the wall void, the void insert device having a front surface and a rear surface, the front surface being positionable in the plane of the wall surface, a thickness of the void insert device being defined between the front and rear surfaces, the void insert device having a perimeter with a perimeter surface positioned in contact with the void surface of the wall void, the perimeter surface having a perimeter width measured in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front surface and which corresponds to the thickness of the void insert device, at least a portion of the void insert device adjacent to the perimeter surface of the insert device being formed of a compressible material permitting compression of the insert device to inset the insert device into the wall void, the compressible material of the insert device being characterized by having a degree of resiliency,

wherein the perimeter width of the perimeter surface of the void insert device is thick enough to generate sufficient friction or pressure between the perimeter surface and the void surface to permit the void insert device to maintain the position of the void insert device in the wall void when pressure or force is applied to the front surface of the void insert device by paint sprayers or drywall compound trowels, and

wherein the perimeter surface extends along an entirety of the perimeter of the insert device, and the perimeter width of the perimeter surface is uniform from the front surface to the rear surface to permit full insertion of the void insert device into the wall void opening.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the perimeter shape of the insert device generally corresponds to the void opening shape of the wall void and the perimeter size of the insert device generally corresponds to the void opening size of the wall void.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the perimeter size of the insert device is slightly larger than the void opening size of the void opening to produce an interference fit between the void insert device and the void surfaces of the wall void.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the perimeter size of the insert device is slightly larger than the void opening size of the void opening to produce an interference fit between the void insert device and the void surfaces of the wall void.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the wall void is formed by a structure that forms a recess in the wall.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the structure comprises an electrical box.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the void insert device has a manipulation structure to facilitate manipulation of the void insert for removal of the void insert device from the wall void.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the resiliently compressible material of the insert device comprises a foamed material.