COVER ASSEMBLY FOR AN IN-FLOOR FITTING

• US 20020092664A1
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wiremold Co (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Walker Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Young, Joe A., Cole, Michael T.
• Granted Patent: US 6,462,277 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/185 Floor outlets and access cups

Abstract

A cover assembly for a floor box of the type having an interior compartment which is accessible through an opening in the surface of the floor includes a bracket and a pair of access doors. The bracket is connectable to the fitting and defines an access opening which aligns with the floor opening. The access doors are pivotally connected to the mounting bracket for selectively exposing the access opening. When the doors are at their closed position, they define a cable opening between their free ends. The cable opening is sized to permit at least one cable to pass between the doors and into the interior compartment of the fitting. The access doors carry compressible seal members in their free ends which abut with one another when the doors are moved to their closed position so as to seal the cable opening around any cables passing therethrough. Egress covers are slidably connected to the access doors for selectively covering and exposing the cable opening.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for use with a floor box of the type having an interior compartment which is accessible through an opening in the surface of the floor, the cover assembly comprising:

a bracket connectable to the fitting and defining an access opening which aligns with the floor opening;

at least one access door connected to the bracket for movement between a closed position at which the door overlies and closes the access opening and an open position at which the access opening is exposed to provide access to interior compartment, the access door including a size cable opening which is sized to permit at least one cable to pass through the door and into the fitting when the door is at its closed position; and

a seal member carried by the access door and being adapted to seal around cables passing through the cable opening when the access door is moved to its closed position.

2. The cover assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the seal member comprises a compressible gasket.

3. The cover assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the seal member substantially seals the cable opening.

4. The cover assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the access door is pivotally connected to the bracket for movement between its open and closed positions.

5. The cover assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an egress cover plate movably connected to the access door between a first position which overlies the cable opening and a second position at which the cable opening is exposed.

6. A cover assembly for use with a floor box of the type having an interior compartment which is accessible through an opening in the surface of the floor, the cover assembly comprising:

a bracket connectable to the fitting and defining an access opening which aligns with the floor opening;

first and second access doors connected to the bracket such that the doors can be opened to provide access to the inner compartment through the access opening and can be closed to cover access opening to prevent access to the inner compartment, the first and second doors defining a reduced size cable opening therebetween when the doors are at their closed position, the cable opening being sized to permit at least one cable to pass between the doors and into the interior compartment, at least one of the doors including a seal member which is adapted to seal around cables which pass through the cable opening.

7. A cover assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of the doors includes a respective seal member adapted to seal around cables which pass through the egress opening.

8. A cover assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein the seal members abut against one another to seal the cable opening when no cables are present in the opening.

9. A cover assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein the seal members comprise compressible gaskets.

10. A cover assembly as set forth in claim 7, wherein the first and second doors each door include a respective egress cover, the egress covers being movably connected to the doors for selectively exposing and covering the cable opening.

11. A cover assembly for use with a floor box of the type having an interior compartment which is accessible through an opening in the surface of the floor, the cover assembly comprising:

a bracket connectable to the fitting and defining an access opening which aligns with the floor opening and is divided into first and second portions;

a first access door pivotally connected to the bracket for movement between a closed position at which it overlies the first portion of the access opening and an open position at which the first portion of the access opening is exposed;

a second access door pivotally connected to the bracket for movement between a closed position at which it overlies the second portion of the access opening and an open position at which the second portion of the access opening is exposed;

the first and second access doors defining a cable opening therebetween when the doors are at their closed position, the cable opening being sized to permit at least one cable to pass between the doors and into the interior compartment of the fitting; and

the doors including cooperating seal members which are adapted to seal around cables passing through said cable opening when the doors are moved to their closed positions.

12. A cover assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first and second doors each door include a respective egress cover, the egress covers being movably connected to the doors for selectively exposing and covering the cable opening.

13. A cover assembly as set forth in claim 11, wherein the seal members comprise compressible gaskets.

14. A cover assembly for use with a floor box of the type having an interior compartment which is accessible through an opening in the surface of the floor, the cover assembly comprising:

a bracket connectable to the fitting and defining a generally rectangular access opening which aligns with the floor opening and is divided into first half and a second half;

first and second access doors connected to the mounting bracket, each access door having a pivot end which is pivotally connected to the bracket and a free end which is movably about the pivot end between an open position at which a portion of the access opening is exposed to provide access to the interior compartment and a closed position at which the access door covers a portion of the access opening;

the free ends of the doors defining a cable opening therebetween when the doors are at their closed position, the cable opening being sized to permit at least one cable to pass between the doors and into the interior compartment; and

each of the access doors including a compressible gasket carried by its free end, the compressible gaskets being positioned to abut with one another when the doors are moved to their closed position so as to seal the cable opening and seal around any cables passing therethrough.