Pull out extension contained in electrical box

• US 20070045308A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Lalancette, Daniel, Lupsa, Ioan
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/3.700
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes

Abstract

An electrical outlet box extension comprising a perimetrical side wall with an inner surface and an outer surface having an open front face and an open rear face and defining an interior space, and having at least one outwardly protruding resilient tab located on the side wall outer surface. The box extension is designed for adjustable insertable receipt within an electrical outlet box for increasing the depth of the box.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet box extension comprising:

a generally rectangular perimetrical side wall with an inner surface and an outer surface having an open front face and an open rear face and defining an interior space, having at least one resilient tab located on said side wall outer surface, said resilient tab further having a outwardly protruding lip and at least one notch at a predetermined location on said side wall.

2. The electrical outlet box extension of claim 1 wherein said extension is formed of metallic sheet metal.

3. The electrical outlet box extension of claim 2 wherein said sheet metal is joined at a corner to form said generally rectangular perimetrical side wall.

4. The electrical outlet box extension of claim 3 wherein said sheet metal is joined by a dovetail joint.

5. The electrical outlet box extension of claim 3 wherein said sheet metal is joined by overlapping interwoven tabs.

6. The electrical outlet box extension of claim 1 wherein said extension is formed of a unitary piece of plastic.

7. The electrical outlet box extension of claim 1 wherein said resilient tab includes an opening for insertion of a tool to plastically deform said resilient tab.

8. An electrical outlet box assembly comprising:

an electrical outlet box including a box having a back wall, a perimetrical side wall surrounding said back wall defining an open front face and a box interior, said side wall having at least one cavity thereon; and

an extension including a perimetrical side wall with an inner surface and an outer surface having an open front face and an open rear face and defining an interior space, having at least one resilient tab located on said side wall outer surface, said resilient tab further having an outwardly protruding lip adapted to cooperatively engage said at least one cavity of said outlet box for insertably accommodating said extension in said box.

9. An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 8 wherein said box side wall includes a plurality of spaced apart cavities on said side wall.

10. An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 9 wherein said at least one resilient tab of said extension is resiliently positionable in one of said plurality of cavities for adjustably positioning said extension with respect to said box.

11. An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 8 wherein said box and said extension have a generally rectangular configuration.

12. An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 11 wherein said extension is formed from flat sheet metal folded into said rectangular configuration.

13. An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 12 wherein said flat sheet metal is joined by a dovetail joint.

14. An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 12 wherein said sheet metal is joined by overlapping interwoven tabs.