Weatherproof outlet and gasket assembly

• US 20100000757A1
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Robert W., Husain, Mahran
• Granted Patent: US 8,022,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/58
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5213 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle

Abstract

A weatherproof outlet includes a base plate for coupling to an electrical box and a hinged cover. The base plate has at least one opening for accessing an electrical wiring device such as an electrical receptacle mounted in the electrical box. The top surface of the base plate includes an inner rim and an outer rim having a dimension to shed water away from the access opening and the wiring device. A weatherproof gasket is attached to the top surface of the base plate within the confines of the inner wall and overlying the access opening. The gasket includes a plurality of slits for receiving the prongs of a plug and to form a waterproof seal around the prongs when inserted into the slots of an electrical receptacle.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet, comprising:

an electrical outlet box for supporting a wiring device;

a base plate overlying the wiring device and the outlet box, the base plate having at least one access opening aligned with the wiring device;

a cover coupled to said base plate, said cover being movable between a first open position and second closed position overlying the at least one access opening; and

a resilient gasket having a top surface, a bottom surface, a peripheral outer edge and at least one opening aligned with said wiring device, said opening defining a self-sealing opening to access the wiring device, said resilient gasket having a bottom surface adhesively attached to a top surface;

of the base plate around the at least one access opening to form a waterproof seal, and where the gasket has a dimension to form a seal with the cover when the cover is in the closed position.

2. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said base plate further comprises

a top surface, a bottom surface and an inner rim extending from said top surface and surrounding said at least one access opening and where said gasket is positioned within said inner rim.

3. The electrical outlet of claim 2, wherein

said gasket has an outer dimension complementing an inner dimension of said inner rim and where said inner rim has a dimension to shed water away from said at least one access opening.

4. The electrical outlet of claim 3, wherein

said gasket has a thickness greater than a height of said inner rim.

5. The electrical outlet of claim 2, further comprising,

an outer rim extending upwardly from said top surface and spaced outwardly from said inner rim and having a dimension sufficient to shed water away from said inner rim.

6. The electrical outlet of claim 5, wherein

said outer rim has a height greater than a height of said inner rim.

7. The electrical outlet of claim 5, wherein

said base plate includes a hinge member on one edge of said base plate, and where said outer rim is integrally formed with said hinge member, and where said cover is coupled to said hinge member.

8. The electrical outlet of claim 5, wherein

said outer rim extends on three sides of said base plate around said inner rim.

9. The electrical outlet of claim 7, wherein

said hinge member and outer rim deflect water away from said inner rim.

10. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein

said wiring device is an electrical receptacle having a plurality of slots for receiving prongs of an electrical plug, and where said opening in said gasket comprises a plurality of slits to form a waterproof seal with said prongs.

11. The electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein

said cover includes an inner rim having a dimension surrounding said access opening and an outer rim surrounding said inner rim, and where said outer rim has a height greater than a height of said inner rim.

12. A weatherproof electrical outlet, comprising:

an electrical box having an open end and supporting an electrical receptacle;

a base plate coupled to said open end of said electrical box and overlying the electrical receptacle, said base plate having at least one access opening aligned with the electrical receptacle, a top face, a bottom face, and an inner rim surrounding said at least one access opening and extending upwardly from said top face and having a dimension to shed water away from said access opening;

a cover coupled to the base plate and being movable between a first open position and a second closed position overlying said at least one access opening, said cover having a dimension less than a dimension of said inner rim of said base plate;

a resilient gasket having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral outer edge and at least one opening aligned with the electrical receptacle, said opening defining a self-sealing opening to access the wiring receptacle, said gasket being attached to the top surface of the base plate by an adhesive without being adhesively attached to the electrical receptacle, said gasket having an outer dimension complementing an inner dimension of said rim on said base plate and forming a waterproof seal around said at least one access opening, and where said top surface of the gasket forms a seal with said cover when said cover is in the closed position.

13. The weatherproof outlet of claim 12, wherein

said gasket has a thickness greater than a height of said inner rim.

14. The weatherproof outlet of claim 12, wherein

the electrical receptacle has a projecting portion extending into said at least access opening, and where said gasket is free-floating on said electrical receptacle.

15. The weatherproof outlet of claim 12, said base plate further comprising

an outer rim extending upwardly from said top face of said base plate and spaced outwardly from said inner rim and having a dimension sufficient to shed water away from said inner rim.

16. The weatherproof outlet of claim 15, wherein

said outer rim has a height greater than a height of said inner rim.

17. The weatherproof outlet of claim 15, wherein

said base plate has a top edge, a bottom edge and opposite side edges, and where said outer rim extends along said top edge and side edges and is open along said bottom edge.

18. The weatherproof outlet of claim 17, wherein

said base plate is adapted for vertical use and includes a hinge member extending along said top edge and has a dimension to shed water away from said inner rim, and where said outer rim is integrally formed with said hinge member.

19. The weatherproof outlet of claim 12, wherein

said electrical receptacle has a plurality of slots for receiving prongs of an electrical plug, and where said opening in said gasket comprises a plurality of self-sealing slits to form a waterproof seal with said prongs.

20. The weatherproof outlet of claim 12, wherein

said cover includes an inner rim surrounding said at least one opening in said gasket and access opening in said base plate, and an outer rim surrounding said inner rim, said inner rim having a height that is greater than a height of said outer rim for forming a seal with said gasket.

21. The weatherproof outlet of claim 20, wherein

said outer rim of said cover is spaced inwardly from said inner rim of said base plate.

22. The weatherproof outlet of claim 12, wherein

said adhesive is provided on said bottom surface of said gasket in a pattern corresponding to said top surface of said base plate within said inner rim.

23. The weatherproof outlet of claim 12, wherein

said base plate includes a mounting screw received within a screw hole in said base plate for coupling said base plate to the electrical receptacle, and where said screw is captured by said gasket adhesively attached to said base plate.

24. The weatherproof outlet of claim 23, wherein

said gasket has an access hole aligned with said mounting screw, said access hole having a dimension less than an outer dimension of said mounting screw.

25. A weatherproof outlet comprising:

an electrical box having an open end and supporting an electrical receptacle;

a base plate coupled to said open end of said electrical box and overlying said electrical receptacle, the base plate having two spaced-apart access openings for receiving projections on the electrical receptacle, a top face, a bottom face, a continuous inner rim surrounding the access openings and extending upwardly from the top face and having a dimension to shed water away from said access openings, and an outer rim spaced outwardly from said inner rim and having height greater than a height of said inner rim, said outer rim having a dimension to shed water away from said inner rim;

a cover coupled to said base plate and being movable between a first open position and a second closed position overlying at least one of the access openings, said cover having a dimension less than a dimension of said inner rim; and

a resilient gasket having a top surface, a bottom surface, a peripheral outer edge and at least one opening aligned with the electrical receptacle, said opening defining a self-sealing opening to access the electrical receptacle, said gasket being attached to the top surface of the base plate by an adhesive between the bottom surface of the gasket and the top surface of the base plate, said gasket having an outer dimension complementing an inner dimension of said inner rim on said base plate and forming a waterproof seal around the two access openings and forms a seal with the cover when the cover is in the closed position.

26. The weatherproof outlet of claim 25, wherein

said outer rim extends along three sides of said base plate.

27. The weatherproof outlet of claim 25, wherein

said base plate is adapted for vertical use and includes a top edge, a bottom edge and opposite side edges, said outer rim extending along said top edge and along said side edges, and where said outer rim is open along said bottom edge.

28. The weatherproof outlet of claim 25, further comprising

a hinge member on one side of said base plate and where said outer rim is integrally formed with said hinge member, and said cover being coupled to said hinge member.

29. The weatherproof outlet of claim 25, wherein

said cover includes an inner rim having a dimension to surround said opening in said gasket and an outer rim surrounding said inner rim, and where said inner rim has a height greater than a height of said outer rim.

30. The weatherproof outlet of claim 25, wherein

said base plate includes a mounting screw received within a screw hole in the base plate, and where the screw is captured in the screw hole by the gasket and adhesively attached to said base plate.

31. The weatherproof outlet of claim 30, wherein

said gasket has a access opening aligned with said mounting screw and having a dimension less than an outer dimension of said mounting screw.