Cover assembly for electrical outlet box

• US 4,631,354 A
• Filed: 05/13/1985
• Issued: 12/23/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Harvey Hubbell, Inc. (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boteler, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONE, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US06/732,960
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 174/53, 174/55, 174/66, 174/67, 220/241, 220/242, 339/122 R, 339/123, 339/133 R, 339/134, 200/296, 200/297
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

A cover assembly for an electrical outlet includes a mounting member which can be attached to an electrical device and a cover plate. The mounting member has extensions projecting from its front surface adjacent its periphery, which extensions are unitary portions of the mounting member. The cover plate has projections extending from its rear surface adjacent its periphery. The extensions and projections mate to releasably couple the mounting member to the cover plate. Tabs and notches can be provided on the sides of the mounting member to facilitate alignment of a plurality of ganged electrical devices covered by a single cover plate.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a mounting strap having a longitudinal axis mounting an electrical device with a peripheral flange extending laterally therefrom adjacent a front face of the device, said mounting strap having opposite ends mounting a plurality of elongated lips with each lip being adjacent a different end of said strap, the lips being elongated in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and extending substantially parallel to one another, a substantially planar, central section of said strap between said lips, each of said lips formed unitary with said strap and extending outwardly away from said central section at an acute angle relative to the plane of said central section; and

a cover plate having a substantially planar rearward surface and opposite ends and comprising a plurality of ledges each adjacent an opposite end of said plate for engaging different ones of said lips, each of said ledges of said cover plate being elongated and extending substantially parallel to one another and to said lips, said ledges being adjacent said rearward surface and inclined toward each other and being spaced apart laterally substantially the same distance as said lips; and

said plate being resilient and having a convex cross sectional portion, whereby pressing the convex portion towards said strap flattens said plate and permits said ledges to pass over said lips to and thereby couple said plate to said strap.

2. A cover assembly according to claim 1 wherein said flange has length and width dimensions at least equal to length and width dimensions of a standard outlet box.

3. A cover assembly according to claim 1 wherein said mounting member is coupled to said electrical device in an opening of an outlet box, said flange having length and width dimensions at least equal to length and width dimensions of said opening of said outlet box.

4. A cover assembly according to claim 1 wherein said flange comprises first and second lateral edges, each said edge having a notch and a tab of like configuration, said tab on said first side being laterally opposite said notch on said second side, said tab on said second side being laterally opposite said notch on said first side;

thereby engagement of tabs and notches on adjacent electrical devices facilitates alignment thereof.

5. A cover assembly for an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a mounting member having coupling means for attaching an electrical device to said mounting member and having extensions projecting from a front surface adjacent a periphery thereof, said extensions being unitary portions of said mounting member;

a cover plate having projections extending from a rear surface adjacent a periphery thereof, said extensions and said projections mating to releasably couple said mounting member to said cover plate;

said mounting member comprising an essentially planar mounting strap which supports the electrical device; and

wherein said mounting member comprises first and second lateral edges, each said edge having a notch and a tab of like configuration, said tab on said first side being laterally opposite said notch on said second side, said tab on said second side being laterally opposite said notch on said first side;

whereby engagement of tabs and notches on adjacent electrical devices facilitates alignment thereof.

6. A cover assembly for an electrical outlet box having an opening thereto, comprising:

a mounting member having coupling means for attaching an electrical device with a mounting strap to said mounting member and having extensions projecting from a front surface adjacent a periphery thereof, said extensions being unitary portions of said mounting member;

a resilient cover plate having projections extending from a rear surface adjacent a periphery thereof, said extensions and said projections mating when said plate is pressed inwardly towards said mounting member to releasably couple said mounting member to said cover plate; and

said mounting member including an adaptor plate coupled to the electrical device mounting strap for substantially enclosing the opening to the outlet box.

7. A cover assembly according to claim 6 wherein said adaptor plate has depending projections for engaging openings in said mounting strap.

8. A cover assembly according to claim 6, wherein said adaptor plate has length and width dimensions at least equal to length and width dimensions of a standard outlet box.

9. A cover assembly according to claim 6 wherein said adaptor plate is coupled to said electrical device in an opening of an outlet box, said adaptor plate having length and width dimensions at least equal to length and width dimensions of said opening of said outlet box.

10. A cover assembly according to claim 6 wherein said adaptor plate comprises first and second lateral edges, each said edge having a notch and a tab of like configuration, said tab on said first side being laterally opposite said notch on said second side, said tab on said second side being laterally opposite said notch on said first side;

whereby engagement of tabs and notches on adjacent electrical devices facilitates alignment thereof.

11. A cover assembly for an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a mounting member having opposite end portions and coupling means for attaching an electrical device to said mounting member, said member having a plurality of extensions projecting from a front surface thereof adjacent each end portion thereof, the extensions being unitary portions of said mounting member;

a cover plate having projections extending from a rear surface adjacent a periphery thereof, said extensions and said projections mating to releasably couple said mounting member to said cover plate; and

said mounting member having grooves separating said end portions of said mounting member bearing said extensions from the remainder of said mounting member to facilitate removal of said extensions from said mounting member.

12. A cover assembly for an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a mounting member having coupling means for attaching an electrical device to said mounting member and having extensions projecting from a front surface adjacent a periphery thereof, said extensions being unitary portions of said mounting member;

a cover plate having projections extending from a rear surface adjacent a periphery thereof, said extensions and said projections mating to releasably couple said mounting member to said cover plate; and

said mounting member comprising first and second lateral edges, each said edge having a notch and a tab of like configuration, said tab on said first side being laterally opposite said notch on said second side, said tab on said second side being laterally opposite said notch on said first side;

whereby engagement of tabs and notches on adjacent mounting member facilitates alignment thereof.

13. The cover assembly according to claim 21 wherein there are a plurality of elongated mounting members in juxtaposed relationship mounted proximate the opening in the outlet box, each of said mounting members mounting a wiring device therein and having first and second lateral edges, the first and second edges of each said member extending laterally to substantially abut a corresponding first or second edge of an adjacent mounting member, whereby the opening in the outlet box is substantially covered by the longitudinally aligned mounting members and their wiring devices, each of said lateral edges having a notch and a tab substantially equidistant from the center of the mounting member in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member, the tabs on said first edges positioned laterally opposite the notches on said second edges and the tabs on said second edges positioned laterally opposite the notches on first said edges, whereby said mounting members may be mounted in longitudinal alignment in either of two relatively inverted positions.

14. A cover assembly for an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a mounting strap having a longitudinal axis for mounting an electrical device therein, said mounting strap having opposite substantially coplanar ends mounting a plurality of elongated lips with each lip being adjacent a different end of said strap, the lips being substantially linear in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and spaced apart laterally substantially parallel to one another, each of said lips extending outwardly from its adjacent-most strap end at an acute angle relative to the plane of such end; and

a cover plate having a substantially planar rearward surface and opposite ends and comprising a plurality of ledges each adjacent an opposite end of said plate for engaging different ones of said lips, each of said ledges of said cover plate being elongated and extending substantially parallel to one another and to said lips, said ledges being inclined inwardly toward each other and being spaced apart laterally a distance substantially equal to the lateral spacing between said lips; and

said plate being resilient and having a convex cross sectional portion, whereby pressing said plate portion towards said strap flattens said plate sufficiently to cause said ledges to slide over and behind said lips to thereby couple said plate to said strap upon the return of said plate portion to said convex cross-sectional shape.

15. The cover assembly according to claim 14, and further including;

means adjacent each end of one of said ledges for orienting said cover plate centrally on said mounting strap.

16. The cover assembly according to claim 15 wherein the orienting means comprises a pair of angled surfaces formed on opposite ends of the one ledge.