Recessed transformer electrical outlet box with integral telephone line connection

• US 5,574,256 A
• Filed: 12/08/1994
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas E. Cottone
• Original Assignee: Thomas E. Cottone
• Inventors: Cottone, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghosh, Paramita
• Application Number:
  US08/351,670
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 174/53, 174/58, 174/67, 220/242, 220/3.3, 220/3.5, 220/3.92, 220/3.94, 220/4.02, 439/535, 439/536
• US Class Current: 174/53
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6395 for wall or panel outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

A recessed transformer AC electrical wall outlet box for recessing modular 120 volt alternating current (VAC) transformers and/or power converters within a wall-mounted electrical outlet box, while at the same time providing a standard RJ-11 modular telephone jack connection on the face plate. A first well is provided for enclosing a commonly sized modular transformer for electrical devices, such as a cordless telephone base station. A conventional AC electrical outlet is provided in the well. An aperture is provided in a wall leading into a second, rear well for receiving the 120 VAC electrical wiring that is connected to the outlet. A second aperture, spaced apart from the first aperture, opens into the first well for the telephone wire. The telephone wire is connected to a standard RJ-11 modular telephone jack provided in a face plate that detachably affixed to the outlet box. The face plate covers and retains the modular transformer, and includes an opening to pass the power connector plug from the modular transformer to a power jack of the cordless telephone base station.

Claims

1. A combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet mountable essentially flush with a surface of a building wall, comprising:

a housing;

means for securing said housing to said building wall;

outer wall means on said housing defining a top, bottom, and sides of said housing;

said outer wall means defining a recessed first well with an opening that opens on said surface of said building wall for receiving and enclosing a modular AC power transformer having electrical prongs for plugging into an electrical outlet socket, and a second well;

a vertically extending interior dividing wall dividing said housing into said first well and said second well;

an electrical outlet socket mounted on said interior dividing wall for receiving said electrical prongs of said modular AC power transformer;

a first aperture in said outer wall means opening into said first well for receiving telephone wiring;

a second aperture in said outer wall means opening into said second well, for receiving an electrical AC wiring for said electrical outlet socket; and

a face plate detachably mountable to said housing to cover and enclose said first well, said face plate including a telephone jack connected to said telephone wiring and an aperture for allowing passage therethrough of an electrical connector and cable extending from said modular AC power transformer.

2. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said first aperture and said second aperture are both on a bottom wall of said outer wall means, spaced apart from each other.

3. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises nail flanges along said outer wall means.

4. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said outer wall means comprises a substantially flat top wall, bottom wall, left side wall, and right side wall.

5. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said outer wall means extend to a depth from said opening that opens on said surface of said building wall to a rear edge defined by said second well, said rear edge being substantially abutted against a drywall panel of a second building wall when said electrical outlet is affixed to said building wall.

6. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 5, wherein said depth of said outer wall means is about three and one-half (31/2) inches.

7. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 1, wherein said first aperture and said second aperture are defined by a plurality of selectably removable knock-outs defined in said outer wall means.

8. A recessed electrical outlet box mountable essentially flush with a surface of a building wall, comprising:

a top wall extending from a front edge to a rear edge, said front edge being essentially flush with said surface of said building wall when said outlet box is mounted;

a left side wall extending from said front edge to said rear edge;

a right side wall extending from said front edge to said rear edge;

a bottom wall extending from said front edge to said rear edge;

an interior divider wall positioned within the volume enclosed by said top wall, said right side wall, said left side wall, and said bottom wall, said interior divider wall together with said top wall, said right side wall, said left side wall, and said bottom wall dividing the outlet box into a front well and a rear well;

an electrical outlet opening defined in said interior divider wall for receiving an electrical outlet having an electric socket accessible from said front well and electrical connections accessible from said rear well;

at least one knock-out scoring defined in at least one of said top wall, said right side wall, said left side wall, or said bottom wall for providing a first opening in a selected wall into said rear well, to allow passage of electrical wiring from behind said surface of said building wall to said electrical connections within said rear well; and

at least one additional knock-out scoring defined in at least one of said top wall, said right side wall, said left side wall, or said bottom wall for providing a second opening in a selected wall into said front well, to allow passage of telephone wiring from behind said surface of said building wall to within said front well.

9. The recessed electrical outlet box of claim 8, further comprising an electrical outlet mounted in said electrical outlet opening.

10. The recessed electrical outlet box of claim 8, further comprising a face plate detachably mountable to faceplate attachment flanges extending from said top wall and said bottom wall inwardly of said forward well.

11. The recessed electrical outlet box of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of attachment flanges affixed to said outlet box for attaching said outlet box to a building support.

12. The recessed electrical outlet box of claim 8, wherein said knock-out scoring for said first opening is in said bottom wall.

13. The recessed electrical outlet box of claim 8, wherein said additional knock-out scoring for said second opening is in said bottom wall.

14. A recessed electrical outlet box mountable essentially flush with a surface of a building wall, comprising:

a housing;

means for securing said housing to said building wall;

outer wall means on said housing defining an exterior surface of said housing;

said outer wall means defining a recessed first well with an opening that opens on said surface of said building wall for receiving and enclosing a modular AC power transformer having electrical prongs for plugging into an electrical outlet socket, and a second well;

a vertically extending interior dividing wall dividing said housing into said first well and said second well;

an opening for mounting said electrical outlet socket on said interior dividing wall;

a first aperture in said outer wall means opening into said first well for receiving telephone wiring from behind said surface of said building wall to within said first well; and

a second aperture in said outer wall means opening into said second well, for receiving an electrical AC wiring from behind said surface of said building wall to within said second well, said electrical AC wiring being connected to said electrical outlet socket within said second well.

15. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 14, wherein said outer wall means comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, a left side wall, and a right side wall.

16. The combination wall mounted telephone jack and recessed electrical outlet of claim 14, wherein said first aperture and said second aperture are both on a bottom wall of said outer wall means, spaced apart from each other.