Screwless outlet box covering

• US 5,675,125 A
• Filed: 02/12/1996
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Tack & Hardware Company Incorporated (Jackson Deerfield Manufacturing Corp.)
• Original Assignee: American Tack & Hardware Company Incorporated (Jackson Deerfield Manufacturing Corp.)
• Inventors: Hollinger, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waks, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US08/600,242
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 174/48, 174/49, 220/241, 220/242
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/26 Casings; Parts thereof or accessories therefor

Abstract

A thin decorative cover plate assembly for outlet boxes wherein the outer cover or face plate does not have screws.

Claims

1. A decorative cover plate assembly comprising:

a base plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for an outlet element and at least one screw aperture;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the base plate; and

a first means for attaching a transparent face plate to the base plate wherein the first attaching means are notches formed in the lip of the base plate;

a decorative sheet with an aperture for said outlet element and wherein the decorative sheet is shaped to cover the top surface and the lip of the base plate; and

the transparent face plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for the outlet element;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the face plate; and

a second means for attaching the face plate to the base plate wherein the second attachment means are tabs that extend vertically from the lip of the face plate.

2. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the cover plate assembly is less than 12 mm thick.

3. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the cover plate assembly is less than 9 mm thick.

4. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the cover plate assembly is less than 7 mm thick.

5. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said decorative sheet is selected from a group of material consisting of wallpaper, wall border, fabric or picture.

6. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the tabs are tapered at approximately a 45 degree angle.

7. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the downwardly depending lip of the transparent face plate covers the downwardly depending lip of the base plate.

8. A decorative cover plate assembly comprising:

a base plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for an outlet element and at least one screw aperture;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the base plate; and

a first means for attaching a decorative face plate to the base plate wherein the first attaching means are notches formed in the lip of the base plate; and

the decorative face plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for the outlet element;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the face plate; and

a second means for attaching the face plate to the base plate wherein the second attachment means are tabs that extend vertically from the lip of the face plate.

9. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the downwardly depending lip of the decorative face plate covers the downwardly depending lip of the base plate.

10. A decorative cover plate assembly comprising:

a base plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for an outlet element and at least one screw aperture;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the base plate; and

a first means for attaching a transparent face plate to the base plate wherein the first attaching means are tabs that extend vertically from the lip of the base plate;

a decorative sheet with an aperture for said outlet element and wherein the decorative sheet is shaped to cover the top surface and the lip of the base plate; and

the transparent face plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for the outlet element;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the face plate; and

a second means for attaching the face plate to the base plate wherein the second attachment means are notches formed in the lip of the face plate.

11. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein the downwardly depending lip of the transparent face plate covers the downwardly depending lip of the base plate.

12. A decorative cover plate assembly comprising:

a base plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for an outlet element and at least one screw aperture;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the base plate; and

a first means for attaching a decorative face plate to the base plate wherein the first attaching means are tabs that extend vertically from the lip; and

the decorative face plate that comprises;

a top surface with at least one aperture for the outlet element;

a lip that depends downwardly from the top surface of the face plate; and

a second means for attaching the face plate to the base plate wherein the second attachment means are notches formed in the lip of the face plate.

13. A cover plate assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the downwardly depending lip of the decorative face plate covers the downwardly depending lip of the base plate.