Electric box extender and supplemental part

• US 5,959,246 A
• Filed: 01/06/1998
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Gretz, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US09/003,244
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/17 R, 174/52.6, 174/58, 174/63, 174/66, 174/67, 220/3.2, 220/3.4, 220/3.8, 220/4.02, 220/4.03, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.92, 220/3.94
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/121 in plain walls
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls

Abstract

The invention consists of a one-piece plastic molded box having an open face member, an open back, flanges coplanar with and extending from the face member, and four wings extending from the inward side of the face member. The extender can be inserted slidably into an existing electrical box with the four wings flexing toward each other to accommodate the box with flanges flush with the surface of newly installed sheet rock to form a box extender or with flanges flush with the existing electrical box to form a device insulator.

Claims

1. A one piece plastic supplemental part for an electrical box comprising:

a face member having an outward side and an inward side and an axis through the center of said face member;

at least two flanges extending from and coplanar with said face member;

a plurality of inwardly extending flat wings each having a base edge and an inward edge opposite said base edge with said wings extending from the inward side of said face member, said wings symmetrically disposed about said axis through the center of said face member, said wings and said face member forming a generally tubular body portion sized to receive an electrical device, said wings capable of flexing about said base edge toward said axis through said face member thereby allowing said tubular body portion to be received within said electrical box; and

U-shaped openings through at least two of said flanges, said openings capable of passing screws therethrough for fastening an electrical device to the electrical box.

2. The supplemental part of claim 1 wherein said wings include linear thin wall sections which defined flexible fold lines, said flexible fold lines allowing said wings to flex at said linear thin wall sections inwardly toward said axis through said face member thereby allowing said tubular body portion to be received within said electrical box.

3. The supplemental part of claim 2 wherein said wings include side wings and end wings with said side wings and said end wings include linear thin wall sections that provide a juncture that forms flexible fold lines allowing said wings to flex at said linear thin wall sections inwardly toward said axis through said face member thereby enabling easier reception of said tubular body portion within said electrical box.