Electric box extender and supplemental parts

• US 6,204,447 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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:
  US09/384,348
• Time in Patent Office: 571 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
• 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 includes 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;

both said face member and said flanges being sufficiently thin to recessed under a cover plate;

four inwardly extending sides of approximately 0.035 to 0.050 inches thickness each having a base edge and an inward edge opposite said base edge with said sides extending from the inward side of said face member, said sides symmetrically disposed about said axis through the center of said face member;

said sides being joined together;

said sides and said face member forming a generally tubular body portion sized to be received in an electrical device;

said sides capable of flexing toward said axis through said face member thereby allowing said tubular body portion to be received within said electrical box;

an opening through at least two of said flanges, said openings capable of passing screws therethrough for fastening said electrical device to said electrical box; and

said supplemental part being made of flame retardant polypropylene.

2. The one piece plastic supplemental part of claim 1 wherein at least two of said sides are of the same depth.

3. 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;

both said face member and said flanges being sufficiently thin to be recessed under a cover plate;

four inwardly extending thin sides each having a base edge and an inward edge opposite said base edge with said sides extending from the inward side of said face member, said sides disposed about said axis through the center of said face member;

said sides being joined together;

said sides and said face member forming a generally tubular body portion sized to be received in an electrical device;

said sides capable of flexing toward said axis through said face member thereby allowing said tubular body portion to be received within said electrical box; and

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

4. The one-piece plastic supplemental part of claim 3 wherein said supplemental part being made of flame retardant polypropylene.

5. The one piece plastic supplemental part of claim 3 made of fire retardant polypropylene.

6. The one piece plastic supplemental part of claim 5 wherein said flanges are approximately 0.045 inches thick.