Electric box extender and supplemental parts

• US 6,369,322 B1
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Gretz, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US09/817,608
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 174/50, 174/17.R, 174/52.6, 174/58, 174/63, 174/66, 174/57, 174/67, 220/3.2, 220/3.4, 220/3.8, 220/4.02, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.92, 220/3.94, 248/906, 439/535
• 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 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 sings extending from the inward side of the face member. The extender can be inserted slidably into an existing electrical box with the four wings flexed toward each other to accommodate the box with flanges flush with the surface of newly installed sheet rock to form a box extender with flanges flush with the existing electrical box to form a device insulator.

Claims

1. A one-piece nylon 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 and said face member forming a generally tubular body portion sized to receive an electrical device;

said sides capable of flexing 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.

2. The one-piece nylon supplemental part of claim 1 wherein said supplemental part is made of flame retardant nylon rated by Underwriters Laboratories and equivalent ratings of similar organizations so that the nylon at a minimum of 0.040 inches thickness will have a minimum temperature index properties rating of 90-50-90 and hot wire ignition of 3 or less.

3. The one-piece nylon supplemental part of claim 1 wherein said sides are joined together with at least two sides of said four sides having substantially the same length.

4. The one-piece nylon supplemental part of claim 3 wherein said flanges are approximately 0.045 inches thick.