Adjustable electrical outlet box assembly

• US 6,878,877 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lew Electric Fittings Co.
• Original Assignee: Lew Electric Fittings Co.
• Inventors: Romer, John E., Cozzi, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRIS, ANTON B
• Application Number:
  US10/713,579
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 174/53, 174/57, 174/58, 220/3.7, 220/3.9, 220/3.2, 220/3.94, 220/3.4, 324/133
• US Class Current: 174/53
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an adjustable electrical outlet box assembly comprising an outlet box, an electrical outlet assembly, and an adaptor. The adaptor is located between the box and the outlet assembly and is positioned at least partially within the box. The adaptor includes opposing mounting flanges and opposing outlet assembly support tabs that are displaced from the mounting flanges. The adaptor may be adjusted to different heights, relative to the outlet box, to accommodate different thicknesses for different floor or wall covering materials. Due to the offset between the adaptor mounting flanges and the outlet support tabs, the outer surfaces of the outlet assembly will lie generally in the same plane as, or slightly recessed from the plane of the mounting flanges. The resulting outlet box installation can be used with a flush mounted cover plate which protects and secures the electrical outlet assembly.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet box assembly comprising:

an outlet box;

an outlet assembly; and

an adaptor located between the outlet box and the outlet assembly, the adaptor including an insert positioned at least partially within the outlet box and having a pair of opposing mounting flanges and a pair of opposing outlet assembly support tabs, said mounting flanges being located at the extremity of the insert outside the outlet box, and said support tabs being displaced from the mounting flanges to locate the outer surface of the outlet assembly in generally the same plane as, or slightly recessed from, the plane of the mounting flanges.

2. The electrical outlet assembly of claim 1 wherein said adaptor comprises a four-sided insert.

3. The electrical outlet assembly of claim 2 wherein said insert has opposing end walls each having one or more slots to accommodate assembly hardware on the outlet box.

4. The electrical outlet assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cover plate.

5. The electrical outlet box assembly of claim 4 wherein said box is mounted with a construction member having an outer surface and wherein said cover plate is located on the outer surface of said construction member.

6. The electrical outlet assembly of claim 5 wherein a gasket is positioned between the cover plate and the outer surface of the construction member.

7. The electrical outlet assembly of claim 1 wherein said mounting flanges are loop shaped to thereby define an opening to accommodate positioning of the outlet assembly relative to the insert support tabs.

8. The electrical outlet assembly of claim 4 further comprising a gasket positioned adjacent the cover plate.

9. The electrical outlet assembly of claim 8 wherein the cover plate includes at least one threaded aperture providing access to the outlet assembly and a threaded insert for closing the aperture.