Weatherproof while-in-use electrical receptacle cover assembly

• US 7,265,292 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter Greenfield
• Original Assignee: Peter Greenfield
• Inventors: Greenfield, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada; Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US11/201,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20060231282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 174/50, 174/53, 174/58, 174/57, 174/66, 174/67, 174/480, 174/481, 220/3.2, 220/3.3, 220/3.4, 220/3.5, 220/3.6, 220/3.7, 220/3.8, 220/4.02, 220/241, 220/242, 248/906, D13/152, D13/156, D13/177
• US Class Current: 174/67
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/088 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

Weatherproof, while-in-use electrical receptacle cover assemblies include a base with a cover hingedly coupled to the base and one or more adapter plates. The cover hinge is preferably formed by a pair of camming recesses, a pair of mating pins, and a pair of leaf springs. The leaf springs urge the pins into engagement with the camming recesses. The camming recesses guide the pins in a direction perpendicular to the action of the springs. The cover is provided with at least one catch on an edge opposite the hinged coupling to the base and the base is provided with at least one pawl which engages the catch when the cover is closed. The action of the springs and the camming recesses urge the catch into engagement with the pawl which locks the cover closed against unintentional opening.

Claims

1. A weatherproof, while-in-use;

electrical receptacle cover assembly for an outdoor electrical outlet, comprising;

a generally rectangular base having a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls interconnecting said front and rear walls which cooperatively define a top opening and a bottom opening, the latter of which is securable adjacent to a top face of an outdoor electrical outlet, said walls each having an upper edge;

a cover hingeably secured to said base generally adjacent to said upper edge of said rear wall of said base for pivotable and slidable movement between an open and closed position relative to said base, said cover in said closed position thereof being intended to cover an electrical outlet secured to the base, said cover having at least one opening to allow an electrical cord attached to an electrical plug to extend from the cover when the electrical plug is received in the electrical outlet and said cover is in said closed position; and

spring-loaded hinge means for hingedly securing said cover to said base to allow for pivotable movement of said cover about an axis generally co-axially aligned with said upper edge of said rear wall and for reciprocable sliding movement of said cover when in said closed position relative to said base in a direction generally toward and away from, said upper edges of said front and rear walls, said spring-loaded hinge means normally biasing said cover in a direction towards said upper edge of said front wall.

2. An electrical receptacle cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein said spring-loaded hinge means comprising an elongated hinge element having a pair of axle-like ends, wherein said hinge element is mounted on one of said cover and said base, and wherein a pair of bearing supports are mounted on the other said cover and base which each pivotably and slidably support an opposite one of said axle-like ends of said hinge element.

3. An electrical receptacle cover assembly according to claim 2, wherein said pair of bearing supports, each include an arcuate wall which serves as a camming surface against which said axle-like ends are biased via at least one spring.

4. An electrical receptacle cover assembly according to claim 3, wherein said spring-loaded hinge means comprise a pair of spaced-apart leaf springs which biasely engage said hinge element to urge each of said axle-like ends thereof against an opposite one of said camming surfaces of said bearing supports.

5. An electrical receptacle cover assembly, according to claim 1, wherein:

said base has a pair of camming recesses;

said cover has a pair of mating pins residing in said recesses; and

at least one spring biases said pins into said camming recesses.

6. A cover assembly according to claim 5, wherein:

said spring includes a pair of leaf springs.

7. A cover assembly according to claim 5, wherein:

said camming recesses cause said pins to be biased in a direction orthogonal to the biasing direction of said spring.

8. A cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said cover has a flange and said base has a C-shaped member which is engaged by said flange when said cover is closed.

9. A cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said cover and said base are each provided with an eyelet dimensioned to receive a padlock.

10. A cover assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a removable adapter plate having an opening configured to fit a type of electrical outlet and a plurality of screw holes adapted to align with screw holes in an electrical outlet box.

11. A cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said cover has a pair of flanges and said base has a pair of C-shaped members which are engaged by said flanges when said cover is closed.

12. A cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

said cover has a pair of openings, each dimensioned to allow an electrical cord to pass through the cover when it is closed.

13. A kit, comprising:

an electrical outlet box having a top face with an opening therein;

an electrical outlet configured to be mounted in said outlet box such that it is disposed generally adjacent to said top face;

a cover gasket configured to fit in said outlet box adjacent to said top face around said outlet;

a base configured to fit over said gasket and being positionable adjacent to said top face of said electrical outlet box, said base having a bottom opening; and

a cover hingeably securable to said base for pivotable and slidable movement between an open and closed position relative to said base, said cover in said closed position thereof being intended to cover said electrical outlet, said cover having at least one opening to allow an electrical cord attached to an electrical plug to extend from the cover when the electrical plug is received in the electrical outlet.

14. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

said base has a pair of camming recesses and said over has a pair of matching pins residing in said recesses and a pair of leaf springs biasing said pins into said camming recesses.

15. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

said camming recesses cause said pins to be biased in a direction orthogonal to the biasing direction of said spring.

16. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

said cover has a flange and said base has a C-shaped member which is engaged by said flange when said cover is closed.

17. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

said cover has at least one opening dimensioned to allow an electrical cord to pass through the cover when it is closed.

18. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

said cover and said base are each provided with an eyelet dimensioned to receive a padlock.

19. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

a removable adapter plate having an opening configured to fit the electrical outlet and a plurality of screw holes adapted to align with screw holes in the electrical outlet box.

20. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

said cover has a pair of flanges and said base has a pair of C-shaped members which are engaged by said flanges when said cover is closed.

21. A kit according to claim 13, wherein:

said cover has a pair of openings, each dimensioned to allow an electrical cord to pass through the cover when it is closed.