Electrical box mounting plate

• US 7,301,099 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Korcz, Krzysztof W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/478,525
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 174/58, 174/50, 174/53, 174/135, 220/241, 220/242, 220/3.8, 335/28, 33D/IG.10
• US Class Current: 174/58
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

An electrical box assembly includes an adjustable electrical box cover. The cover includes a base plate having a central opening and a collar encircling the central opening. A sleeve slides through the collar and is adjusted by a plurality of adjustment screws. In one embodiment, the adjustment screws are positioned between the sleeve and the collar. In another embodiment, the sleeve and collar have inwardly extending tabs to receive the adjustment screws.

Claims

1. An electrical box cover plate for coupling to an electrical box, said cover plate comprising:

a planar base plate having an outer face, an inner face and a central opening having a dimension sufficient to receive an electrical device, said base plate being adapted for coupling to said electrical box;

a collar surrounding said central opening and extending axially from said outer face of said base plate, said collar having an inwardly extending tab at opposite corners of said central opening and having an aperture therein;

a sleeve slidingly received in said collar and being movable axially within said collar, said sleeve having a tab at a bottom edge with a threaded hole therein at opposite corners of said sleeve and being aligned with said tabs of said collar; and

a threaded screw received in each said threaded hole of said tab of said sleeve, and having an end rotatably coupled with and axially fixed with respect to said tab of said collar, wherein rotation of said screw adjusts said sleeve axially with respect to said collar.

2. The cover plate of claim 1, wherein

said collar includes first and second opposite side walls integrally formed with said cover plate and extending from first and second opposite side edges of said central opening, third and fourth side walls separately formed from said first and second side walls, said third and fourth side walls having opposite ends coupled to respective opposite ends of said first and second side walls, and having a longitudinal bottom edge contacting third and fourth side edges of said central opening.

3. The cover plate of claim 2, wherein

said third and fourth side wall of said collar have a leg extending downwardly through said central opening and where said tab of said collar extends from an axial end of said leg whereby said tab is spaced from the back face of said base plate.

4. The cover plate of claim 2, wherein

said leg has a length whereby said sleeve is adjustable between a first position where a top edge of said sleeve is substantially even with a top end of said collar and an extended position where said top edge of said sleeve is spaced outwardly from said top edge of said collar.

5. The cover plate of claim 2, wherein said third and fourth side walls of said collar are coupled to ends of said first and second side walls of said collar by crimping.

6. The cover plate of claim 1, wherein said aperture in said tab of said collar has an open side defining a slot with a concave surface therein, and wherein said threaded screw has a notch received in said slot.

7. An electrical box cover plate comprising:

a base plate having an outer face, an inner face and a plurality of coupling members for coupling said plate to an electrical box, said base plate having a central opening;

a first side wall integrally formed with a first edge of said central opening;

a second side wall integrally formed with a second opposite edge of said central opening and being substantially parallel to said first side wall and perpendicular to said base plate;

a third side wall formed as a separate member and coupled to a third edge of said central opening and to first ends of said first and second side walls;

a fourth side wall formed as a separate member and coupled to a fourth edge of said central opening and to a second end of said first and second side walls, said first, second, third and fourth side walls defining a collar extending from said outer face of said base plate;

first and second tabs integrally formed with side walls of said collar and extending inwardly with respect to said central opening and having an aperture therein;

a sleeve received within said central opening and having a pair of integrally formed tabs aligned with each of said tabs of said side walls and having an aperture therein; and

an adjusting screw received in each said aperture of said tabs of said sleeve and cooperating with an aligned opening in said tabs of said side walls of said collar for telescopically adjusting the position of said sleeve with respect to said collar.

8. The cover plate of claim 7, wherein

said first and second tabs on said side walls of said collar are integrally formed with said third and fourth side walls and extend inwardly from an upper edge thereof with respect to said central opening.

9. The cover plate of claim 8, wherein

said sleeve includes an assembly at a top edge for capturing a head of said adjusting screw whereby rotation of said adjusting screw adjusts the position of the sleeve with respect to the collar.

10. The cover plate of claim 9, wherein

said sleeve has first and second opposite side walls having a first tab extending inwardly with respect to said central opening of said base plate, said first tab having a hole therein;

and

said sleeve having third and fourth opposite side walls with a flange overlying and spaced from said first tab a distance to capture the head of said adjusting screw that extends through said hole in said first tab.

11. The cover plate of claim 10, wherein said flange has an aperture to allow access to said screw head and said aperture having a dimension less than an outer dimension of said screw head.

12. The cover plate of claim 11, wherein the hole of said first tab is a slot having a width sufficient to receive said adjustment screw.

13. The cover plate of claim 10, wherein said hole in said tab on each of said first and second side walls of said sleeve is positioned outside said sleeve and within said collar, and wherein said aperture in said flange is positioned outside said sleeve and within said collar.

14. The cover plate of claim 10, wherein said first side wall and said third side wall of said sleeve intersect at a first recessed portion and where said first tab and flange overlie said first recessed portion, whereby said adjustment screw is outside said sleeve and within said collar.

15. The cover plate of claim 14, wherein said first side wall of said sleeve includes a first end panel extending perpendicular to said first side wall, and wherein said third side wall of said sleeve includes a second end panel extending perpendicular to said third side wall and said first end panel, said first and second end panels defining said first recessed area.

16. The cover plate of claim 15, wherein said second side wall of said sleeve includes a third end panel extending perpendicular to said second side wall and is joined to said first end panel to define said first recessed area.

17. The cover plate of claim 14, wherein said second side wall and said fourth side wall of said sleeve intersect to define a second recessed portion, and where said respective first tabs and flange overlie said second recessed portion whereby said respective adjustment screw is positioned outside said sleeve and within said collar.

18. An electrical box cover plate for coupling to an electrical box, said cover plate comprising:

a base plate having an outer face, an inner face and a central opening having a dimension for receiving an electrical device;

first and second opposite side walls integrally formed with opposite side edges of said central opening and extending substantially perpendicular to said base plate;

third and fourth opposite side wall members separately formed from said base plate and being attached to opposite ends of said first and second side walls and to opposite side edges of said central opening, said first, second, third and fourth side walls forming a collar extending from said outer face of said base plate and encircling said central opening;

at least one leg extending from said collar away from said inner face of said base plate and having a tab extending inwardly with respect to said central opening, said tab having an opening therein;

a sleeve slidably received in said collar and having a top edge for mounting an electrical device, said sleeve having at least one tab extending inwardly with respect to said sleeve and having a threaded aperture; and

a threaded screw having a first end rotatably coupled and axially fixed to said tab of said leg and threadedly coupled to said tab of said sleeve, wherein rotation of said screw adjusts the axial position of the sleeve with respect to the collar.

19. The electrical box of claim 18, wherein

said at least one leg is a leg integrally formed with each of said third and fourth side walls of said collar and extends downwardly in the plane of said respective side wall,

and where an inner edge of said central opening has a recess to receive said leg.

20. The electrical box of claim 19, wherein

said opening in said at least one tab is a slot having a concave portion for capturing an end of said threaded adjustment screw to limit axial movement of said screw while allowing rotational movement of said screw.

21. The electrical box of claim 18, wherein said tab on said collar extends from a bottom edge of said sleeve and is aligned with said tab extending from said leg.

22. An electrical box and adjustable cover plate assembly comprising:

an electrical box having an open top end and having an inner cavity for receiving electrical wiring;

a cover plate assembly comprising a planar base plate having an outer face and an inner face and a central opening, said base plate having a dimension to cover said open top end of said electrical box;

first and second opposite side walls integrally formed with opposite side edges of said central opening and extending substantially perpendicular to said base plate;

third and fourth opposite side wall members separately formed from said base plate and being attached to opposite ends of said first and second side walls and to respective edges of said central opening, said first, second, third and fourth side walls forming a collar extending from said base plate, said collar having a tab extending inwardly at opposite corners of said collar and said tab having an opening therein;

a sleeve slidably received in said collar and being movable from a retracted position where a top edge of said sleeve is substantially aligned with a top edge of said collar and an extended position where said top edge of said sleeve is spaced from said top edge of said collar, a tab extending from opposite corners of said sleeve and having an opening therein;

threaded adjustment screws received in said opening in respective tabs on said sleeve and respective tabs on said collar, said screws being positioned between an inner surface of said collar and an outer surface of said sleeve, each said screw being axially fixed to one of said tabs.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein

each of said adjustment screws are captured by a respective tab on said collar to prevent axial movement while allowing rotational movement with respect to said sleeve and where said screw is threaded into said opening in said tab on said sleeve.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein

said sleeve includes a recessed area at opposite corners, and said tab and flange of said sleeve overlie a top end of said recessed area.

25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein said tabs of said collar extend inwardly from a top edge of said collar.

26. The assembly of claim 22, wherein

said sleeve includes a flange spaced from said tab on said sleeve a distance to capture the head on the adjustment screw to prevent axial movement of the adjustment screw while allowing rotational movement of the screw to adjust the position of the sleeve relative to the collar.