Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6179634
-
Patent Number
6,179,634
-
Date Filed
Thursday, September 16, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 30, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 142
- 439 136
- 439 535
- 439 536
- 439 538
- 439 544
- 439 548
- 439 925
- 174 67
- 174 48
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A cover assembly for a floor box includes a ring, a cover, and a gasket. The ring is configured to support an electrical receptacle within an open upper end portion of the floor box. The cover has an access opening for providing access to the receptacle, and has an access door for closing the access opening. The ring, the cover and the gasket are configured for interconnection in installed positions in which a portion of the gasket is deflected into an annular configuration interposed radially between the ring and the cover. When the gasket is thus installed between the ring and the cover, the edge portion of the gasket establishes a seal that surrounds the access opening in the cover. Additionally, the cover has apertures for receiving fasteners that interconnect the ring, the cover, and the gasket in their installed positions. The access door is configured to overlie all of those apertures, and thereby to conceal all of those fasteners from view, when the door is in a closed position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cover assemblies for floor mounted electrical receptacles.
A floor mounted electrical receptacle is typically contained in a structure known as a floor box. Electrical power lines are routed upward to the receptacle through an open lower end of the floor box. A cover assembly at the floor surface conceals the floor box from view. The cover assembly has an access door that can be opened to provide access to the receptacle in the floor box.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an apparatus for use with an electrical receptacle and a floor box. In accordance with a principal feature of the invention, the apparatus comprises a ring, a cover, and a gasket. The ring is configured to support the receptacle within an open upper end portion of the floor box. The cover has an access opening for providing access to the receptacle, and has an access door for closing the access opening. The ring, the cover and the gasket are configured for interconnection in installed positions in which a portion of the gasket is deflected into an annular configuration interposed radially between the ring and the cover. When the gasket is thus installed between the ring and the cover, the annular portion of the gasket establishes a seal that surrounds the access opening in the cover.
In accordance with another principal feature of the invention, the cover is circular and has a peripheral edge portion that projects radially outward from the floor box fully around the circumference of the floor box. The cover further has apertures for receiving fasteners that fasten the cover in its installed position. The door is configured to overlie all of those apertures, and thereby to conceal all of the corresponding fasteners from view, when the door is in a closed position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side sectional view of an apparatus comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an exploded view of parts of the apparatus of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a bottom view of a part shown in
FIG. 2
; and
FIG. 4
is a view taken on line
4
—
4
of FIG.
3
.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A cover assembly
10
comprising a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
1
. The cover assembly
10
includes a plurality of interconnected parts that are shown separately in FIG.
2
. Also shown in
FIG. 1
is a concrete floor
12
, a cylindrical floor box
14
embedded in the floor
12
, and an electrical receptacle
16
. When the separate parts of the cover assembly
10
are interconnected and installed as shown in
FIG. 1
, they support the receptacle
16
within the upper end portion
18
of the floor box
14
.
The separate parts of the cover assembly
10
(
FIG. 2
) include an adapter ring
20
, a backing plate
22
, a gasket
24
and a cover
26
. The ring
20
is preferably formed of an electrically nonconductive material, and is most preferably formed as a one-piece plastic structure. As known in the art, a generally cylindrical outer surface
30
of the ring
20
is bowed radially outward. This facilitates placement of the ring
20
in the floor box
14
in a position in which an annular upper end surface
32
of the ring
20
is level. A generally cylindrical inner surface
36
of the ring
20
has a slightly tapered contour extending radially inward from the upper end surface
32
.
The ring
20
has three plate support portions
40
(FIG.
2
). The plate support portions
40
of the ring
20
project radially inward at locations that are evenly spaced apart circumferentially about the central axis
41
of the ring
20
. The plate support portions
40
have coplanar upper surfaces
42
, and each has a bore
43
for receiving a corresponding fastener
44
. These fasteners
44
interconnect the separate parts of the floor cover assembly
10
.
The ring
20
further has a pair of receptacle support portions
46
projecting radially inward at diametrically opposite locations. The receptacle support portions
46
of the ring
20
have coplanar upper surfaces
48
that are spaced axially downward from the surfaces
42
. Each has a bore
49
for receiving a corresponding fastener
50
(FIG.
1
). Those fasteners
50
connect the receptacle
16
to the ring
20
. More specifically, a pair of mounting tabs
52
at the opposite ends of the receptacle
16
rest on the surfaces
48
. The fasteners
50
attach the tabs
52
to the receptacle support portions
46
of the ring
20
, as shown in FIG.
1
.
The backing plate
22
is preferably formed of galvanized steel, and has a circular peripheral shape with a diameter just slightly less than the diameter of the cylindrical inner surface
36
of the ring
20
. The backing plate
22
is thus receivable closely within the ring
20
, as shown in
FIG. 1
, in an installed position in which it rests on the upper surfaces
42
(
FIG. 2
) of the plate support portions
40
of the ring
20
. An inner edge surface
54
of the backing plate
22
defines a rectangular opening
55
for providing access to the receptacle
16
.
The gasket
24
also has a circular peripheral shape. However, the diameter of the gasket
24
is substantially greater than the diameters of the backing plate
22
and the cylindrical inner surface
36
of the ring
20
. The gasket
24
is thus receivable within the ring
20
in a deflected condition in which an annular peripheral edge portion
56
of the gasket
24
projects axially from a major central portion
58
, as shown in FIG.
1
. This is described more fully below with reference to interconnection of the cover
26
with the other parts of the assembly
10
.
A pair of inner edge surfaces
60
of the gasket
24
define a pair of access openings
61
for access to the receptacle
16
. Although the gasket
24
in the preferred embodiment of the invention has two access openings
61
for the duplex receptacle
16
, one or more differently configured access openings could be used to provide access to a correspondingly different receptacle in an alternative embodiment of the invention. The gasket
24
is preferably formed of rubber, but could be formed of any other material suitable for such a gasket.
The cover
26
includes a door
70
and a floor plate
72
. Both the door
70
and the floor plate
72
are preferably formed of brass. As best shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the floor plate
72
has a short, generally cylindrical central portion
74
and a wide, ring-shaped peripheral edge portion
76
. The peripheral edge portion
76
of the floor plate
72
is large enough to project radially outward from the floor box
14
(
FIG. 1
) fully around the circumference of the floor box
14
when the cover assembly
10
is installed. The central portion
74
of the floor plate
72
has a generally cylindrical outer surface
78
at the lower side of the cover
26
. The outer surface
78
on the cover
26
has a tapered contour corresponding to the tapered contour of the inner surface
36
on the ring
20
, but has a lesser diameter. An inner edge surface
80
of the cover
26
defines a generally rectangular access opening
81
(
FIG. 1
) for providing access to the receptacle
16
.
A hinge pin
82
(
FIG. 3
) supports the door
70
on the floor plate
72
for movement pivotally between an open position, as shown in
FIG. 2
, and a closed position, as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
. An endless rib
84
at the lower side of the door
70
projects into the access opening
81
alongside the inner edge surface
80
when the door
70
is closed.
As further shown in
FIG. 1
, the cover
26
is received over the ring
20
in an installed position concentric with the ring
20
. A lower side surface
86
of the floor plate
72
rests on the upper end surface
32
of the ring
20
. The central portion
74
of the floor plate
72
is received concentrically within the ring
20
, with the cylindrical outer surface
78
facing radially outward toward the cylindrical inner surface
36
. The cover
26
is moved axially downward to this position upon tightening of the fasteners
44
(FIG.
2
).
The gasket
24
, which is first placed loosely between the cover
26
and the ring
20
, is deflected into the configuration of
FIG. 1
under the clamping force applied by the fasteners
44
upon movement of the cover
26
axially downward. Specifically, the annular peripheral edge portion
56
of the gasket
24
is captured radially between the opposed cylindrical surfaces
78
and
36
as the cover
26
pushes the central portion
58
of the gasket
24
downward toward and against the backing plate
22
. The tapered contours of those surfaces
78
and
36
in the preferred embodiment help to avoid the formation of a sharp edge at which the edge portion
56
of the gasket
24
could tear apart from the central portion
58
. The edge portion
56
of the gasket
24
is then retained tightly between the opposed cylindrical surfaces
78
and
36
circumferentially entirely around the central portion
74
of the floor plate
72
under the clamping force applied by the fasteners
44
. The edge portion
56
of the gasket
24
is thus interposed between the cover
26
and the ring
20
to provide a seal surrounding the access opening
81
in the floor plate
72
. This seal provides protection from the ingress of numerous types of solid or liquid materials, and may be referred to as a scrub water seal.
As further shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the rib
84
at the lower side of the door
70
has a lower edge surface
90
. When the door
70
is moved to the closed position, as shown in
FIG. 1
, the lower edge surface
90
of the rib
84
moves into abutment with a coextensive upper surface portion of the gasket
24
to establish an additional scrub water seal at that location. A quarter-turn fastener
92
(
FIG. 2
) is preferably used to hold the door
70
in the closed position.
An additional feature of the invention is shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
. The fasteners
44
are received through apertures
93
in the central portion
74
of the floor plate
72
. Those apertures
93
are aligned with corresponding apertures
95
and
97
in the gasket
24
and the backing plate
22
, respectively, and are further aligned with the bores
43
in the plate support portions
40
of the ring
20
. As shown in
FIG. 3
, when the door
70
is in the closed position, the peripheral edge surface
98
of the door
70
is spaced outward of the apertures
93
in the floor plate
72
. The door
70
is thus configured to cover all of the apertures
93
, and thereby to conceal all of the fasteners
44
from view, when the door
70
is in the closed position.
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will perceive improvements, changes and modifications as taught by the foregoing description. Such improvements, changes and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
Claims
- 1. Apparatus for use with an electrical receptacle and a floor box, said apparatus comprising:a ring configured to support the receptacle within an open upper end portion of the floor box; a cover having an access opening for providing access to the receptacle, said cover further having an access door for closing said access opening; and a gasket; said ring, said cover and said gasket being configured for interconnection in installed positions in which a portion of said gasket is deflected into an annular configuration interposed radially between said ring and said cover to establish a seal surrounding said access opening.
- 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said portion of said gasket is a peripheral edge portion which is clamped between radially opposed cylindrical surface portions of said ring and said cover when said ring, said cover and said gasket are interconnected in said installed positions.
- 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said ring has a generally cylindrical inner surface portion with a first diameter, said cover has a lower side structure with a generally cylindrical outer surface portion having a second diameter less than first diameter, and said gasket, when in an uninstalled condition, has a circular peripheral shape with a third diameter greater than said first and second diameters.
- 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 further comprising a backing plate, said backing plate being receivable within said ring such that a portion of said gasket is clamped axially between said backing plate and said lower side structure on said cover when said ring, said cover and said gasket are interconnected in said installed positions.
- 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said backing plate has a circular peripheral shape with a fourth diameter between said first and second diameters.
- 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said door includes a lower side structure comprising an endless rib configured to project through said access opening alongside the periphery of said access opening when said door is in a closed position, said rib having a lower end surface configured to adjoin a coextensive upper surface portion of said gasket when said door is in said closed position, whereby said gasket establishes an additional seal extending endlessly alongside said periphery of said access opening.
- 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover has apertures for receiving fasteners that interconnect said ring, said cover and said gasket in said installed positions, said door being configured to overlie all of said apertures, and thereby to conceal all of said fasteners from view, when said door is in a closed position.
- 8. Apparatus for use with an electrical receptacle and a floor box, said apparatus comprising:a circular floor plate having a peripheral edge portion configured to project radially outward from the floor box fully around the circumference of the floor box when said floor plate is received over the floor box in an installed position, said floor plate further having an access opening for providing access to the receptacle and apertures for receiving fasteners that fasten said floor plate in said installed position; an access door for closing said access opening, said door being configured to overlie all of said apertures, and thereby to conceal all of said fasteners from view, when said door is in a closed position; and a gasket; said door including a lower side structure comprising an endless rib configured to project through said access opening into abutment with said gasket alongside the periphery of said access opening when said door is in a closed position, whereby said gasket establishes a seal extending endlessly alongside said periphery of said access opening.
- 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 further comprising a backing plate configured for interconnection with said floor plate and said gasket in an installed position in which a portion of said gasket is clamped axially between said backing plate and said floor plate.
- 10. Apparatus for use with an electrical receptacle and a floor box, said apparatus comprising:a floor plate having a peripheral edge portion configured to project outward from the floor box fully around the periphery of the floor box when said floor plate is received over the floor box in an installed position, said floor plate further having an access opening for providing access to the receptacle and apertures for receiving fasteners that fasten said floor plate in said installed position; an access door for closing said access opening, said door being configured to overlie all of said apertures, and thereby to conceal all of said fasteners from view, when said door is in a closed position; and a gasket; said door including a lower side structure comprising an endless rib configured to project through said access opening into abutment with said gasket alongside the periphery of said access opening when said door is in a closed position, whereby said gasket establishes a seal extending endlessly alongside said periphery of said access opening.
- 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 further comprising a backing plate configured for interconnection with said floor plate and said gasket in an installed position in which a portion of said gasket is clamped axially between said backing plate and said floor plate.
US Referenced Citations (17)