Electricity: conductors and insulators – Covers or face plates
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-12
2003-05-20
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Covers or face plates
C174S067000, C220S241000, C220S242000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06566602
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Covers for wall mounted enclosure, such as electrical outlet boxes, box eliminators, and a wide array of collar devices are common in the wiring industry. The enclosures generally house the wiring and equipment necessary for telecommunication interconnection and/or power connection devices. Usually, the faceplate completely overlies the enclosure to which it is coupled and fits flush against the adjacent wall surface, or more specifically, one plane of the faceplate typically engages the wall and is coplanar therewith.
In conventional faceplates, the mounting screws pass through screw holes rigidly coupled to the faceplate and into the enclosure, coupling the faceplate to the enclosure. The mounting screws typically become fully seated by bottoming out on one face of the faceplate. If the enclosure is perfectly situated inside of the wall, the screws become fully seated when the faceplate bottoms out against the enclosure device. However, if the enclosure is not perfectly situated in the wall, when the screws become fully seated against the faceplate there is still a space or gap between the faceplate and the enclosure. In this situation, over-torquing the screws will force the faceplate to bend and possibly bottom out against the enclosure, deforming the faceplate. This deformation of the faceplate occurs when the plane of the enclosure that accepts the mounting screws is located below or at an angle to the wall surface or the faceplate is mounted to an enclosure that does not sit flush with the adjacent wall surface.
If a faceplate is deformed due to over-torquing the mounting screws, the deformation can damage or negatively impact the performance of the device mounted in the faceplate.
Examples of prior art faceplates are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,116 to Zutler; U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,099 to Cardy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,756 to Meyers; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,589,898 to Reeves.
Thus, there has been a continuing need for a device that reliably and easily covers a wall mounted enclosure and protects the wires and equipment therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover for a wall mounted enclosure that prevents over-torquing of the mounting screws, therefore preventing deformation of the faceplate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for a wall mounted enclosure in which screw retention assemblies flexibly coupled to the cover can accept misalignment of the enclosure relative to the wall.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for a wall mounted enclosure that enables the cover to bottom out at the same time the mounting screws become fully seated, regardless of the orientation of the enclosure relative to the wall.
The foregoing objects are basically obtained by providing a cover for a wall mounted enclosure, the combination comprising a plate having first and second sides, an aperture extending through the plate, a screw retention assembly, and a flexible mechanism coupling the screw retention assembly to the plate adjacent the aperture, the flexible mechanism being more flexible than the plate.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 2506953 (1950-05-01), Dzus
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patent: 4780039 (1988-10-01), Hartman
patent: 4781503 (1988-11-01), Bogel
patent: 4952756 (1990-08-01), Meyers
patent: 5144099 (1992-09-01), Cardy
patent: 5170013 (1992-12-01), Borsh et al.
patent: 5524330 (1996-06-01), Alberini
patent: 5594205 (1997-01-01), Cancellieri et al.
patent: 5594206 (1997-01-01), Klas et al.
patent: RE35902 (1998-09-01), Calandra, Jr.
patent: 5824116 (1998-10-01), Zutler
patent: 5908278 (1999-06-01), Hasan et al.
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patent: 6282857 (2001-09-01), Rubenacker
Miller Alan C.
Miller John J.
Pereira Raul
Ruetsch Randolph R.
Udelson Tracy H.
'Hubbell Incorporated
Estrada Angel R.
Goodman Alfred N.
Howell Jeffrey J.
Reichard Dean A.
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