Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings – With electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-15
2001-02-27
Kincaid, Kristine (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
With electrical device
C220S004020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06194658
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an electrical divider for use with an electrical outlet box assembly for power and communication wires. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical divider which can be installed into different types of electrical outlet box assemblies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional electrical outlet boxes have been in use for several years to assist in the installation of electrical wires, and in particular, power wires. The electrical wires enter electrical boxes through ports located near the base of the electrical box. The electrical wires extend through the port, into the electrical box and to an open end of the electrical box. The electrical wires are then connected to an electrical receptacle which is located substantially flush with the floor and generally covered by a floor cover plate. As the open end of electrical boxes is generally flush with the floor, electrical boxes are sometimes referred to as floor boxes.
With an increasing proliferation of computers in the workplace, there is a need for electrical boxes to accommodate both communication services wires and power services wires. Communication services wires, such as telephone lines or computer lines, transmit communication and data signals to computers. Power services wires carry electrical power to power electrical appliances.
There is generally a substantial difference in the voltage of the communication wires and the power wires. For example, communication wires are generally low voltage in the range of 5 volts, while power wires are generally higher voltage in the range of 120 volts in North America and 240 volts in Europe.
Many electrical codes and regulations require separation of communication wires from power wires at all times, including within electrical boxes. One reason for requiring the power wires to be separated from the communication wires is to prevent accidental contact between the lower voltage communication wires and the higher voltage power wires. This makes installation of the communication and power wires safer. In addition, separating the power and communication wires ensures no accidental contact occurs between the power and communication wires over the years of use of the equipment and devices connected to the wires. Also, if the higher voltage power wires are not separated from the lower voltage communication wires, the higher voltage, generally alternating current, of the power wires may degrade the communication and data signals of the communication wires.
In the past, electrical dividers have been custom made to fit within specific electrical boxes. In these prior art devices, the electrical dividers are manufactured to specific tolerances and cooperate with the corresponding electrical boxes to provide a secure fit between the divider and the electrical boxes.
However, it is not possible to use electrical dividers manufactured for a particular type of electrical box in a different type of electrical box. This is the case at least because dividers are manufactured to specific tolerances so as to cooperate with the electrical box and to become securely fixed in a desired position, where the electrical wires can extend from the port into the divider.
In addition, a large number of existing electrical dividers were manufactured only for power service wires. Therefore, no electrical dividers were ever made for many electrical boxes which were installed in the past and are still in use today. Moreover, these existing electrical boxes were not manufactured with guiding notches or other guiding elements to assist in positioning, orienting and securing an electrical divider in the desired position. Therefore, it is not possible to retrofit a large number of existing electrical boxes presently in use as no electrical dividers were ever manufactured to cooperate with these specific electrical boxes.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved electrical divider which can be used in more than one type of electrical box. In addition, there is a need in the art for electrical dividers which can be retrofitted into existing installed electrical boxes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Also, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved type of electrical divider which can be installed in different types of electrical boxes. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an electrical divider which can be retrofitted into existing installed electrical boxes.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention resides in an electrical divider for installation in an electrical box, said electrical box having an open end, a first port for receiving a first type of wire and a second port for receiving a second type of wire, said electrical divider comprising: a first part comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being movable with respect to the second portion, and a first opening; a second part having a second opening; wherein the first portion moves relative to the second portion to secure the first part to the electrical box; and wherein the first opening communicates with the second opening to define a passage for the first type of wire from the first port to the open end, said passage being separated from the second port.
In a further aspect, the present invention resides in an electrical divider for installation in an electrical box, said electrical box having an open end, a first port for receiving a first type of wire and a second port for receiving a second type of wire, said electrical divider comprising: a first part comprising a first opening attachable to a first end of a conduit and being expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration; a second part having a second opening attachable to a second end of the conduit; wherein the first part is inserted into the open end of the electrical box to a desired position, and, the first part is expanded from the contracted configuration toward the expanded configuration to secure the first part in the desired position; and wherein when the first part is in the desired position, and the conduit is connected to the first opening and the second opening, the first part, the conduit and the second part define a first passage for the first type of wire from the first port to the open end, said passage being separated from the second port.
Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that the electrical divider can be adjustable to cooperate and fit within electrical boxes having different dimensions. In this way, the electrical divider is not restricted to use with a particular type of electrical box, but can be used with a number of different types of electrical boxes, each having different dimensions.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the electrical divider does not require the electrical box to have any guiding elements to install the divider in the electrical box. In other words, the electrical divider of the present invention can be installed directly into existing electrical boxes which were never specifically designed for use in association with an electrical divider.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides at least one locking tab which engages at least one port of the electrical box. In this way, the locking tabs can both secure the first part of the electrical divider in the desired position, as well as be used to position and orient the first part of the electrical divider to the desired position and orientation with respect to the ports.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and drawings which illustrate the invention and preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2511524 (1950-06-01), Adler
patent: 4572923 (1986-02-01), Castellani et al.
patent: 4951923 (1990-08-01), Couture
patent: 5007549 (1991-04-01), Suk
patent: 5160809 (1992-11-01), Yang
patent: 5306870 (1994-04-0
Ipex Inc.
Kincaid Kristine
Patel Dhiru R
Pervanas Jeffrey
Riches McKenzie & Herbert LLP
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