Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-26
2002-04-09
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
C174S058000, C174S063000, C220S495040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06369322
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electric box extensions and to supplemental parts for electrical boxes, and particularly, to an improved electrical box extension that is easier to install and accepts bulky electrical devices such as a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) and to supplemental parts that insert within existing electrical boxes to act as a device insulator to insulate electrical devices from an electrical box.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical boxes are commonly used to provide electrical service at convenient locations within buildings. The electrical boxes are commonly formed of plastic or metal and are usually securely fastened by screws or nails to the framework to the building. In newly constructed buildings, the open face of the electrical box, in which an electrical device such as an outlet or switch will be mounted, is usually flush with the surface of the wall or ceiling in which it is installed.
When existing buildings are renovated or restored, it is common for renovators to lay down new sheet stock such as sheet rock, paneling, etc., over the existing ceilings or walls. This causes the existing electrical boxes to become recessed within the wall by the thickness of the new sheet stock.
To solve this problem, box extenders of several different types have been developed. One type relies on a friction fit to hold the box extender in the existing electrical box. This extender has the disadvantage of not providing a secure attachment to the existing box, and the electrical device may slide further within the box making it hard to reach.
Another type of extender consists of an extension having walls of approximately the same configuration as the existing box and of fixed thickness. The extender is available in several thicknesses to accommodate several different sheet stock thicknesses. Although there are many thicknesses available, the extender sometimes is not of a proper thickness to bring the existing box flush with the new surface, and this creates an aesthetically undesirable appearance.
Another type of extender includes a body portion having at least one wall and open faces and a second open face. The extender includes side flanges having holes that align with brackets that are connected to the electrical box. This extender is difficult to use and install as brackets must be firmly attached to the electrical box and then two screws are used to attach each flange of the extender to the electrical box.
A supplemental part which is a variation of the electrical box extender can be used as a device insulator in those location where an electrical device does not need to be extended to a new wall surface but rather where there is a limited amount of space to create a secure device which is not prone to shorting out. A typical example would be the installation of a GFCI device in an electrical box. The GFCI device is a bulky device that fits with little clearance into an electrical box. The terminals on the side of a GFCI are close fitting to the side of the metal electrical box and frequently the GFCI will be tripped when the terminals contact the side of the box. The supplemental part is inserted within an existing electrical box to act as a device insulator and keep bulky electrical devices insulated from the surrounding electrical box.
As described by these several limitations, extenders and supplemental parts of the present art have not proven fully satisfactory for extending electrical boxes flush with the new walls or ceilings in a renovated or restored building.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention consists of an extender and a supplemental part for use with electrical boxes. The extender is used for bringing electrical outlets, switches, ground fault circuit outlets, etc., flush with newly installed sheet stock or the like in a renovated building. The supplemental part is used to insulate electrical devices from their associated electrical box.
A first embodiment of the extender consists of a one-piece molded plastic box having an open face, an open back, and multiple flexible wings extending from the open face. The extender can be inserted slidably into an existing electrical box to extend an electrical device such an outlet, switch, etc., so that it will be flush with a new surface. A second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except the wings are separate pieces from the open face. A third embodiment consists of a one-piece unit having an open face, open back, and a continuous peripheral wall extending from the front face which can be trimmed away or cut into separate wings to suffice any installation.
A first embodiment of the supplemental part consists of a one-piece molded plastic box having an open face, an open back, and multiple flexible wings extending from the open face. The supplemental part can be inserted into an existing electrical box to act as a device insulator for bulky devices such as GFCI's to prevent the terminals of the device from contacting the walls of the electrical box and thereby causing a short. A second embodiment of the supplemental part consists of a one-piece molded plastic box having an open face, an open back, and four sides extending from the face with one or more of the sides including a flexible fold. As the second embodiment is inserted into an electrical box, the flexible fold would collapse allowing the supplemental part to fit into the box and act as a device insulator.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
One object of the present invention is to provide a one-piece plastic electrical box extender that will extend electrical boxes from a position deep within an interior surface of a building to a new position that is flush with a newly installed surface. The situation of having to bring electrical boxes flush with a new surface is commonly encountered when old buildings are renovated by laying down new sheet stock on top of existing sheet stock on walls and ceilings.
A second object of the invention is to ease the task of extending existing electrical boxes to a new surface. The invention is easily applied by inserting the extender slidably within the existing electrical box and pushing it within the box until flanges on the extender are flush with the new surface. New electrical connections are made and two screws are then inserted through the ears of the electrical device into flanges of the box extender and into the existing apertures on the pre-existing electrical box and then tightened to complete the installation. The invention is inexpensive and very easy to install when compared with extenders that are presently used in the trade.
A third object of the invention is to provide a supplemental part that acts as a device insulator for bulky electrical devices such as GFCI's.
Other objects and advantages of the preferred embodiment will become apparent when reading the attached description of the invention and referring to the associated drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5736674 (1998-04-01), Gretz
patent: 5873480 (1999-02-01), Wells, Jr.
patent: 6060660 (2000-05-01), Bauer
patent: 6060661 (2000-05-01), O'Neill
patent: 6103972 (2000-08-01), Hogarty
patent: 6180879 (2001-01-01), Gretz
Arlington Industries Inc.
Patel Dhiru R
Reichard Dean A.
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