Electricity: conductors and insulators – Boxes and housings – With electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-01
2002-08-20
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Boxes and housings
With electrical device
C220S003300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06437241
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to components for building construction. More particularly, the present invention relates to receptacles for enclosing low voltage electronic devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the rising cost of energy, efforts have been made to provide homes and other buildings with insulation which will more efficiently prevent the loss of heat to the outside. Modem building techniques include the installation of a vapor barrier in the walls of homes or other buildings.
The vapor barrier contains warm, moist air inside the building. If warm air from inside the building penetrates the vapor barrier, moisture from this air may condense inside the walls and ceilings of the building. This condensed moisture can promote mold growth and cause building materials to degrade. The loss of warm air from the inside of the building to the outside of the building also increases the cost of heating the structure.
When mounting speakers, keypads and other low voltage electronic devices in the wall or ceiling of a house or other building it is desirable to protect the low voltage devices from exposure to dirt, debris from building materials and other substances which may cause these devices to deteriorate. Installers who place low-voltage electronic devices in the walls of structures often use standard building materials to fabricate a “custom-built” enclosure at the installation site. To comply with modem building requirements, these custom-built enclosures must be substantially impervious to warm, moist air, and they must be sealingly connected to the existing vapor barrier of the structure. A great deal of skill is required to assemble an enclosure at a work site which will accomplish these goals. Even when an installer is highly skilled, this task is very time consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A receptacle enclosing low voltage electronic devices and maintaining the integrity of a vapor barrier. The receptacle includes a base and four side walls. Each side wall is joined to two adjacent side walls to form a perimeter wall. The perimeter wall is joined to the base and extends from it in a generally perpendicular fashion. The perimeter wall and base delineate a generally rectangular enclosure with five closed sides and one open side.
The base of the receptacle includes a pattern of concentric geometric shapes. When a portion of the base is seen through a hole cut in a wall, this pattern provides the installer with visual indicators which allow the installer to determine the location of the hidden portions of the receptacle.
The receptacle also includes a plurality of wire located dimples. The material thickness of the wire locator dimples is generally thinner than the thickness of the perimeter wall and the base. The wire locator dimples are useful for creating a hole which will allow a wire to enter the receptacle. Removing the wire locator dimple from the receptacle using a knife or other cutting tool creates a small circular hole in the receptacle. When the desired length of wire is pulled through the hole, the hole may be sealed using any commercially available sealant.
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Crompton Seager & Tufte LLC
Patel Dhiru R
Professional Partners Ltd.
Reichard Dean A.
LandOfFree
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