Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Wall – ceiling – or floor designed for utilities – Having a passageway through the entire wall – ceiling – or...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-15
2003-09-02
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Wall, ceiling, or floor designed for utilities
Having a passageway through the entire wall, ceiling, or...
C174S067000, C174S066000, C220S003300, C220S003800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06612081
ABSTRACT:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In-floor fittings such as poke-thru fittings, aftersets fittings and preset fittings are installed in concrete floors to provide electrical receptacles and communication/data receptacles (or jacks) at desired locations in buildings. As a result, such fittings may be exposed to water, e.g. during carpet cleaning. It is desirable that such fittings are designed to prevent moisture infiltration from above the floor. In this respect, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is proposing certification standards which will require such fittings to keep scrub water out of the portion of the fitting that houses the electrical outlet, e.g. the power portion. Scrub water is a soap and water mixture that is typically used when cleaning carpets. Previous in-floor fittings do not provide a means for preventing the scrub water from entering the fitting.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A cover assembly is usable with a fitting of the type which is disposed in a floor and has an inner compartment accessible through an opening in the upper surface of the floor. The fitting is configured so that source cables can be routed into the inner compartment from a location below the upper surface of the floor. The cover assembly includes a first portion which overlies the floor opening and is connectable to the fitting. The first portion includes a central opening which overlies the floor opening to provide access to receptacles carried by the fitting. The first portion may function as a mounting bracket for supporting receptacles, such as power receptacles and/or a communications/data receptacle. Alternatively, some or all of the receptacles may be supported by mounting brackets within the fitting itself. The cover assembly also includes a second portion which is mounted on the first portion and which overlies the receptacles carried by the fitting. The second portion includes access doors movable between closed positions to prevent access to the receptacles open positions at which the receptacles are and accessible from above.
A first seal member is interposed between the cover assembly first and second portions and is adapted to seal against water infiltration therebetween and into the fitting. A second seal member interposed between the mounting bracket and the floor and is adapted to seal against water infiltration therebetween and into the fitting.
According to one aspect, the first seal may comprise a planar gasket which is sandwiched between the cover assembly first and second portions. The first seal includes a access openings which provides access to the receptacles. Ribs extend upwardly around the perimeters of the access openings and abut against the bottoms of the access doors when the doors are at their closed positions. The interference fit between the ribs and the access doors seals against water infiltration therebetween and into the fitting. The first seal further includes a downwardly extending rib which extends around the perimeter of the opening in the cover assembly first portion. The rib is configured to mate with a reciprocal groove formed in the cover assembly first portion so as to seal against water infiltration between the first seal member and the mounting bracket and into the fitting.
The second seal member may be in the form of at least one compressible gasket which extends around the perimeter of the floor opening and is adapted to be compressed between the cover assembly first portion and the floor's surface when the first portion is connected to the fitting. The second seal member may include a pair of compressible, annular gaskets which extend around the floor opening. A first gasket is compressed between the cover assembly first portion and the concrete floor, and the second gasket is compressed between the cover assembly first portion and the finished flooring, e.g., carpet or tile.
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Bowman Timothy
Cole Michael T.
English Stephen
Kohaut John
Young Joe
Friedman Carl D.
McAndrews Held & Malloy Ltd.
Thissell Jennifer I.
Walker Systems, Inc.
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