Electricity: conductors and insulators – Covers or face plates – With closure for face plate opening
Patent
1998-11-03
2000-10-17
Kincaid, Kristine
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Covers or face plates
With closure for face plate opening
220241, 220242, 439139, 439165, H02G 314
Patent
active
061335312
ABSTRACT:
A weatherproof outlet cover assembly for protecting an outdoors electrical outlet is disclosed. The cover includes a housing which is hinged at one corner so that the cover can be used for either a horizontally or vertically oriented electrical receptacle. With the corner hinge, the cover closes due to gravity in either position, thus ensuring that the cover will always remain closed unless it is purposely held open. The hinge preferably includes a baffle which directs water down and away from the mating surfaces of the housing and back body. The back body may have a recessed and key shaped opening so that existing screws in a receptacle need only be backed partially out, rather than being completely removed. A wall plate may be snapped into place within the back body using a unique tab and tooth rack combination. To keep the housing closed relative to the back body, a snap may be actuated in the closed position, and a pair of aligned lock holes allows for a combination or key lock to prevent unauthorized access to the hidden receptacle. Cords of plugs inserted into the outlets may exit through an opening at a corner opposite the corner where the hinge is located. Thus, the exit opening faces in a generally downward direction whether the cover is placed horizontally or vertically. A pair of rubber flaps prevents rain water from back-splashing into the enclosure.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4381063 (1983-04-01), Leong
patent: 4979634 (1990-12-01), Begley
patent: 5243135 (1993-09-01), Shotey
patent: 5245507 (1993-09-01), Erickson
patent: 5527993 (1996-06-01), Shotey et al.
Burke Andrea
Hayduke Nicholas P.
Kincaid Kristine
Pass & Seymour, Inc.
Patel Dhiru R
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