Patent ID: 6479749
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: H02G

Abstract:
For an electrical box having an open front, mounting an electrical device, and having a plaster ring, which fastens to the electrical box, around the open front of the electrical box, and which has a projecting portion defining a generally rectangular aperture providing access to the electrical device, through the open front of the electrical box, after the electrical box, the electrical device, and the plaster ring have been installed behind a flange panel, a protective cover mountable removably to the plaster ring so as at least substantially to cover the generally rectangular aperture of the plaster ring, whereby to protect the electrical device against foreign matter, damage, or both while an aperture accommodating the projecting portion of the plaster ring is cut into the flange panel or while the flange panel is being decorated near the aperture accommodating the projecting portion of the plaster ring, the protective cover having a front panel, a top flange, a bottom flange, and two lateral flanges, wherein each lateral flange is spaced from the top flange by a slit at an upper edge of said lateral flange and is spaced from the bottom flange by a slit at a lower edge of said lateral flange, which slits permit the lateral flanges to flex, wherein each lateral flange has an elongate tab, which fits behind an adjacent edge of the generally rectangular aperture of the projecting portion of the plaster ring when the protective cover is mounted to the plaster ring, and wherein each lateral flange has an outer surface that is planar except for a recess, which is adapted to receive a tool inserted between said lateral flange and an adjacent edge of the generally rectangular aperture of the projecting portion of the plaster ring, when the protective cover is mounted to the plaster ring, so as to enable the tool to be then twisted so as to flex said lateral flange inwardly.