Abstract:
A weatherproof outlet enclosure is provided for connections between a number of electrical outlets and various electric loads comprising: at least one rectangular slider plate for replacing existing receptacle face plate in a gentle sliding way; a base plate for mating with a predetermined number of the slider plates which lock into place by a single click stop, and a cover having a hinged attachment to one of the side walls of the base plate and a latching connection with an opposite location of the side walls from the hinged attachment, the cover in its a lower latched position enclosing the electrical outlets leaving passages for up to four cords leading from the electric loads connected.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electric power fixture. More particularly, the present invention relates to an in-use weatherproof enclosure with interchangeable slider plates to additionally protect existing switch plates or power outlets at wet locations and outdoors. 
     B. Description of the Prior Art 
     One type of weatherproof cover for outdoor receptacles National Electrical Code specifies is a hooded cover that is weather resistant with or without plug inserted. With hooded cover a plug leading from various electric loads such as portable tools, landscape lighting, and holiday lights can be protected even when they are not attended during use. So, this type of enclosure is called “while in use” cover. U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,135 to Berlin et al. provides an advancement of such weatherproof cover that includes a base plate ‘ 12 ’ placed on certain receptacle, an insert ‘ 14 ’ of certain symmetrical form horizontally as well as vertically to easily conform to the existing receptacle in either vertical or horizontal orientation, and a housing hinged at its top to the base plate for an access to the protected space under cover. 
     Inserts of the Berlin patent are seated onto an inner diameter of a large aperture of a base plate to cover the conventional one or two-duplex receptacle outlet in two orientations in order to simplify manufacturing and save the associated cost. In the Berlin cover, the insert ‘ 14 ’ is limited to have an octagonal, circular, or polygonal shape wherein only a relatively small portion of the insert area is actually used to provide the necessary aperture pattern that conforms to a standard outlet. However, it is customary to install the receptacles on upright walls in vertical orientation and it is more desirable to keep the case less bulky rather than making them oversized for the purpose of dual orientation. 
     In return for the dual orientation scheme, the outlet cover will overprotect above and below the horizontal receptacle or both lateral sides of the vertical receptacles and thus become resultantly bulky and may not work adequately with an existing receptacle in a tight space. 
     In addition, to make the same base plate and housing available to use for a double-gang variation of the Berlin cover, a different couple of insert parts should be devised to fit in the octagonal, circular, or polygonal aperture of the base plate resulting in an increase of the total number of insert shapes to prepare for the variety of dual receptacles. For example, a ground-fault circuit interrupter or GFCI insert for a single-gang and double-gang application should be differently formed. Rather than having a rigid base plate and housing to which the existing receptacle configurations are made to adapt, it would be desirable to provide a flexible construction system for enclosures with improved modular face plates that easily incorporates into individually fit frame of the enclosures to various receptacle shapes and orientations. Such face plates will be desirably swift and secure to interchange between them in the process of installing the enclosure. 
     Therefore, it is necessary to provide an improved receptacle enclosure that fits and reconfigured more flexibly to most wall receptacles than the above and other similar known modular enclosures. 
     In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved weatherproof enclosure having modular slider face plates, which are standardized, faster and more flexible to cover one or multiple receptacles correctly. 
     Another object of the present invention to provide a weatherproof enclosure having a main frame that interconnects with modular slider plates more securely to facilitate handling the enclosure during installation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A weatherproof outlet enclosure according to the present invention protects connections between a number of electrical outlets and various electric loads and comprises: (a) at least one rectangular slider plate having a front and rear surface, openings in its middle area for allowing access from the front surface to the electrical outlets and a click stop integrally formed on the slider plate; (b) a vertically elongated base plate for slidably accommodating a predetermined number of the slider plates which are held in position by the click stop, the base plate including four-sided rectangular walls which form a generally rectangular opening; at least one channel for guiding the slider plate; a rear rectangular edge lying flush on a flat wall surrounding the outlets and an opposite rectangular edge facing forward; and (c) a cover having a hinged attachment to one of the side walls of the base plate and a latching connection with an opposite location of the side walls from the hinged attachment, the cover also having an ascended position to allow access to the slider plate and thus the electrical outlets and a lower latched position to enclose the electrical outlets leaving passages for cords leading from the electric loads connected. 
     The slider plate has flat opposite side edges for making a parallel sliding assembly with the channel of the base plate and distinctive leading and trailing edges spanning the side edges. The slider plate is introduced into the base plate at a lower side of the four-sided rectangular walls. In order to ensure a fast assembly every time, the slider plate has a grasp bar formed on the rear surface at the trailing edge to correctly hold the slider plate for pushing it up into the main body. To position the right side forward, a positional indicator is also provided consisting of the two opposite side edges slightly shifted toward the front surface with respect to a main middle portion to form a deflected cross section that fits with the right side of the main body only. 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a weatherproof outlet enclosure with a cover and left one of two slider face plates drawn out according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a main body of the enclosure of  FIG. 1  before assembly with the hinge cover and slider plates. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the enclosure of  FIG. 3  with the cover hinged at the top and latched onto the bottom of the main body. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the enclosure of  FIG. 3  showing two large passages for up to four electric cords and two slots to which the face plates will slide in. 
         FIG. 5  is a detail right side view of the enclosure of  FIG. 4  to show the cover hinge and latch. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the released slider plate taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded front view similar to  FIG. 2  for showing a one gang weatherproof outlet enclosure and an adapted slider plate according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of the slider plates of the one gang weatherproof enclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of the slider plates of the two gang weatherproof enclosure. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference numbers denote corresponding features throughout the attached drawings. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 10: 
                 Enclosure 
                 12: 
                 Main Body 
                 14: 
                 Receiving Area 
               
               
                 16: 
                 Top Side 
                 18: 
                 Bottom Side 
                 20: 
                 Lateral Side 
               
               
                 22: 
                 Rear End 
                 24: 
                 Front End 
                 25: 
                 Eyelet 
               
               
                 26: 
                 Recess 
                 28: 
                 Moisture Wall 
                 30: 
                 Cover 
               
               
                 32: 
                 Pivot Pin 
                 33: 
                 Leg 
                 34: 
                 Neck Section 
               
               
                 36: 
                 Hinge Portion 
                 38: 
                 Snap Bar 
                 40: 
                 Bridge 
               
               
                 42: 
                 Skirt 
                 44: 
                 Wicket 
                 45: 
                 Eyelet 
               
               
                 46: 
                 Sidewall 
                 48: 
                 Latch 
                 50: 
                 Step 
               
               
                 52: 
                 Side Rail 
                 54: 
                 Spine 
                 56: 
                 Left Slot 
               
               
                 58: 
                 Right Slot 
                 60: 
                 Rail Segment 
                 62: 
                 Sliding Channel 
               
               
                 64a, 64b: 
                 Slider Plate 
                 68: 
                 Lower Entrance 
                 70: 
                 Press Tab 
               
               
                 72: 
                 Recess 
                 73: 
                 Rear Tab 
                 74: 
                 Side Edge 
               
               
                 75: 
                 Middle Portion 
                 76: 
                 Auxiliary Screw Hole 
                 78: 
                 Primary Screw Hole 
               
               
                 80: 
                 Thru Hole 
                 82: 
                 Midway Tab 
                 84: 
                 Bump 
               
               
                 86: 
                 Grasp Bar 
                 88: 
                 Matching Hole 
                 90: 
                 Gasket 
               
               
                 100: 
                 Single Gang Enclosure 
                 102: 
                 Main Body 
                 104: 
                 Slider Plate 
               
               
                 106: 
                 GFCI Opening 
                 124: 
                 Front End 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a receptacle enclosure  10  with weather protection according to a first embodiment has a main body  12  with a receiving area  14  in a wide scale for accommodating a double gang configuration that is surrounded by four forwardly extending side walls including a top side  16 , bottom side  18 , and two identical lateral sides  20 . The four sidewalls together form a rear rectangular end  22  a front end  24 , which is enlarged and chamfered at its front edge. The enlarged front end  24  may have two recesses  26  to ease passages of electric cords leading from the connected electric loads. In addition, a moisture barrier  28  is extending integrally from the three surrounding upper sides  16  and  20  at front end  24  to prevent water from falling into receiving area  14 . Bottom side  18  has an eyelet  25  integrally formed for the purpose described below. 
     In order to protect a set of receptacles for connecting various appliances in main body  12 , a cover  30  is provided with an ample internal space for accommodating small and large corded plugs (not shown) of appliances and is attached to body  12  through a couple of concentric pivot pins  32 , as in  FIG. 3 . Both pivot pins  32  may be formed integral to cover  30  through upright legs  33  facing the same side and have middle neck sections  34 , respectively. In cooperation with pivot pins  32 , hinge portions  36  are formed on top side  16  of main body  12  and include snap bars  38  occupying the respective middle sections which are suspended firmly by bridges  40  so that snap bars  38  are resiliently protrude into neck portions  34  of pivot pins  32  keeping pins  32  within hinge portions  36 . So, cover  30  may reliably swing open upwardly allowing a full access to receiving area  14 . Cover  30  has a skirt  42  shaped to precisely wrap around front end  24  of main body  12  for closing the internal receiving area  14  to block weather elements. Cover  30  also has two distanced wickets  44  at its lower side as shown in the bottom view of  FIG. 4  to permit passages of cords leading from the electric loads connected. 
     Between the two wickets  44  an eyelet  45  corresponding to eyelet  25  of main body  12  is depending from cover  30  to provide a hasp together for padlocking as a safety measure. Eyelet  25  of main body  12  is supported by two sidewalls  46  connecting it to bottom side  18 . A latch  48  is resiliently cantilevered from main body  12  between sidewalls  46 . At the counterpart area in cover  30 , there is formed a mating step  50  on which latch  48  may snapped to keep cover  30  in tight engagement with main body  12  until latch  48  is pressed down out of engagement with step  50 . 
     Inside of main body  12 , lateral sides  20  have two opposite longitudinal side rails  52  extending inwardly from rear end  22 . For this embodiment of double gang wide enclosure  10 , a longitudinal spine  54  extends in the center of receiving area  14  between top and bottom sides  16 ,  18  to partition receiving area  14  into a left slot  56  and right slot  58  for two separate receptacles. On each side of spine  54  are rail segments  60  that cooperate with opposing side rail  52  to form a sliding channel  62  in each of left and right slots  56 ,  58  to guide introduction and positioning of slider plates  64   a  and  64   b  for intimately covering each receptacle selected. 
     Of the entire enclosure  10 , main body  12  and slider plates  64   a ,  64   b  may be of molded plastic or nylon and made available in an assortment of colors. One of slider plates  64   a  and  64   b  may be generally formed to have a mirror image to the other. Alternatively, in a single gang configuration, each slider plate may be slightly modified to be symmetrical about its own longitudinal centerline which will be described in a second embodiment to follow. Cover  30  is typically molded of clear type of plastic to permit users to see what receptacles or switches are under the enclosure. 
     Face plate  64   a  shown at the left in the drawing  FIG. 1  is yet to slide in left slot  56  while symmetrically shaped face plate  64   b  is seated in right slot  58  through a lower entrance  68  formed in part by rails  52  and  60 . Slider plate  64   b  at right is locked in place by a pair of press tabs  70  depending from top side  16  for each of the slots  56  and  58 . To complement the protrusions of tabs  70 , slider plates  64   a ,  64   b  each has recesses  72  at the corresponding areas near the top. A rear tab  73  is formed in the middle of each pair of press tabs  70  in order to support a tighter fitting of slider plates  64   a ,  64   b  with main body  12 . 
     Slide plates  64   a ,  64   b  each has two opposite side edges  74  slightly shifted toward the front surface and a main middle portion  75  withdrawn backward to provide a cross section shown in  FIG. 6  that matches sliding channel  62  as shown in  FIG. 4 . This asymmetrical contour of slide plates  64   a ,  64   b  assures their correct introductions to main body  12  every time with the right sides of parts meeting up during assembly. 
     Slides plates  64   a ,  64   b  may be attached to main body  12  through auxiliary screw holes  76  and in turn wall receptacles through primary screw holes  78 . At corresponding locations to auxiliary screw holes  76 , side rails  52  of main body  12  have thru holes  80 . 
     Midway tabs  82  formed on main body  12  protruding into slots  56 ,  58  further suppress the middle portion of raised edges  74  of slider plates  64   a ,  64   b  when they are assembled with main body  12 . Raised edges  74  also have a tiny stop bump  84  formed at the trailing side opposite from recesses  72  to ride over bottom side  18  of main body  12  at the lower entrance  68  and lock slider plates  64   a ,  64   b  in place. Slider plates  64   a ,  64   b  have integral grasp bars  86  at the other side of bump  84  for a user to grasp. Grasp bars  86  also assist in correctly positioning slide plates  64   a ,  64   b  to assemble them with the recesses  72  facing fore and up toward lower entrance  68  of main body  12 . 
     Slider plates  64   a ,  64   b  as shown respectively include matching holes  88  to conventional standard apertures of face plates for typical duplex receptacles (not shown). Besides duplex slider plates  64   a ,  64   b , modular toggle switch plates and GFCI plates are more frequently used but these and other receptacle types are omitted from the drawings for this embodiment simplicity. In the back of main body  12 , an optional rubber gasket  90  including knock out patterns (not shown) after a group of receptacles may be interposed between the construction wall to enhance the sealing fitness. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a one-gang weatherproof outlet enclosure  100  comprising a main body  102  and a GFCI slider plate  104  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. This enclosure body  102  is similar to main body  12  of the double gang type except that it has no center spine but two lateral sides drawn close to each other to accommodate only the single slider plate  104 . Main body  102  has a similarly shaped front end  124 , too. Accordingly, slider plate  104  may be perfectly symmetrical about a longitudinal centerline thereof. To accommodate a GFCI receptacle, slider plate  104  has a large rectangular opening  106  in the middle. The identically numbered parts function exactly same way as described with other drawings. 
     With the slider plates  64   a ,  64   b ,  104  of the present invention, a gentle sliding in or out of the main body  12 ,  102  followed by the single point stop at bump  84  will provide the quickest possible as well as easy configuration of face plates during installation. 
     Installing the in-use weatherproof enclosure  10 , of the present invention starts with typical electrical job procedure of disconnecting the main power and removing the existing cover, plate and gasket. The rest is intuitive throughout identifying the right slider plate  64   a ,  64   b ,  104  and hold it by grasp bar  86  to slide into the main body  12 ,  102 . The gasket  90  may be optionally interposed after adjustment to have appropriate openings corresponding to the plate. Then, the base/plate assembly is fastened to the outdoor junction box or FS box using two long screws. Extra screws may be used at all four corner holes  80  through screw holes  76  of the slider plates for further security. For specially designed junction boxes, mounting holes may be drilled through raised edges  74  of the slider plates and side rails  52  of the main body to line up with the holes in the box. Short screws are tightened through the remaining holes of base and/or plate into the receptacle to complete the installation. Protection of the receptacle is effective as soon as the cover  30  is brought into engagement with the hinge portion  36  of the main body  12 ,  102  and its latch  48  resiliently clicks onto step  50  of cover  30 . 
     The slider plate selection  FIG. 8  shows three slider plates. The slider plates can be a typical outlet such as a decorator, duplex or toggle. The one gang weatherproof enclosure can use any one of the three slider plates, and the double gang weatherproof enclosure can use any one of the three slider plates in any one of the two slots. 
     Therefore, while the presently preferred form of the weatherproof enclosure has been shown and described, and several modifications thereof discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.