Abstract:
A two-piece electrical box for recessing a duplex receptacle or similar electrical device within a wall. An inner box including a flange is recessed into a hole in a wall until the flange is flush with the wall. The inner box is then secured to the wall. An outer box is then secured to the inner box. A cover on the outer box provides a rainproof enclosure for the plug ends of electrical cords while they are connected to the electrical device housed therein.

Description:
This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/070,344, filed Mar. 2, 2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,965,078, which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/009,116 filed Dec. 10, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,578, which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/863,942 filed Jun. 9, 2004 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,956,171. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to electrical junction boxes and specifically to a two-piece recessed outlet box that can be easily secured to the exterior of a building for accommodating and protecting a duplex outlet or other electrical device therein. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Recessed electrical boxes for retrofitting on finished walls or for use in new construction were disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. Nos. 10/863,942, 11/009,116, and 11/070,344, commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The recessed electrical box disclosed in the co-pending applications comprised an electrical box having an inner enclosure for housing an electrical device and an outer enclosure for recessing the inner enclosure well within a wall. One or more flanges extended outwardly from the electrical box. For mounting to new construction, a first, breakaway inner flange was left intact and utilized as is for securing the box to the newly constructed building&#39;s substrate. Conversely, if mounted to an existing building in a retrofit situation, the inner flange was broken away to allow insertion of the box within an appropriately sized hole created for the box in the existing building. An outer flange was provided for masking the siding or other wall covering at the juncture of the electrical box with the surrounding siding. A cover member having a narrow peripheral side wall was provided for closing and rainproofing the electrical device therein. The co-pending applications disclosed the outer enclosure of the electrical box being a larger size than the inner enclosure to facilitate easy access to the inner enclosure and easy shedding of any residual rainfall that penetrated therein. 
   The present invention provides a two-piece electrical box for recessing an electrical device within a wall. The two-piece electrical box includes an inner box that is mounted to the substrate of a newly constructed building. The outer wall covering, such as siding or stucco, is then installed around the inner box. An electrical device is then installed within the inner box. After the outer wall covering is completed, the outer box portion is secured to the inner box portion, thereby providing a rainproof enclosure for the electrical device installed therein and obscuring the irregular edges of the wall covering surrounding the inner box portion. 
   Accordingly, the present invention improves upon the rainproof recessed outlet box of the co-pending-applications-by-providing a-two-piece-electrical-box that allows easy finishing of the outer wall covering. The inner box portion recesses the electrical device well within the surrounding wall, thereby protecting it from accidental impacts. The outer box portion includes a cover member for protecting electrical cords while they are in use and plugged into the receptacle within the inner box. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is a two-piece electrical box for recessing a duplex receptacle or similar electrical device within a wall. An inner box portion includes side walls, an inner flange extending outward transversely from the side walls, and a peripheral wall extending forward from the flange. The inner box is capable of recessing into a hole in a wall until the inner flange is flush with the wall. An outer box includes a front peripheral wall, a front opening, and a rear opening. A cover on the outer box can be closed to provide a rainproof enclosure therein for the plug ends of electrical cords while they are connected to the electrical device. A fastening arrangement is provided for securing the outer box to the inner box and the wall. 
   OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
   The recessed electrical box of the present invention simplifies the installation of electrical devices on all types of finished exteriors, including siding or stucco. The siding can be flat or lapped and be constructed of vinyl, aluminum, or wood. 
   A further advantage is that the recessed electrical box provides a first enclosure that positions the electrical device within the exterior wall, thereby shielding the electrical device from impacts, and a second enclosure for shielding the electrical device and any electrical cords plugged therein from rain and other environmental elements. 
   The current recessed electrical box further provides, when used to house a duplex outlet, an electrical box and a spacious protective enclosure for protecting the plug ends of electrical cords. 
   The electrical box furthermore includes integral bosses with threaded bores for accepting fasteners from an electrical device. 
   The electrical box of the present invention also includes a pivotable cover for closing the protective enclosure, which provides the advantage of being able to move the cover between an open and closed position 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following description along with reference to the drawings. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an inner box portion of an electrical box according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an outer box portion of an electrical box according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is perspective view of the inner box portion of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the outer box portion of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a inner box portion of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the outer box portion of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded side view of the inner box portion secured to a wall and with a duplex receptacle and the outer box portion in alignment and ready to be joined thereto. 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of the two-piece electrical box secured to a wall. 
       FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the two-piece electrical box with a duplex receptacle installed therein and with electrical cords plugged therein and protected by a closed cover. 
       FIG. 10  is a front elevation view of a cover member portion of the electrical box of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of the cover member of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 10B  is a side view of the cover member of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 10C  is a bottom view of the cover member of  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the electrical box installed on a wall and with the cover in a closed position. 
   

   TABLE OF NOMENCLATURE 
   
     
       
             
             
           
             
             
           
         
             
                 
             
             
               Part Number 
               Description 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
               20 
               two-piece recessed electrical box 
             
             
               22 
               inner box or first piece of electrical box 
             
             
               23 
               second piece of electrical box 
             
             
               24 
               outer box 
             
             
               25 
               cover 
             
             
               26 
               side walls of inner box 
             
             
               27 
               back wall 
             
             
               28 
               inner flange 
             
             
               30 
               forward extending peripheral wall 
             
             
               31 
               planar front edge of inner box 
             
             
               32 
               boss 
             
             
               34 
               aperture in boss 
             
             
               36 
               removable wall section 
             
             
               38 
               ear on inner flange 
             
             
               40 
               opening in ear 
             
             
               41 
               aperture in inner flange 
             
             
               42 
               front peripheral wall of outer box 
             
             
               43 
               outer flange 
             
             
               44 
               front opening of outer box 
             
             
               46 
               rear opening of outer box 
             
             
               48 
               front edge of outer box 
             
             
               50 
               bottom portion 
             
             
               51 
               aperture in outer flange 
             
             
               52 
               post 
             
             
               54 
               upper end of front peripheral wall 
             
             
               56 
               U-shaped slot in front peripheral wall 
             
             
               58 
               opening 
             
             
               60 
               latch member 
             
             
               62 
               downward depending portion 
             
             
               64 
               lip 
             
             
               66 
               indentation 
             
             
               68 
               front wall of cover 
             
             
               70 
               stiffening peripheral wall 
             
             
               72 
               upper wall 
             
             
               74 
               lower wall 
             
             
               76 
               side wall 
             
             
               78 
               ear on cover member 
             
             
               80 
               aperture in ear of cover member 
             
             
               82 
               tab 
             
             
               84 
               opening in cover 
             
             
               86 
               upper edge 
             
             
               88 
               U-shaped slot in cover 
             
             
               90 
               integral spacer 
             
             
               92 
               substrate 
             
             
               94 
               hole in substrate 
             
             
               96 
               fastener 
             
             
               98 
               siding 
             
             
               100 
               duplex outlet 
             
             
               102 
               device fastener 
             
             
               104 
               face plate 
             
             
               106 
               fastening arrangement 
             
             
               108 
               fastener 
             
             
               110 
               first enclosure 
             
             
               112 
               second enclosure 
             
             
               114 
               electrical cord 
             
             
               115 
               plug end 
             
             
               116 
               inner surface of side walls of inner box 
             
             
               118 
               inner surface of front peripheral wall of outer box 
             
             
               120 
               gap between cover and front edge 
             
             
               122 
               caulking 
             
             
               124 
               interface between inner box and outer box 
             
             
               126 
               circular cord opening 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention comprises a two-piece electrical box for securing an electrical device on the exterior wall of a building. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the two-piece electrical box  20  has a first piece or inner box  22  and a second piece  23  that includes an outer box  24  with a cover  25  pivotally attached thereto. 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , the inner box  22  includes side walls  26 , a back wall  27 , an inner flange  28  extending outward transversely from the side walls  26 , and a forward extending peripheral wall  30  having a planar front edge  31 . The side walls  26  of the inner box  22  include bosses  32  containing apertures  34  therein and removable wall sections  36 . The inner flange  28  includes ears  38  having openings  40  therein and one or more apertures  41  adjacent the forward extending peripheral wall  30 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the forward extending peripheral wall  30  extends substantially forward of the inner flange  28 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the outer box  24  includes a front peripheral wall  42 , an outer flange  43 , a front opening  44 , a rear opening  46 , a front edge  48 , a bottom portion  50  on the front peripheral wall  42 , and an aperture  51  in the outer flange  43  adjacent the front peripheral wall  42 . Posts  52  extend from the upper end  54  of the front peripheral wall  42  and U-shaped slots  56  extend into the bottom portion  50  of the front peripheral wall  42  from the front edge  48 . Openings  58  in the bottom portion  50  define a latch member  60  that includes a downward depending portion  62  and a bottom lip  64 . As an alternative to the apertures  51  in the outer flange  43 , as shown in  FIG. 11  the outer flange  43  can be provided with indentations  66  therein to form guides for drilling of holes. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 10–10C  there is shown the cover member  25  used with the two-piece electrical box. The cover  25  includes a front wall  68 , and a stiffening peripheral wall  70  orthogonal to the front wall  68 . The stiffening peripheral wall  70  includes an upper wall  72 , lower wall  74 , and side walls  76 . The stiffening peripheral wall  70  rigidifies and provides structural support to the front wall  68  of the cover member  25 . The cover member  25 , which much pass an impact test according to the electrical code, is typically constructed of high impact resistant plastic. The high impact-resistant plastic is more expensive than typical non impact-resistant plastics that are used to construct the inner and outer boxes of the present invention. The cover member  25  of the present invention is therefore made as small in size as possible to lower production costs. To lower the weight of high impact-resistant plastic used, the stiffening peripheral wall  70  extends no more than 0.30 inch from the front wall  68  and the front wall  68  is no greater than 3.5 inches width by 6.0 inches length. Therefore the largest volume component of the present invention consists of the inner box  22 , which is constructed of cheaper non-impact resistant plastics. The inner box  22  is typically molded of non-impact resistant plastic in one piece. The cover member  25  is typically molded of high impact resistant plastic in one piece. 
   Ears  78  extend from the top end of the side walls  76  and include apertures  80  therein. A tab  82  extends downward from the lower wall  74  of the cover member  25 . The cover member  25  includes an opening  84  in the lower wall  74  of the cover member  25  that extends therefrom into the tab  82 . The tab  82  includes an upper edge  86  at the opening  84 . As shown in  FIG. 10C , the cover member  25  includes one or more U-shaped slots  88  in the lower wall  74 . Integral spacers  90  are included on the inner surface of the cover member  25 . 
   With reference to the second piece  23  of the electrical box shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , when the cover member  25  is pivotally closed on the outer box  24 , the upper edge  86  on the opening  84  in the tab  82  engages the downward depending portion  62  on the latch member  60  of the outer box  24 . The outer flange  43  extends outward transversely substantially beyond the front peripheral wall  42  of the outer box  24 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , an exploded side view depicts the sequence of steps in operating the present invention. The two-piece electrical box is typically installed on a newly constructed building in which the substrate  92  has been installed but the outer wall covering has not been attached. A hole  94  is created at the desired location for the electrical box. The inner box  22  is then pushed into the hole  94  until the inner flange  28  contacts the substrate  92 . Fasteners  96  are tightened through the openings  40  in the ears  38  of the inner flange  28  and into the substrate  92  to secure the inner box  22  to the substrate  92 . The outer wall covering is then installed over the inner flange  28 , such as the lapped siding  98  shown in  FIG. 7  or any other covering such as stucco (not shown). An electrical device, such as the duplex outlet  100  shown in  FIG. 7 , is then secured in the inner box  22  with device fasteners  102 . A face plate  104  is then typically secured to the duplex outlet  100 . The second piece  23  of the electrical box, including the outer box  24  and the cover  25 , are then secured to the inner box  22  and substrate  92  by a fastening arrangement  106  that includes fasteners  108  secured through the aperture  51  in the outer flange  43  and aperture  41  in the inner flange  28 . Alternatively, after aligning the second piece  23  with the first piece or inner box  22 , holes could be drilled in the lapped siding  98 , the inner flange  28 , and substrate  92 , and fasteners  108  tightened therein to secure the second piece  23  to the inner box  22  and to the wall. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , a side view of the two-piece electrical box  20  after it is secured to a wall, the fastening arrangement  106  for securing the outer box  24  to the inner box  22  and the wall includes one or more apertures  51  in the outer flange  43  and one or more apertures  41  in the inner flange  28 . Each of the apertures  41  in the inner flange  28  is in axial alignment with a corresponding aperture  51  in the outer flange  43 . The fastening arrangement  106  includes one or more fasteners  108  threaded through each of the apertures  51  in the outer flange  43  and secured into the corresponding apertures  41  in the inner flange  28 . The cover  25  is pivotable about the posts  52  to close or open the electrical box  20  as desired. When closed on the front edge  48  of the outer box  24 , the integral spacers  90  provide a gap between the cover  25  and the front edge  48 , thereby allowing any rainfall that may enter the electrical box  20  to quickly run out. When the outer box  24  is secured to the inner box  22  and to the substrate  92  as shown in  FIG. 8 , the inner flange  28  and outer flange  43  reside in parallel planes. 
     FIG. 9  depicts a sectional view of the installed box depicted in  FIG. 8 . The sidewalls  26  of the inner box  22  define a first enclosure  110  for positioning the duplex outlet  100  well within the wall, thereby shielding the electrical device from impacts. The sidewalls  26  of the inner box  22 , the front peripheral wall  42  of the outer box  24 , and the cover  25  define a second enclosure  112  for shielding the duplex outlet  100  and any electrical cords  114  plugged therein from rain and other environmental elements. With the cover  25  closed upon the front edge  48  of the outer box  24 , the plug ends  115  are protected against rainwater. The front peripheral wall  42  of the outer box  24  substantially matches the size and shape of the forward extending peripheral wall  30  of the inner box  22 . The inner surface  116  of the side walls  26  of the inner box  22  and the inner surface  118  of the front peripheral wall  42  of the outer box  24  are gradually sloped downward toward the front edge  48  of the outer box  24 . The gradually sloped inner surfaces  116 ,  118  further enable any rainwater that enters the second enclosure  112  to quickly run out of the electrical box  20 . As mentioned previously, the spacers  90  on the cover member  25  further assist in the removal of rainwater by providing a gap  120  between the cover  25  and the front edge  48  of the outer box  24 . Caulking  122  may be applied at the interface  124  between the inner box  22  and outer box  24 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 11 , with the cover  25  closed on the electrical box  20 , the U-shaped slots  56  in the front peripheral wall  42  of the outer box  24  and the U-shaped slots  88  in the cover  25  form circular cord openings  126  therein in the bottom of the electrical box  20  when the pivotally connected cover  25  is closed on the outer box  24 . 
   The inner box  22 , outer box  24 , and cover  25  of the present invention may be formed of metal or plastic, but a particularly preferred construction is by plastic molding. The inner box  22 , outer box  24 , and cover  25  are preferably molded in one piece from plastic. The plastic is preferably polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polycarbonate, or polypropylene. 
   Having thus described the invention with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited by the description herein but is defined as follows by the appended claims.