Abstract:
An improved electrical switch nut and boot seal assembly is provided having a stainless steel or aluminum nut and flexible boot to provide an exemplary fluid seal between an electrical switch and the electrical switch nut and boot seal device. The electrical switch may be a toggle switch or push button type circuit breaker or any other type electrical switch device where the advantages of the present invention make themselves useful such as may exist on any control panel of a recreational vehicle (i.e., boat, snowmobile, or other type land or water craft). A key feature of the invention is that the nut and flexible boot are separate pieces that can be mixed and matched to change the outer shape and/or colors of the various nuts and/or flexible boots. The fluid and moisture seal is provided by capturing a flange of the flexible boot between various inner surfaces of the nut and electrical switch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims benefits of provisional application Ser. No. 60/901,936 filed Feb. 16, 2007 in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical switch sealing devices, and more particularly, to a electrical switch nut and boot seal for connecting and sealing a electrical switch to the opening in a panel through which the electrical switch projects to prevent water or any other fluid or moisture contamination from reaching the interior of the electrical switch. The present invention can be used to protect toggle switches, circuit breaker type switches or any other switch mechanisms attached to a control panel of a recreational vehicle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In prior art electrical switch sealing devices, it has been a primary goal to achieve a good seal about the electrical switch while at the same time allowing for easy manipulation of the electrical switch lever. In prior art electrical toggle switch devices, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,175,833 and 3,420,119, utilization was made of very thin walled boot sections which were easily flexible in order to allow the toggle lever of the switch to move from one extreme position to the other position. The boot was a one piece molding which was either molded in such a fashion to slip over the nut capturing the toggle switch in place on a control panel or the boot was internally threaded to thread over the top of the nut holding the toggle switch in place. However, a problem with these prior art boots is that over time the threaded boot loosens allowing water or other contaminants to enter the opening of the toggle switch. Furthermore, these electrical switches typically have an upstanding externally threaded portion which would be positioned through a control panel such that the nut would affix the switch to a control panel. Usually the upstanding externally threaded portion of the switch has a longitudinal slot machined in the thread to provide a locating feature when installing the switch onto the control panel. And, when using a one piece molded boot, moisture can travel up this slot to reach the inside of the boot to possibly damage the internal workings of the electrical switch. 
   In other prior art electrical switch sealing devices the flexible boot is insert molded over a steel nut which in turn is threaded onto a toggle switch to hold it to the control panel. These prior art constructions are primarily of one piece construction using a common type of over-molding process to mold a flexible boot over the top of a metal nut, thus making them a single piece. The primary seal provided by the boot assembly is between the bottom of the one piece molded boot and nut assembly and the top of the control panel in which the toggle switch is mounted. However, this also has downfalls in that over time the boot and nut assembly can loosen from the control panel or the mold between the exterior of the nut and the flexible boot breaks down allowing water to enter either the underside of the control panel or actually into the interior of the toggle switch. Further disadvantages of the one piece over molded boot becomes apparent when a decorative nut and variable colored flexible boots are desired. In the past, such molded boot over nut options have been provided in only limited colors such as black, white or grey and since the assembly is one piece it is all one color. 
   Additional other designs have been provided involving sealed toggle switches such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,792, however the switches shown therein only disclose such a switch that is internally sealed such that no water will enter the interior of the switch and does not discuss the seal between the switch and whatever panel it is attached to during its normal operation. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,968 shows various protective covers for electrical switches, however the construction shown is significantly more bulky and such a construction would not work well in boating or other outdoor recreational vehicles where control panels having a multitude of switches and circuit breakers are used. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, an improved electrical switch nut and boot seal is provided having a stainless steel or aluminum nut and flexible material boot for use to capture an electrical switch to a control panel of a recreational vehicle. A key feature of the invention is that the nut and flexible boot are separate pieces such that a plurality of nuts can be interchanged with a plurality of flexible boots. For example, in the marine industry it is desirable for the user to be able to configure a boat&#39;s control panel having both electrical switches and push button type circuit breaker switches to be able to utilize a variety of nuts with a variety of flexible boots to provide a good fluid seal between the electrical switch device and the nut and boot assembly and/or control panel to prevent fluid from entering either the electrical switch device or underneath the control panel. It is of primary importance to provide a good fluid and moisture seal and secondarily important to provide for a plurality of different colored nuts and possibly different colored flexible boots to allow the user to configure the control panel in a manner that is attractive to the user. Heretofore, the industry has only provided a limited number of options such as discussed above and further involving only a very limited matching color options to allow users to color coordinate the control panels of their boat, snowmobile, or other water or recreational vehicle. In the context of this invention, an electrical device may mean a toggle switch, push button circuit breaker type switch, key switch, or any other type electrical device where the advantages of the present invention make themselves useful. 
   The present invention provides for an aluminum or stainless steel nut having an undercut or groove provided therein which receives a flexible boot having a flange and domed portion extending upwardly from the flange. The flange is received within the undercut or groove portion of the nut and is captured between the bottom of the nut undercut and the top of the upstanding externally threaded portion of the electrical switch. The sealing of the switch is accomplished by the nut being tightened down on the top of the electrical switch to capture the flange of the flexible boot between the bottom of the nut&#39;s undercut area and the top of the externally threaded portion of the electrical switch. The flexible boot can be made of an injection molded TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) or rubber type material, or any other material providing sufficient flexibility to allow for operation of the switch and to provide a good seal when captured between the nut and electrical switch. 
   Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an electrical switch nut and boot seal having a two part nut and flexible boot construction to allow for the interchangeability of the nut and flexible boot to allow variously colored nuts to be matched to variously colored flexible boots. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical switch nut and boot seal ideally useful with an electrical toggle switch type of device. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical switch nut and boot seal useful with a push button type circuit breaker device. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical switch nut and flexible boot seal useful for any recreational vehicle having a control panel that could be subject to the harsh outdoor environments including rain, snow, mud, etc. 
   A still further object of the invention is to provide an electrical switch nut and flexible boot seal that can be used on the existing electrical panels of recreational vehicles to allow for color coordination of the various electrical components on such panels. 
   These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims attached hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a prior art electrical boot over-molded onto a nut type device which is currently being used in the industry; 
       FIG. 2  shows a side view in cross section of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the electrical switch nut and boot seal used with a standard toggle switch; 
       FIG. 3  shows a side cross sectional view of the electrical switch nut and flexible boot seal assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  shows an enlarged side cross sectional view of section “B” highlighted in  FIG. 2  depicting details of the primary seal between the various components of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the electrical switch nut and boot seal device wherein the nut is provided with a smooth circular circumference; 
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the electrical switch nut and boot seal device wherein the nut is provided with a hexagonal circumference to allow for tightening with a wrench or other mechanical device; 
       FIG. 7  shows a side exploded view of a second embodiment of the present invention wherein the electrical switch nut and boot seal device is being used with a push button type circuit breaker which is connected to a control panel; and 
       FIG. 8  shows a side cross sectional view of the second embodiment of the present invention showing the electrical switch nut and boot seal device attached to the push button type circuit breaker switch which is connected to a control panel. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring briefly to  FIG. 1 , a prior art electrical switch boot device  1  is shown. In this device a standard nut  2  is over molded with a flexible boot assembly  3  made of TPE, rubber or other flexible plastic material. The threaded nut would typically be threaded over an externally threaded portion of an electrical switch extending through a control panel of a recreational vehicle such a boat or other water craft, snowmobile, or other off road vehicle to hold the switch in place. This type of assembly has several short comings which are all discussed above. 
   With reference to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 2 through 8  thereof, a new electrical switch nut and boot seal device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the electrical switch nut and boot seal device  10  is shown in cross section threadably received on an upstanding externally threaded portion  11  of a toggle switch TS. The toggle switch shown is typical in that it includes a body  13 , an externally threaded portion  11  extending from one side, and a movable toggle switch lever  15  extending up thru the externally threaded portion of the switch. As is normally the case, a nut  17  is received about the externally threaded portion  11  to allow the user to control the height of the toggle switch lever as it extends up thru the control panel CP. The control panel CP is shown sandwiched between the electrical switch nut and boot seal device  10  and toggle switch TS. It may be desirable to place a washer  19  between the top surface of the control panel and the electrical switch nut and boot seal device  10  to prevent fluid or moisture to seep under the control panel CP. 
   Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the electrical switch nut and boot seal device  10  includes a nut element  12  and a flexible boot element  14 . These elements are manufactured using techniques well known in the art such that the nut element  12  is machined from either stainless steel or aluminum, and the boot element  14  is injection molded of a TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) or rubber material such that the element  14  is sufficiently flexible to allow for repeated movement of the switch lever and to provide a good fluid and moisture seal between the nut  12  and toggle switch TS. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the nut element  12  is shown having a threaded longitudinal bore  16 . A groove  18  is provided above the threaded bore  16  being bounded by a first (or bottom as shown in  FIG. 3 ) planar surface  20  and second (or top) planar surface  22  and side wall  23 . The nut element  12  is provided with a bottom planar surface  24  and a generally cylindrical outer surface  26 . The upper side of the nut element  12  may be provided with a tapered cone section  28 . 
   The flexible boot element  14  is shown having a flange portion  30  and an upstanding cone portion  32  which is open only towards the flange portion  30 . The flange portion  30  is provided with an upper sealing surface  34 , a lower planar sealing surface  36 , and a tapered lip portion  38 . The thickness of the tapered lip portion  38  is larger than the thickness of the flange wall between the upper sealing surface  34  and the lower sealing surface  36  for reasons discussed below in relation to  FIG. 4 . 
   Still referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the flexible boot element  14  is shown in place within the nut element  12 . The flange portion  30  is captured within the groove  18  of the nut element  12 . The groove  18  of the nut element  12  captures the flange portion  30  of the boot element  14  to prevent the boot from falling out of the nut when the assembly has not yet been attached to an electrical switch device, the situation as shown in  FIG. 3 . The tapered lip portion  38  of flange portion  30  assists in firmly holding the flexible boot element  14  within groove  18  of the nut element  12 . The material of the boot element  14  is sufficiently flexible to allow a user to manually remove the boot element  14  from the nut element  12  as is desired. The cone portion  32  extends up above the nut element  12  to enclose the toggle lever  15  of the electrical switch as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the electrical switch nut and flexible boot sealing device  10  is shown attached to a control panel CP and toggle switch. The electrical switch nut and boot seal device  10  is threaded onto the toggle switch such that the flexible boot element  14  encloses the toggle switch lever  15  within the cone section  32  thereof. A sealing washer  19  may be provided between the bottom nut planar surface  24  and the top of the control panel CP. In  FIG. 2 , the electrical switch nut and boot seal device is shown fully seated on top of the toggle switch. The details of how the electrical switch nut and boot seal device seals itself against the upstanding externally threaded portion  11  of the electrical switch are shown in section “B” of  FIG. 2  and in  FIG. 4 , discussed below. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , when the electrical switch nut and boot seal is threadably connected to the externally threaded portion  11  of the toggle switch TS, the flange  30  of the flexible boot element  14  is shown captured between the nut element  12  and the top of the externally threaded portion  11  of the toggle switch TS. The lower sealing flange surface  36  of flange  30  is shown firmly sealed against the top of the externally threaded portion  11  of the toggle switch as shown at  40 . Furthermore, the upper sealing flange surface  34  of flange  30  sealingly contacts the second (or top) planar nut surface  22  to provide a seal at  42 . The tapered lip portion  38  extends around the outside of the externally threaded portion  11  of the electrical switch thus further enhancing the fluid and moisture seal between the nut element  12  and toggle switch while also providing a means of protecting against the flange  30  being pulled out of the groove  18  of the nut element  12 . Since the mass and height of the material in the tapered lip portion  38  is greater than the thickness of the flange  30  between the upper and lower sealing flange surfaces  34  and  36  it is nearly impossible to pull the flange  30  of the boot element  14  out of the groove  18  of the nut element  12  when the electrical switch nut and boot seal device  10  is affixed to the top of an electrical switch, and such providing an extra measure of safety in protecting the electrical switch from fluid and/or moisture contamination. Furthermore, as discussed above in the Background of the Invention, if the externally threaded portion  11  of the electrical switch has a longitudinal slot or flat machined in it to provide an alignment means when installing the switch (not shown), the sealing flange  30  and tapered lip portion  38  would likewise prevent any fluid or moisture from traveling up this slot or flat to enter the interior of the nut and boot seal device or the interior of the electrical switch. In this manner, the electrical switch nut and boot sealing device  10  provides a good solid fluid and moisture seal between the electrical toggle switch and the electrical switch nut and boot seal device to prevent any fluids from leaking into the toggle switch. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , an electrical switch nut and boot sealing device  10  is shown wherein the nut element  12  has a completely circular perimeter as shown at  46 . This nut is quite decorative and pleasing to the eye. Alternatively,  FIG. 6  shows a nut element  12 ′ that has a hexagonal perimeter as shown at  48 . This nut allows for the easy use of a wrench to tighten the nut and boot sealing device onto the electrical switch. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , an alternate embodiment is shown wherein an electrical switch nut and boot seal device  60  is being used with a control panel CP and an push button type circuit breaker CB. This type of circuit breaker is commonly used in recreational vehicles such as water craft, snowmobiles and other off road vehicles. As similarly discussed above, the circuit breaker CB has an upstanding externally threaded portion  62  and nut  64  threaded thereon to limit how much of the threaded portion  62  extends above the control panel CP. A push button switch (not shown) which when tripped would extend out above the externally threaded portion  62 . The nut and boot seal device  60  has a nut element  66  having a groove  18  and first and second planar surfaces  20  and  22  all as discussed above in relation to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . A flexible boot element  68  is provided having a boot flange  30  with an upper sealing surface  34 , lower sealing surface  36 , and lip portion  38 , all as discussed above in relation to  FIG. 4 . The boot element  68  has a cone portion  70  which is configured slightly differently than the cone portion  32  of the first embodiment due to the different shape of the circuit breaker button and toggle switch lever. The boot element flange  30  of boot  68  is positioned within the groove  18  of nut element  66  in a similar fashion to that described in the first embodiment and as shown in  FIG. 4 . A sealing washer  72  is shown positioned between the bottom of the nut element  66  and the control panel CP to prevent fluid leakage between the control panel and externally threaded portion  62  of the circuit breaker CP. Furthermore, the cone portion  70  can be similarly configured as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  as described above. 
   The present invention provides a novel approach to electrical switch nut and boot seal devices over the prior art in that the nut elements  12  and  66  and flexible boot elements  14  and  68  can all be different colored so that the user can color coordinate the control panel of the recreational vehicle to have one or more colored nut elements to be used with one or more colored flexible boot elements. Or all the nut elements could be one color and the boot elements being one or more different colors, all in complete control of the user. For example, the nut elements can be stainless steel, or powder coated aluminum (in colors red, purple, blue, yellow, green, gold or any other color) and the boot elements can or a colored TPE or rubber material (i.e., black, white, grey, red, blue, yellow, green, or any other color) to be mixed and matched as seen fit by the user. 
   Numerous modifications and adaptations of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and thus, it is intended by the following claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.