Abstract:
The electrical cover comprises a friction-held electrical cover for a recessed light fixture. Embodiments of the electrical cover described herein provide flexible finish material covers that guard recessed “can” light fixtures from paint, spackling, and other foreign materials. The frictionally-held finish material covers utilize specifically shaped features on the surfaces, such as negative draft, that contact the electrical components to increase the hold on the electrical device. Some of the shaped features of the frictionally-held covers also help minimize stress in the cover. Features are also molded into the parts to assist and strengthen the cover once installed, and thus protect against the intrusion of finish material behind the cover.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent No. 62/331,962 entitled GuardSpark Covers and filed on May 4, 2016, which is specifically incorporated by reference herein for all that it discloses and teaches. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates generally to the field of commercial and residential electrical construction; and more particularly, to the field of preparing electrical wiring components prior to painting/texturing or otherwise finishing surrounding surfaces; and more particularly still, to electrical covers designed to fit over one or more electrical recessed light fixtures to protect said component during painting/texturing/finishing processes. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    There are many products designed to cover and/or protect recessed light fixtures (hereinafter, “electrical components”) from receiving paint, texture, or other finishing materials (collectively, “finish materials”) during finishing projects. This is important as such materials can enter electrical components and cause malfunctions, be unsightly, reduce functionality, or even create electrical wiring hazards. In such situations, removing materials from electrical components can be time consuming and difficult; it is a much better approach to keep such materials from entering the electrical components in the first place. One common partial solution is to tape over the electrical components before commencing finish work. However, this is a laborious and time consuming process that ultimately yields unimpressive results as the gaps between rows or columns of tape allow materials to enter the electrical components. Furthermore, during the taping process, it is easy to accidentally make contact with the interior of the electrical components leading to potential electrical shock hazards. Tape is not reusable and often lets loose or fails when touched, vibrated, or otherwise moved—simple exposure to sunlight can also cause tape to fail. Not to mention the unsightly residue that tape often leaves behind. The prior art has seen the shortcomings of tape and attempted to address them with plastic paint shields. However, most such shields utilize prongs that either project into the outlets or into the electrical boxes. Many modern outlets have safety tabs that defeat insertion of such prongs causing such paint shields to be unusable. Further, depending on the installation of electrical components, there may be no room for insertion prongs to fit into an electrical box to the side of switches or outlets. Again, failure of such paint shields results. Additional problems with prior art paint shields is that they are flat, flimsy and prone to cracking, so they often gap or buckle, leaving spaces through which finish materials can enter. Thicker, more rigid shields fail to account for variations in manufacturing tolerances between electrical components, so may not fit all electrical components. What is needed is an electrical cover that is able to be pressure-fit so that no insertion prongs are necessary, and is easy to quickly add or remove in order to save labor during finishing projects. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The electrical cover comprises a friction-held recessed light fixture cover. Embodiments of the electrical cover described herein provide flexible finish material covers that guard recessed “can” light fixtures from paint, spackling, and other foreign materials. The frictionally-held finish material covers utilize specifically shaped features on the surfaces, such as negative draft, that contact the electrical components to increase the hold on the electrical device. Some of the shaped features of the frictionally-held covers also help minimize stress in the cover. Features are also molded into the parts to assist and strengthen the cover once installed, and thus protect against the intrusion of finish material behind the cover. 
         [0005]    The above summary provides a basic understanding of some aspects of the specification. This summary is not an extensive overview of the specification. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the specification nor delineate any scope of particular embodiments of the specification, or any scope of the claims. Its sole purpose is to present some initial concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The aforementioned and other features and objects of the present invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following descriptions of a preferred embodiment and other embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover in place on a recessed light fixture; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover being emplaced within a recessed light fixture; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a bottom plan view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. Furthermore, lists and/or examples are often provided and should be interpreted as exemplary only and in no way limiting embodiments to only those examples. Similarly, in this disclosure, language such as “could, should, may, might, must, have to, can, would, need to, is, is not”, etc. and all such similar language shall be considered interchangeable whenever possible such that the scope of the invention is not unduly limited. For example, a comment such as: “item X is used” can be interpreted to read “item X can be used”. 
         [0013]    Exemplary embodiments are described below in the accompanying Figures. The following detailed description provides a review of the drawing Figures in order to provide an understanding of, and an enabling description for, these embodiments. One having ordinary skill in the art will understand that in some cases well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments. Further, examples described herein are intended to aid in understanding the principles of the embodiments, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. As a result, the inventive concepts are not limited to the specific embodiments or examples. 
         [0014]    Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover  310  in place on a recessed light fixture  390 . The recessed light fixture  390  includes a recessed light fixture assembly  394  in the illustration in  FIG. 1 . The electrical cover  310  in this embodiment is illustrated as being transparent, other embodiments may utilize translucent and/or opaque components. 
         [0015]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a electrical cover  310  comprises a main body having a series of concentric annular fittings that allow the electrical cover  310  to mate to various sized openings of the various sizes of recessed light fixtures  390 . Note the plurality of scored cut-lines  320  and  322  shown in later figures; these provide cut-lines for removal of larger diameter concentric annular fittings when the small or medium size recessed light fixture is encountered. When using the electrical cover  310  with the large size, no cutting or removal is needed as the excess smaller concentric annular fittings simply fit inside the larger recessed light fixture. 
         [0016]    Unlike the plurality of fasteners holding the electrical box cover in place, the electrical cover utilizes a pressure-fit inside the opening of the recessed light fixture. In order to adjust for slight differences in manufacturing tolerances, the concentric annular fittings incorporate a plurality of alignment features (see later FIGS.) that allow the fittings to match the various diameters of recessed light fixtures. 
         [0017]    Note that as the electrical cover  310  is pressed into the recessed light fixture, the outer rim of the electrical cover is pressed approximately flat against the mounting surface so that no gaps are available through which finish materials can enter the recessed light fixture. The electrical covers protect not only the recessed light fixture itself, but associated wiring, wiring connections, and the walling materials (e.g., drywall) that surround the perimeter of the recessed light fixture. The electrical covers shield the electrical components from paint and/or other surface finishing materials such as plastering or spackling that is sprayed and/or rolled onto a wall surface or surface finishing treatments such as grouting tiles. The electrical covers may be reused, and may be washable or disposable. The electrical covers can be fabricated from a low-cost thermally formed polymer plastic. The covers can utilize negatively drafted contact surfaces to improve the overlapping friction holding force while minimizing material stress. 
         [0018]    An arched surface formed into the center of the recessed light fixture grip handle  330  improves the strength of the recessed light fixture grip handle  330  while improving the flexibility thereof as well. Rounded surfaces are designed into the covers to minimize the risk of cracking, make the electrical covers easier to form during fabrication, and improve the electrical covers&#39; life-cycle for reusability. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover  310  being emplaced within a recessed light fixture. Note that this view helps to show the electrical cover in relation to the electrical components it is protecting. 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover  310 . The cover comprises a series of concentric annular fittings  340 ,  350 , and  360  which allow the electrical cover  310  to mate to various sized openings of the various sizes of recessed light fixtures  390 . Each of the fittings  340 ,  350  and  360  have an outer rim  341 ,  351 , and  361  (respectively), and a sidewall  342 ,  352 , and  362 . Additionally, each fitting has a plurality of alignment features  343 ,  353 , and  363  that align the sidewall with the interior of the recessed light fixture and provide for spacing/room to accommodate various size differences in the recessed light fixture openings due to manufacturing tolerances, etc. Additional slight angling of the sidewalls  342 ,  352 , and  362  works in concert with the alignment features to ensure that the electrical cover  310  can fit almost any recessed light fixture. 
         [0021]    Note that as the electrical cover  310  is pressed into the recessed light fixture, the outer rim of the electrical cover is pressed approximately flat against the mounting surface so that no gaps are available through which finish materials can enter the recessed light fixture. This is true regardless of whether the small, medium, or large concentric annular fittings  340 ,  350 , and  360  are used. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , three sizes of fittings are illustrated. In other embodiments, the number can be one, two, three, four, or more. 
         [0022]    On the rear wall  380  of the electrical cover  310  is a grip handle  330 . It can incorporate an arched surface  375  that strengthens resistance against grasping and deforming the interior walls of the grip handle  330  while providing flexibility as well. It is preferable that the grip handle  330  extends outwards/forwards from the rear wall, but in alternate embodiments, the grip handle  330  can be inset/rear extending. 
         [0023]    A plurality of support ridges  390  can strengthen and keep the electrical cover rigid. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  illustrates a bottom plan view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover  310 . In addition to all the subcomponents discussed above,  FIG. 4  highlights the plurality of scored cut-lines  322  and  320  extending around beyond the perimeters of the small concentric annular fitting rim  361  and the medium concentric annular fitting rim  351 . The cut-lines  320  and  322  provide a simple guide for the user to cut away excess materials when using the electrical covers  310  on small and medium recessed light fixtures. In other embodiments, the scored cut-lines  320  and  322  can be deep enough that a user can simply snap off the excess rather than requiring cutting. 
         [0025]    The electrical cover  310  is designed with pressure points that allow the user to grasp and easily engage/disengage the electrical cover from a recessed light fixture. In  FIG. 4 , these pressure points comprise the plurality of finger holds within the grip handle  330 . By squeezing at these points, the user can easily grasp and hold the electrical cover without covering his or her fingers with paint or other finish material that may have been inadvertently applied to the rims of the cover. Squeezing the grip handle  330  pulls the can cover  310  towards the center and relieves some of the pressure fit tension between the cover and the can in which the cover is mated. As noted above, the cover may utilize surfaces that are negatively drafted relative to other drafted features on the surfaces that contact the electrical device to increase the overlap and help minimize stress in the cover. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of an electrical cover  310 . Note the slight angle to each of the sidewalls  340 ,  350 , and  360  that help the cover fit into the various sized recessed light fixtures. The relatively small size of the rims  341 ,  351 , and  361  is also apparent in  FIG. 5 . The perimeter of the electrical cover rim is approximately flattened against the installation surface (wall, recessed light fixture assembly, box, etc.) once installed, thereby minimizing gaps between the rim and the installation surfaces. 
         [0027]    While particular embodiments have been described and disclosed in the present application, it is clear that any number of permutations, modifications, or embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of this disclosure. Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the embodiments should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects with which that terminology is associated. In general, the application should not be construed to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the inventions encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the claimed subject matter. 
         [0028]    The above detailed description of the embodiments is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise embodiment or form disclosed herein or to the particular fields of usage mentioned above. While specific embodiments and examples are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the embodiments provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. 
         [0029]    Any patents, applications and other references that may be listed in accompanying or subsequent filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of embodiments can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references to provide yet further embodiments. 
         [0030]    In light of the above “Detailed Description,” the Inventors may make changes to the disclosure. While the detailed description outlines possible embodiments and discloses the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, embodiments may be practiced in a myriad of ways. Thus, implementation details may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the spirit of the embodiments as disclosed by the inventor. As discussed herein, specific terminology used when describing certain features or aspects should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the embodiments with which that terminology is associated. 
         [0031]    The above specification, examples and data provide a description of the structure and use of exemplary implementations of the described systems, articles of manufacture and methods. It is important to note that many implementations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.