Abstract:
A wall plate for electrical wiring, and more specifically, to a flush mounted plate including an inward extended opening for the passage of cables and the like. The plate is capable of being separated, then reconnected and securely interlocked at its mating end to allow for oversized connectors and fittings to be passed therethrough. The wall plate includes a first plate section and a second plate section having cantilever tab-like elements that extend from the ends of each plate section to join the complete plate. Both first and second plate sections further include indentations disposed between the tab-like elements, the indentations coming together to form an access opening when the first and second plates are joined. The first plate section also includes an inward extending cable support passage having an internal sloped wall that projects from the first plate section cutout.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to wall plates for electrical wiring, and more specifically, to a flush mounted plate including an inward extended opening for the passage of cables and the like. The plate is capable of being separated, then reconnected and securely interlocked at its mating end to allow for oversized connectors and fittings to be passed therethrough. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Wall plates to cover electrical devices mounted in gem boxes are well known in the art. Wall box mounted devices such as switches and receptacles are commonly provided with a wall plate serving both as a decorative cover for the device and to prevent access to the areas which contain the electrical wiring. Such wall plates are usually mounted upon the device by one or more screws passing through openings in the plate and received in a threaded aperture in the device. In some installations, two or more devices are mounted in side-by-side relation with a corresponding wall plate for each device. 
     Other types of wall plates include plates that can be interlocked at their sides to provide for interchangeable wall panel assemblies for each configuration of electrical devices in any number of ganged gem boxes. Each wall plate includes specific openings to accommodate various electrical device apertures. 
     When communications devices such as stereo systems, televisions, computers, home theaters, etc. are to be placed in a room of a building structure, it is desirable to have the communication cable(s) leading to the equipment pass interiorly through the hollow wall structure to a position adjacent the equipment and then through an opening in the wall board to the equipment. A wall plate having a cable access opening may be mounted in the wall opening for extending the cable into the room and forming a neater look about the wall opening. This also provides a neater look in the room by avoiding the lengths of cable from being exposed in the room. 
     In the past, wall plates usually were simply flat plastic plates mountable to the wall over the holes in the walls, and the wall plates had access holes passing the cable(s) into the room. This formed a more “finished look” to the cable entry. However, when the hole in the wall plate was not occupied by a cable, or when the cable occupied less than all the space of the access hole, a person could see through the access hole in the wall plate and possibly see into the wall structure. 
     Later, wall plates were developed that have a cable support extension or “nose shield” that protrudes from the wall plate into the room, with the nose shield having a vertically facing opening that communicates with the horizontally facing access hole in the wall plate. The cable was extended from the access opening and through the nose shield and into the room for connection to the audio/video system, etc. This type of wall plate having a nose-shield has met with popular use since the nose-shield provides a visual barrier through the opening in the wall plate. 
     More recently, some electrical appliances, particularly flat screen televisions, are mounted directly to the wall, so that the protruding nose of a wall plate interferes with mounting the television in flat abutment with the surface of the wall. The wall plate can be displaced laterally or vertically with respect to the flat screen television with the opening of the nose of the wall plate directed toward the television so as to provide the least exposure of the cable. However, this arrangement does not hide the wall plate or the short run of the cable leading to the television set, and usually is considered visually unappealing. 
     However, there exists a need for a flush mounted plate including an inward extended opening that allows for the cable access opening to be split then reconnected, to allow for varying size wires and connectors to pass therethrough. Furthermore, there exists a need for the connected plate to withstand the pulling forces of wires and connectors that would otherwise separate the connected plate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing and other problems are overcome, and other advantages are realized, in accordance with the disclosed, alternative embodiments of these teachings. 
     The present invention relates to wall plates for electrical wiring, and more specifically, to a flush mounted plate including an inward extended opening for the passage of cables and the like. The plate is capable of being separated, then reconnected and securely interlocked at its mating end to allow for oversized connectors and fittings to be passed therethrough. 
     The invention comprises a first plate section and second plate section that are mateable for easy separation and attachment. Both first and second plate sections include cantilever tab-like elements that extend from the ends of each plate section to join the plates. Both first and second plate sections further include indentations disposed between the tab-like elements, the indentations coming together to form an access opening when the first and second plates are joined. 
     The first plate section further includes an inward extending cable support passage having an internal sloped wall that projects from the first plate section cutout. The wall is sloped with respect to the first and second plate sections and defines a cable passage oriented at an angle with respect to the connected first and second plate sections that is in registration with the access opening. 
     The cable support extension extends into the wall structure so that an electrical cable can extend from within the wall structure, along the cable support extension and through the access opening and to the communications device, and the cable support extension forms a sight barrier from outside the wall structure through the access opening. 
     The first and section plate sections are flat and formed so as to be substantially coextensive with the wall to which it is to be mounted, such that substantially no protrusion extends from the outer surface of the support plate into the room. This enables objects such as a flat screen television to be mounted substantially flush with the vertical wall surface. Furthermore, a separable plate provides an easy means of passing cables with oversized connectors through the passage hole prior to mating the plates together. 
     Preferably, the cable support passage formed when both first and second plate sections are interlocked extends a distance between 2 and 3½ inches laterally from the interlocked plate, for projecting into the wall structure. Since most wall structures are formed with wall board of less than one inch thickness that are mounted to vertical studs that are 3¾ inches wide, the relatively large cable support extension of the wall plate can be accommodated by the typical wall structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing illustrating the principles of subject invention depicting a front perspective view of the separated plate halves. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the drawing of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the drawing of  FIG. 1  illustrating the plate halves in slideable engagement prior to being mated together. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the drawing of  FIG. 1  with the separated plate halves mated together. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the drawing of  FIG. 2  with the separated plate halves mated together. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a rear top view of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, the present invention should not be limited to such illustrations and descriptions. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be incorporated and embodied as part of the present invention and are within the scope of the claims. 
     Referring to the drawings ( FIGS. 1-6 ) of the invention in detail,  FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention comprising a first plate section  10  and second plate section  20  that are mateable for easy separation and attachment. Both first and second plate sections include cantilever tab-like elements  40 B and  40 C that extend from the ends of each plate section to join the plates. Both first and second plate sections  10  and  20  further include center flange rim  50  disposed between the tab-like elements, the rim  50  extending outward from the top surface  28  of plate sections  10  and  20  along indentation  49 . 
     Flange rims  50  come together to form an access opening when the first and second plate sections  10  and  20  are joined. The rim  50  is a leverage surface to prevent the plate end sections  10 A and  20 A from collapsing-in during engagement. The rim  50  also serves as a surface area for attaching wire management wrap/cover. The first plate section further includes an inward extending cable support passage  60 , extending away from bottom surface  25  and having an internal sloped wall  65 . The wall  65  is sloped with respect to the first and second plate sections and defines a cable passage oriented at an angle with respect to the connected first and second plate sections that is in registration with the access opening. 
     The cable support extension  60  extends into the wall structure so that an electrical cable can extend from within the wall structure, along the cable support extension and through the access opening and to the audio/video equipment, and the cable support extension  65  forms a sight barrier from outside the wall structure through the access opening. 
     The first and second plate sections  10  and  20  are flat and formed so as to be substantially coextensive with the wall to which they are mounted, such that substantially no protrusion extends from the top surface  28  of the plate sections as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . This enables objects such as a flat panel LCD or plasma television to be mounted substantially flush with a vertical wall surface. 
     One possibility is that the cable support passage  60  extends a distance between 2 and 3½ inches laterally from the interlocked plate, for projecting into the wall structure. Since most wall structures are formed with wall board of less than one inch thickness that are mounted to vertical studs that are 3¾ inches wide, the relatively large cable support extension of the wall plate can be accommodated by the typical wall structure. 
     The cable support passage  60  of the first plate section includes a rear wall  70  ( FIG. 2 ) having at least one side extending outward from the bottom surface  25  of the first plate section along the periphery of the first plate section cutout  49 . The rear wall  70  further includes opposed side walls  75  and  80  projecting outward from the first plate section end  10 A, the sidewalls  75  and  80  including longitudinally extending, substantially planar support surfaces  75 A and  80 A ( FIG. 1 ) on which a joined second plate  20  bottom surface  25  will rest. 
     The cable support passage  60  further includes a sloped bottom wall  65  projecting outward from the first plate section end  10 A, in communication with the rear wall  70  and opposed side walls  75  and  80  forming a cable support passage  60 . Rear wall  70  allows sloped bottom wall  65  to be displaced rearwardly of first plate section  10  and provides additional space in the cable support passage  60  for cable bundles to be passed therethrough. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the cable support passage  60  is open ended having one open end defined by first and second plate section cutouts  49  and an inner open end  60 A extending at a right angle with respect to second plate section  20  bottom surface  25 . Inner open end  60 A extends in a direction laterally from first plate sections  20  bottom surface  25 . It is understood that the rear wall  70 , side walls  75  and  80 , and bottom wall  65  can be molded as a single piece or according to well known practices in the art. 
     The longitudinally extending, substantially planar support surfaces  75 A and  80 A in combination with cantilever tab-like elements  40 B and  40 C interlocking means provides a structurally ridged mated plate having a resistive moment arm to resist outward forces acting to separate the plate sections. The mated plate is therefore capable of withstanding the pulling forces of wires and connectors passing through the access opening. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , plate sections  10  and  20  include engagement tabs  40 B and  40 C that are herein described below and incorporated by reference in U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,744, issued Sep. 26, 2006, to applicant. 
     Plate sections  10  and  20  include a bottom surface  25  that may include a sidewall extension  22 . Extension  22  projects outward from bottom surface  25  extending around the periphery of the plate sections  10  and  20  forming a lip thereround. Referring to  FIG. 1 , first plate section  10  includes an end section  10 A that engages end section  20 A of second plate section  20 . First plate section  10  and second plate section  20  further include cantilever tab-like elements  40 B and  40 C, the fixed ends of which are integral outward extensions or continuations of end sections  10 A and  20 A. Tab elements  40 B and  40 C are rigid and have limited flexibility for movement away from a normal position by application of force. This construction resists plate separation that can occur from cables tugging and pushing against the plate sections when cables are arranged for installation. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , Tab  40 B projects outward from a fixed end  40 D that is affixed to and extends between flange rim  50  and sidewall extension  22 . An area of fixed end  40 D is secured to and rests planar against an area of bottom surface  25 . The area of fixed end  40 D that is secured to bottom surface  25  is determined according to desired resistance requirements to bending or pulling forces. 
     The thickness of fixed end  40 D and tab  40 B is determined to allow for structural integrity, but should not extend beyond sidewall extension bottom surface  22 A. In the disclosed embodiment, referring to  FIG. 6 , sidewall extension bottom surface  22 A is raised above fixed end bottom surface  40 D 1  and tab bottom surface  40 B 1 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , top surface  28  of plate sections  10  and  20  includes a cutout  55  extending the length l of fixed end  40 D and the width w of tab  40 B. 
     Tab  40 C comprises a stepped shaped member with an outwardly extending end portion  40 C 2  and generally perpendicular base portion  40 C 1 . Tab  40 C extends outward from the corners of end sections  10 A and  20 A, between flange  50  and sidewall extension  22 , and is integral to bottom surface  25  such that sidewall extension bottom surface  22 A extends beyond tab bottom surface  40 C 3 . Tab bottom surface  40 C 3  is raised slightly above bottom surface  25 , in the disclosed embodiment, and the inventor contemplates up to about 0.011 inches for secure alignment of plate sections  10  and  20 , however other dimensions may be utilized depending on plate sizes and tab dimensions for a particular application. 
     Cutout  55  provides an opening above tab top surface  40 B 2  for insertion of base portion  40 C 2 . Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , a recess  55 A extends from the periphery of fixed end  40 D into bottom surface  25 . The recess  55 A is of sufficient dimension to allow for base portion  40 C 2  to slideably engage recess  55 A of bottom surface  25  when plates  10  and,  20  are mated together. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 ,  5 , and  6  first plate section  10  and second plate section  20  are brought together such that tabs  40 B and  40 C of each plate section engage the complete plate. End portion  40 C 2  slideably engages recess  55 A of bottom surface  25  up to a point where base portion  40 C 1  is secured into cutout  55 . Tab  40 B inserts below tab  40 C with tab  40 B top surface  40 B 2  slideably engaging tab  40 C bottom surface  40 C 3 . 
     First plate section  10  substantially planer support surfaces  75 A and  80 A of opposed sidewalls  75  and  80  slideably engage bottom surface  25  of second plate section  20  up to the point when both first plate section  10  and second plate section  20  are mated together as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a first plate section  10  as it is brought into slideable engagement with bottom surface  25  of second plate section  20  prior to being fully mated together. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a top view of a connected plate illustrates base portions  40 C 1  secured into cutouts  55 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , a bottom view of a connected plate illustrates tab  40 B bottom surfaces  40 B 1  and fixed end  40 D placement along bottom surface  25 .  FIG. 4  further illustrates bottom surface  40 C 3  of end portion  40 C 2 , which is secured within recess  55 A. Tabs  40 B,  40 C, and substantially planer support surfaces  75 A and  80 A of opposed sidewalls  75  and  80  provide resistance to outward forces from cables bending or pulling against flange rim  50 . Pass through apertures  60 B allow screws to secure the sectional plate to an electrical box. 
     Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiment but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments. For example, the size of the plate sections, openings, and cable support passages therein may be configured for a single or multiple gang backless box or wall cutout opening, according to a particular application. It is understood that these variations are within the scope of the present invention.