Abstract:
An electrical divider for installation in an electrical outlet box is disclosed. The electrical divider has a first part made up of two movable portions. The movable portions are biased away from each other. The first part is inserted into an electrical box and the two portions allowed to move relative to each other such that the first part becomes secured to the electrical box in a desired position. The first part also has at least one locking tab which engages a port of the electrical box to secure the first part in the desired position and also to position the first part into the desired position. A conduit is attachable to an opening in the first part and also an opening in a second part. In this way, a passage can be defined from one port to an opening of the electrical box. The first part can be inserted into and secured to any type of electrical box and is adjustable to accommodate electrical boxes having different dimensions and shapes. It is not necessary for the electrical box to have any guiding elements to cooperate with the electrical divider.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an electrical divider for use with an electrical outlet box assembly for power and communication wires. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical divider which can be installed into different types of electrical outlet box assemblies. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional electrical outlet boxes have been in use for several years to assist in the installation of electrical wires, and in particular, power wires. The electrical wires enter electrical boxes through ports located near the base of the electrical box. The electrical wires extend through the port, into the electrical box and to an open end of the electrical box. The electrical wires are then connected to an electrical receptacle which is located substantially flush with the floor and generally covered by a floor cover plate. As the open end of electrical boxes is generally flush with the floor, electrical boxes are sometimes referred to as floor boxes. 
     With an increasing proliferation of computers in the workplace, there is a need for electrical boxes to accommodate both communication services wires and power services wires. Communication services wires, such as telephone lines or computer lines, transmit communication and data signals to computers. Power services wires carry electrical power to power electrical appliances. 
     There is generally a substantial difference in the voltage of the communication wires and the power wires. For example, communication wires are generally low voltage in the range of 5 volts, while power wires are generally higher voltage in the range of 120 volts in North America and 240 volts in Europe. 
     Many electrical codes and regulations require separation of communication wires from power wires at all times, including within electrical boxes. One reason for requiring the power wires to be separated from the communication wires is to prevent accidental contact between the lower voltage communication wires and the higher voltage power wires. This makes installation of the communication and power wires safer. In addition, separating the power and communication wires ensures no accidental contact occurs between the power and communication wires over the years of use of the equipment and devices connected to the wires. Also, if the higher voltage power wires are not separated from the lower voltage communication wires, the higher voltage, generally alternating current, of the power wires may degrade the communication and data signals of the communication wires. 
     In the past, electrical dividers have been custom made to fit within specific electrical boxes. In these prior art devices, the electrical dividers are manufactured to specific tolerances and cooperate with the corresponding electrical boxes to provide a secure fit between the divider and the electrical boxes. 
     However, it is not possible to use electrical dividers manufactured for a particular type of electrical box in a different type of electrical box. This is the case at least because dividers are manufactured to specific tolerances so as to cooperate with the electrical box and to become securely fixed in a desired position, where the electrical wires can extend from the port into the divider. 
     In addition, a large number of existing electrical dividers were manufactured only for power service wires. Therefore, no electrical dividers were ever made for many electrical boxes which were installed in the past and are still in use today. Moreover, these existing electrical boxes were not manufactured with guiding notches or other guiding elements to assist in positioning, orienting and securing an electrical divider in the desired position. Therefore, it is not possible to retrofit a large number of existing electrical boxes presently in use as no electrical dividers were ever manufactured to cooperate with these specific electrical boxes. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved electrical divider which can be used in more than one type of electrical box. In addition, there is a need in the art for electrical dividers which can be retrofitted into existing installed electrical boxes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Also, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved type of electrical divider which can be installed in different types of electrical boxes. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an electrical divider which can be retrofitted into existing installed electrical boxes. 
     Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention resides in an electrical divider for installation in an electrical box, said electrical box having an open end, a first port for receiving a first type of wire and a second port for receiving a second type of wire, said electrical divider comprising: a first part comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being movable with respect to the second portion, and a first opening; a second part having a second opening; wherein the first portion moves relative to the second portion to secure the first part to the electrical box; and wherein the first opening communicates with the second opening to define a passage for the first type of wire from the first port to the open end, said passage being separated from the second port. 
     In a further aspect, the present invention resides in an electrical divider for installation in an electrical box, said electrical box having an open end, a first port for receiving a first type of wire and a second port for receiving a second type of wire, said electrical divider comprising: a first part comprising a first opening attachable to a first end of a conduit and being expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration; a second part having a second opening attachable to a second end of the conduit; wherein the first part is inserted into the open end of the electrical box to a desired position, and, the first part is expanded from the contracted configuration toward the expanded configuration to secure the first part in the desired position; and wherein when the first part is in the desired position, and the conduit is connected to the first opening and the second opening, the first part, the conduit and the second part define a first passage for the first type of wire from the first port to the open end, said passage being separated from the second port. 
     Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that the electrical divider can be adjustable to cooperate and fit within electrical boxes having different dimensions. In this way, the electrical divider is not restricted to use with a particular type of electrical box, but can be used with a number of different types of electrical boxes, each having different dimensions. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is that the electrical divider does not require the electrical box to have any guiding elements to install the divider in the electrical box. In other words, the electrical divider of the present invention can be installed directly into existing electrical boxes which were never specifically designed for use in association with an electrical divider. 
     In a further aspect, the present invention provides at least one locking tab which engages at least one port of the electrical box. In this way, the locking tabs can both secure the first part of the electrical divider in the desired position, as well as be used to position and orient the first part of the electrical divider to the desired position and orientation with respect to the ports. 
     Further aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and drawings which illustrate the invention and preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention: 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective drawing of a first portion of a first part of the divider according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 1B is a perspective drawing of a second portion of the first part of the divider according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 1C is a perspective drawing of the second portion of the first part shown in FIG. 1B, but from a different view; 
     FIG. 2A is a perspective drawing of a second part of the electrical divider according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2B is a perspective drawing of the second part shown in FIG. 2A, but from a different view; 
     FIG. 2C is a sectional view of the second part shown in FIG. 2A; 
     FIG. 2D is a detailed drawing of the sectional view shown in FIG. 2C; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of the electrical divider according to one embodiment of the present invention installed in an electrical box with a portion of the electrical box removed for the purposes of illustration; and 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of the electrical divider without a conduit and installed in an electrical box with a portion of the electrical box removed for the purposes of illustration. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  1 C, one embodiment of the present invention relates to an electrical divider having a first part, as shown generally by reference numeral  10  in FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  1 C. The first part  10  comprises two portions, namely the first portion  11  shown in FIG.  1 A and the second portion  12  shown in both FIG. 1B and 1C. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the first portion  11  and second portion  12  fit together to form the first part  10  in the following way. The first portion  11  comprises a channel  20  which cooperates with guide tab  22  on the second portion  12 . Likewise, the first portion  11  has extensions  26  which fit into locking holes  28  on the second portion  12 . In this way, the first portion  11  can move relative to the second portion  12  by the guide tab  22  travelling along one end of channel  20  while the extensions  26  remain engaged in the locking holes  28  at the other end. Thus, by the extensions  26  engaging the locking holes  28 , the first portion  11  is connected to the second portion  12  at one end, but the first portion  11  is permitted to move relative to the second portion  12 . The guide tab  22  travelling in the channel  20  guides the movement of the first portion  11  with respect to the second portion  12 . In addition, the first portion  11  also comprises grooves  21  which cooperate with sliding tabs  23  on the second portion  12 . The sliding tabs  23  travelling within the grooves  21  also guide the movement of the first portion  11  with respect to the second portion  12  and prevents rotation of the first portion  11  with respect to the second portion  12  about the extensions  26 . Preferably, the grooves  21  and sliding tabs  23  are located remotely from the extensions  26  to provide a larger moment arm to assist in preventing rotation of the first part  10  and to increase the rigidity of the first part  10 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the first portion  11  comprises resilient u-shaped arms  27  attaching extensions  26  to the main body of the first portion  11 . The u-shaped arms  27  are resilient such that when the extensions  26  are inserted in locking holes  28  and the guide tab  22  is inserted in the channel  20 , the resilient u-shaped arms  27  will bias the first portion  11  away from the second portion  12 . In this way, the resilient u-shaped arms  27  act as a biasing member  14  to bias the first portion  11  away from the second portion  12 . Thus, the biasing member  14  biases the first part  10  from a first or contracted configuration, where the first part  10  has a smaller dimension, to a second or expanded configuration, where the first part  10  has a larger dimension. In the contracted configuration, the guide tab  22  is at a far end  20 F of channel  20 , and in the expanded configuration, the guide tab  22  is at a near end  20 N of the channel  20 . The biasing member  14  biases the first portion  11  away from the second portion  12  so that the first part  10  is biased toward the expanded configuration and will tend to expand from the contracted configuration toward the expanded configuration. 
     The first part  10  further comprises a first opening  16  which extends through the first portion  11  and the second portion  12 . The first opening  16  is attachable to a conduit  40 . The conduit  40  is preferably corrugated and can be a corrugated pipe  44 , as shown in FIG.  3 . To attach the opening  16  to a corrugated conduit  40 , the first opening  16  comprises an attaching device  18  which interacts with a corrugation  46  of the first end  41  of corrugated pipe  44  and thereby attaches the conduit  40  to the opening  16 . 
     Preferably, the first part  10  comprises at least one locking tab  24 , as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C. The locking tab  24  engages one of the ports in the electrical box. In this way, when the biasing member  14  biases the second portion  12  away from the first portion  11 , expanding the first part  10  from the contracted configuration toward the expanded configuration, the locking tab  24  will engage a port, such as port  1 A shown in FIG. 3, of the electrical box  4  and thereby secure the first part  10  to the electrical box  4 . In addition, locking tab  24  is located proximate an entry  30  which communicates with the first opening  16 . When the locking tab  24  engages the port  1 A, the entry  30  will be near to and communicate with the port  1 A (see FIG.  3 ). In this way, the locking tab  24  performs the dual function of positioning and orientating the first part  10  to a desired position and orientation where the entry  30  is in communication with the opening of a port, and also, securing the first part  10  in this desired position by engaging the port. 
     Preferably, the locking tab  24  engages the top portion  9  of a port  1 A,  1 B,  2 A,  2 B (see FIG.  3 ). While the ports  1 A,  1 B,  2 A,  2 B are generally located at the bottom of an electrical box  4 , the ports  1 A,  1 B,  2 A,  2 B may have different diameters such that the top portion  9  of the port which the locking tabs  24  will engage may be located at different longitudinal positions in the electrical box  4 . Accordingly, the locking tab  24 , in a preferred embodiment, is flexible and long, so that the locking tab  24  can engage the top portion of ports having different diameters. In this way, the first part  10  can be used in electrical boxes having ports of a different diameter, and, ports which may not necessarily be located at the bottom of the electrical box  4 . 
     FIGS. 2A,  2 B,  2 C and  2 D show a second part  50  of the electrical divider. The second part  50  has a second opening  52  which is attachable to a second end  42  of a conduit  40 . As stated above, in a preferred embodiment, the conduit  40  is corrugated, and is preferably a corrugated pipe  40 , and the second opening  52  is machined to attach to the corrugated pipe  40 . Preferably, the second part  50  will have another attaching device  58 , similar to attaching device  18  of the first part  10  to interact with a corrugation  46  of the second end  42  of the conduit  40 . However, it is understood that the first opening  16  and second opening  52  can be attached to the corrugated pipe by any known means, including a friction fit. In addition, as the second part  50  will generally be located at the second or top end  42  of the conduit  40 , the conduit  40  may not be very rigidly attached to the second opening  52 . Rather, the second opening  52  may be attached to the conduit  40  by simply placing the second part  50  on the conduit  40  and applying a force against the second part  50  and the conduit  40 , such as by means of a floor cover plate fixed to the electrical box  4  in which the divider  100  is installed. 
     FIGS. 2C and 2D show the attaching device  58  of the second part  50  according to a preferred embodiment in more detail. FIG. 2D is a detailed drawing of the attaching device  58  within circle A 1  shown in FIG.  2 C. As can be seen from FIGS. 2C and 2D, the attaching device  58  has a leading edge  59  which engages the corrugations of a corrugated conduit  40  to retain the conduit  40  near the second opening  52 . The leading edge  59  is displaced radially outward as a corrugation passes through the opening  52 . To accommodate this displacement, there is a space or notch  57  formed between the leading edge  59  and the main body of part  50 , which notch  57  is decreased as the leading edge  59  is displaced outward. A stop  55  is provided at the second opening  52  to prevent the conduit  40  from passing too far through the opening  52 . 
     FIG. 3 shows the electrical divider, shown generally by reference numeral  100 , installed in an electrical box  4 . As shown in FIG. 3, the electrical box  4  has a first set of ports  1 A,  1 B for receiving a first type of wire  101 , such as a power wire. The electrical box  4  also has a second set of ports  2 A,  2 B for receiving a second type of wire  102 , such as a communication wire. Generally, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrical box  4  will have ports  1 A,  1 B,  2 A,  2 B which receive the same type of wire diametrically opposed from each other, although different arrangements are possible. Also, while the electrical box  4  shown in FIG. 3 has four ports  1 A,  1 B,  2 A,  2 B, it is understood that the electrical box  4  could have additional ports (not shown). 
     FIG. 3 shows the divider  100  comprising the first part  10  and the second part  50 . FIG. 3 also shows first part  10  of the divider with the first portion  11  and the second portion  12  connected together and inserted into the electrical box  4 . As shown in FIG. 3, the guide tab  22  is inserted in sliding relation to the channel  20  to guide the movement of the first portion  11  with respect to the second portion  12 . Also, the extensions  26  are engaging the locking holes  28  so that the first portion  11  is connected to the second portion  12  at one end. The biasing member  14  biases the first portion  11  away from the second portion  12 . In this embodiment, the biasing member  14  acts on the extensions  26 , which engage the locking holes  28 , to bias the first part  10  to the second or expanded configuration. Movement of the guide tab  22  within the channel  20  and the sliding tab  23  within the groove  21  will guide the movement of the first portion  11  with respect to the second portion  12  and prevent rotation of the first portion  11  with respect to the second portion  12 . 
     FIG. 3 also illustrates the conduit  40  with the first end attached to the opening  16  of the first part  10  and the second end  42  attached to the opening  52  of the second part  50 . In this way, a passage  61  is defined from the desired port  1 A through the entry  30  through the opening  16  in the first part  10  and into the first end  41  of the conduit  40 , then through the second end  42  of the conduit  40  into the opening  52  of the second part  50  and finally to the open end  6  of the electrical box  4 . Accordingly, in this embodiment, the opening  16  of the first part  10  indirectly communicates with the opening  52  of the second part  50 . An electrical receptacle and a floor cover plate (not shown) would then be inserted on the open end  6  and attached to the first and second types of wires  101 ,  102 . 
     FIG. 3 also shows the locking tab  24  engaging the top portion  9  of the desired port  1 A. When the first part  10  is inserted into the electrical box  4 , the first part  10  can be moved and rotated until the locking tab  24  engages the desired port, which in FIG. 3 is port  1 A. It is understood that the orientation of the first part  10  will depend on the types of wires entering the respective ports  1 A,  1 B,  2 A,  2 B. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the type of wire which is to pass within the passage  61  of the electrical divider  100  emanates from the first set of ports  1 A,  1 B. Accordingly, the user will insert the first part  10  into the electrical box  4  with a general understanding of the location of the first set of ports  1 A,  1 B and allow the locking tab  24  to position the first part  10  in the desired position and orientation. In this case, the desired position and orientation will be with the entry  30  near and in communication with the desired port  1 A. 
     Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, when the first part  10  is in the desired position and the conduit  40  is attached to the first opening  16  and the second opening  52 , the first part  10 , the conduit  40  and the second part  50  form a passage  61  for the first type of wire  101  to extend from the first or desired port  1 A to the open end  6  of the electrical box  4 . It is apparent that the passage  61  is separated from the second set of ports  2 A,  2 B. In this way, the first type of wire  101 , such as power wires, can pass through the first set of ports  1 A,  1 B and through the passage  61  while the second type of wire  102 , such as communication wires, can pass through the second set of ports  2 A,  2 B external of the passage  61 . In this way, the first type of wire  101  and the second type of wire  102  can be separated from each other. 
     As also seen in FIG. 3, the first part  10  defines a second passage  62  from port  1 A to port  1 B. In this way, the second passage  62  permits the first type of wire  101  to pass between the first set of ports  1 A,  1 B. Likewise, the second type of wire  102  can pass between the second set of ports  2 A,  2 B externally of both the second passage  62  and the first passage  61 . Thus, the divider  100  can separate the first type of wire  101 , such as power wires, from the second type of wire  102 , such as communication wires, which are passing into the electrical box  4  whether or not the wires are to extend out through the open end  6  of the electrical box  4  or to continue through the electrical box  4  out of another port  1 A,  1 B or  2 A,  2 B. 
     Should the divider  100  need to be removed for any reason, the second part  50  could be removed from the second end  42  of the conduit  40 . Then, the first end  41  of the conduit  40  could be removed from the first part  10 . Finally, the first portion  11  could be moved towards the second portion  12  against the biasing force of the biasing member  14  and towards the contracted configuration. Once the first part  10  is in the contracted configuration, the locking tab  24  will no longer engage the port  1 A, and the first part  10  could be removed. 
     FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the present invention where no conduit  40  is used between the first part  10  and the second part  50 . As shown in FIG. 4, the second part  50  is in contact with the first part  10 , and, the second opening  52  is in direct communication with the first opening  16 . Preferably, a notch (not shown), either on the first part  10 , the second part  50 , or both, is used to guide the first opening  16  into direct communication with the second opening  52 . The divider, shown generally by reference numeral  110  in FIG. 4, could be used in electrical boxes  4  which have a smaller longitudinal dimension such that the first part  10  and the second part  50 , without a conduit, can create a passage  61  for the first type of wire  101  from the first set of ports  1 A,  1 B to the opening  6 . 
     It is understood that, while the present invention has been described and illustrated in terms of a round electrical box, the present invention is not limited to round electrical boxes. Rather, the present invention can operate with electrical boxes having different shapes, including square and oval. The present invention can also operate with electrical boxes having different number of ports, such as  4 ,  6 ,  8  or more. 
     It also understood that while the channel  20  has been illustrated to be on the first portion  11  and the guide tab  22  has been illustrated to be on the second portion  12 , this arrangement can be interplaced. In particular, the second portion  12  could comprise the channel  20  and the first portion  11  could comprise the guide tab  22 . This specific arrangement is not relevant provided the guide tab  22  cooperates with the channel  20  to guide the movement of the first portion  11  with respect to the second portion  12 . Likewise, the extensions  26  and the locking holes  28  could be interplaced. In particular, the second portion  12  could comprise the extensions  26 , rather than the first portion  11 , and the first portion  11  could comprise the locking holes  28 , rather than the second portion  12 . In either case, the extensions  26  would engage the locking holes  28  to connect the first portion  11  to the second portion  12  at one end while permitting the first portion  11  to move relative to the second portion  12 . In a similar manner, provided the sliding tab  23  cooperates with the groove  21 , the groove  21  could be located on the inside surface of the second portion  12  and the sliding tab  23  could be located on the outside surface of the first portion  11 . 
     It will be understood that, although various features of the invention have been described with respect to one or another of the embodiments of the invention, the various features and embodiments of the invention may be combined or used in conjunction with other features and embodiments of the invention as described and illustrated herein. 
     Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments which are functional or mechanical equivalents of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated herein.