Abstract:
This invention pertains to an adjustable cover for an electrical outlet box. The cover is configured having a generally planar mounting plate with a collar surrounding an opening through this mounting plate. An extension sleeve moves within this opening and adjacent the collar. At least one fastener is located adjacent the opening and is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The fastener operates a locking device that engages wedges against the extension sleeve when the fastener is in the locked position and disengages wedges against the extension sleeve when the fastener is in the unlocked position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/906,752 filed on Mar. 13, 2007, and is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/046,586 filed on Mar. 12, 2008, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention pertains to a cover of an electrical outlet box and more particularly to a cover having an adjustable extension sleeve attached thereto. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Daring construction, electrical outlet boxes are affixed to their support or stud prior to the wall covering (i.e. dry wall) being installed. It is generally known what thickness of dry wail is going to be installed and hence electrical outlet boxes are installed off-set from the front of the stud by that amount so as to be flush with the wall. However, if the dry wall thickness is not known or if it changes or if additional wall material (i.e. tile, sound insulation, double-layer dry wall) is subsequently added, then the box opening will no longer be flush with the wall and hence it will be difficult, if not impossible, to properly install an electrical device within the box. 
         [0004]    Solutions to this problem are varied. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,831 discloses a bracket that is rigidly affixed to the stud. A box is then adjustably secured to the bracket. Thus, if the wall material is greater or less than expected, the entire box can be adjusted accordingly. Unfortunately, if the code specifies that all wiring to/from the box be contained in conduit, this would mean that the conduit would also have to move along with the box which is not always possible. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,039 discloses a removable attachment that abuts the open perimeter of the box. A first (cut-out) wall covering is applied over the box before the attachment is secured against the open front face of the box. Then a second wall covering is installed. Thus, this attachment is configured to accommodate both, wall thicknesses, but such thicknesses must be known beforehand so that the proper sized attachment can be ordered. If there is any subsequent change, this attachment cannot be subsequently altered. 
         [0006]    A further variation is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,378,861 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,015. In both of these cases, an extension sleeve is mounted to either the box itself or to the box&#39;s cover. The extension sleeve is threadably mounted such that it can be adjusted as needed even after the wall material is installed. In both cases, however, the user must make the adjustments from inside the box which exposes the installer to the oftentimes live wires contained therein. Also, in both cases, long screws are needed as they must be at least as long as the adjustment range of the extension sleeve. Such screws also project well into the box and can interfere with the box&#39;s wiring. Further, in both cases, the ground path from the electric device to the box passes through the screw; hence if the screw is loose or the mating threads are not properly sized, grounding issues can surface. Finally, in both cases, the screw is used to position the extension sleeve and hence the extension sleeve can never be rigidly locked into any one position. 
         [0007]    It is thus an object of this invention to provide a cover that is inexpensive to manufacture and yet is infinitely adjustable. A further object of this invention is to provide a cover whose adjustable extension sleeve provides a solid ground path for the electric device and which can be easily locked or fixed at a selected position as desired. Still a further object of this invention is to eliminate the need for long screws that can interfere with the box&#39;s wiring and to also eliminate the need for the installer to make adjustments from within the box. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a means where adjustments to the box can be made without adjusting the position of the box itself. It is a further object of this invention to provide a means of making adjustments even if the wall thickness varies or if later a new wall covering is applied. These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be come apparent upon further investigation and review. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    This invention pertains to an adjustable cover that is mounted to an electrical outlet box. The cover incorporates a mounting plate that extends over a portion of the electrical outlet box. This cover includes a collar that surrounds an opening with this collar having a distal end spaced from the mounting plate. An extension sleeve fits within this collar and moves with respect thereto. Adjacent the opening is at least one fastener, this fastener being movable between a locking position and an unlocking position. The fastener operates at least one locking device to selectively cause such device to engage or disengage the extension sleeve in order to selectively lock or unlock the extension sleeve with respect to the mounting plate. The at least one locking device includes a pair of L-shaped wedges. 
         [0009]    Further provided is an adjustable cover for an electrical outlet box including a mounting plate, an extension sleeve and two locking devices. The mounting plate has an inner rim, the inner rim defines an opening, the inner rim includes two opposing tabs on opposite sides of the inner rim and protruding into the opening. The extension sleeve extends adjacent to the inner rim and the opening, the extension sleeve extending generally perpendicular to the mounting plate, the extension sleeve being freely movable within the inner rim. Two locking devices, each device including a fastener and a pair of L-shaped wedges, each fastener extending through each of the pair of L-shaped wedges and one of the two tabs. The locking devices configured to selectively engage and disengage the extension sleeve so as to selectively lock and unlock the extension sleeve with respect to the mounting plate. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of the box cover of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the cover of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the box cover of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is bottom perspective view of the extension sleeve of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the mounting plate of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the mounting plate of  FIG. 5  along A-A. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the mounting plate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged side perspective view of a portion of the mounting plate and wedge of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of wedge of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a side planar view of wedge of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-10  there is shown an adjustable device cover  10  of the present invention including a mounting plate  12 , an extension sleeve  14  and a locking device  16 . This assembly includes a generally rectangular base or mounting plate  12  that is used to secure device cover  10  to an electrical outlet box (not shown) and preferably a two or more gang box such as a 4 inch square or a 4 11/16 inch square box. A series of slots or apertures  18  are spaced along the perimeter of plate  12  through which one or more fasteners would extend so as to mount cover  10  to the outlet box in the convention fashion. These slots  18  are preferably arranged so that mounting plate  12  can be secured to the box in a variety of different orientations. 
         [0021]    The center of cover  10  contains a large opening  20  that permits access through cover  10  to the interior of the electrical outlet box. Surrounding and generally defining opening  20  is collar  22  which projects away from and generally perpendicular to mounting plate  12 .  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  6  show the upper distal end  24  of collar  22  is generally rounded, being curved towards opening  20 .  FIGS. 6 and 7  show tab  26  is recessed or inset from the collar  22 . The collar  22  includes at least one inwardly facing tab  26 . The tab  26  projects inwardly toward the opening  20 .  FIGS. 1-3  and  5  show two opposing tabs  26 . The tabs  26  include aperture  56  used for locking the extension sleeve  14  to the mounting plate  12 . Tab  26  includes an interior threaded portion  30  which mates with the exterior threading of fastener  32  to lock the fastener in place. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 1-3  show slidably positioned within collar  22  is extension sleeve  14 . Extension sleeve  14  is generally an open box-like structure having sidewalls  34  corresponding with opening  16 . The depth of sidewalls  34  is approximately the amount of adjustment provided by cover  10 , hence such depth can be varied by the manufacturer as needed. Extension sleeve  14  contains device mounting tabs  38  which are used to secure an electric device (not shown) to cover  10 . The sidewall(s)  34  which would run adjacent to tab(s)  26  of the collar  22  include a concaved portion or a channel  36  that closely conforms to tab  26  and which protrudes into the opening  20 . The tab  26  travels through the channel  36  until the preferred position is obtained and the extension sleeve  14  is secured in position accordingly. Also, if desired, extension sleeve  14  can be configured with upper stops and/or lower stops  28  that prevent extension sleeve  14  from sliding out of mounting plate  12 . Such stops  28  can consist primarily of small projections that engage distal end  24  of collar  22  but cannot pass through opening  20 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows the opposite corners  40  of extension sleeve  14  are beveled or angled inwardly into opening  20 . While this bevel is shown as being slightly curved into the opening  20 , other configurations are possible if desired such as to accommodate both the electrical device mounted to tabs  38  as well as the mounting screws passing through slots  18 . It is also possible that the four corners  40  of extension sleeve  14  are regular 90 degree corners. In some cases, protruding stops are located at one or more such corners  40  which help prevent extension sleeve  14  from sliding out of collar  22 . However, these stops are not required for the operation of cover  10 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows details of the locking device  16  which includes a fastener  32  and a pair of wedges  42 . The short fastener  32  passes through wedge apertures  44  and proceeds into the inward tab  26  through aperture  56 . These fasteners  32  are adjustable between a locking position and an unlocking position to allow for adjustment of the collar  22  along the extension sleeve  14  and securement of the collar  22  at the desired position along the extension sleeve  14 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show the pair of wedges  42  including identical wedges  42  where one wedge  42   a  is positioned on top of the other wedge  42   b . The top wedge  42   a  is positioned upside down and rotated 180° from, the position of the bottom wedge  42   b  as shown in  FIG. 8 . This position allows wedge  42   a  to seat on top of wedge  42   b  and as the head  46  of the fastener  32  draws the wedges  42   a ,  42   b  together against the tab  26  the wedges  42   a ,  42   b  are forced outwardly against the wall of the channel  36 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show wedge  42  has a generally L-shaped geometry that will flex outwardly to meet and mate with the walls of the channel  36 . Each wedge  42  includes two parallel L-shaped surfaces  60 , an upper surface  48 , a lower surface  50 , two side surfaces  52 ,  54  and material therebetween. The bottom surface  50  is a planar surface. The upper surface  48  extends between the L-shaped surfaces  60 . The upper surface  48  includes two planar surfaces  48   a  and  48   c  which are parallel to the bottom surface  50 , Planar surface  48   a  is shorter than planar surface  48   c . Shorter planar surface  48   a  is spaced apart from longer planar surface  48   e . Angled surface  48   b  connects planar surface  48   a  to a longer planar surface  48   c . Angled surface  48   b  sloped downwardly from shorter surface  48   a  at angle A which is less than 90°. Angled surface  48   b  similarly extends from longer planar surface  48   c  upwardly toward shorter surface  48   a  at angle B which is an obtuse angle greater than 90°, preferably about 135°. Wedge aperture  44  extends through longer planar surface  48   c  through the wedge and bottom surface  50 . Additionally, the aperture  44  cuts through a portion of angled surface  48   b . Extending from longer planar surface  48   c  is shorter angled surface  48   d , Shorter angled surface  48   d  extends between long planar surface  48   c  and side surface  54 . Shorter angled surface  48   d  is preferably shorter than angled surface  48   b . Shorter angled surface  48   d  is preferably parallel to angled surface  48   b . Side surfaces  52  and  54  extend generally perpendicularly from lower surface  50 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  7  and  8  show wedges  42  are sized so that while they are loosely restrained by fastener  32  in the unlocked position collar  22  is allowed to move freely about sleeve  14 . The fastener  32  extends through the wedges  42  and then through the aperture  56  of the tab  26  in the mounting plate  12 . Fastener  32  includes a head  46  at one end, a stop  58  at the other end and a threaded portion therebetween in which the wedges  42  mate with the fastener  32 . Stop  58  is larger than aperture  56  of the tab  26  such that the fastener  32  is retained within aperture  56 . Stop  58  and the head  46  prevent the fastener  32  from being removed from the collar and/or the wedges  42 . In this configuration, the wedges  42  are sandwiched between the collar  22  and fastener head  46 . Once collar  22  is properly positioned along extension sleeve  14  then subsequent tightening of fastener  32  drives the fastener  32  downward along the threading of the aperture  56 . As the head of the fastener  46  nears tab  26  the wedges  42  are being compressed therebetween, and the wedges  42  is reversibly deformed outwardly against the wail of the channel  36 . This outward expansion of the wedges  42  are forced or biased against the channel  36  to hold collar  22  in place. Such force as applied by wedges  42  will bind or lock extension sleeve  14  within collar  22 . To release the wedges  42 , one need only rotate the fastener  32  so as to allow the wedges  42  to return to their original shaped configuration. 
         [0028]    Having described the preferred embodiments herein, it should now be appreciated that variations may be made thereto without departing from the contemplated scope of the invention. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments described herein are deemed illustrative rather than limiting, the true scope of the invention being set forth in the claims appended hereto.