Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a sealing member for establishing a water resistant seal between two elements which includes a resilient gasket having opposed gasket surfaces for engagement between the two elements; and a water resistant coating applied to the gasket. The water resistant coating providing releasable adhesive sealing contact with at least one of the elements. The present invention is also directed to a method of making a gasket seal for an electrical box.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/995,339 on Sep. 26, 2007, herein incorporated by reference. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a sealing member, and more particularly to a sealing member such as a gasket used to prevent water ingress in a wet location and provides weatherproof protection to the covered component. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Electrical boxes are used for a variety of applications wherein it is necessary to provide a termination point for electrical wires for splicing or connection to an electrical component. An electrical box is rigidly mounted on or in a wall in such locations to conveniently locate an electrical component. Depending on the application and location, electrical boxes can be mounted either in a horizontal or vertical orientation. Once mounted, the wires installed and connected to the electrical component therein, the box is closed with a faceplate. The faceplate must be chosen to match the installed electrical component, and covers the top opening of the connector box, thus preventing any damage to the components mounted in the box or accidental contact with live electrical wires. 
         [0004]    Due to the varied needs for electrical power and switching, it is sometimes necessary to mount a box in a location where it will be exposed to wet conditions. Typically, such installations can include an outdoor receptacle to provide electricity for lighting, power tools or appliances. When used in a location where the connector box will be exposed to water, it is necessary to provide for structure to ensure that water does not enter the box and thereby damage the components therein or cause a “short circuit”. 
         [0005]    A gasket may be installed between the cover frame and cover door. Oftentimes, the gasket is installed by using a sticky tape that includes a peel and stick adhesive to adhere the gasket to the cover or may rely on mechanical interference between the gasket and the cover frame. However, the gasket is a generic pre-cut material that rests in the cover. It is not molded with the contours of the cover frame and cover door so it has limitations on water determent. The gasket is also not capable of sealing the edges of the cover door and cover frame. So water leaks through the raw edges of the gasket into the frame. Additionally, once the gasket is stuck in the door it is irreversibly attached to the cover door. The gasket cannot to be repositioned without damaging the gasket. 
         [0006]    It would therefore be desirable to have a gasket that provides a weatherproof seal including improved sealing abilities and edge sealing capabilities. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide for a gasket that can be repositioned during assembly without causing damage to the gasket, cover frame or cover door. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a sealing member for establishing a water resistant seal between two elements which includes a resilient gasket having opposed gasket surfaces for engagement between the two elements; and a water resistant coating applied to the gasket. The water resistant coating providing releasable adhesive sealing contact with at least one of the elements as well as providing anti-wicking characteristics to the edges of the gasket. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment of the present invention includes a water resistant electrical box assembly including an electrical box having a perimetrical rim thereabout, a cover movably positioned on a box for overlying engagement against a rim, and a resilient gasket positionable on the rim for resilient sealing engagement with a cover. The gasket including a water resistant coating thereon for establishing a releasable adhesive sealing coating with the rim. 
         [0009]    A further embodiment includes a method of waterproofing an electrical box cover which includes die cutting a closed cell structured gasket material to desired shape, coating the gasket surfaces with a water resistant coating creating a wetted gasket, releasably adhering one side of the wetted gasket on a surface of the electrical box cover; closing the electrical cover to allow the gasket to be imprinted on the other side by the interior surface of the electrical box; holding the electrical cover in a closed position while the wetted gasket dries; and drying the wetted gasket to form a mechanical attachment of the one side of the gasket and the cover, and a permanent customized imprinting of the interior surface of the electrical box to the other side of the gasket. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a planar view of the gasket of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the wetted gasket being placed in a cover frame. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a planar view of the cover frame in the closed position with a coated gasket therein. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the closed cover frame with a coated gasket therein. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the cover frame in the open position with a coated gasket in the door. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    The present invention is directed to a coated cover door gasket and method of making the same to provide a weatherproof cover for an electrical box and provide water protection to components accommodated. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a coated gasket  10  of the present invention. The base gasket  12  material is made from a flexible plastic material such as polyethylene, or any other suitable resinous material, and is formed into the appropriate shape to correspond to the cover  20 . The base gasket  12  is preferably made from a closed cell foam material. The gasket  10  of  FIG. 1  is generally rectangular in shape with a cut out in the center. 
         [0017]    The base gasket  12  may be manufactured by a die cutting method. The sheet of gasket base  12  material is subjected to an initial or preliminary die-cutting operation, which die-cutting is accomplished with a single or multiple die; multiple dies being preferred in order to make the method as efficient as possible. The dies will have a specific configuration, depending upon the end configuration of the desired gasket. In the case illustrated, a center hole is cut from the sheet and the exterior gasket shape is cut to form the continuous band of base gasket  12  material. The exposed edges  18  of the gasket have an open-celled structure due to the die cutting through the closed cell material structure creating an open celled structure. 
         [0018]    The base gasket  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , is then coated with the coating agent or sealer material  14 . Coating of the base gasket  12  is preferably accomplished by means of spray coating, dip coating or other means, which allows for the liquid sealer  14  to coat all of the surfaces of the base gasket  12  and seal all surfaces of the base gasket  12  including the exposed raw open celled edges. The sealer  14  is ideally continuous about the entire base gasket  12  surfaces and sides, enveloping the base gasket  12  and repelling water ingress. The exposed edges  18  include an open-cell structure, which is susceptible to the ingress of water via wicking or the like. The sealer  14  creates barrier which prevents fluid from entering the open-cell structure of the gasket and migrating into the interior of the box thru the gasket material itself. The sealer  14  can be a clear or colorless material, or a colored material to provide visual confirmation that the gasket  12  was covered with sealer  14 . 
         [0019]    After the base gasket  12  has been coated with the sealer composition  14 , it is inserted onto the cover door  22  before the sealer  14  has dried, as shown in  FIG. 2 . This allows for repositioning of the gasket  10  in the door  22  while the gasket  10  is still wet or damp. The sealer  14  is not tacky or sticky when wet and allows for repositioning during insertion and placement within the cover  20  including the cover door  22  and cover frame  24 . 
         [0020]    Once the wetted gasket  10  is properly positioned within the cover  20 , the cover door  22  is closed against the cover frame  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . To ensure that the gasket  10  is firmly pressed against both the cover door  22  interior surface  26  and the cover frame  24  interior surface  28  a device can be used to maintain the cover  20  in the closed position. For example, a pin, clamp or strong springs can be used to hold the cover  20  in a closed position. Alternately, the spring bias or other closing mechanism used to close the door  22  against the frame  24  may be sufficient to hold cover  2  in the closed position. Hence, the sealer  14  dries or cures while the door  22  is closed; this helps the gasket  10  to maintain a three-dimensional shape and create a custom mateable surface that matches the contours of the interior surface  26  of the cover door  22  and the contours of the cover frame  24 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a pin  30  maintaining the door  22  in the closed state as the sealer  14  cures via thermal curing, light curing, evaporation or other forms of curing as know in the art depending of the sealer  14  used.  FIG. 5  shows the gasket  10  adhering to the cover door  22  on all surfaces in which the door  22  is in contact with the gasket. The sealer  14 , when dried, acts as a mechanical bonding agent between the contacted surfaces. As shown, the gasket  10  also has a groove  16  and other impressions mirroring the cover frame  24  resulting from the curing of the sealer while the gasket  10  was thusly compressed.  FIGS. 4 and 5  show the gasket  10  after the sealer  14  has cured. The gasket  10  includes the indentation created by the sealing rib  32  of the cover frame  24  to allow for the gasket  10  to repeatedly mate with the rib  32  of the frame  24  and create a water barrier on either side of the sealing rib  32 . The sealer  14  allows the gasket  10  to be custom molded within or conform to the door  22  and the frame  24  by maintaining the impressions and contours in the coated gasket. Upon closing the cover door  22 , the gasket  10  will mate with the cover frame  24  inside surface walls, which provides a better seal between the gasket  10  and the cover  20 . 
         [0022]    It will be appreciated that the present invention has been described herein with reference to certain preferred or exemplary embodiments. The preferred or exemplary embodiments described herein may be modified, changed, added to or deviated from without departing from the intent, spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that all such additions, modifications, amendments, and/or deviations be included within the scope of the claims appended hereto.