Patent ID: 6942502

Claim:
A retractable electric wall outlet assembly, comprising: a cover plate defining a generally rectangular opening; an electric box having an electric plug receptacle, said electric box being coupled to said cover plate for movement between an inoperable configuration retracted through said opening rearward of said cover plate and an operable configuration extending through said opening forward of said cover plate; means for biasing said electric box toward said operable configuration; a latch assembly for releasably holding said electric box at said inoperable configuration; wherein said latch assembly includes: a latch member mounted to a rear surface of said electric box and extending outwardly; a track structure mounted to a rear surface of said cover plate and extending outwardly, said latch member being positioned to engagingly move along said track structure when said electric box is moved between said operable and inoperable configurations; and wherein said track structure defines a recess for receiving and releasably holding said latch member when said electric box is at said inoperable configuration.