Patent ID: 7554033

Claim:
An electrical wiring device for use in an ambient environment, the device comprising: a cover assembly characterized by a perimeter defining a user-accessible front face portion of the wiring device, the cover assembly including at least one user-accessible control feature disposed therein; a body member connected to the cover assembly; a circuit arrangement disposed in the body member, at least a portion of the circuit arrangement being in operative communication with the at least one user-accessible control feature; and a gasket structure integrated into the cover assembly and disposed under the front face portion to substantially seal the circuit arrangement from the ambient environment, the gasket structure including at least one gasket feature coupling the at least one user-accessible control feature and the at least a portion of the circuit arrangement, the gasket structure extending from the perimeter a predetermined distance to form a gasket perimeter defining an environmentally protected area, the environmentally protected area being greater than or substantially equal to a coverage area of a standard wall plate.