Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21 94593
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PROTECTIVE ELECT~IC~L BO~ COVER
FIELV OF T~IE INVENTION
The in-c-1lion pertains to the field of aids for painters or plasterers. More
panicularly, the i~ n ~ lains ~o a~lalalus for }~ te ;lil1g electrical boxes and the
S electrical t7ttings therein while the su.~ ding wall is painted ~r l)lastel~.
B~CKGROUND OF TIIE INVENTION
7 he most common wall con~llu~:lion methods hl use today involve the use of
g~ ,..m board (Sl~bocka9) over a studded wall. In older buildings and in some higher
priced con~tlut~:tion, the older lalh-and-plaster method may be used. In either case, the
10 electrical bo~es for outlets, switclles, lights and olher electrical fittillgs are inshlled to
lhe studs in the wall or ceiling before the coverin& is applied and plastered smooth.
Often, the el~lli~l fitting is installed in the box wl~en the box is instAlled, again before
plastering. Figure 3 shows the result of tllis procedure - tl1e excess plaster (23) on the
wall (20) overlaps into the opening of the box (21), coveril1g over part of the outlet
I5 (22).
It is ne~rly impossible to plaster a wall without some mess and over-plastering
around hxttlres. As a practical matter, plasterers are more interested in speed and quality
of the plastering job lhan in protecting electrical apl-liances, much to tlle annoyance of
the electricians. The same problem appeilrs in pahltillg, to a lesser degree - altllough the
20 paint will not overlap the box, absent attenlion to ta~ g oll~lets and the like the paint
will tend to cover the outlets in a messy rashion.
The most common prior art method of r~rotectioll of outlets involves .using
adhesive tape to cover the outlets. It is a nuisance to remove the lape, il does not adhere
well to projecting switches, and excess plaster still needs to be cleared away from and
25 out of the boxes.
The closest patente~l art of WhiCIl I altl aware are U.S. Design Patents nos.
D279,860 and D345,142, arld ulility paterlt n~lmber ~,28~ 14.
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Schwalbe, Design Patent no. D279,86~, is a design for a "Paint Shield For
~lectrical Outlet". The design is shaped to accommodate a single-switch bo~, with the
switch installed. It ap~ars (as a design patent, there is of course no eA~ atioll) that the
method of holding the shield on lo the outlet by magnets or tec~sses over the ~~ou~
S screws. Thus, Schwalbe will only work on single bo~es with mounting screw already
installed in the ~tandd,d place. On an empty bo~t, it will have no way to attach - an
t~lt factor in original c~n~ tion, where the plast~ling may well be done before
the electrical fittings are installed. While this design may hold well enough to remain in
place during l)ainting, the greater stresses of plaslering would tend to knock it off the
l0 outlet.
Porter, Design Patent no. D345, 142, is a design for a "Temporary Protective
Cover For An Electrical Outlet Box". This design is inlended for use in boxes without
the fixtures installed, as the conlinuous tabs will not fit over tlle broad mounting fittings
on switches or outlets. l he open finger holes allow room for plaster or paint to enter the
15 box.
Gilchrist, U.S. Patent no. 5,28S,014, is a "Paint Shield For Electrical Outlets
And Switches" which is designed to work only Witll fillly finislled electrical fi~tures,
with the coverplates installed. It attaches using prongs to plug into outlets, or in an
altemative embodiment, with a s~Iction cup to adhere to switch plates. It will not work
20 with empty electrical boxes or bo~es holding other kinds of electrical fittings (lights,
sensors, telephone jacks, etc.). In llle switch embodirnent it will not work unless the
cover plate is installed.
SUI\II\I/~RY ()F I IIF IN-'rNl l()N
Tlle invention prcsents a prolec~ive cc-ver fnr elcc~tical boxes for ~Ise dllring
25 plastering or painting. l lle cover comprises a body lla- ing a closed tc-p, an open bottom
and solid sides. The body is of a size and shape to fit a s~andard electrical box, or
combination of boxes, and the sides are of sufficient heigllt to fit over any electrical
fitting which might be installed hl the electric~l box. /~ handle is attaclle(l to the top, to
facilitate fitting and removal of the cover. Resilient or sr~rin~-lo~ded nanges are
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provided on ~,~s;"g sides of lhe open bOttOIIl, WhiCIl e~tend int~ the elec~rical bo~ and
hold the cover in place.
BRIEF DESCRII'TION OF 11~E DR~WING
Fig. I shows a ~.~eclive drawing of the invention in a single wall box embod;ment.
S Fig. 2 shows a ~,~tive drawing of the invention in a double wall bo~ embodiment.
Fig. 3 shows a piece l~f a wall witll an electrical box, showing how prior art practices
led to c~ el~ of ~he oullet by excess plaster
Fig. 4 shows a piece of a wall wi~h an electrical bo~ fter plastering with the use of the
invention.
lO Fig. S shows a bottom view of tl~e inventioll
Figs. 6 and 7 show right and lert side views of the invention
Fig. 8 and 9 show top and bottom side views of the invention
DESCRlrTION OF TIIE PREFERRED El\1BODIMENT
Tlle National Electrical Code specifies certain standard dimensions and shapes
for electrical boxes (sec~ion 370, table 370-6(a)). Tlle protective cover of the invention
will be illustrated and discussed in this specification in lhe context Or the standard 3nx2"
~single" or 3"x4" ~double" lecta,lgular electrical boxes, as these are the most
CO-IllllOllly used wall boxes, whetller for outlets, switches, telephone or cable jacks, or
some co.l,bination of these. If a greater number of fixtures are needed, standard single
- 20 or double boxes can be "g~nged ' by removal of the sides and adjacent mounling. It will
be understood lhat the cover of the hlvelltioll call be nlallllfactllred to fit any of the
standard sizes and shapes of boxes (for example 4 ' square, roulld or octagollal ceiling
bo~es, etc.) within the teachings of the inventinn
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Figure I shows how the invention is used. A standard ~single" 3"h x 2n w ~
2"deep elec~rical bo~ (1) has a double outlet (2) mounted inside. The bo~ is l,lo~ t~ to
a stud within a wall (not shown).
The cover of the invention comprises a body (3), which is in the form of a
5 ,e~ta~l~ular bo~ of the same outside ~li.,.el1sions as lhe box to be covered - in this case,
3" high by 2n wide. As can be seen in figures 5-9, the sides (51~, (52), (60), (61) of the
body (40) are solid, so as to prevent the infiltration of paint or plaster into the bo~.
Similarly, the top (42) surrace Or the body (40) must also be solid. The bottom of the
body is open, to fit over the box.
The body of the cover is made sufficient deep lo cover any fix~llre likely to beencountered - for e~ample, a BNC complller cable socket migllt e~ctend as much as t~ ",
a wall switch %" or so. In general a depth of ~ ' to 1" llas been found to be preferred
for the cover, which provides ample deptll for use of the cover with electrical boxes
with the fixtures installed. Tllus, it is not necessary for an electrician to defer installing
15 fi~tures until after plastering and ~ ting, or lo remove lllem r~rior to l)la .t~. hlg or
painting during renovation.
A handle or tab (4) is attached to the ur~per surface of the top of the body (4), so
as ~o facilitate attachment and removal of tlle cover from lhe electrical box.
Tabs (S) are provided, wllich lock against tlle inside sides of the box (I) and hold
20 lhe cover firmly in place. The ~abs should be sufficienlly deep lo extend past any
plasterboard and deeply enough into the box to lock the cover in place. As can be seen
in figures 8 and 9, the tabs (41) are preferahly somewhal hook-shaped lo enllance their
gripping abilily. Locating the tabs at tlle sides avoids interference with the mounting
screw fitting~ (for empty boxes) or mounting tabs (for boxes witll fixtures) which are
25 typically located at the top and t-ottom of the box. The tahs shollld be made relatively
small, relative to the lerlgtll of the box, so as not to interrere witll the corner mountings
in some boxes.
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Prererably, lhe entire cover is molded as a single plaslic part, and the tabs are
molded direclly into the plaslic. The resilience of the plastic will sumce to hold the tabs
into lhe box. If it is desired, however, the tabs can be made of sepa-~te pieces glued or
riveted to the sides of the body, with spring-loaded or resilient material used for the tab.
S Figure 2 shows how the cover can be a~i~"led ror use wilh a 4"wide ~c 3nhigh
double eleellical bo~ (6), in this case shown with an outlet (7) and switch (8) already
installed. The body (9) of the cover has been ~.;de~ed to fi~t the box (6). The tabs (11)
and handle (10) are similar to the single box cover.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention hereindescribed are merely illustrative of the application of the 1~ inciple~ of the invention.
Reference herein lo details of the illustrated embodiments are not intended to limit the
scope of tlle claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as esselllial to the
invention.
