Electrical box with dual-hinged cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10483737-B2
Application number	US-201916250086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

An electrical box supports one or more electrical or electronic data outlets in a cavity, with a dual-hinged door at least partially covering an opening to the cavity when the door is closed. The door is openable in either of two directions by pivoting it about either of two spaced-apart pivot axes that are defined by respective pivot arms coupled to opposite ends and opposite sides of the door, the pivot arms being further coupled at their respective proximal ends to opposite walls of the housing. A retaining feature releasably secures the door in the closed position and may provide sensory feedback to a user upon closing the door. Optionally, the door has a floating appearance in the opening to the cavity, with no direct contact existing between the door and the housing.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An outlet box with dual-hinged cover, comprising:
a housing defining an opening and comprising a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls;
a cover coupled to said housing and positionable inside said opening;
a pair of spaced-apart pivot arms at opposite sides of said cover, said pivot arms having respective distal end portions pivotably coupled to said cover at opposite ends of said cover, and said pivot arms having proximal end portions pivotably coupled to respective ones of said sidewalls; and
a retaining element at each of said first and second pivot arms and a corresponding retaining element at each of said sidewalls, wherein each of said corresponding retaining elements is configured to interact with a corresponding one of said retaining elements to releasably secure said cover in a closed position, and to provide sensory feedback to a user as said cover moves from an open position to the closed position;
wherein said cover is openable from the closed position in a first direction about a first pivot axis extending through said proximal end portion of a first of said pivot arms, and said cover is openable from the closed position in a second direction about a second pivot axis extending through said proximal end portion of a second of said pivot arms.

2. The outlet box of claim 1 , wherein said cover comprises respective first and second overhang regions at opposite sides thereof, said first and second overhang regions positioned directly over the entireties of respective ones of said first and second pivot arms when said cover is in the closed position.

3. The outlet box of claim 1 , wherein each of said retaining elements is positioned between said proximal end and said distal end of a respective one of said first and second pivot arms.

4. The outlet box of claim 3 , wherein each of said retaining elements and each of said corresponding retaining elements comprises a magnet or a magnetically permeable material.

5. The outlet box of claim 4 , wherein said first and second pivot arms define respective cavities for receiving respective ones of said retaining elements, wherein said cavities are larger than said retaining elements, and wherein said retaining elements are movable within said cavities in response to close proximity with a respective one of said corresponding retaining elements upon closing of said cover.

6. The outlet box of claim 1 , wherein said corresponding retaining elements comprise respective protrusions and said retaining elements comprise respective catches formed in said pivot arms.

7. The outlet box of claim 1 , wherein said cover is sized and shaped to fit within said opening without said cover directly contacting any portion of said housing when said cover is in the closed position.

8. The outlet box of claim 7 , wherein said cover is coupled to said housing only via said first and second pivot arms.

9. The outlet box of claim 8 , wherein said cover is continuously coupled to said housing via said first and second pivot arms in said closed position, when opened in the first direction, and when opened in the second direction.

10. The outlet box of claim 1 , wherein said cover comprises a snap-on hook at each opposite end thereof, wherein said distal ends of said pivot arms are pivotably coupled to respective ones of said snap-on hooks via respective pivot pins.

11. An outlet box with dual-hinged cover, comprising:
a housing defining an opening having first and second sides opposite one another and first and second ends opposite one another;
a cover coupled to said housing at said opening and having first and second sides opposite one another and positioned adjacent said first and second sides of said housing, respectively, when said cover is in a closed position;
an outlet support coupled to said housing below said opening, wherein access to said outlet support is limited by said cover in the closed position;
a first pivot arm at said first side of said cover and a second pivot arm at said second side of said cover, said first pivot arm having a proximal end pivotably coupled to said first side of said housing and a distal end pivotably coupled to said first side of said cover, and said second pivot arm having a proximal end pivotably coupled to said second side of said housing and a distal end pivotably coupled to said second side of said cover;
wherein said cover is pivotably openable from the closed position in a first direction about a first pivot axis defined through said proximal end of said first pivot arm and said distal end of said second pivot arm;
wherein said cover is pivotably openable from the closed position in a second direction about a second pivot axis defined through said proximal end of said second pivot arm and said distal end of said first pivot arm;
wherein said first and second pivot arms are configured to preclude pivoting of said cover about said second pivot axis when said cover is opened in said first direction, and said first and second pivot arms are configured to preclude pivoting of said cover about said first pivot axis when said cover is opened in said second direction.

12. The outlet box of claim 11 , wherein said cover comprises respective first and second overhang regions at said first and second sides, said first and second overhang regions positioned directly over the entireties of respective ones of said first and second pivot arms when said cover is in the closed position.

13. The outlet box of claim 11 , further comprising a retaining element at each of said first and second pivot arms, and a corresponding retaining element at each of said first and second sides of said housing, wherein each of said corresponding retaining element is configured to interact with a corresponding one of said retaining elements to releasably secure said door in the closed position.

14. The outlet box of claim 13 , wherein each of said retaining elements is positioned between said proximal end and said distal end of a respective one of said first and second pivot arms.

15. The outlet box of claim 13 , wherein each of said retaining elements and each of said corresponding retaining elements comprises a magnet or a magnetically permeable material.

16. The outlet box of claim 15 , wherein said first and second pivot arms define respective cavities for receiving respective ones of said retaining elements, wherein said cavities are larger than said retaining elements, and wherein said retaining elements are movable within said cavities in response to close proximity with a respective one of said corresponding retaining elements, to provide sensory feedback to a user when said cover is moved from an open position to the closed position.

17. The outlet box of claim 13 , wherein said corresponding retaining elements comprise respective protrusions and said retaining elements comprise respective catches.

18. The outlet box of claim 11 , wherein said cover is sized and shaped to fit within said opening without said cover directly contacting any portion of said housing when said cover is in the closed position.

19. The outlet box of claim 11 , wherein said cover is coupled to said housing only via said first and second pivot arms.

20. The outlet box of claim 19 , wherein said cover is continuously coupled to said housing via said first and second pivot arms in said closed position, when opened in the first direction, and when opened in the second direction.

Assignees

• Byrne Norman R
• Ruiter Joel T
• Bergendahl Peter
• Ward Joseph D
• Angulo Juan Carlos

Inventors

• Byrne Norman R
• Ruiter Joel T
• Bergendahl Peter
• Ward Joseph D
• Angulo Juan Carlos

Classifications

• H02G3/081 Primary

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title

• H02G3/14

  Fastening of cover or lid to box · CPC title