Weatherproof electrical box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9537295-B2
Application number	US-201213676263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2012
Priority date	Mar 31, 2010
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

An electrical box includes a housing having a mounting plate and a housing body; and a cover rotatably mounted to the housing to cover a central opening in the mounting plate when the cover is in a closed configuration and to allow access to the central opening when the cover is in an open configuration. The housing body includes at least one chamber for receiving an electrical device mounted therein and for receiving a cable for connecting to the electrical device. The housing body is coupled to the mounting plate by a plurality of rib members to form a gap between the housing body and the mounting plate. The cover includes fluid directing elements that project downwardly from the cover and which are received within the gap between the housing body and the mounting plate when the cover is in the closed configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical box, comprising:
a housing having a mounting plate and a housing body; and
a cover rotatably mounted to the housing to cover a central opening in the mounting plate when the cover is in a closed configuration and to allow access to the central opening when the cover is in an open configuration,
wherein the housing body includes at least one chamber for receiving an electrical device mounted therein and for receiving a cable for connecting to the electrical device,
wherein the housing body is coupled to the mounting plate by a plurality of rib members to form an open gap between the housing body and the mounting plate, and
wherein the cover includes fluid directing elements that project downwardly from the cover and which are received within the gap between the housing body and the mounting plate to allow water to flow off of the cover and through the gap and away from the housing body when the cover is in the closed configuration.

2. The electrical box of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rib members are coupled to the mounting plate vertically below a top of the housing body, such that the fluid directing elements in the cover project below the top of the housing body.

3. The electrical box of claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises a cable configuration element projecting therefrom,
wherein the cable configuration element projects into the at least one chamber when the cover is in the closed configuration to retain the cable connected to the electrical device in a loop configuration.

4. The electrical box of claim 3 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises a bottom having a sloped surface to direct fluid flowing within the at least on chamber away from the electrical device.

5. The electrical box of claim 4 , wherein the bottom of the at least one chamber includes at least one opening for allowing the fluid to flow out of the at least one chamber.

6. The electrical box of claim 5 , wherein the at least one opening is positioned proximate to a loop formed in the cable and retained by the cable configuration element.

7. The electrical box of claim 4 , wherein the at least one chamber includes a splash guard element projecting upwardly from the bottom.

8. The electrical box of claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate includes a flange portion and a stiffening rim projecting from the flange portion to form the central opening.

9. The electrical box of claim 8 , wherein the housing body is coupled to the stiffening rim via the plurality of rib members.

10. The electrical box of claim 8 , wherein the flange portion comprises an angled configuration for directing fluid away from the central opening.

11. The electrical box of claim 8 , wherein the flange portion comprises a recessed portion for receiving the cover when the cover is in the closed configuration.

12. The electrical box of claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises at least one cable egress opening for permitting the cable connected to the electrical device to egress the at least one chamber.

13. The electrical box of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a latch assembly for engaging a portion of the mounting plate to secure the cover to the mounting plate in the closed configuration.

14. The electrical box of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chamber comprises a cable receiving chamber and a device mounting chamber, wherein the device mounting chamber is environmentally isolated from the cable receiving chamber, wherein the electrical device is mounted in the device mounting chamber.

15. A weatherproof electrical box, comprising:
a housing body comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the first chamber includes a front wall, side walls, a back wall, and a bottom, and wherein the second chamber is configured to receive a device mounted therein;
a mounting plate that includes a flange portion surrounding a central opening,
wherein the housing body is coupled to the mounting plate in a spaced manner by a plurality of rib members, such that an open gap is formed between the side walls of the first chamber and the mounting plate; and
a cover coupled to the mounting plate to enclose the central opening and the first chamber when in a closed position,
wherein the cover comprises a top surface and a fluid directing portion that projects downwardly from the top surface,
wherein at least a portion of the top surface of the cover extends outwardly beyond the fluid directing portion,
wherein the fluid directing portion is configured to align with the gap between the sidewalls of the first chamber and the mounting plate when the cover is in the closed position.

16. The weatherproof electrical box of claim 15 , wherein the bottom of the first chamber comprises an inclined bottom surface having at least one opening therein, wherein the inclined bottom surface is inclined in a direction toward the device to direct water flow away from the device and toward the at least one opening.

17. The weatherproof electrical box of claim 15 , wherein the cover further comprises a cable configuration element extending from a bottom of the cover and into the first chamber when the cover is in the closed configuration,
wherein the cable configuration element is configured to retain a cable connected with the device mounted in the second chamber in a looped configuration.

18. An electrical box comprising:
a mounting plate that defines a central opening therethrough,
a housing body coupled to the mounting plate and aligned within the central opening,
wherein the housing body is coupled to the mounting plate in a spaced configuration by a plurality of rib members, such that an open gap is formed between the mounting plate and the housing body; and
a cover hingedly coupled to the mounting plate, such that the cover encloses the central opening when in a closed position,
wherein the cover comprises a fluid directing portion and a cable configuration element that project downwardly from the cover,
wherein the fluid directing portion is configured to align with the gap between the housing body and the mounting plate when the cover is in the closed position, and
wherein the cable configuration element is configured to retain a cable connected to the device mounted in the second chamber in a looped configuration.

19. The electrical box of claim 18 , wherein the cover comprise at least one cable egress opening for permitting a cable coupled to a device mounted in the housing body to egress the electrical box when the cover is in the closed position.

20. The electrical box of claim 18 , wherein the housing body comprises an inclined bottom have at least one opening therein, wherein the inclined bottom is configured to direct fluid away from a device mounted in the housing body and toward the at least one opening.

Assignees

• Thomas & Betts Int
• Thomas & Betts Int Llc

Inventors

• Dinh Cong Thanh

Classifications

• H02G3/185

  Floor outlets and access cups · CPC title

• H02G3/121

  in plain walls · CPC title

• H02G3/14

  Fastening of cover or lid to box · CPC title

• H02G3/08

  Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes · CPC title

• H02G3/088 Primary

  Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets · CPC title