Collapsible Electrical Cover With Expansion Arm
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical device covers, such as those with telescoping designs, often collapse under the weight of cords, exposing gaps that allow water and contaminants to enter, compromising their protective effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
An electrical device cover assembly featuring a base and lid with an expandable section and a pivoting arm that adjusts from a collapsed to an expanded position, supported by levered pins and wiper gaskets to maintain a watertight seal, ensuring the lid remains securely in place and resistant to water entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a telescoping cover design is used, then the cover can be compact when not in use, but the weight of cords causes the cover to collapse and expose gaps that allow water entry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an expansion arm that acts as a counterbalancing mechanism to offset the weight of cords. The expansion arm can be adjusted to different positions to provide support at various depths, preventing the lid from collapsing under cord weight while maintaining the telescoping compact design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic expansion arm that can be moved between multiple positions to adapt to different cord weights and depths. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the cover to maintain its protective function under varying load conditions while preserving its compact telescoping form when not in use.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the lid is made expandable to multiple depths, then the cover can accommodate different cord lengths, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the expansion mechanism into discrete segments with specific engagement points along the lid's path. The expansion arm engages with the lid at predetermined positions, creating a segmented support system that provides multiple depth options while keeping each individual component relatively simple and manageable.
3Reliability
If the expansion arm is added to support the lid, then water protection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion arm serves as an intermediary element between the base and the lid, providing support without requiring direct complex connections between the base and lid. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the overall structure by decoupling the support function from the main cover components while still achieving reliable water protection.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical device cover assembly configured for mounting over an electrical device is described. The electrical device cover assembly comprises a base comprising an opening large enough to receive an electrical device. A lid comprising a lid face, a lid ring, and an expansion section between the lid face and the lid ring, the lid coupled to the base and comprising an inside surface and an expansion section, the expansion section expandable from a first depth to a second depth at least twice as deep as the first depth is provided. An expansion arm moveable between a first collapsed position when the expansion section is at its first depth and an second expanded position when the expansion section is at its second depth, wherein in the second position the expansion arm is in contact with and supports the lid at its second depth is also provided.