Self-Leveling Floor Outlet Cover With Dual Elevation Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor outlet covers do not effectively self-level to match the uneven surfaces of floors, leading to inconsistent positioning and potential water or dirt ingress into electrical outlets.
Innovation Solution
A self-leveling electrical outlet assembly featuring a cylindrical housing with a threaded inner surface and a rotatably coupled mounting frame. The mounting frame includes an outer disk with threaded openings and a yoke support with adjustable threaded fasteners, allowing for both rough and fine elevation adjustments to match the floor's slope or angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed positioning system is used for floor outlet covers, then the installation process is simple, but the outlet cover cannot adapt to uneven floor surfaces resulting in inconsistent positioning and potential contaminant ingress
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting frame incorporates a threaded rod that rotates within the housing, converting rotational motion into linear displacement. This dynamic adjustment mechanism allows the mounting frame to move vertically along the threaded rod, enabling adaptation to various floor elevations and slopes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the vertical position parameter of the mounting frame by rotating the threaded rod. As the threaded rod rotates, its threaded engagement with the mounting frame causes the mounting frame to move up or down, thereby adjusting the outlet cover's elevation to match the floor surface. This parameter change approach enables continuous adaptation without complex mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If a simple outlet cover design is used, then the manufacturing cost is low, but it cannot provide effective elevation adjustment resulting in poor positioning precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment systems with a simple threaded rod mechanism. The threaded engagement between the rod and mounting frame provides precise elevation control through rotational movement, achieving fine positioning without requiring multiple components or complex assembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded rod serves multiple functions: it acts as both the adjustment mechanism and the positioning element. By rotating the single threaded rod, the system achieves both rough elevation adjustment and fine positioning, eliminating the need for separate adjustment mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining precision.
3Reliability
If no adjustment mechanism is provided, then the device structure is simple, but water or dirt can enter the electrical outlet due to inconsistent positioning with the floor surface
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded rod mechanism allows the installer to self-adjust the mounting frame's elevation by simply rotating the rod during installation. The system is self-adjusting in that the continuous threaded engagement provides smooth, incremental positioning control without requiring additional tools or complex procedures, thereby ensuring proper floor alignment and protection against contaminant ingress.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-leveling floor mounted electrical outlet assembly may include a cylindrical housing with a threaded inner surface. A mounting frame may be rotatably coupled to the threaded inner surface of the cylindrical housing to adjustably position the mounting frame within the housing and provide for a rough elevation adjustment of an electrical receptacle or wiring device. The mounting frame may further comprise a first portion or outer disk comprising an edge mateably coupled with the threaded inner surface of the cylindrical housing, and a second portion or yoke support comprising at least one threaded fastener extending from the second portion to the threaded opening, the at least one threaded fastener coupled to the threaded opening to adjustably position the second portion with respect to the first portion and configured to provide for a fine elevation adjustment. A wiring device may be coupled to the second portion of the mounting frame.