Universal Water-Resistant Hinged-Lid Cover for Electrical Outlet Boxes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical outlet box covers are not interchangeable due to varying shapes and sizes, requiring a large inventory of face plates or covers, and often struggle with water resistance and orientation-specific installations, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A universal water-resistant cover with a hinged lid and ridge design that accommodates multiple types of electrical fixtures, using an adapter plate and gasket for alignment and sealing, allowing for easy installation in either vertical or horizontal orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional face plates or covers are used for different electrical fixtures, then each fixture type requires a specific cover design, but this results in the need for a large inventory of interchangeable covers and increased costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal cover design with a standardized opening that can accommodate multiple types of electrical fixtures including duplex receptacles, GFCI receptacles, switches, and round receptacles. The cover includes a removable insert plate that can be configured with different opening patterns to match various fixture types, allowing a single cover body to serve multiple functions and eliminate the need for maintaining large inventories of different cover styles.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is divided into modular components: a main cover body with a standardized opening, and removable insert plates with different opening patterns. This segmentation allows the insert plates to be changed based on the fixture type while the main cover body remains the same, reducing inventory complexity while maintaining adaptability to different fixtures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If adapter plates are mechanically mounted to the back of the cover to accommodate different fixtures, then multiple fixture types can be supported, but alignment between the adapter plate, cover, electrical fixture, and outlet box becomes difficult requiring several adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The insert plate is pre-configured with opening patterns that match specific fixture types before installation. The openings in the insert plate are pre-positioned to align with the fixture openings, and the insert plate includes pre-formed tabs that engage with corresponding slots in the cover body, establishing proper alignment before the cover is mounted to the outlet box.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert plate acts as an intermediary element between the cover body and the electrical fixture. It provides a standardized interface that mediates the connection between the universal cover and various fixture types, simplifying the alignment process by eliminating the need for multiple adjustments during installation.
3Reliability
If a loose gasket is used between the cover and outlet box during mounting, then the cover can be installed, but accurate positioning and holding of the gasket becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible gasket made of elastomeric material is used to provide a water-resistant seal between the cover and the outlet box. The gasket's flexibility allows it to conform to slight variations in the mating surfaces while maintaining an effective seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket is integrated with the insert plate by forming it as an integral part of the insert plate assembly. This merging of the gasket with the insert plate ensures that the gasket is automatically positioned and held in the correct location during cover installation, eliminating the difficulty of positioning a loose gasket separately.
4Reliability
If exterior outlet boxes are constructed to be water resistant, then protection against water accumulation is provided, but the cover must be fitted to the electrical fixture with specific opening sizes and shapes to establish a water-tight seal
Solution Approach 1:
The cover system is segmented into a universal cover body with a standardized opening and removable insert plates with different opening patterns. This segmentation allows the insert plate to be changed to match various fixture types while the main cover body and its water-resistant sealing features remain the same, maintaining both adaptability and water resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal cover body with its standardized opening and integrated gasket provides a consistent water-resistant seal for all fixture types. The insert plates are designed to work with this universal cover body, allowing the same water-resistant sealing mechanism to function across multiple fixture configurations without requiring different cover designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A water-resistant cover for an electrical outlet box generally includes a base and a lid hingedly coupled to the base. The base has a ridge surrounding a substantial periphery of the base, wherein the ridge includes a top wall, an outer side wall extending downwardly from the top wall and an inner side wall extending downwardly from the top wall. The inner side wall defines a recessed portion of the base and an opening in the recessed portion. The lid is received in the recessed portion in a closed position to cover the opening, wherein the ridge prevents water from entering the opening whether the cover is oriented horizontally or vertically.