Electrical box extension

[0001] This application claims priority from the following U.S. Provisional Patent Application, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/370,419, Wesley Gene Wegner and Paul Brett Wegner entitled, ELECTRICAL BOX EXTENSION, filed Apr. 4, 2002.

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention generally relates to electrical equipment for housing electrical devices such as switches and outlets, and particularly to electrical box extensions.

[0004] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0005] Electrical boxes are commonly used to provide electrical service at convenient locations within buildings. The electrical boxes are commonly formed of plastic or metal and are usually securely fastened by screws or nails to the framework of the building. In newly constructed buildings, the open face of the electrical box, in which an electrical device such as an outlet or switch will be mounted, is usually flush with the surface of the wall or ceiling in which it is installed.

[0006] When existing buildings are renovated or restored, it is common for renovators to lay down new sheet stock such as sheet rock, paneling, and the like, over the existing ceilings or walls. This causes the existing electrical boxes to become recessed within the wall by the thickness of the new sheet stock.

[0007] To solve this problem, box extenders of several different types have been developed. One type relies on a friction fit to hold the box extender in the existing electrical box. This extender has the disadvantage of not providing a secure attachment to the existing box, and the electrical device may slide further within the box making it hard to reach.

[0008] Another type of extender consists of an extension having walls of approximately the same configuration as the existing box and of fixed thickness. The extender is available in several thicknesses to accommodate several different sheet stock thicknesses. Although there are many thicknesses available, the extender sometimes is not of a proper thickness to bring the existing box flush with the new surface, and this creates an aesthetically undesirable appearance.

[0009] Another type of extender includes a body portion having at least one wall and open faces. The extender includes side flanges having holes that align with brackets that are connected to the electrical box. This extender is difficult to use and install as brackets must be firmly attached to the electrical box and then two screws are used to attach each flange of the extender to the electrical box.

[0010] A principal object of this invention is to extend the electrical box with a minimal number of parts that provide ready height adjustment while maintaining mechanical and structural soundness and electrical connectivity including ground, and thereby compensate for add-ons to a wall that cause depth to be added between the box or ring and the outer wall. As discussed above, a need for extension occurs when the box or ring has been placed and then tile, brick or some other wall covering is added thereby causing the screw mounts to be recessed within the wall.

[0011] An electrical box extension comprised of a tubular sleeve with a plurality of fastening brackets, an electrical box adaptor plate with a plurality fastening brackets and one or more elevating fasteners such as double reverse screws for mechanically and electrically connecting the tubular sleeve and the adaptor plate via the fasteners and brackets thereby providing sufficient mechanical resistance to support the adjustable elevation of the tubular sleeve and providing a flush surface for surface mounted sockets, switches and their associated plates.

[0012] For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a top view of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention mounted on an electrical box.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a top view of the present invention mounted on an electrical box; and

[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention mounted on an electrical box.

[0018] The extension, or sliding tubular member, is an attached, adjustable addition to the ring, box, or adapting member. While the drawings reflect a box ring, the invention may be embodied with an electrical box made of plastic, metal, ceramic or combinations thereof. In addition, the term electrical box is used generically to refer to grounded electrical housing of three-diminsional shapes including boxes of rectangular sides, boxes of square sides, and boxes of cylindrical shapes with circular or oval tops and bottoms.

[0019] The preferred embodiment has at least two sets of mounting brackets, preferably placed in each of two diametrically opposed corners. Additional sets of mounting brackets may be required depending primarily upon the ring/box size. One bracket is placed at the base of the ring and extends into the open portion of the ring. The second bracket is placed approximately midway between the base and top of the ring. These each have a tapped entry for a left/right thread screw. By turning either screw, the extension can be elevated or lowered such that the outer edge can match the wall surface. The design of the brackets and screw mounting effects a solid ground and satisfies the electrical grounding requirements.

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates the screw mounting plates 6 of the present invention that are placed such that a reverse thread screw 3 functions with at least two brackets, a upper bracket 4 and a lower bracket 5, to lower and raise the extension 2 relative to the ring 1. While a reverse thread screw is shown as the preferred fastener, other fasteners of adjustable height that provide mechanical and electrical connectivity may be substituted. The extension is preferably a tubular member with a transversal shape that is substantially rectangular. The transversal shape may also be circular, oval or multifaceted. The switch/plug screw plates 6 can be a part of the extension 2 or the extension 2 can be embodied alternatively such that the end portions of the extension 2 fit about the plates 6. In the preferred embodiment, the lower bracket 5 is fixedly attached to the ring 1. Alternatively, the lower bracket 5 may be fixedly attached to an electrical box (not shown).

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which the screws 3 fit into each of the mounting brackets. The lower bracket 5 is fixedly attached to the ring 1. The upper bracket 4 is fixedly attached to the extension 2. By turning the one or more screws 3, the extension 2 rises or falls depending upon the turn of the one or more screws 3.

[0022] FIGS. 3-5 illustrate the present invention from various perspectives as it is mounted on an electrical box 7. FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of the present invention mounted on an electrical box 7. The extension 2 is shown within the flange of the ring 1. A screw 3 is visible mechanically connecting the extension 2 to the ring 1 by way of a lower bracket 5 fixedly attached to the ring 1 and an upper bracket 4 fixedly attached to the extension 2. The upper and lower brackets are also referred to as a set or pair of brackets 4 and 5. FIG. 4 provides a top view of the present invention mounted on an electrical box and shows the preferred embodiment with a screw 3 and pair of brackets 4 and 5 diagonally opposed from a second screw 3 and pair of brackets. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention mounted on an electrical box and illustrated the typical travel of the extension 2 relative to the remaining screw thread.

[0023] Rather than the one or more lower brackets 5 being fixedly attached to the ring 1, they can instead be fixedly attached to the box 7. The extension 2 remains in electrical and mechanical contact with the box by way of the one or more screws 3 as disclosed above. Depending on the dimensions of the box 7, a ring 1 thereby becomes optional in this alternative embodiment.

[0024] Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims.

[0025] The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.

[0026] The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result.

[0027] In addition to the equivalents of the claimed elements, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.

[0028] The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention.