Temporary and disposable electrical box cover

[0001] This invention relates to temporary covers for electrical boxes and specifically to temporary and disposable cover that protects an electrical box from spatter and overrun encountered when stucco mud is applied to the area surrounding the electrical box.

[0002] Buildings are commonly covered with stucco, especially in hot areas such as the Southeastern and Southwestern areas of the United States. Typically the building framework is first erected. Electrical services are then typically installed to the framework so that each receptacle, light fixture, and other electrical device can be mounted securely to an exposed stud or beam. Electrical wiring is then completed to each device and a substrate installed to cover the framework. Stucco is then typically spread over the substrate to provide a pleasing finished surface for the building.

[0003] Unfortunately, stucco frequently sticks to items other than the intended substrate, such as the electrical boxes that have been mounted in the substrate. Thus, during the application of stucco to the substrate, the installer must slow down and take care not to get stucco on the exposed portion of the electrical box. Many outdoor electrical boxes include a permanent cover to protect the electrical device installed within from weather such as snow or rain. Stucco installers then, as a result of spreading mud around the electrical box, frequently create spatter or overruns that contaminate the exposed portions of the electrical box or the permanent cover. Once the stucco cures, the spatter or overrun is not easily removed and this leads to an unsightly electrical box installation.

[0004] Some stucco installers apply masking tape around the outer portion of the electrical box to limit the portions of the box exposed to the stucco mud. This is not entirely satisfactory as it slows down the job and it is difficult to properly cover the entire permanent cover and exposed portions of the electrical box. Additional time is lost when the installer must later return and remove all of the tape from the electrical box and from the permanent cover.

[0005] What is needed therefore is a device to temporarily cover an electrical box and its permanent cover. The device should be capable of being manufactured at a low cost per unit, as it will be temporary and disposed of after the stucco wall has cured. The device should also be easy to install and easy to remove from the electrical box.

[0006] The invention is a temporary and disposable cover for an electrical box. The cover includes a faceplate, a sidewall, and flexible tabs projecting inwardly from the sidewall. When placed upon an electrical box with a permanent cover, the flexible tabs seat behind the sidewalls of the permanent cover and hold the temporary cover to the electrical box. While seated upon the electrical box, the temporary cover protects the permanent cover and the forward portion of the electrical box from spatter, overruns, or any other misdirected applications of stucco mud to the surface surrounding the electrical box. After the stucco has cured, the temporary cover is simply disposed of. The temporary cover can be produced at low cost, thereby allowing it to be disposed of after the stucco has been cured.

[0007] One advantage of the temporary and disposable electrical box cover is that it protects the permanent cover and the forward portion of the electrical box from spatter, overruns, or other stucco contamination during the stucco application step.

[0008] Another advantage provided by the temporary and disposable electrical box cover is that it can be produced at low cost, allowing it to be disposable after it is used.

[0009] A further advantage provided by the temporary and disposable electrical box cover is that it enables the stucco installers to complete the stucco application in less time, as they will not need to slow down during application of stucco mud around the electrical box.

[0021]

Table of Nomenclature
21) The following is a listing of part numbers used in the drawings along
with a brief description:
Part Number	Description
20	temporary and disposable electrical box cover
22	faceplate
24	rear surface of faceplate
26	faceplate sidewall
28	inner surface of faceplate sidewall
30	outer surface of faceplate sidewall
32	edge of faceplate sidewall
34	flexible tab
36	latch of electrical box
38	extension
40	front surface of faceplate
42	forward surface of flexible tab
44	electrical box with permanent cover
45	wall
46	permanent cover
47	back edge of permanent cover
48	sidewall of permanent cover
50	sidewall of electrical box
52	flange
54	directional arrow
56	holes in flange
58	substrate
60	stucco layer
70	electrical box
72	sidewall of electrical box
74	front edge of electrical box
76	outer surface of electrical box
78	recess in outer surface of electrical box
80	directional arrow
82	juncture of sidewall and faceplate
θ	angle of sidewall of temporary cover with respect to the
	faceplate
d1	first distance from forward surface of tab to rear surface of
	faceplate
d2	distance flexible tabs extend from inner surface of faceplate
	sidewall
d3	clearance between flexible tabs laterally across temporary
	cover
d4	clearance between flexible tabs longitudinally across
	temporary cover
d5	distance sidewall of temporary cover extends from faceplate
d6	distance of recess from front edge of electrical box

[0022] The present invention comprises a temporary and disposable cover for use in protecting an electrical box mounted on a building that will be finished with stucco. The cover prevents spatter and overrun from contaminating the permanent cover and the outer portion of the electrical box that will extend outwards from the stucco wall surface.

[0023] With reference to a preferred embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the temporary and disposable electrical box cover 20 includes a faceplate 22 with a rear surface 24. A sidewall 26 is integral with and extends rearward from the faceplate 22. The faceplate sidewall 26 includes an inner surface 28, an outer surface 30, and an edge 32. A plurality of flexible and resilient tabs 34 extend inwardly from the inner surface 28 of the faceplate sidewall 26. The cover 20 further includes an extension 38 from the outer surface 30 of the faceplate sidewall 26 to enable the cover 20 to clear outward extending portions of an electrical box, such as the latch 36 shown in FIG. 6, that it will be used in conjunction with.

[0024] Referring to the sectional view of the temporary and disposable cover 20 in FIG. 3, the faceplate 22 further includes a front surface 40. Each of the flexible tabs 34 includes a forward surface 42 facing the rear surface 24 of the faceplate 22. The forward surface 42 of each flexible tab 34 is located a first distance d₁ from the rear surface 24 of the faceplate 22. Preferably, the flexible tabs 34 extend between 0.05 and 0.07 inch from the inner surface 28 of the sidewall 26 of the faceplate 22, indicated by distance d₂ in FIG. 2.

[0025] Reference to the front view of the cover 20 in FIG. 4 shows that the faceplate 22 is substantially rectangular-shaped for use with a conventional rectangular-shaped electrical box such as that shown in FIG. 8. The temporary and disposable cover of the present invention is not however limited to a rectangular shape as other shapes can be formed to cover electrical boxes of other shapes, such as circular-shaped boxes.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 6, the temporary and disposable cover 20 of the present invention is used for protecting an electrical box 44 after it is secured to a wall 45 and during the installation of stucco wall covering (not shown) around the box. An electrical box 44 for exterior use typically includes a permanent cover 46 having sidewalls 48 as shown in FIG. 6. The sidewalls 48 of the permanent cover 46 include a back edge 47. The electrical box 44 also includes sidewalls 50 and may include a flange 52 for use in securing the electrical box 44 to the wall 45. An electrical box as shown in FIG. 6 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,956,171, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0027] Preferably, the temporary and disposable cover 20 of the present invention is formed from a sheet of plastic resin material in a vacuum thermoforming process. Any conventional plastic resin for thermoforming may be used to construct the cover including polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, or polypropylene. Preferably, the disposable cover is thermoformed to a thickness of between 6 and 12 mils, thereby enabling the cover to be flexible and resilient.

[0028] To operate the present invention, the temporary and disposable cover 20 is simply pressed forwards, in the direction of the arrows 54 in FIG. 6, upon the permanent cover 46 and the electrical box 44. Being thermoformed of plastic, the faceplate 22, sidewall 26, and flexible tabs 34 are of generally the same thickness and the flexible tabs 34 are resilient and capable of being deformed. The clearance between the flexible tabs 34 on the cover 20, depicted by distances d₃ and d₄ in FIG. 4, is less than the distance across the permanent cover 46 on the electrical box 44 in the respective lateral and longitudinal directions. As the cover 20 is pressed upon the electrical box 44, the flexible tabs 34 are biased outwardly by the sidewalls 48 of the permanent cover 46.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 7, after the flexible tabs 34 clear the back edge 47 of the permanent cover 46, the flexible tabs 34 snap inwardly to their unbiased positions and thereby hold the temporary cover 20 on the electrical box 44. Pushing the temporary cover 20 fully upon the electrical box 44 therefore enables the forward surfaces 42 of the flexible tabs 34 to snap inwardly and engage the sidewalls 48 of the permanent cover 46 thereby holding the temporary cover 20 on the electrical box 44. The preferred thickness of the cover enables the cover to be manufactured at a low cost and also contributes greatly to the flexibility and resiliency of the flexible tabs 34.

[0030] Preferably, the sidewall 26 of the temporary cover 20 extends between 0.60 and 0.80 inch from the rear surface 24 of the faceplate 22, indicated by distance d₅ in FIG. 7. Thus the sidewall 26 of the temporary cover 20 acts as a skirt to prevent stucco mud (not shown) from contaminating the permanent cover 46 and the forward portion of the sidewalls 50 of the electrical box 44. The temporary cover 20 therefore protects the portion of the electrical box sidewalls 50 that is beyond the eventual intended layer of stucco.

[0031] FIG. 8 depicts in perspective view an electrical junction box 44 of the type having a permanent cover 46. Although the electrical box 44 shown includes a flange 52, the temporary cover 20 would also work equally well to cover a non-flanged electrical box of the type having a permanent cover as described herein. The flanged electrical box 44 as depicted in FIG. 8 includes a flange 52 having a plurality of holes 56 which will facilitate the adhesion of stucco (not shown) to the flange 52. This type of electrical box, which is designed specifically for stucco applications, includes boxes designated Dry Box Vertical Masonry/Stucco Single Gang with Clear Cover (DBVM1C) and Dry Box Vertical Masonry/Stucco Single Gang with White Cover (DBVM1W), and are available from Arlington Industries of Scranton, Pa.

[0032] After the temporary and disposable cover 20 of the present invention is secured to the electrical box 44, as shown in FIG. 9, the cover 20 protects the permanent cover 46 and the forward portion of the electrical box sidewalls 50 that is expected to be beyond the eventual applied layer of stucco. The cover 20 may be produced of either clear or opaque plastic. FIG. 9 depicts an electrical box 44 covered and protected by a clear temporary cover 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the temporary cover 20 can also be constructed of opaque plastic.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 9, the sidewall 26 of the temporary cover 20 extends around the entire periphery of the faceplate 22, thereby enabling the cover 20 to grasp and hold securely onto the electrical box 44 after it is pushed thereon. As a result of the sidewall extending around 100% of the periphery of the faceplate 22 and 100% of the periphery of the permanent cover 46 and the electrical box 44, the temporary cover 20 cannot be easily shifted or knocked off the box without intent to do so. However, the disposable cover 20 can be easily removed when required, as it is releasable by grasping the temporary cover 20 behind the edge 32 of the sidewall 26 and pulling outwards from the electrical box 44.

[0034] To further assist the holding action of the temporary cover 20 to the electrical box 44, as shown in FIG. 6, the sidewall 26 of the temporary cover 20 is not normal with respect to the faceplate 22 but is flared outwards at an angle 0 preferably of between 2 and 5 degrees from normal or perpendicular with the faceplate 22. Additionally, the inner dimensions across the temporary cover 20 at the juncture 82 of the sidewall 26 and the faceplate 22 are generally equal to the outer dimension across the permanent cover 26. Therefore, when the cover 20 is pushed fully upon the permanent cover 26, there is a tight fit of the temporary cover 20 upon the permanent cover 26.

[0035] With reference to FIG. 10, the electrical box 44 is shown mounted to the substrate layer 58 of a building and depicts a portion of the stucco layer 60 that has been applied to the substrate 58. The temporary and disposable cover 20 can remain in place on the electrical box 44 until the stucco has cured.

[0036] The temporary and disposable electrical box cover 20 can also be used to for an electrical box 70 that does not include a permanent cover, as shown in FIG. 11. Electrical box 70 includes sidewalls 72, a front edge 74, an outer surface 76 on the sidewalls 72, and one or more recesses 78 in the outer surface 76 of the sidewalls 72. The recesses 78 are located a distance d₆ from the front edge 74 of the electrical box 70. This distance d₆ is generally equal to the first distance d₁ from the forward surface 42 of the flexible tab 34 to rear surface 24 of the faceplate 22 (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 11 and described herein). Therefore, when the temporary cover 20 is pushed in the direction of the arrows 80 in FIG. 11 upon the electrical box 70, the flexible tabs 34 will snap inwardly and the forward surfaces 42 of the tabs 34 will engage the corresponding recess 78 of the electrical box 70 thereby securing the temporary cover 20 to the electrical box 70.

[0037] After the stucco is installed completely around the periphery of the electrical box as described herein, the temporary cover 20 is simply disposed of. The permanent cover of the electrical box is then available to protect the interior electrical device against weather elements such as snow and rain.

[0038] Having thus described the invention with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited by the description herein but is defined as follows by the appended claims.