Water-resistant while-in-use electrical box
AssigneeThomas & Betts International, Inc.
InventorCong Thanh Dinh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical box may include a panel that is coupled to a top side of the electrical box. The panel may include a wall on one side of the panel, the wall surrounding a well, in the first panel, into a space in the electrical box. The panel may also include a cap to be placed over the wall and the well. The cap and the well may be configured to form a first bend and a second bend on a cable that extends from outside of the electrical box to an inside space of the electrical box. The first bend may include a locally lowest point on cable portions that are outside of an area under the cap.
Claims20
An electrical box, comprising:
- a housing enclosing a space and including an inner opening to the enclosed space;
- and
- a cover panel over the inner opening, the cover panel including:
- a wall projecting from one side of the cover panel, the wall surrounding a panel opening in the cover panel,
- a shielding cap, having an open side therein, to be placed over the wall and coupled to the one side of the cover panel when the electrical box is in a first configuration, and
- a sealing door to block the panel opening at the other side of the cover panel when the electrical box is in a second configuration,
- wherein the cover panel is configured to:
- cover the housing, the one side of the cover panel facing outside of the electrical box when the electrical box is in the first configuration;
- and
- cover the housing, the other side of the cover panel facing the outside of the electrical box when the electrical box is in the second configuration.
A method, comprising:
- opening a cover panel of an electrical box, the cover panel having one side with an opening surrounded by a wall projecting from the cover panel;
- inserting a cable through the opening into an enclosed space of the electrical box;
- placing the cover panel over the electrical box such that the one side faces outside of the electrical box, and
- placing a shielding cap over the wall to attach the shielding cap to the one side of the cover panel, wherein the placing the shielding cap comprises:
- pressing the shielding cap to drive a bottom edge of the shielding cap, against a first segment of the cable toward the one side of the cover panel, forming a first bend on the first segment, and
- pressing the shielding cap to push a second segment of the cable against a top of the wall, forming a second bend on the second segment;
- and
- wherein the second segment of the cable connects to a cable portion in the enclosed space of the electrical box.
An electrical box comprising:
- a panel coupled to a top side of the electrical box, the panel including:
- a wall on one side of the panel, the wall surrounding a well, in the first panel, into a space in the electrical box;
- and
- a cap to be placed over the wall and the well,
- wherein the cap and the well are configured to form a first bend and a second bend on a cable that extends from outside of the electrical box to an inside space of the electrical box, the first bend including a locally lowest point on cable portions that are outside of an area under the cap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.