US 5,317,108 A · Weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly

Abstract

A gasketless weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly includes a cover plate with a top wall and an aperture for exposing an electrical device and a door having a top wall which is hingedly connected to the cover plate top wall. The hinged connection includes at least one hook projecting up from the cover plate top wall, each hook having a slot extending into the space under the hook. The hinge connection also includes at least one laterally extending hinge pin on the door for pivotal engagement in the space under a hook on the cover plate through the slot therein so that the door can swing between a closed position wherein the cover covers the aperture in the cover plate to an open position wherein the door is swung away from the cover plate to expose that aperture. A cam is provided on the top wall of the door which is shaped to shift the door relative to the plate when the door is moved beyond a selected amount toward its closed position so that each hinge pin is raised above the corresponding hook slot. Preferably, each hinge pin is flattened so that it cannot be slid through the hook slot unless the door is in its fully open position. Interfitting latch members may be provided at the bottoms of the cover plate and door, respectively, which members interfit when the door is in its closed position to latch the door in that position.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly comprising

a cover plate having a top wall and at least one aperture for exposing an electrical device behind the cover plate;
a door having a top wall;
at least one first hinge means projecting up from the cover plate top wall, said first hinge means including laterally extending hook means defining a space between the hook means and the top wall of the cover plate and means defining a slot extending into said space, and
at least one second hinge means on the top wall of said door, said second hinge means including a laterally extending hinge pin for pivotal engagement in said space through said slot so that the door can swing between a closed position wherein the door overlies said aperture and an open position wherein the door is swung away from the cover plate to expose said aperture, and cam means on the top wall of said door and engaging the top wall of the cover plate, said cam means being shaped to shift said door relative to said cover plate when the door is moved by more than a selected amount from said open toward said closed position so that the hinge pin cannot escape from the hook means through said slot.

1 more element

A weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly comprising

a box-like cover plate having a top wall, a rear wall containing at least one aperture for exposing an electrical device behind the plate and an open front;
a box-like door having a top wall and an open rear, said cover plate and door being dimensioned such that the door can overlap so as to close the open front of the cover plate;
a pair of laterally spaced apart hinge members projecting up from the top wall of the cover plate, each hinge member including
an ear having opposite sides,
a rearwardly facing hook integral to one side of said ear and having a front wall,
a forwardly facing hook integral to the other side of said ear and having a rear wall, and
means defining a slot in said hook rear wall;
a pair of laterally spaced apart hinge structures in the top wall of said door, each hinge structure including
a pair of laterally extending collinear pins whose opposing ends are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a said ear, the pairs of pins of said hinge structure being adapted to bracket said ears so that the pins opposite the forwardly facing hooks can slide through said slots and engage under the forwardly facing hooks allowing the pins opposite the rearwardly facing hooks to engage against said front walls thereof forming a pair of pivotal connections between the door and the cover plate which permit the door to swing between a closed position wherein the door covers the open front of the cover plate and an open position wherein the door is swung away from the cover plate to expose said aperture.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly

Life of this patent

Weather-resistant electrical outlet cover assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16