# US 5,710,392 A · Electrical outlet box assembly having a removable cover > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,710,392 A - Document ID: US5710392A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/543,645 - Filed: 1995-10-16 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1995-10-16 - Assignees: Thomas & Betts Corporation - Inventors: Mark A. Bordwell; James A. Feeney, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710392A ## CPC - H02G 3/14: Fastening of cover or lid to box - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract An improved electrical outlet box assembly includes an outlet box and a cover. The outlet box includes a bottom wall and a sidewall perimetrically bounding the bottom wall and an open upper end. The sidewall supports a pair of diametrically opposed ear lugs. Each ear lug has a pair of ears integrally formed therewith extending inwardly into the interior of the box. The ears secure a fastening element. The cover is removably frictionally engagable with the box and provides a closure for the open upper end of the box. The cover includes a generally planar surface with a pair of diametrically opposed dome-shaped protrusions extending from the top surface of the cover. The protrusions are positioned on the cover such that they align with the ears and accommodate the fastening elements therein. The cover further includes a pair of locking members extending from the bottom surface of the cover and which are frictionally engagable with the ears thereby holding the cover onto the outlet box. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical outlet box assembly comprising: an outlet box having a bottom wall, an upwardly extending sidewall perimetrically bounding said bottom wall, an open upper end defining a box interior therein and a first pair of opposed ears, each ear being secured to said sidewall and extending inwardly towards said box interior, each ear of said first pair including a mounting hole therethrough adapted to threadedly support a screw for mounting electrical fixtures to said outlet box; and an outlet box cover removably positionable over said open upper end of said box, said cover having a generally planar top and bottom surface and a pair of locking members disposed on said bottom surface of said cover, said locking members being frictionally engagable with said ears for frictionally retaining said cover on said box, said cover further including a pair of opposed indentations extending upwardly from said top surface of said cover and disposed on said cover such that each indentation aligns with said mounting hole for accommodating said screws supported by said ears. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said ears of said first pair include a bottom surface, said locking members frictionally engaging said bottom surface of said ears when the cover is placed onto said box. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 1, wherein said locking members are disposed adjacent to said indentations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 1, wherein said box further includes a second pair of ears rigidly secured to said sidewall between said first pair of ears and said bottom wall and extending inwardly toward said box interior, each of said second ears having a receiving hole therethrough, each of said receiving holes being axially aligned with one of said mounting holes, for permitting non-engageable passage of said screws therethrough. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 1, wherein said cover further includes a handle upwardly extending from said top surface of said cover for providing a gripping area to effect manual removal of said cover from said box. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 5, wherein said handle further comprises a handle indentation formed in said bottom surface of said cover. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 1, wherein said cover is transparent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 1, wherein said cover is a vacuum formed plastic member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 4, wherein said box further includes a pair of ear lugs, each of said ear lugs integrally supporting one of said first ears and one of said second ears, said first and second ears of each of said lugs being spaced apart and separated by a web mounted exteriorly of said sidewall of said box. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 1, wherein said cover includes a perimetric skirt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 10, wherein said sidewall of said box further comprises a top rim adjacent to said upper end; and said cover further includes a U-shaped channel perimetrically bounding said cover, said skirt forming an outer wall of said channel, said channel being sufficiently sized to accommodate said rim therein. ### Claim 12 An electrical outlet box assembly comprising: an outlet box having a bottom wall, a upwardly extending sidewall perimetrically bounding said bottom wall, an open upper end defining a box interior therein, and a pair of opposed lugs secured to said sidewall, each lug having first and second ears extending inwardly towards said box interior, said first and second ears each having a hole therethrough with each of said holes of said first and second ears being axially aligned to receive and support a mounting screw extending therethrough; and an outlet box cover removably positionable over said open upper end of said box, said cover having a generally planar top and bottom surface, a skirt extending thereabout, and a pair of opposed locking members frictionally engagable with said first ears for frictionally retaining said cover on said box, said cover further including a pair of opposed indentations extending upwardly from said top surface of said cover and disposed on said cover such that each indentation aligns with said axially aligned holes of each lug for accommodating said mounting screws supported by said first and second ears. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 12, wherein said holes of each of said first ears are threaded to threadedly engage said mounting screw and said holes of each of said second ears are unthreaded to non-engagingly accommodate said mounting screw therethrough. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 12, wherein each of said lugs further includes a web extending between and separating said first and second ears. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 14, wherein said lug is secured to said box sidewall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) An electrical outlet box assembly of claim 14, wherein said web is secured to an exterior surface of said sidewall. ### Claim 17 An electrical outlet box assembly comprising: an outlet box having a bottom wall, an upwardly extending sidewall perimetrically bounding said bottom wall, an open upper end defining a box interior therein, said side wall of said box further including a top rim adjacent to said upper end; a first pair of opposed ears, each ear being secured to said sidewall and extending inwardly towards said box interior; and an outlet box cover removably positionable over said open upper end of said box, said cover having a generally planar top and bottom surface and a pair of locking members disposed on said bottom surface of said cover, said locking members being frictionally engagable with said ears for retaining said cover on said box, said cover further including a U-shaped channel perimetrically bounding said cover, and a perimetric skirt extending about said cover forming an outer wall of said channel, said channel being sufficiently sized to accommodate said rim therein. ### Claim 18 An electrical outlet box assembly comprising: an outlet box having a bottom wall, an upwardly extending sidewall perimetrically bounding said bottom wall, an open upper end defining a box interior therein and a first pair of opposed ears, each ear being secured to said sidewall and extending inwardly towards said box interior, each ear of said first pair including a mounting hole therethrough adapted to threadedly support a screw for mounting electrical fixtures to said outlet box; and an outlet box cover removably positionable over said open upper end of said box, said cover having a generally planar top and bottom surface and a pair of locking members disposed on said bottom surface of said cover said locking members being engagable with said ears for retaining said cover on said box, said cover further including a pair of opposed indentations extending upwardly from said top surface of said cover and disposed on said cover such that each indentation aligns with said mounting hole for accommodating said screws supported by said ears.