초록 ▼

A water-resistant cover assembly for an electrical outlet box includes a gasket sized to substantially cover the open side of the electrical outlet box, an adapter plate and a cover adapted to engage the mounting screw of the electrical fixture for mounting the cover to the outlet box. The adapter p

A water-resistant cover assembly for an electrical outlet box includes a gasket sized to substantially cover the open side of the electrical outlet box, an adapter plate and a cover adapted to engage the mounting screw of the electrical fixture for mounting the cover to the outlet box. The adapter plate has an opening sized and shaped to receive a portion of the electrical fixture therein, and further includes a projection extending from a back face thereof. The projection pierces through the gasket to be frictionally held thereto and has a size adapted to be received in the aperture of the electrical fixture for aligning the adapter plate and the gasket thereto. The cover has an opening for providing access to the electrical fixture and is adapted to sandwich the adapter plate and the gasket against the electrical fixture when mounted to the outlet box.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A water-resistant cover assembly for an electrical outlet box having an open side and an electrical fixture contained therein, the electrical fixture including an aperture and a mounting screw for attaching the fixture to the outlet box, the cover assembly comprising: a gaske

What is claimed is: 1. A water-resistant cover assembly for an electrical outlet box having an open side and an electrical fixture contained therein, the electrical fixture including an aperture and a mounting screw for attaching the fixture to the outlet box, the cover assembly comprising: a gasket sized to substantially cover the open side of the electrical outlet box; an adapter plate having an opening sized and shaped to receive a portion of the electrical fixture therein, said adaptor plate further including at least one projection extending from a back face thereof, said projection piercing through said gasket to be frictionally held thereto and having a size adapted to be received in the aperture of the electrical fixture for aligning said adapter plate and said gasket thereto; and a cover adapted to engage the mounting screw of the electrical fixture for mounting said cover to the outlet box, said cover having an opening for providing access to the electrical fixture and being adapted to sandwich said adapter plate and said gasket against the electrical fixture when mounted to the outlet box. 2. A cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said adapter plate is not attached to the electrical fixture. 3. A cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said gasket includes a perforation for allowing a portion of said gasket to be removed, thereby forming an opening, said opening being sized and shaped to receive the portion of the electrical fixture therein. 4. A cover assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said gasket includes two duplex perforations which are sized to form openings to receive two outlets of a duplex receptacle, a centrally disposed rectangular toggle switch perforation which is sized to form an opening to receive a lever of a toggle switch and at least one circular perforation which is sized to form an opening to receive a circular outlet of a round receptacle. 5. A cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said gasket includes a projection aperture located to match the location of said adapter plate projection, said projection aperture frictionally engaging said adapter plate projection. 6. A cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said gasket includes a receptacle mounting screw aperture located to match the location of the mounting screw of the electrical fixture, said receptacle mounting screw aperture gripping the mounting screw and forming a water-tight seal thereat. 7. A cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said adapter plate is defined by an outer periphery and said opening in said cover is defined by an inner periphery, said inner periphery of said opening being smaller than said outer periphery of said adapter plate. 8. A cover assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said adapter plate includes an outwardly extending ear provided on a peripheral edge thereof, and wherein said opening of said cover is defined by an edge perimeter surface, said edge perimeter surface of said cover engaging said outwardly extending ear to sandwich said adapter plate against the electrical fixture. 9. A kit for enclosing an electrical outlet box having an open side, the kit comprising: a universal gasket sized to substantially cover the open side of the electrical outlet box; a first adapter plate having an outer peripheral edge region and two receptacle openings sized and shaped to receive outlets of a duplex receptacle therein, said first adapter plate further including a projection extending from a back face thereof, said projection having a size adapted to pierce through said gasket to be frictionally held thereto and be received in an aperture of the duplex receptacle for aligning said adapter plate thereto; a second adapter plate having an outer peripheral edge region and an opening sized and shaped to receive a portion of at least one of a toggle switch and a round receptacle therein, said second adapter plate further including at least one projection extending from a back face thereof, said projection having a size adapted to pierce through said gasket to be frictionally held thereto and be received in an aperture of one of the toggle switch and round receptacle for aligning said adapter plate thereto; and a cover sized to substantially surround the electrical fixture mounted to the outlet box, said cover having an opening defined by an inner peripheral edge surface, said inner peripheral edge surface of said cover being adapted to abut the outer peripheral edge region of a selected one of said first and second adapter plates to sandwich said selected adapter plate against one of the duplex receptacle, the toggle switch or the round receptacle contained within the electrical outlet box. 10. A kit as defined in claim 9, wherein said gasket includes a perforation for allowing a portion of said gasket to be removed, thereby forming an opening, said opening being sized and shaped to receive the portion of the electrical fixture therein. 11. A kit as defined in claim 10, wherein said gasket includes two duplex perforations which are sized to form openings to receive two outlets of a duplex receptacle, a centrally disposed rectangular toggle switch perforation which is sized to form an opening to receive a lever of a toggle switch and at least one circular perforation which is sized to form an opening to receive a circular outlet of a round receptacle. 12. A kit as defined in claim 9, wherein said gasket includes a projection aperture located to match the location of said adapter plate projection, said projection aperture frictionally engaging said adapter plate projection. 13. A kit as defined in claim 9, wherein said gasket includes a receptacle mounting screw aperture located to match the location of the mounting screw of the electrical fixture, said receptacle mounting screw aperture gripping the mounting screw and forming a water-tight seal thereat. 14. A kit as defined in claim 9, wherein said outer peripheral edge region of said first and second adapter plates includes an outwardly extending ear, said inner peripheral edge surface of said cover being adapted to engage said outwardly extending ear to sandwich said selected adapter plate. 15. A kit as defined in claim 9, wherein said first adapter plate includes a single, centrally disposed projection adapted to be received in a centrally disposed aperture of the duplex receptacle. 16. A kit as defined in claim 9, wherein said second adapter plate includes a centrally disposed rectangular opening formed therein and adapted to receive a toggle member of a toggle switch therethrough. 17. A kit as defined in claim 16, wherein said second adapter plate further includes a circular, discontinuous slot formed therethrough around said rectangular opening, said discontinuous slot permitting a circular portion of said adapter plate to be frangibly removed to form a circular opening in said second adapter plate adapted to receive a circular outlet of a round receptacle. 18. A kit as defined in claim 9, wherein said second adapter plate includes two projections extending from said back face thereof, said projections being disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of said second adapter plate. 19. A water-resistant electrical outlet box assembly comprising: an electrical outlet box having an open side; an electrical fixture contained within said electrical outlet box, said electrical fixture including an aperture and a mounting screw for attaching said fixture to said outlet box; a universal gasket substantially covering said open side of said electrical outlet box; an adapter plate having an opening, said opening receiving a portion of said electrical fixture therein, said adaptor plate further including a projection extending from a back face thereof, said projection piercing through said gasket to be frictionally held thereto and being received in said aperture of said electrical fixture for aligning said adapter plate and said gasket thereto; and a cover mounted to said electrical outlet box, said cover engaging said mounting screw of said electrical fixture and having an opening for providing access to said electrical fixture, wherein said cover sandwiches said adapter plate and said gasket against said electrical fixture. 20. An electrical outlet box assembly as defined in claim 19, wherein said adapter plate is not attached to said electrical fixture. 21. A method for covering an electrical fixture within an electrical outlet box having the electrical fixture contained therein, the method comprising the steps of: inserting a projection formed on a back face of an adaptor plate through a gasket whereby said adaptor plate is frictionally held to said gasket, said adapter plate having an opening adapted to receive a portion of the electrical fixture therethrough; aligning said adaptor plate and said gasket to the electrical fixture by inserting said projection in an aperture provided in the electrical fixture; and mounting a cover to the outlet box, said cover having an opening defined by an inner peripheral edge surface, said inner peripheral edge surface engaging an outer peripheral edge of said adapter plate, wherein said adaptor plate and said gasket are sandwiched between said cover and the electrical fixture. 22. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein said adaptor plate is not attached to said electrical fixture. 23. A method as defined in claim 21, further comprising the step of selecting said adapter plate from a plurality of adapter plates based on the type of electrical fixture contained in the electrical outlet box. 24. A method as defined in claim 21, further comprising the step of removing a portion of said adapter plate to create said opening to receive the portion of the electrical fixture therein. 25. A method as defined in claim 21, further comprising the step of removing a portion of said gasket to create an opening to receive the portion of the electrical fixture therein.