IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0609881
(2012-09-11)
|
등록번호 |
US-9048646
(2015-06-02)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Thomas & Betts International, Inc.
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Snyder, Clark, Lesch & Chung, LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
13 |
초록
▼
An electrical box extender includes a rectangular tube having a first pair of opposing sides and a second pair of opposing sides. The first pair of opposing sides and the second pair of opposing sides form a perimeter configured to fit within a single-gang electrical box. The electrical box extender
An electrical box extender includes a rectangular tube having a first pair of opposing sides and a second pair of opposing sides. The first pair of opposing sides and the second pair of opposing sides form a perimeter configured to fit within a single-gang electrical box. The electrical box extender also includes a set of flanges extending laterally from a front edge of the first pair of opposing sides. The set of flanges includes a male interlocking flange and a female interlocking flange. The male interlocking flange is configured to attach to another female interlocking flange of a substantially identical electrical box extender.
대표청구항
▼
1. An electrical box extender, comprising: a rectangular tube including a first pair of opposing sides, a second pair of opposing sides, a front opening, and a rear opening, wherein the first pair of opposing sides and the second pair of opposing sides are connected to form a perimeter configured to
1. An electrical box extender, comprising: a rectangular tube including a first pair of opposing sides, a second pair of opposing sides, a front opening, and a rear opening, wherein the first pair of opposing sides and the second pair of opposing sides are connected to form a perimeter configured to fit within a single-gang electrical box; anda set of flanges extending laterally, at the front opening, from a front edge of one of the first pair of opposing sides, the set of flanges including a male flange and a female flange, wherein the male flange is positioned to attach to a corresponding female flange of an identical electrical box extender without physically altering either of the electrical box extender or another identical electrical box extender. 2. The electrical box extender of claim 1, further comprising: a supporting flange extending laterally from a front edge of one of the second pair of opposing sides. 3. The electrical box extender of claim 2, wherein the supporting flange is coplanar with the female flange and wherein the supporting flange is on a different plane than the front edge of the other one of the second pair of opposing sides. 4. The electrical box extender of claim 3, wherein the supporting flange is configured to overlap the front edge of the other one of the second pair of opposing sides of the identical electrical box extender. 5. The electrical box extender of claim 1, wherein the second pair of opposing sides are parallel. 6. The electrical box extender of claim 1, wherein the one of the first pair of opposing sides includes a channel, and wherein the channel extends from the front edge of the one of the first pair of opposing sides to a back edge of the one of the first pair of opposing sides. 7. The electrical box extender of claim 1, further comprising: a second set of flanges extending laterally, at the front opening, from another front edge of another one of the first pair of opposing sides, the second set of flanges including a second male flange and a second female flange, wherein the second male flange is configured to attach to a corresponding second female flange of the identical electrical box extender. 8. The electrical box extender of claim 1, wherein the male flange is disposed next to one of the second pair of opposing sides and wherein the female flange is disposed next to another one of the second pair of opposing sides. 9. The electrical box extender of claim 1, wherein the set of flanges is configured to engage a surface outside the perimeter to prevent insertion of the electrical box extender past the engaged surface. 10. The electrical box extender of claim 1, wherein the set of flanges is configured to fit under an electrical cover plate. 11. The electrical box extender of claim 1, wherein the electrical box extender is configured to attach to the identical electrical box extender in a side-by-side configuration. 12. The electrical box extender of claim 1, further comprising: a mounting flange extending laterally from the front edge of one of the first pair of opposing sides, the mounting flange including a mounting hole configured to receive a mounting screw, wherein a front surface of the mounting flange is on a different plane than front surfaces of the male flange and the female flange. 13. The electrical box extender of claim 1, further comprising: a locking tab extending laterally, at the rear opening, from a back edge of one of the second pair of opposing sides, wherein the locking tab includes a lip to hold a back edge of the other of the second pair of opposing sides of the identical electrical box extender between the lip and the back edge of the one of the second pair of opposing sides. 14. A system, comprising: a first electrical box extender including: a rectangular tube including a first pair of opposing sides, a second pair of opposing sides, a front opening, and a rear opening, wherein the rectangular tube is sized to be inserted at least partially within a single-gang electrical box,a male flange extending laterally outward from a front edge of the rectangular tube, anda female flange extending laterally outward from the front edge of the rectangular tube; anda second electrical box extender, identical to the first electrical box extender, wherein the male flange of the first electrical box extender is removably attached to a corresponding female flange of the second electrical box extender to align the first electrical box extender and the second electrical box extender in an overlapping side-by-side arrangement that is sized to be inserted at least partially within a double-gang electrical box, andwherein the male flange of the first electrical box extender is removably attached to the corresponding female flange of the second electrical box extender without physically altering either of the first electrical box extender or second electrical box extender. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second pair of opposing sides are parallel. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the male flange and the female flange extend laterally from a front edge of one of the first pair of opposing sides, and wherein the rectangular tube further comprises: a supporting flange extending laterally from a front edge of one of the second pair of opposing sides. 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the male flange and the female flange fit under an electrical cover plate when the first electrical box extender and the second electrical box extender are installed at least partially within the double-gang electrical box. 18. The system of claim 14, wherein the male flange and the female flange are configured to prevent insertion of the first electrical box extender and the second electrical box extender completely into the double-gang electrical box. 19. The system of claim 14, further comprising: a third electrical box extender, identical to the second electrical box extender, wherein the male flange of the second electrical box extender is removably attached to a corresponding female flange of the third electrical box extender to align the first electrical box extender, the second electrical box extender, and the third electrical box extender in an overlapping side-by-side arrangement configured to be inserted at least partially within a triple-gang electrical box. 20. The system of claim 14, wherein the first electrical box extender further comprises a locking tab extending laterally outward from a back edge of the rectangular tube, and wherein the locking tab includes a lip to hold a back edge of the second electrical box extender between the lip and the back edge of the first electrical box extender when the male flange of the first electrical box extender is removably attached to a corresponding female flange of the second electrical box extender. 21. A method for forming a multi-gang electrical box extender, the method comprising: obtaining a number of single-gang electrical box extenders equal to a desired multi-gang size, wherein each of the single-gang electrical box extenders includes a rectangular tube with a male flange extending laterally outward from a front edge of the rectangular tube and a female flange extending laterally outward from the front edge of the rectangular tube; andattaching, by mechanically connecting one of the female flanges of a first one of the number of single-gang electrical box extenders to one of the male flanges of a second one of the number of single-gang electrical box extenders and without modification to the first or the second one of the number of single-gang electrical box extenders, the single-gang electrical box extenders in a side-by-side configuration to form a multi-gang electrical box extender that matches the desired multi-gang size. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the single-gang electrical box extenders includes at least two male flanges and at least two female flanges.
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