Title: Air tight electrical box
Abstract: A new an improved electrical utility box and flush mounted device box having a flange extending from the box in all directions and a method of adhesively securing the flange to existing boxes. The flange has an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface which are planar and generally parallel to the bottom of the box. The flange is self supporting and yet flexible enough to accommodate the dimensional and alignment irregularities in construction.
Patent Number: 6,908,003 Issued on 06/21/2005 to Feyes, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Feyes; Andrew M. (Bryan, OH);
Troder; Mark A. (Butler, IN)
|
| Assignee:
|
Allied Moulded Products, Inc. (Bryan, OH)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
809730 |
| Filed:
|
March 25, 2004 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
220/3.2; 174/53 |
| Intern'l Class: |
H02G 003/08 |
| Field of Search: |
220/32- 38
174/53,58
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 2426800 | Sep., 1947 | Triplett.
| |
| 3684819 | Aug., 1972 | Wilson.
| |
| 4296870 | Oct., 1981 | Balkwill et al.
| |
| 4616104 | Oct., 1986 | Lindsey.
| |
| 4667840 | May., 1987 | Lindsey.
| |
| 4673097 | Jun., 1987 | Schuldt.
| |
| 4724281 | Feb., 1988 | Nix et al.
| |
| 4952754 | Aug., 1990 | Rye.
| |
| 5144099 | Sep., 1992 | Cardy.
| |
| 5287665 | Feb., 1994 | Rath, Jr.
| |
| 5677512 | Oct., 1997 | Reiker.
| |
| 5804764 | Sep., 1998 | Gretz.
| |
| 6051786 | Apr., 2000 | Gretz.
| |
| 6239365 | May., 2001 | McEvers.
| |
| 6278059 | Aug., 2001 | Lefton.
| |
| 6395984 | May., 2002 | Gilleran.
| |
| 6586679 | Jul., 2003 | Bashford.
| |
Primary Examiner: Merek; Joseph C.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fraser Martin Buchanan Miller LLC, Miller; James D.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 09/721,199, filed Nov. 22, 2000 now abandoned, hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
1. An electrical box assembly comprising:
a molded dimensionally stable box structure formed of a rigid first material
having a back with an interior surface and an exterior surface and a side wall
with an interior surface and an exterior surface, side wall extending laterally
from the back and terminating a predetermined distance from the back and defining
exposed edges remote from the back, whereby the interior surfaces of the back and
the side wall define an open front of said box facing outwardly from the back and
the exterior surfaces of the side walls define an outer perimeter of said box;
and
a flange formed of a flexible generally flat second material having an interior
surface and a spaced apart exterior surface, said flange having an opening defined
by inner edges which are molded around the exterior surfaces of the side wall of
said box to produce a weather-tight moisture resistant seal between the inner edges
of the opening in said flange and the adjacent exterior surface of the side wall
of said box and extending outwardly from the exterior surface of the side wall
of the box and completely around the outer perimeter of said box, wherein said
flange is spaced a distance from the exposed edges of the side walls of said box
to accommodate a thickness of an associated wall board, the first material of said
box being different from the second material of said flange.
2. An electrical box assembly comprising:
a molded dimensionally stable box structure formed of a rigid first material
having a back with an interior surface and an exterior surface and a side wall
with an interior surface and an exterior surface, the side wall extending laterally
from the back and terminating a predetermined distance from the back and defining
exposed edges remote from the back, whereby the interior surfaces of the back and
the side wall define an open front of said box facing outwardly from the back and
the exterior surfaces of the side walls define an outer perimeter of said box;
and
a flange formed of a resiliently flexible generally flat second material having
an interior surface and a spaced apart exterior surface, said flange adhesively
secured to and extending outwardly from the exterior surfaces of the side wall
of said box to produce a moisture resistant seal between said flange and the adjacent
exterior surface of the side walls of said box and extending completely around
the outer perimeter of said box, wherein said flange is spaced a distance from
the exposed edges of the side walls of said box to accommodate a thickness of an
associated wall board, the first material of said box being different from the
second material of said flange.
3. An electrical box assembly comprising:
a box constructed of a first material and having a bottom, a side wall extending
laterally from the bottom and terminating a predetermined distance from the back,
and an open top, said box adapted to facilitate electrical connections therein
and adapted for attachment to a building structure; and
a flexible flange constructed of a second material molded around and extending
outwardly from an outer surface of the side wall of said box, said flange spaced
towards the bottom from the open top and adapted to be sealingly engaged with the
building structure, said flange accommodating inconsistencies in the building structure
and misalignment of said box with the building structure, the first material of
said box being different from the second material of said flange.
4. The electrical box according to claim 3, wherein the first material is one
of steel, PVC, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide, fiberglass reinforced polyester.
5. The electrical box according to claim 3, wherein the second material is at
least one of polyester, polyurethane, polyether, polyamide, polyimide, polycarbonate,
polyvinylchloride, polyurethane.
6. The electrical box according to claim 3, wherein said box includes at least
one fastener for attachment to the building structure.
7. The electrical box according to claim 3, wherein the side wall of said box
has a circular cross section.
8. The electrical box according to claim 3, wherein the side wall of said box
has a rectangular cross section.
9. The electrical box according to claim 3, wherein said flange is spaced a distance
from the open top of said box to accommodate the thickness of an associated wall board.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electrical boxes and flush mounted device boxes
such as currently used for mounting electrical devices in walls, floors and ceilings,
and more particularly to a new and improved electrical outlet box and flush mounted
device box which allows one to maintain the integrity of a vapor barrier in building construction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical boxes have long been required by the National Electrical Code
to be used in building construction for enclosing electrical apparatus such as
switches, sockets and electrical appliance connections. An electrical outlet box
is generally secured to the studs or joists in a wall or ceiling or floor construction
with an open top or face extending into the room. Flush mount device boxes are
generally secured flush to the outside sheeting to be surrounded by exterior siding
and to be enclosed by the mounting of an electrical device in the box.
Whenever an electrical outlet box or a flush mounted device box is utilized,
the vapor barrier provided by the wall construction to exclude cold winter air
entering into the house has to be at least in part penetrated by the mounting of
such boxes. Therefore it is highly desirable to provide a new and improved outlet
box or flush mounted device box which allows such boxes to be installed in a wall
construction and yet maintain the integrity of the vapor barrier of the wall construction.
One method proposed to provide a vapor barrier in all of the external walls and
ceilings of a building is to lay a continuous plastic sheet either between the
studs and the siding or between the studs and the drywall to form a totally encompassing
vapor barrier around the building to prevent any air from leaking into the building
and any air from within the building to leak out of the building. The use of both
electrical outlet boxes and flush mounted device boxes require the penetration
of this vapor seal. Heretofore, it has been extremely difficult to provide a seal
between the electrical outlet boxes and flush mounted device boxes to maintain
the integrity of a vapor barrier. Therefore it is highly desirable to provide a
new and improved electrical outlet box which can provide a seal with the vapor
barrier of an exterior wall or ceiling to maintain the integrity of the vapor barrier.
It is also highly desirable to provide a new and improved flush mounted device
box which can provide a seal with the vapor barrier of an exterior wall or ceiling
to maintain the integrity of the vapor barrier.
Concurrent with the development of the new and improved electrical outlet
box and flush mounted device box of the invention, others have proposed utilizing
a rigid flange surrounding the electrical outlet box or flush mounted device box
so as to extend outwardly of the box in all directions and to have upper and lower
surfaces which are generally parallel with the bottom surface of the box to overlay
the vapor barrier. No one has provided any such flange on conventional metal boxes
nor on other material boxes. However, others have concurrently with the development
of the invention provided a molded PVC box having a flange of the type above described
integrally molded with the sides and bottom of the electrical box. It is therefore
highly desirable to provide a flange on all electrical outlet boxes and flush mounted
device boxes which extends outwardly of the box and has upwardly facing and downwardly
facing planar surfaces which are generally parallel to the bottom of the box.
Inasmuch as the walls and sides of electrical outlet boxes and flush mounted
device boxes are required to be essentially rigid, any integrally molded flange
has essentially the same rigidity as the sides of the box. Such rigidity gives
to contractors installing the box several problems. In any wall construction, imperfections
in the studs and the construction of the wall require each of the elements of the
wall construction to accommodate small differences in tolerance measurements and
alignment. While a flexible vapor barrier easily accommodates such imperfections,
a rigid flange extending outwardly of an electric outlet box or flush mounted device
box does not. Thus, rigid flanges have been known to cause ripples in interior
wall construction and exterior siding installation. To alleviate these ripples,
hand labor in shaving or adjusting the position of studs are required to maintain
the desired appearance of both siding and interior wall surfaces. It is therefore
highly desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and flush
mounted device box which not only can be mounted in a manner to maintain the integrity
of a vapor barrier in an exterior wall or ceiling of a building but which also
accommodates any small inconsistencies in dimensions, alignment and the like allowing
for fast and efficient construction and at the same time maintaining planar interior
wall surfaces and desired siding construction.
Surprisingly in accordance with the invention, a flexible flange secured
to an electrical outlet boxes and flush mounted device boxes meet all of the above
requirements. However, flexible flanges are difficult to install and seal exterior
wall vapor barriers and the adherence of such flanges to boxes of various different
materials has been proven more difficult than anticipated. Thus, it is highly desirable
to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and flush mounted device box
having a flexible flange with upwardly facing and downwardly facing planar surfaces
generally parallel to the box bottom which can be easily secured to the vapor barrier
in exterior walls of a building to maintain the integrity thereof.
It is also desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and
flush
mounted device box which has a flange extending outwardly of the box in all directions
with upwardly facing and downwardly facing planar surface generally parallel to
the bottom of the box which is self supporting and yet flexible.
It is also desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and
flush
mounted device box having a flange extending outwardly thereof in all directions
having top and bottom planar surfaces generally parallel with the bottom in which
the flange is made of a plastic material adhesively secured to the box in a manner
whereby the securance once made is maintained throughout the use of the box in
the life of the building to which it is attached.
It is also desirable to provide a new and improved method by which a flexible
yet self supporting vapor barrier flange may be secured to existing electrical
outlet boxes and flush mounted device boxes adhesively in a manner whereby the
integrity of the securance can be maintained over the life of the building.
It is desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box or flush
mounted
device box which allows such boxes to be installed in a wall construction and yet
maintain the integrity of the wall construction.
It is desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box which can
provide a seal with the vapor barrier of an exterior wall or ceiling to maintain
the integrity of the vapor barrier.
It is also desirable to provide a new and improved flush mounted device box which
can provide a seal with the vapor barrier of an exterior wall or ceiling to maintain
the integrity of the vapor barrier.
It is also desirable to provide a flange on all electrical outlet boxes and flush
mounted device boxes which extends outwardly of the box and has upwardly facing
and downwardly facing planar surfaces which are generally parallel to the bottom
of the box.
It is desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and flush
mounted device box which not only can be mounted in a manner to maintain the integrity
of a vapor barrier in an exterior wall or ceiling of a building but which also
accommodates any small inconsistencies in dimensions, alignment and the like allowing
for fast and efficient construction and at the same time maintaining planar interior
wall surfaces and desired siding construction.
It is desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and flush
mounted device box having a flexible flange with upwardly facing and downwardly
facing planar surfaces generally parallel to the box bottom which can be easily
secured to the vapor barrier in exterior walls of a building to maintain the integrity thereof.
It is also desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and
flush
mounted device box which has a flange extending outwardly of the box in all directions
with upwardly facing and downwardly facing planar surface generally parallel to
the bottom of the box which is self supporting and yet flexible.
It is also desirable to provide a new and improved electrical outlet box and
flush
mounted device box having a flange extending outwardly thereof in all directions
having top and bottom planar surfaces generally parallel with the bottom in which
the flange is made of a plastic material adhesively secured to the box in a manner
whereby the securance once made is maintained throughout the use of the box in
the life of the building to which it is attached.
Finally, it is desirable to provide a new and improved method by which a
flexible yet self supporting vapor barrier flange may be secured to existing electrical
outlet boxes and flush mounted device boxes adhesively in a manner whereby the
integrity of the securance can be maintained over the life of the building.
In the broader aspects there is provided a new and improved electrical utility
box and flush mounted device box having a flange extending from the box in all
directions and a method of adhesively securing the flange to existing boxes. The
flange has an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface which are
planar and generally parallel to the bottom of the box. The flange is self supporting
and yet flexible enough to accommodate the dimensional and alignment irregularities
in construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Consistent and consonant with the present invention, an electrical box
assembly having the above desired characteristics, has surprisingly been discovered.
The electrical box assembly comprises: a box constructed of a first material
and having a bottom, a side wall, and an open top, the box adapted to facilitate
electrical connections therein and adapted for attachment to a building structure;
and a flexible flange constructed of a second material and adhered to and extending
outwardly from an outer surface of the side wall of the box, said flange spaced
from the open top and adapted to be sealingly engaged with the building structure,
the flange accommodating inconsistencies in the building structure and misalignment
of the box with the building structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above-mentioned and other features and objects of the invention and the manner
of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better
understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the new and improved electrical flush mounted
device box of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the new and improved outlet box of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the new and improved electrical flush mounted
device box mounted to a stud in a building wall construction illustrating how electrical
boxes of the invention maintain the integrity of the vapor barrier of an exterior
wall construction;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the new and improved electrical flush mounted
device box of the invention exploded from the mold of the invention; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the section line
5-5 of FIG. 4, showing the flush mounted device box and mold sealingly
connected to each other.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The new and improved electrical boxes of the invention include outlet boxes and
flush mounted device boxes. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an electrical
outlet box
12 of the invention and a flush mounted device box
10.
The outlet box
12 and the flush mounted device box
10 include a back
or bottom
14, upstanding sides
16 and an open front or top
18.
Box
10 is shown in FIG. 1 to be rectangular in shape having opposite ends
20 which are significantly shorter than the opposite sides
22. A
single gang rectangular box is shown in FIG.
1. However, such boxes are
also provided in a two gang box, a three gang box, and a four gang box with and
without optional mounting brackets. Such boxes are also provided in a round box
in which cross-sections parallel to the bottom
14 are circular.
The box
10 is adapted to be secured to a building structure by means including
a securance flange
24 on the opposite ends
20 and a nail
26.
Within the box
10 are provided a plurality of knock outs
28
by which portions of ends
20 can be knocked out to pass cable through the
sides to facilitate electrical connections within the box. Bosses
30 are
also provided to extend into the box to provide connection for the electrical appliance
mounted in the box and the top cover. The cover is not shown. A vapor barrier flange
32 extends outwardly from the upstanding sides
16 of the box in all
directions. Flange
32 is spaced from top
18 and from bottom
14.
Flange
32 has an upwardly facing surface
34 and a downwardly surface
36 both of which are planar and spaced apart and generally parallel to top
18 and bottom
14. Flange
32 has an inward edge
40 which
is secured to the exterior of the upstanding side
16 of the box and a distal
edge
42. Both the side walls of the box and the flange are relatively thin
compared to the length and width of the side walls or the flange
32. Flange
32 is self supporting and resiliently flexible. In comparison with the flange
32, side walls
16 of box
10 are relatively rigid.
FIG. 2 illustrates a round outlet box
12. Outlet box
12 has much
of the same structure as the flush mounted device box
10 shown in FIG.
1.
Outlet box
12 is also available in various shapes and sizes, with and without
nail brackets and with and without optional mounting brackets. Box
12, like
box
10, has a bottom
14, upstanding sides
16, a top
18,
knock outs
28, bosses
30, a flange
32.
Boxes
10,
12 can be provided in several different materials.
These include, but are not limited to, steel, various moldable thermoplastics such
as PVC, polycarbonate, polyphenylene oxide and fiberglass reinforced polyester.
In accordance with the method of the invention, flange
32 is molded around
the boxes
10,
12 and secured at inner edge
40, which defines
an opening, to the exterior of the boxes
10,
12.
Flange
32 must be of a material giving the flange
32 the capability
of withstanding the handling of the boxes
10,
12 during both shipment
and installation without becoming separated from the boxes
10,
12.
Further, the flange
32 receives double sided tape or adhesive (not shown),
for example, which may be activated to seal the flange
32 to a vapor barrier
62 of the building structure to which the boxes
10,
12 are
attached, as shown in FIG.
3. The flange
32 is resiliently flexible
and self supporting. By the term "self supporting," as used in the specification
herein and in the claims, it is meant that the flange
32 will appear as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in use and that when either box
10,
12 is
placed on an upwardly facing planar surface, the flange
32 will support
the box weight. Flange
32 is also resiliently flexible. By the term "resiliently
flexible," as used herein, what is meant is that the flange
32 at any position
thereof can be bent so as to position edge
42 on upstanding sides
16
and when released the flange
32 will reassume the position shown in FIGS.
1 and 2 at room temperature.
It is undesirable for the flange
32 material to crack, break or loosen
from the boxes
10,
12 or take a set or become rigid or continue to
cure when subjected to the elevated or reduced temperatures of rail cars or other
transportation or during use. It is also undesirable for the flange material to
crack, break or shatter when subject to impact at reduced temperatures. See the
UL provisions with regard to non metallic boxes, U.L. 514c. It is also preferable
that in order to establish production quantities that the flange
32 material
be moldable in accordance with the method of the invention and that the material
set relatively quickly and be capable of demolding in less than ten minutes.
In a specific embodiment, flange
32 is spaced from top
18 a distance
to accommodate the interior wall material contemplated of using. For example, for
boxes
10,
12 utilized with conventional drywall, the upwardly facing
surface
34 of flange
32 is spaced from top
18 approximately
{fraction (7/16)} of an inch or 0.438 inches plus or minus 0.016. Additionally,
the flange surfaces
34,
36 have a width sufficient to form an adequate
seal with the vapor barrier of the building. In one embodiment, this width measures
approximately ⅝ inch or 0.625 plus or minus 0.016 inches. In this same embodiment,
the flange
32 thickness is approximately {fraction (1/10)} of the width
of the flange
32. Thus, the width to thickness ratio is approximately 10.
Thus, in the embodiment mentioned above, the thickness is from about 0.063 inches
to approximately 0.093 inches.
The material from which flange
32 can be made includes polyesters, polyurethanes,
polyethers, polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyvinylchloride and combinations
thereof. In one embodiment, the material from which flange
32 is produced
is a polyurethane including a the combination of a polyol and an isocyanate. The
two components are blended in accordance with a ratio of 100 parts of polyol to
30-45 parts of isocyanate, have a viscosity of 900 cp at temperature of 750 to
800° F. with a demold time of ten minutes.
In accordance with the method of the invention, flange
32 is molded to
the upstanding side
16 of the boxes
10,
12 in accordance with
the method illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. This is accomplished in accordance with
the method by providing a mold
44 of elastomeric material. Mold
44
has at least one cavity
46 therein. Mold
44 is self supporting and
resiliently flexible. By the term "resiliently flexible," as it relates to mold
44, what is meant herein is that any position of the mold
44 if pressure
is applied to the mold, the mold will resiliently compress and return essentially
to its original shape. The mold cavity
46 extends downwardly from an upwardly
facing surface
48. Mold cavity
46 has a bottom
50 and upstanding
sides
52. Sides
52 are stepped thereby defining a smaller cavity
portion
54 and a larger cavity portion
56, said smaller cavity portion
54 being adjacent to bottom
50, the larger cavity portion being adjacent
to the upwardly facing surface
48. The stepped sides
52 have a step
surface
58 between bottom
50 and upwardly facing surface
48
which faces upwardly as does surface
48 and is generally parallel to bottom
50 and upwardly facing surface
48.
Smaller cavity portion
54 is shaped to receive box
10,
12
adjacent top
18 in complementary fashion as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Box
10,
12 is received within smaller cavity
50 in a sealing relationship
between side walls
52 and box sides
16. The box
10,
12
is not compressible or is dimensionally stable, the mold
44 of elastomeric
material is compressible, and when box
10,
12 is placed in small
cavity position
54, mold
44 expands against the side walls
16
to form a liquid tight seal therebetween. As best illustrated in FIG. 5, box
10,
12 defines with step surface
58 and side wall
52 of larger
cavity portion
56 a cavity into which a hardenable, flowable resin material
may be poured to form flange
32 and secure the same to the box
10,
12. The upwardly facing step surface
58 forms the upwardly surface
34 of flange
32. Side wall
52 of larger cavity portion
56
forms distal edge
42. Downwardly facing surface
36 of flange
32
is formed by the liquid molding material seeking its own level within the larger
cavity portion
56.
Mold
44 may be provided with a plurality of cavities such as above described.
Further, mold
44 may be provided with cavities for one gang boxes, two gang
boxes, three gang boxes and four gang boxes of rectangular shape and of round boxes.
The elastomeric material from which mold
44 is manufactured must also
have a release surface on bottom
50, sides
52, step surface
58
and preferably upwardly facing surface
48 which will not stick to the hardened
resin material of the flange
32. Mold
44, in one embodiment, may
be manufactured by molding the same from elastomeric materials. One such material
is RTV silicone. Similar materials may be used.
In operation, the outlet boxes
12 and flush mounted device boxes
10
are secured to building structures as is conventional and used to enclose electrical
devices and their connections to the electrical circuit of the building. As shown
in FIG. 3, a flush mounted device box
10 is secured to a stud
60
by means of the mounting flanges
24 and nails
26 as is conventional.
Overlaying the studs is the vapor barrier
62. Vapor barrier
62 is
penetrated by the box
10 by an opening cut in the vapor barrier. However,
the vapor barrier
62 is adhesively secured to the upwardly facing flange
surface
34 by adhesive (not shown), thereby maintaining the integrity of
the vapor barrier of the building. Overlaying the vapor barrier is a drywall sheet,
plaster or other interior wall surface material
64. Interior wall surface
material
64 overlays upwardly facing surface
34 and lies between
flange
32 and top
18 of the box. The box cover encloses the box
10
and overlays a peripheral portion of interior wall material
64 adjacent
box
10.
Flush mounted device boxes
12 penetrate the exterior sheathing of the
building in much the same way as outlet boxes
10 penetrate the vapor barrier
62. Downwardly facing flange surface
36 may be adhesively secured
to the sheathing. The siding overlays the upwardly facing flange surface
34
in much the same way as the interior wall surface material
64 overlays flange
surface
34 in FIG.
3.
In both installation of the outlet box
12 and the flush mounted device
box
10 above described, the vapor barrier
62 may be positioned between
either the upwardly facing surface
34 and the interior wall material
64
as above described and illustrated in FIG. 3, or between the stud
60 and
the downwardly facing flange surface
36 of the box
10,
12
as desired. Similarly, the exterior building sheathing may be positioned between
the stud
60 and the downwardly facing surface
36 of the flange
32
or between the upwardly facing surface
34 of the flange
32 and the
siding as desired. In each case, the flange
32 is adhesively secured to
the vapor barrier
62 or to the exterior sheathing and thus, the appropriate
surface
34,
36 of the flange
32 is provided with either adhesive
or double sided tape.
The present invention provides a new and improved outlet box or flush mounted
device box which allows such boxes to be installed in a wall construction and yet
maintain the integrity of the wall construction. The new and improved outlet box
or flush mounted box also provides a seal with the vapor barrier of an exterior
wall or ceiling to maintain the integrity of the vapor barrier. The new and improved
outlet box or flush mounted box has a flange on all electrical outlet boxes and
flush mounted device boxes which extends-outwardly of the box and has upwardly
facing and downwardly facing planar surfaces which are generally parallel to the
bottom of the box which not only can be mounted in a manner to maintain the integrity
of a vapor barrier in an exterior wall or ceiling of a building but which also
accommodates any small inconsistencies in dimensions, alignment and the like so
as to allow for fast and efficient construction and at the same time maintain planar
interior wall surfaces and desired siding construction. The new and improved electrical
outlet box and flush mounted box also provides upwardly facing and downwardly facing
planar surfaces generally parallel to the box bottom which can be easily secured
to the vapor barrier in exterior walls of a building to maintain the integrity thereof.
The present invention provides a new and improved electrical outlet box and flush
mounted device box which has a flange extending outwardly of the box in all directions
with upwardly facing and downwardly facing planar surface generally parallel to
the bottom of the box which are self supporting and yet resiliently flexible. The
new and improved electrical outlet box and flush mounted device box provides a
flange extending outwardly thereof in all directions having top and bottom planar
surfaces generally parallel with the bottom in which the flange is made of a plastic
material adhesively secured to the box.
The present invention also provides a new and improved method by which a flexible
yet self supporting vapor barrier flange may be secured to existing electrical
outlet boxes and flush mounted device boxes adhesively in which the flange is secured
to the box in a manner whereby the integrity of the securance can be maintained
over the life of the building.
While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein
for purposes of illustration, the protection afforded by any patent which may issue
upon this application is not strictly limited to the disclosed embodiment; but
rather extends to all structures and arrangement which fall fairly within the scope
of the claims which are appended hereto.
*
