Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
In an electrical outlet box having a wall structure providing front to rear wall means and a bottom wall interconnected therebetween, the front to rear wall means and bottom wall defining a chamber within the wall structure which opens through the front of the box, and wherein said wall structure houses cable entry port means for the passage of electrical power cable into said box chamber, the improvement therein which comprises, said cable entry port means including: said front-to-rear wall means and said bottom wall being interconnected by an intermediate wall portion extending generally diagonally therebetween, at least one aperture located in said diagonally extending intermediate wall portion having a plural-sided configuration; closure panel means depending from the rim of said aperture and extending angularly inwardly from the plane of said aperture, said closure panel means comprises a plurality of closure panels converging angularly inwardly toward each other from each side rim of said plural-sided aperture, the convergent inner free ends of said plurality of converging closure panels separated by a distance less than the narrowest dimension of said electrical power cable; and said free end portions of said closure panels adapted to deflect away from each other upon passage of said cable into said aperture and to thereafter resistingly bear against the installed cable.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
215 words
In an electrical outlet box having a wall structure providing front to rear wall means and a bottom wall interconnected therebetween, the front to rear wall means and bottom wall defining a chamber within the wall structure which opens through the front of the box, and wherein said wall structure houses cable entry port means for the passage of electrical power cable into said box chamber, the improvement therein which comprises, said cable entry port means including: said front-to-rear wall means and said bottom wall being interconnected by an intermediate wall portion extending generally diagonally therebetween, at least one aperture located in said diagonally extending intermediate wall portion having a plural-sided configuration; closure panel means depending from the rim of said aperture and extending angularly inwardly from the plane of said aperture, said closure panel means comprises a plurality of closure panels converging angularly inwardly toward each other from each side rim of said plural-sided aperture, the convergent inner free ends of said plurality of converging closure panels separated by a distance less than the narrowest dimension of said electrical power cable; and said free end portions of said closure panels adapted to deflect away from each other upon passage of said cable into said aperture and to thereafter resistingly bear against the installed cable.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
128 words
An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of closure panels are each tapered so as to have increased thickness at the base thereof adjacent each of said side rims of said plural-sided aperture, the free end portions of each of the tapered and angled closure panels having sufficient flexibility and resiliency so as to be deflected away from one another upon passage of said cable into said aperture and to thereafter resistingly bear against the installed cable, whereby a reverse outward force applied to said cable causes said free end portions of each of said tapered and angled closure panels to be urged by a camming action progressively more tightly against said cable to thereby clamp said cable against removal from said aperture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of closure panels have a generally trapezoidal shape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 3, including a frangible web joining at least two of said convergent inner free ends of said plurality of closure panels, said frangible web being readily pierceable upon manually forcing the end of said electrical power cable thereagainst, whereby said frangible web is self-opening.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 2, wherein said closure panel means and said wall structure are formed integrally from a blend of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and polyphenylene oxide thermoplastic resins and the thickness of said base of each of said tapered and angled closure panels is approximately double the thickness of said free end portions thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An electrical outlet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of closure panels substantially closes said aperture.