US5280132A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plastic enclosure box for electrical apparatus
Assignee: Eaton Corp
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Filing: 1991-09-05
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Granted: 1994-01-18
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Expires: 2011-09-05
Abstract
Abstract A plastic load center box economically provided by duplicate molded end sections joined by an intermediate section of uniform cross-section which is readily provided in selected lengths in either molded or extruded form. End walls receive metal inserts electrically interconnected to provide grounding when attached to grounded conduit, or plastic inserts where the load center application does not require grounded conduit. Molded end sections have formed knockouts and wire clamping tabs. A metal cover for the box is grounded to the metal inserts or to the interconnection. Additional plastic inserts in the end walls provide forwardly open pockets in which cable may be laid, and closing inserts overlying the pockets to grip the cable and retain it in the pockets.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Clarey
- 👤 Richard A. Reiner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:52
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02B; H02B1/00; H02B1/16; H02B1/26; H02B1/30; H02B1/305
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
An enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard comprising: a plastic box adapted to receive an electrical distribution panelboard, said box having a rear wall and opposed pairs of side walls and end walls extending forwardly from said rear wall defining a box having an open front side, and at least one opening in each wall of said opposed pair of end walls; a metal cover attached to said box over said open front side of said box; and grounding means comprising metal plates attached to said end walls of said box fully closing said at least one opening in said end walls, said plates having a knockout for attachment to a grounded conduit system, electrical conductor means within said box interconnecting said metal plates, and means conductively connecting said cover to said grounding means when said cover is positioned on said box over said open front side.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
An enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard comprising: a plastic box adapted to receive an electrical distribution panelboard, said box having a rear wall and opposed pairs of side walls and end walls extending forwardly from said rear wall defining a box having an open front side, and at least one opening in each wall of said opposed pair of end walls; a metal cover attached to said box over said open front side of said box; and grounding means comprising metal plates attached to said end walls of said box fully closing said at least one opening in said end walls, said plates having a knockout for attachment to a grounded conduit system, electrical conductor means within said box interconnecting said metal plates, and means conductively connecting said cover to said grounding means when said cover is positioned on said box over said open front side.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 1 wherein said means conductively connecting said cover to said grounding means comprises a tab disposed substantially flush against said cover at said front side of said box and a screw extending through aligned holes in said cover and said tab securing said tab against said cover.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 2 wherein said tab is located at a forward edge of at least one of said metal plates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 3 wherein said tab is an integral portion of said metal plate bent substantially parallel to a major plane of said cover.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 2 wherein said electrical conducting means comprises at least one strap extending forwardly in said box and said tab is an integral portion of said strap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
143 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 5 wherein said box comprises a plurality of holes in front surfaces of said pair of side walls, said cover comprises a plurality of holes aligned with respective ones of said plurality of holes in said side walls, said cover being secured to said box by screws extending through respective said holes in said cover and threadably engaging respective said holes in said side walls, and said tab is disposed between a front surface of said box and said cover, said hole in said tab being aligned with a respective one of said holes in said front surface of said box and a respective aligned hole in said cover whereby a respective one of said screws extends through said cover and said tab into said hole in said front surface of said box.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 1 wherein said means conductively connecting said cover to said grounding means comprises a tab located at a forward edge of at least one of said metal plates and disposed substantially flush against said cover.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 7 wherein said tab has a hole therethrough and said cover has a hole therethrough aligned with said hole in said tab further comprising a screw extending through said hole in said cover and threadably engaging said hole in said tab securing said tab against said cover.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 1 wherein said means conductively connecting said cover to said grounding means comprises a resilient conductive finger on said cover extending rearwardly from said cover, said finger engaging one of said metal plates.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 9 wherein said finger has a distal end and an angular cam surface on said distal end, said finger being resiliently deflected by engagement of said cam surface with a front edge of said metal plate during positioning of said cover to said plastic box.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
174 words
An enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard comprising: a plastic box adapted to receive an electrical distribution panelboard, said box having a rear wall and opposed pairs of side walls and end walls extending forwardly from said rear wall defining a box having an open front side, and at least one opening in at least one of said opposed pair of end walls, said opening extending through a forward edge of said end wall; and a plurality of cable retention plates attached to said end wall in a forwardly stacked relation covering said at least one opening, a forward edge on one said plate comprising a plurality of forwardly open cable-receiving pockets and a rear edge on an adjacent said plate comprising a plurality of rearwardly projecting fingers complementally shaped to said pockets and extending fully into said pockets, said fingers having breakaway distal ends for breaking said fingers to selected lengths, remaining portions of broken away fingers defining with a respective pocket a cable-receiving opening for receiving at least one electrical cable therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
174 words
An enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard comprising: a plastic box adapted to receive an electrical distribution panelboard, said box having a rear wall and opposed pairs of side walls and end walls extending forwardly from said rear wall defining a box having an open front side, and at least one opening in at least one of said opposed pair of end walls, said opening extending through a forward edge of said end wall; and a plurality of cable retention plates attached to said end wall in a forwardly stacked relation covering said at least one opening, a forward edge on one said plate comprising a plurality of forwardly open cable-receiving pockets and a rear edge on an adjacent said plate comprising a plurality of rearwardly projecting fingers complementally shaped to said pockets and extending fully into said pockets, said fingers having breakaway distal ends for breaking said fingers to selected lengths, remaining portions of broken away fingers defining with a respective pocket a cable-receiving opening for receiving at least one electrical cable therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 11 wherein said edges of said pockets and said fingers compressively grip an exterior surface of said cable to retain said cable to said box.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 11 wherein said cable retention plates are slidably disposed in said at least one opening from said forward edge of said end wall.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 13 wherein said at least one opening comprises a pair of forwardly extending opposite edges, each of said edges having a groove therein extending forwardly and facing a corresponding groove in an opposite edge, said cable retention plates having opposite ends slidably received in said grooves.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 13 wherein said cable retention plates have complementally relieved edges which overlap when said plates are disposed in said at least one opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 15 wherein said pockets and said fingers have complementally relieved edges which overlap when said plates are disposed in said at least one opening.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 14 wherein said cable retention plates are sequentially disposed in said at least one opening in cooperative pairs with said first and second edges adjacent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 14 wherein a cable retention plate having a second edge comprising a plurality of projecting fingers cooperating with pockets of a first edge of another plate also has a first edge comprising pockets for cooperation with fingers of yet another plate cooperating therewith.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The enclosure for an electrical distribution panelboard defined in claim 13 wherein said end wall and said cable retention plates comprise cooperable detent means for retaining said plates in said at least one opening.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-01-17 | 1997-07-19 | 1998-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-01-17 | 2001-07-19 | 2002-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-01-17 | 2005-07-19 | 2006-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |