Groove Indicated Junction Box
Patent No. US11515693 (titled "Groove Indicated Junction Box") was filed by Easy Solar Products Inc on Dec 10, 2019.
What is this patent about?
’693 is related to the field of junction boxes, specifically those used in outdoor environments for routing and connecting utility system cables. Traditional junction boxes, often made of metal or plastic, are prone to rust and deterioration when exposed to outdoor conditions. Existing outdoor junction boxes also suffer from poor integration with exterior surfaces, leading to water accumulation and difficult installation.
The underlying idea behind ’693 is to provide an improved outdoor junction box design that addresses the shortcomings of existing solutions. The key inventive insight is the use of a flashing with a groove to guide sealant placement and a housing with a bottom portion that also has a groove to indicate optimal hole positions for cable routing. This coordinated groove design simplifies installation and ensures proper sealing against environmental elements.
The claims of ’693 focus on a junction box comprising a flashing and a housing. The flashing has a first groove relative to a first center axis on a first plane. The housing includes a bottom portion with a second groove relative to a second center axis. Crucially, the second center axis is coincident with the first, and the second groove indicates a suitable hole position in the bottom portion. Some claims add an extension housing with a drip edge and a second flashing.
In practice, the flashing is designed to be installed under shingles, providing a weather-tight seal. The first groove on the flashing guides the installer in applying sealant to prevent water ingress. The second groove on the housing's bottom indicates where to drill holes for cable entry, avoiding structural supports like rafters. This coordinated groove system simplifies installation and ensures proper placement of both sealant and cable entry points.
This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by providing a more integrated and user-friendly solution for outdoor junction boxes. The flashing and housing work together to create a robust seal against the elements, while the groove system simplifies installation and reduces the risk of errors. The optional extension housing and second flashing further enhance the design's adaptability to different roofing materials, such as tile shingles, ensuring a reliable and weather-resistant connection point for external devices.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’693 was filed, junction boxes were typically implemented using standardized materials and designs, at a time when systems commonly relied on established wiring practices rather than emerging wireless technologies. Hardware or software constraints made precise alignment and secure mounting of junction boxes non-trivial, especially in outdoor environments.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the prior art, whether considered individually or in combination, did not anticipate or suggest the specific features of the independent claims. Specifically, the prior art failed to teach a junction box with a flashing defining a groove relative to a center axis and a housing with a corresponding groove, or a housing with an external portion having a groove and a notch for mating with an uneven surface, along with a bottom portion having a second groove.
Claims
This patent includes 20 claims, with independent claims 1, 14, and 19. The independent claims are directed to a junction box comprising a housing with grooves to indicate hole positions. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the features and configurations of the junction box described in the independent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11515693
- Application Number
- US16709682
- Filing Date
- Dec 10, 2019
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Apr 18, 2039
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents