IP Library Granted Patent US 9,776,347
Granted Patent B2
US 9,776,347 · App. 14/710,153 · Granted Oct 3, 2017

Conduit body cover screw retention

Inventors: Daniel Seidel (Jonesboro, AR); James Scritchfield (Jonesboro, AR)
Assignee: Thomas & Betts International, LLC
B29C45/14344B29C45/14598B29C45/20H02G3/083H02G3/088H02G9/02B29C45/14418B29C2045/1436B29K2027/06B29L2031/246B29L2031/36F16B41/002Y10T29/49963
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,776,347
App. No.
14/710,153
Granted
Oct 3, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An improved mechanism for retaining screws for a conduit body cover is disclosed. The screws are retained by a layer of PVC lining the inner surface of holes in the cover.

Claims (21)

1. An injection mold for coating a conduit body cover in a malleable material wherein said injection mold is configured to allow said malleable material to coat an inner surface of a screw hole in the conduit body cover wherein said conduit body cover top and bottom surfaces immediately around said screw hole are substantially free of said malleable material.

2. The injection mold of claim 1 wherein said injection mold further comprises a sprue through which liquefied malleable material flows into the screw hole.

3. The injection mold of claim 2 wherein said sprue is notched into a pin, said pin configured to prevent the screw hole from being filled with said malleable material.

4. The injection mold of claim 2 wherein said sprue is notched into said conduit body cover.

5. The injection mold of claim 1 further comprising a pin configured to be placed within the screw hole for a screw and said pin having a diameter less than the screw of said conduit body cover.

6. A method of making a screw retention mechanism in a cover comprising:

a. placing a pin through a hole in said cover, said pin having a diameter less than that of a screw to be retained;

b. placing said pin and said cover in an injection mold;

c. injecting a liquefied malleable material into said injection mold such that said cover top and bottom surfaces immediately around said hole are substantially free of said liquefied malleable material upon solidification; and

d. removing said pin from said cover for a malleable material-lined hole in said cover.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said malleable material is PVC.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said malleable material is rubber.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said malleable material is plastic.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said pin has a sprue through which the liquefied malleable material flows into a space between an outer surface of said pin and an inner surface of said hole.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said cover has a sprue through which the liquefied malleable material flows into a space between an outer surface of said pin and an inner surface of said hole.

12. The injection mold of claim 1 , wherein the screw hole is at least two screw holes.

13. The injection mold of claim 3 , wherein the screw hole is at least two screw holes.

14. The injection mold of claim 5 , wherein the screw hole is at least two screw holes.

15. The method of claim 6 , wherein said hole in said cover is at least two holes in said cover.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein said hole in said cover is at least two holes in said cover.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein said hole in said cover is at least two holes in said cover.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 23, 2017
From: THOMAS & BETTS INTERNATIONAL, INC
To: THOMAS & BETTS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 043368/0796 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2016
From: SEIDEL, DANIEL; SCRITCHFIELD, JAMES
To: THOMAS & BETTS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 039983/0277 →
Continuity (3)
Division 13329978 · Dec 19, 2011
Provisional Application 61424573 · Dec 17, 2010
Related Publication 20150314500A1 · Nov 5, 2015