Temporary protective junction box cover

Abstract

A temporary protective cover for junction boxes with or without installed switches and/or outlets and for conduit bodies, empty or containing wires or cables of various sizes and uses. The protective cover having a front and rear surface; having a trapezoidal cavity sized to receive installed switches and/or outlets in junction box; the protective cover having two elongated tabs that extend on either side of installed switch or plug inside junction box, for securing the protective cover to junction boxes and conduit bodies; having rectangular or circular cavity opening that is sized to fit openings of junction boxes or conduit bodies, in such a manner that the cover remains fixed relative to the junction box or conduit body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temporary plastic protective cover for an electrical junction box having vertical sidewalls and enclosing a light switch extending through an opening of the junction box. The protective cover is trapezoidal in shape and the cavity's opening is rectangular in shape and size, it is dimensions are substantially similar to the dimensions of the opening of the junction box. The cavity is sized to receive the protruding light switch and the extending side tabs are adapted to slide into the vertical sidewalls of the junction box and to frictionally engage the sidewalls. While inserting the cover into the junction box, pressure is simultaneously applied to the right and left trapezoidal shaped extended side tabs sides, and when the cover is pushed into the box and it sits flush on the rim of junction box, the protective cover is in place. 
     
     
         2 . The protective cover of  claim 1  wherein rectangular box portion is sized to cover electrical boxes configured to the size of a residential, single or multiple electrical outlet(s) or switch(es). 
     
     
         3 . A method of using a temporary protective cover to protect and cover contents of an interior or exterior electrical junction box that rests on the surface or is embedded within a wall surface while applying exterior stucco, joint compound, joint compound as a texture, painting, and applying a faux finish. Said methods comprising the steps of removing a standard-sized electrical box cover plate, or prior to the installation of electrical cover plate; providing a protective cover configured to slide into junction box when pressure is applied to the right and left extended side tabs simultaneously while pushing cover into junction box. The cover, made from plastic materials from the polyethylene family, is durable and reusable. Allowing any of the aforementioned tasks to be preformed on the wall surface up to the edge of the protective cover, then removing protective cover, and attaching the standard-sized electrical plate cover. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of providing a protective cover includes providing a protective cover, having a top surface and a bottom edge of the cover portion:
 and wherein the step of sliding the protective cover into the electrical junction box includes squeezing right and left extending tab sides simultaneously when sliding the cover into the junction box causing tabs to frictionally engage interior walls of junction box. 
 
     
     
         5 . A method of creating a temporary protective cover for and electrical junction box, to be used during painting, taping and texturing drywall, exterior stuccoing, when installing new junction boxes and other construction and maintenance tasks, said method comprising the steps of; forming a cover portion with the bottom edges of cover to contact the rim surface of the junction box; and having extending side tabs, extensions of the cover portion, wherein the extending side tabs when squeezed simultaneously can slide into opening of junction box to frictionally engage the interior walls of the box. The cover is maintained by the frictional engagement between the extended side tabs and the interior surfaces of the outlet box, to secure the temporary cover in place. Other embodiments of this invention can be used with a structured cable box and bracket, F. S. Boxes and conduit bodies. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the cover portion is sized to cover electrical junction boxes configured to residential single or multiple electrical outlets and switches. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of forming the cover portion includes forming the cover portion in a rectangular shape.