Self-measuring wall box bracket
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining a specified outlet height for mounting an electrical outlet between a first wall stud and a second wall stud, which are spaced apart at a specified stud spacing distance, said apparatus being horizontally symmetrical and vertically symmetrical, said apparatus comprising:
- a rectangular body frame, said rectangular body frame comprising;
two long sides,two short sides, each said short side being shorter than said long sides, coplanar with said long sides, perpendicular to said long sides and spanning a distance between said two long sides, each said short side comprisinga short vertex on either end of said short side, andan outlet box mounting frame for receiving said electrical outlet, said outlet box mounting frame comprisingan opening in said rectangular body frame; and
two trapezoidal ends, each said trapezoidal end distending outwardly from one said short side of said rectangular body frame, each trapezoidal end comprisingone said short side of said rectangular body frame,a long trapezoidal side, said long trapezoidal side being longer than said short side, parallel to said short side, said long trapezoidal side comprisinga long vertex on either end of said long trapezoidal side andan outer edge of said apparatus,an altitude, said altitude comprising an altitude distance between said short side and said long trapezoidal side,two ears, each said ear comprisingan area spanning said long vertex, said short vertex and the point at which said altitude extending from said short vertex intersects said long trapezoidal side, on the same side of said trapezoidal end, anda single screw hole,alignment slits at the base of each said ear and at either end of said long sides, anddepth folds, which allow said electrical outlet to be mounted flush with a wall supported by said first wall stud and said second wall stud;
wherein said screw holes comprisea first mounting point;
wherein a coplanar perpendicular distance from said long trapezoidal side to said screw hole on the opposite side of said apparatus corresponds to the height of said first mounting point;
wherein the spacing between the midpoint between said screw holes on one said trapezoidal end and the midpoint between said screw holes on the other said trapezoidal end allows for said apparatus to span said specified stud spacing distance;
wherein said coplanar perpendicular distance from said long trapezoidal side to said screw holes on the opposite side of said apparatus plus one-half the distance between said screw holes on the same said trapezoidal end is said specified outlet height.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for the installation of an electrical outlet between studs at a specified height. The apparatus comprises a body frame with an outlet box mounting frame and ears that extend outwardly from each corner. Each ear has a screw hole, which is precisely positioned, so that the bracket can be used to measure and install an electrical outlet at a specified height. During installation, the bracket is turned sideways, set on the floor and aligned with a wall stud. Next, a screw is secured in the uppermost ear that overlaps the wall stud. Next, the bracket is swung upward until the ears on the opposite side overlap the second wall stud. Next, screws are added to the remaining screw holes and all screws are tightly affixed, so that the apparatus is firmly mounted between the two wall studs at a specified height.
117 Citations
6 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining a specified outlet height for mounting an electrical outlet between a first wall stud and a second wall stud, which are spaced apart at a specified stud spacing distance, said apparatus being horizontally symmetrical and vertically symmetrical, said apparatus comprising:
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a rectangular body frame, said rectangular body frame comprising; two long sides, two short sides, each said short side being shorter than said long sides, coplanar with said long sides, perpendicular to said long sides and spanning a distance between said two long sides, each said short side comprising a short vertex on either end of said short side, and an outlet box mounting frame for receiving said electrical outlet, said outlet box mounting frame comprising an opening in said rectangular body frame; and two trapezoidal ends, each said trapezoidal end distending outwardly from one said short side of said rectangular body frame, each trapezoidal end comprising one said short side of said rectangular body frame, a long trapezoidal side, said long trapezoidal side being longer than said short side, parallel to said short side, said long trapezoidal side comprising a long vertex on either end of said long trapezoidal side and an outer edge of said apparatus, an altitude, said altitude comprising an altitude distance between said short side and said long trapezoidal side, two ears, each said ear comprising an area spanning said long vertex, said short vertex and the point at which said altitude extending from said short vertex intersects said long trapezoidal side, on the same side of said trapezoidal end, and a single screw hole, alignment slits at the base of each said ear and at either end of said long sides, and depth folds, which allow said electrical outlet to be mounted flush with a wall supported by said first wall stud and said second wall stud; wherein said screw holes comprise a first mounting point; wherein a coplanar perpendicular distance from said long trapezoidal side to said screw hole on the opposite side of said apparatus corresponds to the height of said first mounting point; wherein the spacing between the midpoint between said screw holes on one said trapezoidal end and the midpoint between said screw holes on the other said trapezoidal end allows for said apparatus to span said specified stud spacing distance; wherein said coplanar perpendicular distance from said long trapezoidal side to said screw holes on the opposite side of said apparatus plus one-half the distance between said screw holes on the same said trapezoidal end is said specified outlet height. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of determining a specified outlet height for installing an electrical outlet between a first wall stud and a second wall stud, which are spaced apart at a specified stud spacing distance, using an apparatus comprising:
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a rectangular body frame, said rectangular body frame being horizontally symmetrical and vertically symmetrical, said rectangular body frame comprising; two long side edges, two short side edges, said short side edges being shorter than said long side edges, an outlet box mounting frame for receiving said electrical outlet, said outlet box mounting frame comprising an opening in said rectangular body frame, and ears that extend outwardly from each corner of said rectangular body frame, said ears comprising a single screw hole each; wherein the spacing between said screw holes on opposite sides of said long side edges of said rectangular body frame allows for said apparatus to span said specified stud spacing distance; wherein a distance between said screw holes and said short side edge on the opposite side of said apparatus plus one-half the vertical distance between said screw holes is said specified outlet height; said method comprising; turning said apparatus sideways so that said long side edges of said rectangular body frame are vertical and said short side edges of said rectangular body frame are horizontal; setting one said short side edge of said rectangular body frame on the floor; aligning one said long side edge of said rectangular body frame with said first wall stud with said rectangular body frame positioned between said first wall stud and said second wall stud; loosely securing a first screw in said screw hole in the uppermost said ear that overlaps said first wall stud; swinging said apparatus upward, pivoting said apparatus around said loosely secured first screw, until said ears on the opposite side of said loosely secured screw overlaps said second wall stud; horizontally aligning said apparatus relative to said second wall stud; adding additional screws to the remaining said screw holes; tightly affixing said first screw and said additional screws, so that said apparatus is firmly mounted between said first wall stud and said second wall stud; and mounting said electrical outlet in said outlet box mounting frame.
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6. A method of determining a specified outlet height for installing an electrical outlet between a first wall stud and a second wall stud, which are spaced apart at a specified stud spacing distance, using an apparatus comprising:
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a rectangular body frame, said rectangular body frame being horizontally symmetrical and vertically symmetrical, said rectangular body frame comprising; two long side edges, two short side edges, said short side edges being shorter than said long sides edges, an outlet box mounting frame for receiving said electrical outlet, said outlet box mounting frame comprising an opening in said rectangular body frame, and ears that extend outwardly from each corner of said rectangular body frame, said ears comprising a single screw hole each; wherein a space between said screw holes on opposite sides of said long side edges of said rectangular body frame allows for said apparatus to span said specified stud spacing distance; wherein a distance between said screw holes and said short side edge on the opposite side of said apparatus plus one-half the vertical distance between said screw holes is said specified outlet height; said method comprising; configuring said apparatus with said electrical outlet mounted in said outlet box mounting frame; turning said apparatus sideways so that said long side edges of said rectangular body frame are vertical, said short side edges of said rectangular body frame are horizontal and said electrical outlet is oriented perpendicular to the final installation position of said electrical outlet; setting one said short side edge of said rectangular body frame on the floor; aligning one said long side edge of said rectangular body frame with said first wall stud with said rectangular body frame positioned between said first wall stud and said second wall stud; loosely securing a first screw in said screw hole in the uppermost said ear that overlaps said first wall stud; swinging said apparatus upward, pivoting said apparatus around said loosely secured first screw, until said ears on the opposite side of said loosely secured screw overlaps said second wall stud; horizontally aligning said apparatus relative to said second wall stud so that said mounted electrical outlet is oriented in said final installation position; adding additional screws to the remaining said screw holes; and tightly affixing said first screw and said additional screws, so that said apparatus is firmly mounted between said first wall stud and said second wall stud.
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Specification