Bracket for mounting an electrical device

• US 20060237601A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Rinderer, Eric R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,472,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/200.100
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/125 with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

This invention relates to a bracket for mounting an electrical box on a mounting bar device. The bracket has a central section having a channel-shaped recess. The bracket also has end sections at opposite ends of the central section. The end section have bar device openings that are generally aligned with the channel-shaped recess of the central section. The bar device openings and the channel-shaped recess are adapted to slidably receive the mounting bar device. The electrical box is secured to the central section of the bracket using a first fastener element. The bracket is secured to the mounting bar device using a second fastener element. The bracket may also be convertible for use in mounting an electrical box on a vertical mounting rod.

Claims

1. A bracket for mounting an electrical box on a mounting bar device of the type having an elongate bracket mounting section and a pair of fastening sections at opposite ends of the bracket mounting section adapted to be secured to spaced apart wall studs such that the bracket mounting section extends between the wall studs when the sections are secured to the studs, the bracket comprising

a central section having opposite ends and a generally channel-shaped recess therein extending from one end of the central section to the opposite end of the central section,

at least a first fastener element for use in securing the electrical box to the central section of the bracket,

end sections at the opposite ends of the central section having bar device openings generally aligned with the channel-shaped recess of the central section, the channel-shaped recess and the aligned bar device openings being adapted to slidably receive the bracket mounting section of the mounting bar device whereby the bracket may be slidably moved along the bracket mounting section to a selected position, and

at least a second fastener element for use in securing at least one of the end sections of the bracket to the bracket mounting section of the mounting bar device in said selected position.

2. A bracket as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first fastener element comprises at least one box fastener opening in the central section of the bracket for receiving at least one box fastener.

3. A bracket as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second fastener element comprises at least one bracket fastener opening in at least one end section of the bracket for receiving at least one bracket fastener.

4. A bracket as set forth in claim 1 wherein the central section of the bracket comprises a rear wall and upper and lower side walls projecting forward from the rear wall to define the channel-shaped recess, a top flange extending up from the upper side wall, and a bottom flange extending down from the lower side wall.

5. A bracket as set forth in claim 4 wherein the top and bottom flanges are substantially coplanar and wherein the first fastener element comprises a row of box fastener openings in at least one of the top and bottom flanges.

6. A bracket as set forth in claim 4 wherein said end sections at opposite ends of the central section of the bracket comprise a pair of end flanges substantially coplanar with the top and bottom flanges of the central section of the bracket.

7. A bracket as set forth in claim 6 wherein said second fastener means comprises a slot in each of the end sections for receiving a bracket fastener.

8. A bracket as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the end sections has a rod opening therein, the end sections being adapted to be bent from a first mounting bar configuration in which said bar device openings in the end sections are generally horizontally aligned for receiving the bracket mounting section of the mounting bar device to a second different mounting rod configuration in which the rod openings in the end sections are generally vertically aligned for receiving a vertical mounting rod to mount the bracket on the mounting rod.

9. A bracket as set forth in claim 8 wherein the end sections are bendable between said first mounting bar configuration and said second mounting rod configuration on bend lines formed by lines of weakness extending across the end sections generally adjacent opposite ends of the central section of the mounting bracket.

10. A bracket as set forth in claim 8 wherein the central section of the mounting bracket comprises a rear wall and side walls projecting forward from the rear wall, and wherein each end section has a generally Z-shaped configuration comprising a first region formed with a respective rod opening and extending from the rear wall of the central section, a second region formed with a respective bar device opening and extending generally from the first region, and a third region formed with the first fastener element and extending from the second region.

11. A bracket as set forth in claim 1 in combination with a pre-wired electrical box secured to the central section of the mounting bracket, said first fastener element comprising at least one bracket fastener opening for receiving a bracket fastener, the at least one bracket fastener opening being unobscured by the electrical box secured to the mounting bracket to facilitate securement of the mounting bracket to the mounting bar device via the at least one bracket fastener.

12. A convertible bracket for selectively mounting an electrical box on either an elongate generally horizontal mounting bar device or on an elongate generally vertical mounting rod, said bracket comprising

a bracket member,

said bracket member being bendable between a first mounting configuration in which the bracket member is adapted to be mounted on said mounting bar device such that the bracket member is slidable along the bar device, and a second mounting configuration in which the bracket member is adapted to be mounted on the mounting rod such that the bracket member is slidable along the rod, and

at least a first fastener element on the bracket member for use in securing the electrical box to the bracket.

13. A convertible bracket as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bracket member in said first mounting configuration has a first set of openings aligned with one another for receiving said mounting bar device, and wherein said bracket member in said second mounting configuration has a second set of openings aligned with one another for receiving said mounting rod.

14. A convertible bracket as set forth in claim 13 further comprising at least a second fastener element for use in securing the bracket member to said mounting bar device when the bracket member is in said first mounting configuration.

15. A convertible bracket as set forth in claim 14 wherein said bracket member comprises a central section having opposite ends and a generally channel-shaped recess therein extending from one end of the central section to the opposite end of the central section, and end sections at the opposite ends of the central section, said first set of openings in the bracket member comprising bar device openings in said end sections of the bracket member aligned with said channel-shaped recess when the bracket member is in said first mounting configuration for receiving said bar mounting device, and said second set of openings comprising rod openings in said end sections of the bracket member aligned with one another when the bracket member in said second mounting configuration for receiving said mounting rod.

16. A convertible bracket as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bracket member is formed as a one-piece member.