Adjustable mounting bracket

• US 20070194188A1
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/218.4
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A mounting bracket for supporting an electrical box or other electrical device to a wall stud is adapted to contact an opposing wall to resist movement of the bracket. The bracket includes a front plate and a support plate extending perpendicular to the front plate and having a length to engage the opposing wall. The extension plate is integrally formed with the support plate and can be folded to an outward extended position to increase the effective length of the stabilizing plate to accommodate wall cavities of different depths. The extension plate includes fold lines so that an end portion can be bent to shorten the effective length of the extension plate.

Claims

1. An adjustable outlet box mounting bracket formed from a unitary piece of stiff sheet material, said bracket comprising:

a front mounting panel having a central opening with a dimension to accommodate an electrical outlet box, a plurality of first openings in said front mounting panel for receiving screw heads for coupling the electrical outlet box to said front mounting panel, and a plurality of second openings for receiving fasteners for mounting said front mounting panel to a wall stud;

a stabilizing plate extending from said front mounting panel at a right angle and having a first end connected to said front mounting panel and a second end to engage an opposing wall surface spaced from said front mounting panel a first distance during use; and

an extension plate coupled to said stabilizing plate at said second end and being bendable from a first position to a second extended position extending away from said stabilizing plate, said extension plate having an outer end for engaging an opposing wall surface spaced from said front mounting plate a second distance when said extension plate is in said second extended position.

2. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein

said front mounting panel has a first side portion and a second side portion opposite said first side portion, and wherein said first openings are formed in said first side portion and said stabilizing plate is coupled to said second side portion.

3. The mounting bracket of claim 2, wherein

said second side portion has an outer edge and wherein said stabilizing plate is coupled to said outer edge.

4. The mounting bracket of claim 2, wherein

said second side portion has an inner edge defining said central opening and wherein said stabilizing plate is coupled to said inner edge.

5. The mounting bracket of claim 2, wherein

said extension plate is removed from said stabilizing plate to define an opening in said stabilizing plate, and where said extension plate is integrally formed with an outer edge of said opening in said stabilizing plate and foldable outwardly to the extended position.

6. The mounting bracket of claim 5, wherein

wherein said extension plate includes an integrally formed locking tab cut from said extension plate and being bendable to couple to said second side portion to retain said extension plate in said extended position.

7. The mounting bracket of claim 6, wherein

said extension plate has a central opening, and wherein said locking tab is formed by cuts extending outwardly from said central opening in said extension plate.

8. The mounting bracket of claim 6, wherein

said locking tab is bendable to bend over said stabilizing plate to fix said extension plate in an extended position with respect to said stabilizing plate.

9. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein

said outer end of said extension plate includes a plurality of parallel score lines adaptable to be folded to shorten said extension plate to a desired length.

10. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein

said extension plate is coupled to said stabilizing plate by a fold line, said fold line being positioned between an outer edge of said stabilizing plate and an inner edge of said first portion of said extension plate.

11. The mounting bracket of claim 10, wherein

said extension plate includes a pair of legs integrally formed with said first portion of said extension plate, said legs having one end defining said outer end of said extension plate.

12. The mounting bracket of claim 11, wherein

said legs are oriented parallel to and adjacent said stabilizing plate when said extension is in said first position, and wherein said legs extend away from said stabilizing plate when in said second extended position.

13. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein

said extension plate is substantially parallel to said front mounting panel in said first position and substantially perpendicular to said front mounting panel in said second position.

14. The mounting bracket of claim 13, wherein

said extension plate includes an integral locking tab that is bendable to couple to said stabilizing plate to secure said extension plate in said second position.

15. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein said extension plate is substantially parallel to said support plate when in said second extended position.

16. The mounting bracket of claim 1, further comprising a locking member for locking said extension plate in said second extended position.

17. An electrical box mounting bracket comprising:

a front mounting panel having a central opening with a dimension to accommodate an electrical box, a plurality of first openings for receiving screw heads for attaching the electrical box to said front mounting panel, and a plurality of second openings for fasteners for mounting said front mounting panel to a wall stud;

a stabilizing plate having a first end coupled to said front mounting panel and a second end to engage a first opposing wall surface spaced from a front wall a first distance during use;

an extension plate coupled to said stabilizing plate about a first fold line and being bendable from a first position to an extended second position to engage a second opposing wall surface spaced from the front wall a second distance; and

a bendable locking member integrally formed with said bracket to secure said extension plate in said extended position.

18. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 17, wherein said stabilizing plate is bendable along a fold line to a position substantially perpendicular to said front mounting panel.

19. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 17, wherein said stabilizing plate is formed at a right angle to said front mounting panel.

20. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 17, wherein

said extension plate is oriented substantially parallel to said front mounting panel when in said first position, and wherein said extension plate is substantially perpendicular to said front mounting plate when in said second extended position.

21. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 20, wherein

said central opening has an inner side edge and said stabilizing plate is integrally formed with said inner side edge and bendable outwardly from said front mounting panel to form said central opening.

22. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 20, wherein

said stabilizing plate has a central opening with an inner edge, and said locking member is a tab that is foldable over said inner edge of said central opening.

23. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 20, wherein

said extension plate has a first portion integrally formed with said stabilizing plate and a second portion extending from said first portion of said extension plate, said second portion of said extension plate having an outer end for engaging the opposing wall in the second extended position.

24. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 17, wherein

said stabilizing plate has a central opening defining a first portion coupled to said front mounting panel and a second portion spaced from said first portion and having an inner edge, said extension plate having a first end being integrally formed with and coupled to said inner edge of said second portion of said stabilizing plate, said extension plate being bendable from said first position extending toward said front mounting panel to said second position extending away from said front mounting panel.

25. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 24, wherein

said second portion of said stabilizing plate has an outer edge for contacting said first opposing wall and said extension plate has a second end for contacting said second opposing wall.

26. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 17, wherein

said locking tab is integrally formed with said extension plate and is bendable over an outer edge of said stabilizing plate to secure said extension plate in said second position.

27. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 17, wherein

said stabilizing plate has a central opening with an inner edge and an outer edge, said extension plate being coupled to said outer edge, and where said bendable locking member is a locking tab integrally formed with said extension plate and bendable over said stabilizing plate.

28. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 27, wherein

said locking tab is bendable over said inner edge of said central opening in said stabilizing plate.

29. An electrical box mounting bracket comprising:

a front mounting panel having a central opening with a dimension to accommodate an electrical box, said front mounting panel having a plurality of first openings for receiving screw heads for coupling the electrical box to said front mounting plate and a plurality of second openings for fasteners for mounting said front mounting panel to a wall stud;

a stabilizing plate coupled to a side of said front mounting panel and being bendable about a fold line to an extended position wherein an outer end of said stabilizing plate engages an opposing wall surface spaced from a front wall a first distance during use; and

an extension plate integrally formed with said stabilizing plate, said extension plate having a first end portion coupled to said outer end of said stabilizing plate by a fold line and a second end portion spaced from said first end portion, said extension plate being bendable about said fold line between a first retracted position and a second extended position where said second end portion extends away from said front mounting plate to engage an opposing wall surface spaced from the front wall a second distance during use.

30. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 29, wherein

said second end portion of said extension plate includes a pair of legs extending from said extension plate being bendable from said first position to said second position where said extension plate is perpendicular to said stabilizing plate.

31. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 30, wherein

said extension plate is foldable to said second position where said extension plate is substantially parallel to said stabilizing plate.

32. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 29, wherein

said stabilizing plate has a central opening with an inner edge, and said extension plate is coupled to said inner edge by said fold line.

33. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 32, wherein

said extension plate includes a locking tab that is foldable over said inner edge of said central opening of said stabilizing plate to secure said extension plate in said extended position.

34. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 29, wherein

said extension plate is cut from said stabilizing plate to form said central opening.

35. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 29, wherein

said extension plate is removed from a center portion of said stabilizing plate to form a central opening in said stabilizing plate, said central opening having a first inner edge proximate said front mounting panel and a second inner edge spaced from said front mounting panel, and where said extension plate is coupled to said second inner edge.

36. The electrical box mounting bracket of claim 29, wherein

said extension plate includes at least one fold line adapted to shorten a length of said extension plate.