BACKLESS ELECTRICAL BOX AND METHOD OF MAKING

• US 20130175263A1
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Original Assignee: Edward J. Lynch Jr
• Inventors: Lynch, Edward J. Jr., Laughlin, Raymond S., Wilson, Eric J., Olle, Raymond M., Mominee, Daniel S, Korte, Peter B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,627,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/3.2
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 51/52 boxes, cigarette cases, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers

Abstract

A backless electrical box is formed out of a single piece of material, with a front and sides of the box being parts of the same single piece of material. The front of the box has an integrally-formed mud ring that extends forward from a front base of the front. The sides are made out of material bent back from two opposite edges of the front base, bent around to form the four sides. Some or all of the sides may have seams in them, which may be secured by portions of material overlapping along some or all of the height of the sides, riveted or otherwise attached together. Mounting flanges may extend from the other two opposite edges of the front base. Tabs bent downward from the mounting flanges may be used to cover holes in the sides that extend rearward from these two other opposite edges.

Claims

1. An electrical box comprising:

a front; and

four sides extending rearward from the front to define a substantially rectangular enclosure for making electrical connections in;

wherein the front and the sides are parts of a single piece of monolithic continuous material; and

wherein at least some of the sides have respective seams in them.

2. The electrical box of claim 1,

wherein the sides include knockouts;

and

wherein at least one of the knockouts overlaps one of the seams.

3. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the front includes:

a front base that the sides extend rearward from; and

an integral mud ring that extends forward from the front base.

4. The electrical box of claim 3,

wherein the front base is a substantially rectangular front base having a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, with the first edge and the third edge being substantially parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the front base, and the second edge and the fourth edge being substantially parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the front base;

wherein the sides include;

a first side extending rearward from the first edge;

a second side extending rearward from the second edge;

a third side extending rearward from the third edge; and

a fourth side extending rearward from the fourth edge;

wherein the sides are made up of material folded back from the first and third edges; and

wherein the front includes mounting flanges extending from the second and fourth edges.

5. The electrical box of claim 4, further comprising covering tabs, folded down from the second and fourth edges, that cover openings in the second side and the fourth side.

6. The electrical box of claim 5,

wherein the front includes mounting flanges extending from the second edge and the fourth edge;

and

wherein the mounting flanges include distal portions corresponding in shape to the openings covered by the covering tabs.

7. The electrical box of claim 6,

wherein the second side abuts the second edge, with a top seam between the second side and the second edge;

and

wherein the fourth side abuts the fourth edge, with another top seam between the fourth side and the fourth edge.

8. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the front includes mounting flanges on opposite respective sides.

9. The electrical box of claim 8, wherein the mounting flanges includes cutouts that are bent downward to form covering tabs that cover openings in the sides.

10. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the seams in the sides include seams covered by overlap of material of the sides.

11. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein the overlap is at the height of the sides.

12. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein the overlap is of a tab.

13. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein the overlapped material is mechanically joined to secure the seams covered by the overlap of material.

14. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein all of the sides have seams in them.

15. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the piece of monolithic material is a steel piece.

16. The electrical box of claim 15, wherein the steel piece has a thickness of at least 0.05 inches.

17. A method of forming an electrical box, the method comprising:

providing a sheet metal blank; and

folding side pieces of the blank down from first and third edges of a front base, wherein the front base is a substantially rectangular front base having a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, with the first edge and the third edge being substantially parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the front base, and the second edge and the fourth edge being substantially parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the front base, the folding thereby forming a first side extending rearward from the first edge, a second side extending rearward from the second edge, a third side extending rearward from the third edge, and a fourth side extending rearward from the fourth edge, wherein the sides form a substantially rectangular enclosure behind the front base.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising securing seams in at least some of the sides.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the securing includes joining overlapped portions of the sides.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal blank is a steel blank having a thickness having at least 0.05 inches.