Electrical Box Bracket

• US 20170093141A1
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Original Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Inventors: Jones, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,853,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/12 for flush mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work

Abstract

A bracket is configured to secure a component, such as an electrical box, to a support member, such as a stud. The bracket can include an engagement portion, such as a snap-on arm, configured to interact with multiple surfaces of the support member. A biased or snap-on feature of the engagement portion can be configured to engage a side of the support member to secure the bracket to the support member.

Claims

1. A mounting bracket to secure a component to a support member, the mounting bracket comprising:

a mounting portion configured to support the component with the component disposed at least partly along a first side of the support member; and

a snap-on arm connected to the mounting portion;

the snap-on arm including a first portion extending away from the mounting portion and configured to overlie a front face of the support member; and

the snap-on arm further including a second portion extending at an angle relative to the first portion, the second portion including a snap-on feature that is configured to engage a second side of the support member, opposite the first side, when the first portion of the snap-on arm overlies the front face of the support member, to secure the mounting bracket to the support member.

2. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein the snap-on feature is configured as a snap-on tab that extends from a body of the second portion.

3. The mounting bracket of claim 1, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side, wherein, with the mounting bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, the snap-on feature is configured to engage the open side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud;

and

wherein, with the mounting bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, the snap-on feature is configured to engage the closed side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud.

4. The mounting bracket of claim 3, with the open side of the stud including a lip adjacent to the front face, wherein the snap-on feature is configured to engage the open side of the stud at the lip.

5. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein the snap-on arm is a first snap-on arm and extends from a first side of the mounting portion, the mounting bracket further comprising:

a second snap-on arm extending from a second side of the mounting portion;

wherein the first and second snap-on arms are offset from each other in a direction that extends in parallel with an elongate direction of the support member.

6. The mounting bracket of claim 1, further comprising:

a support feature connected to the mounting portion;

wherein, with the snap-on feature engaging the second side of the support member, the support feature is disposed to engage the first side of the support member to further secure the mounting bracket to the support member.

7. The mounting bracket of claim 6, wherein the support feature includes a plurality of wings configured to engage the first side of the support member.

8. The mounting bracket of claim 6, wherein the support feature includes a support tab extending rearward relative to the mounting portion.

9. The mounting bracket of claim 8, wherein the support feature further includes a locking tab that extends away from the support tab;

and

wherein the locking tab is configured to engage the second side of the support member.

10. The mounting bracket of claim 9, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side, wherein, with the mounting bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, the locking tab is configured to engage the open side of the stud and the snap-on feature is configured to engage the closed side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud;

and

wherein, with the mounting bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, the locking tab is configured to engage the closed side of the stud and the snap-on feature is configured to engage the open side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud.

11. The mounting bracket of claim 10, with the open side of the stud including a lip adjacent to the front face, wherein the locking tab and the snap-on feature are configured to engage the open side of the stud at the lip.

12. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein the snap-on arm is integrally formed with the mounting portion,

13. The mounting bracket of claim 1, further comprising:

a foldable leg configured to be arranged by an end user to engage the support member at different distances from the mounting portion, to support the mounting portion relative to the support member.

14. A mounting arrangement to secure a mounting bracket to a support member, the mounting bracket being configured to support a component with the component disposed at least partly along a first side of the support member, the mounting arrangement comprising:

a snap-on arm mechanically coupled to the mounting bracket and configured to mechanically engage multiple surfaces of the support member to secure the mounting bracket to the support member;

the snap-on arm extending away from the mounting bracket and including a bend that separates a first portion of the snap-on arm from a second portion of the snap-on arm;

the first portion of the snap-on arm being configured to contact a front face of the support member; and

the second portion of the snap-on arm including a biased tab configured to contact a second side of the support member, opposite the first side of the support member, when the first portion of the snap-on arm contacts the front face of the support member, to secure the mounting bracket to the support member.

15. The mounting arrangement of claim 14, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side, wherein, with the mounting bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, the biased tab contacts the open side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud;

and

wherein, with the mounting bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, the biased tab contacts the closed side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud.

16. The mounting arrangement of claim 15, with the open side of the stud including a lip adjacent to the front face, wherein the biased tab contacts the open side of the stud at the lip.

17. The mounting arrangement of claim 14, further comprising:

a support tab mechanically coupled to the mounting bracket;

wherein, with the biased tab of the snap-on arm contacting the second side of the support member, the support tab contacts the first side of the support member to further secure the mounting bracket to the support member.

18. The mounting arrangement of claim 17, wherein the biased tab of the snap-on arm is a first biased tab;

and

wherein the support tab includes a second biased tab configured to contact the second side of the support member.

19. The mounting arrangement of claim 18, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side with a lip, wherein the first biased tab and the second biased tab are configured to contact the open side of the stud at the lip.

20. A bracket to secure an electrical-system component to a stud, the stud having front face, a closed side, and an open side, the bracket comprising:

a mounting portion configured to receive the electrical-system component; and

a stud engagement configured to engage the front face of the stud and at least one of the open side and the closed side of the stud, to attach the bracket to the stud;

the stud engagement including an engagement member with a bend and a biased engagement feature that is disposed on an opposite side of the bend from the mounting portion; and

the biased engagement feature being configured to;

with the bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, engage the open side of the stud to secure the bracket to the stud; and

with the bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, engage the closed side of the stud to secure the bracket to the stud.