Standoff for outlet boxes

• US 5,031,789 A
• Filed: 04/13/1990
• Issued: 07/16/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited), FL Industries Incorporated American Electric Division
• Original Assignee: FL Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Dauberger, George R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollard, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US07/508,661
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 220/3.4, 220/3.9, 248/DIG. 6
• US Class Current: 220/3.9
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/125 with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame

Abstract

A standoff attached to an outlet box on the opposite side thereof from a wall stud on which the box is mounted. The box has an open front located adjacent an opening in wallboard attached to one side of the wall stud. The standoff projects rearwardly of the box for engaging the inner surface of wallboard attached to the opposite side of the wall stud for preventing rearward movement of the box. The standoff has selectively frangible portions for adapting it for use with outlet boxes and wall studs of different depths.

Claims

1. A standoff for electrical outlet boxes comprising an elongated member having opposite end portions, said elongated member being substantially flat and straight between said opposite end portions, primary attaching means on one of said end portions for attachment to a sidewall of an outlet box adjacent an open front thereof with said elongated member extending along the box sidewall and with the other of said opposite end portions spaced a substantial distance beyond the bottom of the box, and secondary attaching means on said elongated member intermediate said opposite end portions thereof for attachment to the rear of an outlet box adjacent the box sidewall along which said elongated member extends, said secondary attaching means comprising resilient finger means extending transversely outwardly from said elongated member intermediate said opposite end portions thereof and on the same side thereof as said primary attaching means for engaging the rear of an outlet box, said primary attaching means and said resilient finger means being spaced from one another a distance slightly less than the depth of an outlet box for resiliently gripping of a box from front-to-rear between said primary attaching means and said resilient finger means.

2. The standoff of claim 1 wherein said secondary attaching means comprises a plurality of secondary attaching means spaced-apart from one another between said opposite end portions for attachment to the rear of outlet boxes having different depths.

3. The standoff of claim 1 including frangible means between said secondary attaching means and said elongated member for facilitating separation of said secondary attaching means from said elongated member.

4. The standoff of claim 1 wherein said elongated member has an extension portion on the opposite side of said secondary attaching means from said primary attaching means, and frangible means on said elongated member for facilitating separation of said extension portion therefrom.

5. The standoff of claim 1 wherein said resilient finger is inclined toward said one end portion of said elongated member.

6. The standoff of claim 5 wherein said resilient finger includes a first finger portion extending outwardly from said elongated member at an inclination toward said one end portion of said elongated member, said finger having a terminal finger portion inclined toward the other of said end portions from said first finger portion.

7. The standoff of claim 6 wherein said first finger portion is substantially larger than said terminal finger portion.

8. The standoff of claim 1 wherein said secondary attaching means includes a plurality of secondary attaching means spaced-apart form one another intermediate said opposite end portions of said elongated member and including initial secondary attaching means located closest to said primary attaching means, and frangible means between said elongated member and said initial secondary attaching means for facilitating separation of said initial secondary attaching means from said elongated member.

9. The standoff of claim 8 wherein said secondary attaching means includes a terminal secondary attaching means located closest to the other of said opposite end portions of said elongated member, said elongated member having an extension portion extending between said terminal secondary attaching means and said other end portion of said elongated member, and frangible means on said elongated member adjacent said terminal secondary attaching means for facilitating separation of said extension portion from said elongated member.

10. A standoff for electrical outlet boxes comprising an elongated generally flat member having opposite end portions, attaching means on one of said end portions for attachment to an outlet box sidewall adjacent an open front of the box, resilient finger means extending transversely outwardly from said elongated member intermediate said opposite end portions thereof and on the same side as said attaching means for engaging the rear of an outlet box, said attaching means and said resilient finger means being spaced from one another a distance slightly less than the depth of an outlet box for resiliently gripping of a box from front-to-rear between said attaching means and said resilient finger means, said flat member having an extension portion that includes the other of said opposite end portions for extending rearwardly of an outlet box, frangible means extending across said flat member for facilitating separation of said extension portion from said flat member, and said frangible means being located substantially closer to said other of said opposite end portions than to said one of said opposite end portions, the length of said flat member with said extension portion corresponding to one side of wall stud and the length of said flat member with said extending portion removed therefrom corresponding to a different wall stud size.

11. The standoff of claim 10 including secondary attaching means extending outwardly from said flat member for attachment to the rear of an outlet box.

12. The standoff of claim 11 wherein said secondary attaching means is located closely adjacent said frangible means and on the opposite side of said frangible means from said extension portion so that said secondary attaching means remains on said flat member when said extension portion is removed therefrom.

13. The standoff of claim 11 wherein said flat member has opposite side edges and said secondary attaching means is substantially centrally located between said opposite side edges.

14. The standoff of claim 11 wherein said other of said opposite end portions includes a foot extending outwardly from said flat member transversely thereof, and said secondary attaching means and said foot extend outwardly from said flat member on opposite side thereof.

15. A standoff for electrical outlet boxes comprising an elongated member having opposite end portions, attaching means on one of said end portions for attachment to a sidewall of an outlet box adjacent an open front thereof, said attaching means including engaging means extending transversely of said elongated member for engaging a front end of a box sidewall, resilient finger means extending transversely outwardly from said elongated member intermediate said opposite end portions thereof and on the same side thereof as said engaging means for engaging the rear of an outlet box, said engaging means and said resilient finger means being spaced from one another a distance slightly less than the depth of an outlet box for resilient gripping of a box from front-to-rear between said engaging means and said resilient finger means, said elongated member having an extension portion extending between said resilient finger means and the other of said opposite end portions, said extension portion being a substantially flat and straight continuation of said elongated member that projects rearwardly of the box to which said elongated member is attached.

16. The standoff of claim 15 wherein said elongated member is substantially flat and has opposite side edges, said resilient finger means comprising a pair of resilient fingers deformed outwardly from said elongated member along said side edges.

17. The standoff of claim 15 wherein said elongated member is substantially flat and includes stiffening rib means extending longitudinally thereof for stiffening same against bending.

18. The standoff of claim 17 wherein said stiffening rib means extends only between said attaching means and said resilient finger means.

19. The standoff of claim 15 wherein said resilient finger means includes a plurality of resilient fingers spaced-apart longitudinally of said elongated member.

20. The standoff of claim 19 wherein said elongated member is substantially flat and has opposite side edges, said resilient fingers including a pair of transversely aligned resilient fingers deformed outwardly from said elongated member along said side edges, and an individual resilient finger spaced from said pair of resilient fingers on the opposite sides thereof from said attaching means.

21. The standoff of claim 20 including finger frangible means for facilitating separation of said pair of fingers from said elongated member.

22. The standoff of claim 21 including extension portion frangible means extending transversely across said elongated member adjacent said individual resilient finger for facilitating removal of said extension portion from said elongated member.