Electrical box assembly with mounting bracket
First Claim
1. An electrical box assembly adapted to be mounted to a support member, comprising:
- an electrical housing;
a substantially U-shaped bracket for supporting said housing on the support member, said bracket includinga substantially flat base portion,a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion,a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion to form a space for receiving the support member between said first and second leg portions,a pair of first arms coupled to opposite ends of said first leg portion with each of said first arms being bent about a fold line extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion so that said first arms extend inwardly into the space formed by said first and second leg portions for resiliently gripping the support member, anda pair of second arms coupled to opposite ends of said second leg portion with each of said second arms being bent about a fold line extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion so that said second arms extend inwardly into the space formed by said first and second leg portions for resiliently gripping the support member; and
coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to said housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical box assembly including an electrical box and a mounting bracket rigidly coupled to the box for mounting the box onto a support member, such as a stud or a joist. The mounting bracket includes a base portion and a pair of leg portions resiliently coupled to the base portion to form a substantially U-shaped, three-sided bracket. The mounting bracket has inwardly extending arms for resiliently gripping the support member. The arms of the mounting bracket grip onto either side of a metal or wood support member to secure the electrical box to the support member and prevent relative movement between the electrical box and the support member. In one embodiment, the arms include teeth to improve the grip between the mounting bracket and a wood support member. In another embodiment, the mounting bracket is coupled to the box by clamping tabs.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. An electrical box assembly adapted to be mounted to a support member, comprising:
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an electrical housing; a substantially U-shaped bracket for supporting said housing on the support member, said bracket including a substantially flat base portion, a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion, a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion to form a space for receiving the support member between said first and second leg portions, a pair of first arms coupled to opposite ends of said first leg portion with each of said first arms being bent about a fold line extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion so that said first arms extend inwardly into the space formed by said first and second leg portions for resiliently gripping the support member, and a pair of second arms coupled to opposite ends of said second leg portion with each of said second arms being bent about a fold line extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion so that said second arms extend inwardly into the space formed by said first and second leg portions for resiliently gripping the support member; and coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to said housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electrical box assembly adapted to be mounted to a support member, comprising:
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an electrical housing; a substantially U-shaped bracket for supporting said housing on the support member, said bracket including a substantially flat base portion, a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion, a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion to form a space for receiving the support member between said first and second leg portions, a first pair of arms coupled to opposite ends of said first leg portion and angled inwardly into the space formed by said first and second leg portions for resiliently gripping the support member, and a second pair of arms coupled to opposite ends of said second leg portion and angled inwardly into the space formed by said first and second leg portions for resiliently gripping the support member, each of said inwardly angled arms including an outwardly extending wing and an edge extending downwardly away from its respective said leg portion to form a wedge-shaped space between the plane of said base portion and said edge; and coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to said housing.
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15. A mounting bracket assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical box, comprising:
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a substantially flat base portion; a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion; a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion to form a space for receiving a support member between said first and second leg portions; a pair of first arms coupled to opposite ends of said first leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member with each of said first arms being bent about a fold line extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion so that said first arms extend inwardly toward said second leg portion; a pair of second arms coupled to opposite ends of said second leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member with each of said second arms being bent about a fold line extending substantially perpendicular to said base portion so that said second arms extend inwardly toward said first leg portion; and coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to an electrical box. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A mounting bracket assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical box, comprising:
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a substantially flat base portion; a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion; a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion to form a space for receiving a support member between said first and second leg portions; a first pair of arms coupled to opposite ends of said first leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member with said first arms being angled inwardly toward said second leg portion; a second pair of arms coupled to opposite ends of said second leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member with said second arms being angled inwardly toward said first leg portion, each of said inwardly angled arms including an outwardly extending wing and an edge extending downwardly away from its respective said leg portion to form a wedge-shaped space between the plane of said base portion and said edge; and coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to an electrical, said coupling means including at least one clamping tab extending from said first leg portion to form a space between said clamping tab and said first leg portion for receiving a side wall of an electrical box therein.
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23. A mounting bracket assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical box and mounted on a support member, comprising:
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a substantially flat base portion; a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion, said first leg portion having an inwardly facing surface with a first leg gripping portion lying in a first plane and an outwardly facing surface; a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base to form a space with said base portion and said first leg portion for receiving a support member between said first and second leg portions, said second leg portion having an inwardly facing surface and an outwardly facing surface; a first arm coupled to one end of said first leg portion for forming a first gripping slot between said first arm and said one end of said first leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member, said first arm having a first arm gripping portion lying in a second plane and forming said first gripping slot between said first and second planes of said gripping portions to receive and grip a flange of the support member therein; and coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to an electrical box. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A mounting bracket assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical box and mounted on a support member, comprising;
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a substantially flat base portion with an inwardly facing surface lying in a first plane for contacting a surface of the support; a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion; a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion to form a space with said base portion and said first leg portion for receiving the support member between said first and second leg portions; a first arm coupled to one end of said first leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member, said first arm having a gripping edge lying in a second plane to form a first wedge-shaped gripping slot between said first and second planes for receiving and gripping a flange of the support member; a second arm coupled to the other end of said first leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member, said second arm having a gripping edge lying in a third plane for forming a second wedge-shaped gripping slot between said first and third planes to receive the flange of the support member therein; and coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to an electrical box. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A mounting bracket assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical box and mounted on a support member, comprising;
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a substantially flat base portion with an inwardly facing surface lying in a first plane for contacting a surface of the support; a first leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion; a second leg portion coupled substantially perpendicular to said base portion to form a space with said base portion and said first leg portion for receiving the support member between said first and second leg portions; a first arm coupled to one end of said first leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member, said first arm having a gripping portion lying in a second plane to form a first slot between said first and second planes for receiving and gripping a flange of the support member; a second arm coupled to the other end of said first leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member, said second arm having a gripping portion lying in a third plane for forming a second slot between said first and third planes to receive the flange of the support member therein, said gripping portion of said second arm being formed by an edge extending downwardly away from said first leg portion so that said second slot is substantially wedge-shaped between said first and third planes; a third arm coupled to one end of said second leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member, said third arm of said second leg portion having a gripping portion lying in a fourth plane for forming a third slot between said first and fourth planes to selectively received the flange of the support member therein, said gripping portion of said third arm of said second leg portion being formed by an edge extending downwardly away from said second leg portion so that said third slot is substantially wedge-shaped between said first and fourth planes; a fourth arm coupled to the other end of said second leg portion for resiliently gripping the support member, said fourth arm of said second leg portion having a gripping portion lying in a fifth plane for forming a fourth slot between said first and fifth planes to selectively receive the flange of the support member therein, said gripping portion of said fourth arm of said second leg being formed by an edge extending downwardly away from said second leg portion so that said fourth slot is substantially wedge-shaped between said first and fifth planes; said first, second, third and fourth arms of each of said leg portions extending inwardly therefrom and each of said first, second, third and fourth arms of each of said leg portions including an outwardly extending wing; and coupling means for rigidly coupling said bracket to an electrical box.
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Specification