Enclosure for interfacing electrical and control or communication devices

• US 6,091,023 A
• Filed: 03/23/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher J. CarTer
• Original Assignee: Patrick O'Donnell
• Inventors: O'Donnell, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Application Number:
  US09/046,370
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/53, 174/57, 220/3.2, 220/3.3, 220/3.7, 220/3.92, 220/3.94, 220/4.02
• US Class Current: 174/57
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes

Abstract

A combined enclosure for an industry standard electrical device, such as a switch or power receptacle, and a control device for controlling the electrical device, the control device having both controlled connectors and controlling connectors. The combined enclosure comprises an electrical device enclosure, a control components enclosure, and a dividing/mounting plate. The electrical device enclosure has an opening in the bottom defining two side ledges, and the top has a first mounting element adjacent to the front opening for mounting the electrical device in the electrical device enclosure. The control components enclosure has a top opening with side walls bent over to form flanges along sides of the top opening and fits through the opening in the bottom of the electrical device enclosure so as to hang by the flanges from the side ledges. The plate completes the electrical device enclosure and provides a second electrical device mounting element so that the electrical device may not be mounted in the combined enclosure unless the plate is installed. An aperture in the plate is provided for mounting the control device to the underside of the plate so that the controlled connectors are accessible from the upper side of the plate and the controlling connectors are accessible from the underside of the plate.

Claims

1. A combined enclosure for an electrical device and a control device for controlling the electrical device, the electrical device of the type having two spaced apertures for screws for mounting the electrical device in an electrical power outlet box having two spaced holes for securing the screws and the control device having both controlled connectors and controlling connectors, the combined enclosure comprising:

an electrical device enclosure comprised of a top, a bottom, two sides, and a back and defining a rectangular front opening, an opening in the bottom defining two side ledges, and the top having a first mounting tab adjacent to the front opening, the first mounting tab having a hole for securing a screw for mounting the electrical device in the electrical device enclosure;

a control components enclosure having a bottom wall, a front wall, a back wall, and two side walls and defining a rectangular top opening, the side walls bent over to form flanges along each side of the top opening, the outside dimensions of the control components enclosure selected to allow the control components enclosure to be moved through the front opening of the electrical device enclosure and bottom wall first down through the opening in the bottom of the electrical device enclosure with minimal clearance so as to hang by the flanges from the side ledges;

a dividing plate for completing the electrical device enclosure, the plate having an underside for installation flat against the bottom of the electrical device enclosure and providing

a second mounting tab having a hole for securing a screw for mounting the electrical device to the plate so that the electrical device may not be mounted in the combined enclosure unless the plate is installed,

a mating interference element for securing the plate against movement relative to the electrical device enclosure when the divider is placed against the bottom of the electrical device enclosure and an electrical device is mounted to the mounting tabs; and

an aperture in the plate for mounting the control device so that when the control device is mounted to the underside of the divider plate the controlled connectors are accessible from the upper side of the divider and the controlling connectors are accessible from the underside of the divider plate.

2. An enclosure for an electrical device and a control device for controlling the electrical device, the control device having both controlled connectors and controlling connectors, the enclosure comprising:

a body having an access opening for mounting the devices inside the enclosure and a first location adjacent the access opening for attachment of the electrical device to the body; and

a removable divider installable within the body so as to divide the interior of the body into an electrical device compartment accessible from the access opening and a control device compartment, the divider having a second location for attachment of the electrical device to the enclosure, so that the electrical device may not be mounted in the enclosure unless the divider is installed, and attachment elements for attaching the control device to the divider so that the controlled connectors are accessible for connection to the electrical device while the controlling connectors are accessible for connection in the control compartment.

3. An enclosure for an electrical device and a control device for controlling the electrical device, the control device having both controlled connectors and controlling connectors, the enclosure comprising:

a body having a front opening for mounting the electrical device inside the body and one mounting element for attachment of the electrical device; and

a removable divider installable within the body so as to divide the interior of the body into a compartment to accommodate the mounted electrical device and a compartment to accommodate the control device, the divider having a second mounting element for attachment of the electrical device so that the electrical device may not be mounted in the body unless the divider is installed, the divider further having attachment elements for attaching the control device to the divider so that the controlled connectors are accessible for connection to the electrical device while the controlling connectors are accessible for connection in the control compartment.

4. An enclosure for enclosing electrical devices and mounting low voltage devices, the enclosure comprising:

a box having a front opening and an insufficient number of mountings to mount an electrical device in the front opening; and

a divider that when installed in the box provides the enclosure with a sufficient number of mountings to mount the electrical device, the divider providing mountings for a low voltage device to allow a low voltage device to be mounted to the enclosure so that all electrical connections to the low voltage device are accessible when the divider is removed and all low voltage wiring and low voltage connections to the low voltage device are outside the box.

5. A box adapted for forming in combination with a divider an enclosure for enclosing electrical devices and mounting low voltage devices, the box having a front opening and an insufficient number of mounting elements to mount an electrical device within the front opening and adapted for receiving a divider that when installed in the box provides the enclosure with a sufficient number of mounting elements to mount the electrical device, the divider providing mountings for a low voltage device to allow a low voltage device to be mounted to the enclosure so that all electrical connections to the low voltage device are accessible when the divider is removed and all low voltage wiring and low voltage connections to the low voltage device are outside the box.

6. A box adapted for mounting a low voltage device, the box forming in combination with the low voltage device an enclosure for enclosing an electrical device, the box having a front opening and an insufficient number of mounting elements to mount an electrical device within the front opening unless the low voltage device is first mounted to the box so that all electrical connections to the low voltage device are accessible when the electrical device is removed and all low voltage wiring and low voltage connections to the low voltage device are outside the box.

7. A divider adapted for installation in a box having a front opening and an insufficient number of mountings to mount an electrical device within the front opening so as to form an enclosure for enclosing electrical devices and mounting low voltage devices, the divider when installed in the box providing the enclosure with a sufficient number of mounting elements to mount the electrical device, the divider providing mounting elements for a low voltage device to be mounted to the enclosure so that all electrical connections to the low voltage device are accessible when the divider is removed and all low voltage wiring and low voltage connections to the low voltage device are outside the box.

8. An enclosure for enclosing an electrical device and mounting a control device comprising an electrical device enclosure having an electrical device mounting location and a control device mounting plate having a control device mounting location, the electrical device not fully mountable within the electrical device enclosure unless the control device mounting plate is first installed in the electrical device enclosure and the control device mounting plate when installed separating the electrical device mounting location from the control device mounting location.