Multiple gang junction box assembly with electrical arcing isolation between compartments

• US 6,395,981 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OEM Systems Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OEM Systems Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Ford, Gregory H., Lieder, Oliver H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US09/824,118
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50,53,17 R,59,57,58,48,66,67 220/3.2,3.3,3.5,3.6,3.7,3.8,3.94,4.01,4.02,4.33,241,3.92,476,533
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes

Abstract

A multiple gang junction box assembly includes a main box, divider panels, positioning elements attached to the main box in an interior chamber thereof for slidably receiving the divider panels therein and laterally spacing apart the divider panels from one another so as to partition the interior chamber into adjacent compartments being in a condition of electrical arcing isolation from one another which allows low and high voltage components to be housed therein, and a front cover plate having vertical lands protruding therefrom and laterally spaced apart from one another. The displacement of the divider panels from one another is equal to a selected number of times the distance of the vertical lands from one another. At least some vertical lands of the front cover plate and the front edge portions of the divider panels are placed in flush contact providing additional isolation of adjacent compartments from one another.

Claims

1. A multiple gang junction box assembly, comprising:

(a) a main box having an interior chamber and a front peripheral edge defining a front opening to said interior chamber;

(b) a plurality of divider panels separable from said main box, each of said divider panels having a front edge portion thereon;

(c) a plurality of positioning elements attached to said main box in said interior chamber thereof slidably receiving and positioning said divider panels in said interior chamber so as to laterally space apart said divider panels from one another through a given displacement and to partition said interior chamber into a plurality of side-by-side compartments provided in a condition of electrical arcing isolation from one another which allows low and high electrical voltage components to be housed in said side-by-side compartments; and

(d) a front cover plate separable from said main box and said divider panels, said front cover plate having opposite front and rear sides, a peripheral edge and a plurality of vertical lands formed on and protruding from said rear side of said front cover plate and laterally spaced apart from one another by a given distance, said given displacement of said divider panels from one another in said interior chamber being substantially equal to a predetermined number of times said given distance of said vertical lands from one another, said vertical lands also extending between top and bottom portions of said peripheral edge of said front cover plate such that with said front cover plate positioned adjacent to said front peripheral edge of said main box and covering said front opening thereof at least some of said vertical lands of said front cover plate and said front edge portions of said divider panels are placed in flush contact with one another so as to close off adjacent ones of said side-by-side compartments from one another at said front edge portions of said divider panels and thereby provide additional isolation of said side-by-side compartments from one another.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said main box, divider panels and front cover plate are made of plastic material.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said given displacement of said divider panels from one another in said interior chamber of said main box is substantially equal to two times said given distance of said vertical lands from one another.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said main box includes rear, top, bottom, and opposite side walls being interconnected so as to form said interior chamber.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said top, bottom and opposite side walls have respective forward edge portions defining said front peripheral edge of said main box.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said positioning elements are a plurality of laterally spaced apart sets of pairs of spaced apart ledges attached on and extending along interiors of said top, bottom and rear walls and extending into said interior chamber, said pairs of spaced apart ledges of each set being aligned with one another and defining a channel therebetween.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein each of said divider panels is insertable into said channel defined by said pairs of spaced apart ledges of one of said spaced apart sets thereof.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein each of said divider panels has top, bottom and rear edge portions thinner than the remainder of said divider panel to facilitate insertion of said divider panel into said channel.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said front edge portion of each of said divider panels is a front flange having a width greater than a width of said one of said vertical lands of said front cover plate such that said land can be misaligned with said divider panel and still be in flush contact with said front flange on said divider panel.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said front flange of each of said divider panels extends transversely in relation to the remainder of said divider panel and has a width greater than a thickness of said divider panel.

11. A multiple gang junction box assembly, comprising:

(a) a main box including rear, top, bottom, and opposite side walls being interconnected so as to form an interior chamber of said main box, said top, bottom and opposite side walls having respective forward edge portions forming a front peripheral edge defining a front opening to said interior chamber;

(b) a plurality of divider panels separable from said main box, each of said divider panels having a front edge portion thereon;

(c) a plurality of laterally spaced apart sets of pairs of spaced apart ledges attached on and extending along interiors of said top, bottom and rear walls of said main box between said rear wall and front peripheral edge thereof and extending into said interior chamber, said pairs of spaced apart ledges of each set being aligned with one another and defining a channel therebetween in said interior chamber slidably receiving and positioning said divider panels in said interior chamber so as to laterally space apart said divider panels from one another through a given displacement and to partition said interior chamber into a plurality of side-by-side compartments provided in a condition of electrical arcing isolation from one another which allows low and high electrical voltage components to be housed in said side-by-side compartments; and

(d) a front cover plate separable from said main box and said divider panels and adapted to be positioned adjacent to said front peripheral edge of said main box and to cover said front opening thereof.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said main box, divider panels, positioning elements and front cover plate are made of plastic material.

13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein each of said divider panels has top, bottom and rear edge portions thinner than the remainder of said divider panel to facilitate insertion of said divider panel into said channel.

14. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said front cover plate has opposite front and rear sides, a peripheral edge and a plurality of vertical lands formed on and protruding from said rear side of said front cover plate and laterally spaced apart from one another by a given distance, said given displacement of said divider panels from one another in said interior chamber being substantially equal to a predetermined number of times said given distance of said vertical lands from one another, said vertical lands also extending between top and bottom portions of said peripheral edge of said front cover plate such that with said front cover plate positioned adjacent to said front peripheral edge of said main box and covering said front opening thereof at least some of said vertical lands of said front cover plate and said front edge portions of said divider panels are placed in flush contact with one another so as to close off adjacent ones of said side-by-side compartments from one another at said front edge portions of said divider panels and thereby provide additional isolation of said side-by-side compartments from one another.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said given displacement of said divider panels from one another in said interior chamber of said main box is substantially equal to two times said given distance of said vertical lands from one another.

16. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said front edge portion of each of said divider panels is a front flange having a width greater than a width of said one of said vertical lands of said front cover plate such that said land can be misaligned with said divider panel and still be in flush contact with said front flange on said divider panel.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said front flange of each of said divider panels extends transversely in relation to the remainder of said divider panel and has a width greater than a thickness of said divider panel.

18. A multiple gang junction box assembly, comprising:

(a) a main box including rear, top, bottom, and opposite side walls being interconnected so as to form an interior chamber of said main box, said top, bottom and opposite side walls having respective forward edge portions forming a front peripheral edge defining a front opening to said interior chamber;

(b) a plurality of divider panels separable from said main box, each of said divider panels having a front edge portion thereon;

(c) a plurality of laterally spaced apart sets of pairs of spaced apart top, bottom and rear ledges attached on and extending along interiors of said top, bottom and rear walls of said main box between said rear wall and front peripheral edge thereof and extending into said interior chamber, said pairs of spaced apart top, bottom and rear ledges of each set being aligned with one another and together defining a C-shaped channel therebetween slidably receiving and positioning said divider panels in said interior chamber so as to laterally space apart said divider panels from one another through a given displacement and to partition said interior chamber into a plurality of side-by-side compartments provided in a condition of electrical arcing isolation from one another which allows low and high electrical voltage components to be housed in said side-by-side compartments; and

(d) a front cover plate separable from said main box and said divider panels, said front cover plate having opposite front and rear sides, a peripheral edge and a plurality of vertical lands formed on and protruding from said rear side of said front cover plate and laterally spaced apart from one another by a given distance, said given displacement of said divider panels from one another in said interior chamber being substantially equal to a predetermined number of times said given distance of said vertical lands from one another, said vertical lands also extending between top and bottom portions of said peripheral edge of said front cover plate such that with said front cover plate positioned adjacent to said front peripheral edge of said main box and covering said front opening thereof at least some of said vertical lands of said front cover plate and said front edge portions of said divider panels are placed in flush contact with one another so as to close off adjacent ones of said side-by-side compartments from one another at said front edge portions of said divider panels and thereby provide additional isolation of said side-by-side compartments from one another, said front edge of each of said divider panels being in the form of a front flange having a width greater than a width of said one of said vertical lands of said front cover plate such that said land can be misaligned with said divider panel and still be in flush contact with said front flange on said divider panel, said front flange extends transversely in relation to the remainder of said divider panel and has a width greater than a thickness of said divider panel.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein said main box, divider panels, positioning elements and front cover plate are