Gangable electrical unit

• US 6,710,245 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lamson & Sessions Company (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Revlock, Dennis P. Sr., Roesch, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US09/992,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20030042034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/53, 174/54, 174/57, 174/61, 174/62, 174/63, 174/135, 174/48, 174/58, 174/65.R, 220/32, 220/33, 220/36, 220/34, 220/39, 220/392, 220/394, 248/902, D13/152
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/105 in association with a plinth, channel, raceway or similar

Abstract

A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box includes a bracket with a wall structure and means for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box. In one embodiment, the means for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box is a pair of clips associated with the wall structure of the bracket for resiliently grasping a wall of an electrical outlet box when positioned adjacent thereto. In another embodiment, the means for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box is an adhering element positioned on an outward facing wall of the bracket. The clips and adhering element may be used simultaneously to adjoin the gangable unit to an electrical outlet box. A further embodiment includes a break-away stop extending outwardly from the wall structure of the bracket. The invention also relates to a ganged electrical outlet box incorporating the gangable electrical unit.

Claims

1. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

at least one clip for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box, said clip extending outwardly from the wall structure of the bracket, said clip being configured to engage a wall of an electrical outlet box;

said clip being L-shaped, with a first leg of the L-shaped clip being attached to the wall structure of the bracket and extending perpendicularly away from said wall structure, and a second leg of the L-shaped clip extending perpendicularly away from the first leg of the clip, said second leg being configured to engage an inner surface of a wall of an electrical outlet box.

2. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the second leg of the L-shaped clip includes a recess positioned at a point along the length thereof and an appendage extends inwardly on one side of the recess at an angle relative to the remainder of the second leg, said recess acting as a hinge, with said appendage configured for resiliently abutting an inner surface of a wall of an electrical outlet box.

3. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the second leg includes a self-centering protrusion for centering the gangable electrical unit on an electrical outlet box, said self-centering protrusion being configured to abut a wall of the electrical outlet box, and the first leg includes a surface configured to abut a front face of the electrical outlet box to position the front face of the electrical box in alignment with a front face of the gangable electrical unit.

4. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening;

means for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box; and

a stop extending outwardly from the wall structure of the bracket, said stop including a weakened portion positioned between the stop and the wall structure, wherein the stop is configured to be broken away from the wall structure of the bracket with the application of a force sufficient to break the weakened portion.

5. The gangable electrical unit of claim 4, wherein the weakened portion includes a plurality of perforations.

6. The gangable electrical unit of claim 4, wherein said means for mounting comprises at least one clip coupled to the wall structure and extending outwardly therefrom, said clip being configured to grasp a wall of an electrical outlet box.

7. The gangable electrical unit of claim 4, wherein the means for mounting the wall structure includes an adhering element attached to the wall structure of the bracket positioned for adhering the bracket to a wall of an electrical outlet box.

8. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

at least one clip for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box;

with the clip extending outwardly from the front opening of the wall structure of the bracket and being configured to engage a wall of an electrical outlet box.

9. The gangable electrical unit of claim 8, wherein the clip is configured to wrap around and grasp a front edge of a wall of an electrical outlet box.

10. The gangable electrical unit of claim 9, wherein said clip is resilient.

11. The gangable electrical unit of claim 9, wherein the clip is two such clips, said clips being spaced apart relative to one another.

12. The gangable electrical unit of claim 8, further comprising an adhering element coupled to the wall structure of the bracket, said adhering element being positioned to adhere the bracket to a wall of an electrical outlet box.

13. The gangable electrical unit of claim 12, wherein the wall structure of the bracket includes a top wall, a bottom wall, an attachment side wall, and an open back, with the clip and the adhering element being attached to the attachment side wall, said clip and adhering element together adjoining the bracket to an electrical outlet box.

14. A ganged electrical outlet box assembly comprising:

the gangable electrical unit of claim 8; and

an electrical outlet box having a wall for contacting the gangable electrical unit, with the gangable electrical unit being attached to the electrical outlet box by the clip.

15. The ganged electrical outlet box assembly of claim 14, wherein the electrical outlet box has a wall structure that defines an outer periphery, and, when adjoined with the gangable electrical unit, the ganged electrical outlet box assembly has a continuous, rectangular outer periphery.

16. The ganged electrical outlet box assembly of claim 14, further comprising an adhering element positioned on the wall structure of the ganged electrical unit, said adhering element positioned to engage the wall of the electrical outlet box.

17. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

means for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box;

the wall structure including a top wall, a bottom wall, and an attachment side wall, with corners formed between the top and bottom walls and the attachment side wall, wherein the corners are radiused in order to provide a gap for accepting a fastener head when the wall bracket is coupled to an electrical outlet box.

18. The gangable electrical unit of claim 17, further including at least one clip coupled to the wall structure and extending outwardly therefrom, said clip being configured to grasp a wall of an electrical outlet box.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a bracket structure having a front edge defined by three complete sides with the front edge being interrupted by the lack of a fourth complete side, a routing portion configured to route a low voltage electrical line, and a clip portion configured to engage a high voltage electrical box to support said bracket structure in a position in which the electrical box and said three-sided front edge together define a four-sided opening for access to a low voltage electrical line at said routing portion.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said front edge, said routing portion, and said clip portion of said bracket structure are portions of a one-piece plastic part.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said clip portion of said bracket structure comprises a pair of clips located at opposite ends of said three-sided front edge.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said clip portion of said bracket structure is configured to deflect elastically into a stressed condition upon movement into engagement with the electrical box, whereby said clip portion can exert a spring force that restrains movement of said bracket structure out of said position.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said bracket structure has a top wall, a bottom wall, and a free side wall which together define three sides of said bracket structure that extend rearwardly from said front edge, and further has an attachment side wall which defines a fourth side of said bracket structure with a front edge, part of which is spaced rearwardly from said three-sided front edge.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein said attachment side wall is configured to overlie an adjacent side wall of the electrical box when said bracket structure is in said position.

25. The apparatus as defined in claim 24, further comprising an adhesive element positioned on said attachment side wall, whereby said attachment side wall can be adhesively attached to the side wall of the electrical box.

26. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising a low voltage electrical line routed by said routing portion of said bracket structure, and a high voltage electrical box upon which said bracket structure is supported in said position by said clip portion.

27. The apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein the routing portion defines a first size hole and further includes a break-away portion defining a second size hole that is larger than the first size hole, wherein the break-away portion may be broken away to define the second size hole.

28. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

an adhering element for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box;

the adhering element being coupled to an outer surface of the wall structure and being positioned to engage a wall of an electrical outlet box;

the wall structure of the bracket including three walls that partially surround the front opening; and

one of the walls of the bracket being a partial side wall, said partial side wall having a front edge that is spaced from the front opening to define an opening in the partial side wall, wherein the adhering element is positioned on the partial side wall.

29. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

an adhering element for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box;

the adhering element being coupled to an outer surface of the wall structure and positioned to engage a wall of an electrical outlet box;

the wall structure of the bracket including a partial side wall, only a portion of which extends to the front opening; and

the unit further comprising a pair of clips that extend outwardly from the front opening of the bracket from the partial side wall, said clips being configured to engage a wall structure of an electrical outlet box.

30. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

at least one clip coupled to the wall structure and extending outwardly from the front opening of the wall structure, said clip being configured to grasp a wall of an electrical outlet box.

31. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

at least one clip coupled to the wall structure and extending outwardly from the front opening of the wall structure, said clip being configured to grasp a wall of an electrical outlet box, wherein the clip includes a self-centering portion for centering the bracket on an electrical outlet box.

32. A gangable electrical unit for positioning an electrical component beside an electrical outlet box, comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening; and

at least one clip coupled to the wall structure and extending outwardly therefrom, said clip being configured to grasp a wall of an electrical outlet box;

said clip including a self-centering portion for centering the bracket on an electrical outlet box; and

the self-centering portion being a protrusion that extends from the clip, said protrusion being configured to abut a wall of an electrical outlet box.

33. An electrical unit for coupling to a stud comprising:

a bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening;

a mounting member coupled to the wall structure for mounting the wall structure to a stud; and

a stop coupled to the wall structure of the bracket along a weakened portion that is positioned between the stop and the wall structure, wherein the stop is configured to be broken away from the wall structure of the bracket with the application of a force sufficient to break the weakened portion.