Gangable electrical unit

• US 6,872,884 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• 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 A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/725,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/53, 174/54, 174/57, 174/61, 174/62, 174/63, 174/48, 174/49, 174/58, 174/17.R, 220/3.2, 220/3.6, 220/3.9, 220/4.02, 220/3.8, 220/3.7, 220/3.3, 220/3.4, 248/906, 248/200, 439/535, 439/538, 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 an adhering element for mounting the wall structure of the bracket on a wall of an electrical outlet box. In one embodiment, the adhering element is positioned on an outward facing wall 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 for housing an electrical component, said bracket including a wall structure that defines a front opening and a side wall having a leveling structure for leveling the bracket relative to an electrical outlet box; and

an adhering element attached to the wall of the bracket, with the leveling structure being coupled between the side wall of the bracket and a wall of an electrical outlet box, and the adhering element having a thickness configured to extend between the side wall and a wall of an electrical outlet box to adhere the bracket to an electrical outlet box.

2. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the wall structure of the bracket includes the side wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, and an open back, with the adhering element being attached to the attachment side wall.

3. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the wall structure of the bracket includes three walls that partially surround the front opening.

4. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the adhering element is a double-sided adhesive tape.

5. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the adhering element is an adhesive.

6. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the adhering element is a putty.

7. The gangable electrical unit of claim 1, wherein the adhering element is a hook and loop tape.

8. A ganged electrical outlet box assembly comprising:

the gangable electrical unit of claim 1;

an electrical outlet box having a four-sided wall structure defining a front opening, said electrical outlet box wall structure having an outer periphery and an interior, said interior for receiving an electrical component, with the gangable electrical unit being attached to the electrical outlet box by the adhering element.

9. The ganged electrical outlet box assembly of claim 8, wherein the adhering element is a double-sided adhesive tape.

10. The ganged electrical outlet box assembly of claim 8, wherein the adhering element is an adhesive.

11. The ganged electrical outlet box assembly of claim 8, wherein the adhering element is a putty.

12. The ganged electrical outlet box assembly of claim 8, wherein the adhering element is a hook and loop tape.

13. An electrical unit for coupling to a stud or an electrical outlet box comprising:

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

a first member coupled to the wall structure for mounting the wall structure to a stud or an electrical outlet box; and

a second member coupled to the wall structure of the bracket along a weakened portion that is positioned between the second member and the wall structure, wherein the second member 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.

14. The gangable electrical unit of claim 13, wherein the weakened portion includes a plurality of perforations.

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

a plastic bracket for housing an electrical component, said bracket including a front opening surrounded by a wall structure; and

a non-permanent adhering element attached to the wall structure for coupling the bracket to a wall of an electrical outlet box, said adhering element being positioned on the bracket at a location that is spaced from a front opening of the electrical outlet box and being configured to engage a wall of an electrical outlet box in a rear section of the wall, wherein the rear section of the wall is about the rear half of the wall.

16. The gangable electrical unit of claim 15, wherein the adhering element is one of an adhesive, an adhesive tape, a putty, or a hook and loop tape.