Breakaway member

• US 6,940,017 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lamson & Sessions Company (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Reviock, Dennis P. Sr., Roesch, Mark A., Carter, Cheryl Renee
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/832,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20050056449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 174/48, 174/50, 174/53, 174/54, 174/57, 174/58, 174/61, 174/63, 174/17.R, 174/62, 220/3.2, 220/3.3, 220/3.4, 220/3.6, 220/3.7, 220/3.8, 220/3.9, 220/4.02, 361/600, 248/906, 248/343, 248/231.9, D13/152
• US Class Current: 174/58
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

An electrical bracket for mounting an electrical device having a wall structure defining a front opening. In one embodiment, the bracket includes at least one breakaway mounting member which can be used to mount the bracket to a surface or be removed when the member is not needed. In another embodiment, the bracket includes at least one breakaway alignment member which can be used to align the bracket to a mountable surface or be removed when the member is not needed. The bracket can further be mounted to a surface in a plurality of orientations.

Claims

1. An electrical bracket comprising:

a wall structure defining a front opening; and

at least one mounting member coupled to the wall structure for attaching the wall structure to a stud, the at least one mounting member being coupled to the wall structure along a weakened portion that is configured to be broken away from the wall structure with the application of a force sufficient to break the weakened portion.

2. The electrical bracket of claim 1, further comprising an alignment member for aligning the wall structure on a stud, the alignment member having a weakened portion for breaking the alignment member away from the wall structure with the application of a force sufficient to break the weakened portion.

3. The electrical bracket of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting member comprises a tab that extends outwardly from the wall structure.

4. The electrical bracket of claim 1, wherein the weakened portion comprises a plurality of perforations.

5. The electrical bracket of claim 1, wherein the mounting member comprises at least one through hole for accepting a fastener.

6. The electrical bracket of claim 1, further comprising an alignment member for aligning the wall structure relative to a surface, the alignment member having a weakened portion for breaking the alignment member away from the wall structure with the application of a force sufficient to break the weakened portion.

7. An electrical bracket comprising:

a wall structure defining a front opening; and

a first mounting member for mounting the wall structure to a stud in a first orientation, said first mounting member coupled to the wall structure of the bracket along a weakened portion that is positioned between the first mounting member and the wall structure, wherein the first mounting 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.

8. The electrical bracket of claim 7, further comprising at least one second mounting member for mounting the wall structure to a stud in a second orientation.

9. The electrical bracket of claim 8, wherein the second orientation is different from the first orientation.

10. The electrical bracket of claim 8, further comprising an alignment member for aligning the wall structure against a stud.

11. The electrical bracket of claim 10, wherein at least one of the second mounting member and the alignment member are coupled to the wall structure of the bracket along a weakened portion that is positioned between the respective member and the wall structure, with the respective member being configured to be broken away from the wall structure of the bracket with the application of a force sufficient to break the weakened portion.

12. The electrical bracket of claim 11, wherein the weakened portion of the first mounting member comprises a plurality of perforations;

and the weakened portion of the at least one of the second mounting member and alignment member comprises a plurality of perforations.

13. The electrical bracket of claim 7, wherein the weakened portion comprises a plurality of perforations.

14. The electrical bracket of claim 7, wherein the first mounting member comprises at least one through hole configured to accept a fastener for fastening the wall structure to a stud.

15. An electrical bracket comprising:

a wall structure defining a front opening; and

at least one alignment member coupled to the wall structure for aligning the wall structure to a mountable surface, the at least one alignment member being coupled to the wall structure along a weakened portion that is configured to be broken away from the wall structure with the application of a force sufficient to break the weakened portion.

16. The electrical bracket of claim 15, further comprising at least one mounting member for coupling the wall structure to a surface.

17. The electrical bracket of claim 15, further comprising at least one mounting member for coupling the wall structure to a stud.