Recessed outlet box with flanges

• US 6,956,171 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arlington Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Gretz, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US10/863,942
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 174/57, 174/58, 174/63, 174/50, 220/3.5, 220/3.7, 220/4.02, 220/3.3, 220/3.9, 439/535, 248/906
• US Class Current: 174/58
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A recessed electrical box having one or more flanges making it easily adaptable to installation on either a finished or unfinished exterior wall of a building. A preferred embodiment includes an inner and outer flange with the inner flange being easily removable. For installation on an unfinished wall, a hole is made in the exterior substrate and the box inserted until the inner flange is flush with the substrate. Fasteners are driven through holes provided in the inner flange to secure the box to the substrate. Lapped siding or any appropriate siding material, is then installed within the gap and placed flush with the sides of the box. For installation on a finished wall, the inner flange is removed and a hole is made in the exterior substrate and the siding and the box inserted until the outer flange is flush with the siding. Holes are drilled in the outer flange and fasteners inserted therein to secure the recessed electrical box to the siding and substrate. A second embodiment simplifies installation of a recessed electrical box in a retrofit situation on a finished wall and a third embodiment simplifies installation of a recessed electrical box on a substrate that will be finished with stucco.

Claims

1. An electrical box comprising:

a first box including a back wall, orthogonally extending peripheral sidewalls, and an open front defining a first enclosure therein;

said peripheral sidewalls having a front edge at said open front;

a transverse wall portion extending outwardly and orthogonally from said peripheral side walls at said front edge;

second peripheral sidewalls extending orthogonally from said transverse wall portion and forming a second box and a second enclosure therein;

at least one flange integral with and extending outwardly and orthogonally from said second peripheral sidewalls;

said second peripheral sidewalls terminating in a planar front edge of said second box;

said planar front edge of said second box having an opening therein to said second enclosure; and

a securement arrangement at said open front of said first enclosure for accepting an electrical device.

2. The electrical box of claim 1 wherein

said at least one flange includes an inner flange and an outer flange;

said inner flange extends transversely substantially beyond said outer flange;

said inner flange includes an outer edge and a plurality of ears extending beyond said outer edge; and

a slot in each of said ears wherein said slots are capable of accepting fastening devices therethrough.

3. The electrical box of claim 2 wherein

said inner flange includes a back surface;

said back surface of said inner flange includes grooves adjacent each of said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box; and

said grooves extend from one side of said outer edge to an opposing side of said outer edge,

whereby said grooves form reduced thickness flange portions to allow scoring therein to remove said inner flange adjacent said second peripheral sidewalls.

4. The electrical box of claim 3 wherein

said second box has an outer periphery;

and

removal of said inner flange creates an outer surface substantially equal to said outer periphery.

5. The electrical box of claim 4 wherein said outer flange extends substantially beyond said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box.

6. The electrical box of claim 2 wherein said inner and outer flanges are in parallel planes.

7. The electrical box of claim 6 wherein said inner and outer flanges residing in parallel planes form a gap therebetween.

8. The electrical box of claim 2 wherein said outer flange includes one or more indentations therein whereby said indentations form guides for drilling of holes therein.

9. The electrical box of claim 1 wherein said first box, said second box, and said at least one flange are all integrally formed in one piece.

10. The electrical box of claim 9 wherein said first box, said second box, and said at least one flange are formed by injection molding of plastic.

11. The electrical box of claim 10 wherein said plastic is selected from the group including polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, or polypropylene.

12. The electrical box of claim 1 wherein said back wall and said peripheral sidewalls of said first box include one or more removable wall portions which may be removed for passage of wiring therein.

13. The electrical box of claim 1 wherein said securement arrangement includes

integral projections from said peripheral sidewalls of said first box extending transversely into said first enclosure;

and

threaded bores in said integral projections.

14. The electrical box of claim 1 wherein said electrical box includes an inner flange extending outwardly and orthogonally from said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box.

15. The electrical box of claim 14 wherein

said inner flange of said second box extends transversely substantially beyond said second peripheral sidewalls;

said inner flange includes an outer edge and a plurality of ears extending beyond said outer edge;

each of said ears include slots therein, said slots capable of accepting fastening devices therethrough; and

said inner flange includes a plurality of holes therein, said holes allowing said inner flange to accept stucco therethrough to improve adhesion of said stucco to said inner flange.

16. The electrical box of claim 14 wherein

said inner flange extends transversely substantially beyond said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box;

and

said inner flange includes a plurality of indentations therein, whereby said indentations form guides for drilling of holes therein.

17. The electrical box of claim 1 including a cover member pivotably attached to said second box at said planar front edge.

18. The electrical box of claim 6 wherein said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box include one or more cord slots extending therein from said planar front edge of said second box, said cord slots forming a passageway for electrical cords.

19. A method of installing an electrical box on a new building having a substrate thereon or on an existing building having a substrate and siding thereon, including:

a) providing an electrical box including a first box including a back wall, orthogonally extending peripheral sidewalls, an open front defining a first enclosure therein, a front edge at said open front, a transverse wall portion extending outwardly and orthogonally from said peripheral side walls at said front edge, second peripheral sidewalls extending orthogonally from said transverse wall portion and forming a second box and a second enclosure therein, two flanges extending outwardly and orthogonally from said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box, said flanges including an inner and an outer flange, said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box terminating in a planar front edge, said planar front edge having an opening therein to said second enclosure, a securement arrangement at said open front of said first enclosure for accepting an electrical device, a back surface on said inner flange, and grooves on said back surface of said inner flange adjacent each of said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box slots in said inner flange, a gap between said inner flange and said outer flange, said outer flange including a back and a front surface;

b) determining whether said building is a new or existing building;

i. if the building is new;

A) cutting a hole in said substrate;

B) inserting said first box into said hole until said back surface of said inner flange is flush against said substrate;

C) inserting fasteners through said slots;

D) tightening said fasteners into said substrate to secure said second box to said substrate;

E) installing wiring and said electrical device in said first enclosure;

F) finishing said new building by installing siding on said substrate, said siding placed flush with said second peripheral sidewalls of said second box in said gap; and

G) caulking at the juncture of said second box with said siding;

ii. if the building is an existing building;

A) cutting a hole in said siding and said substrate;

B) removing said inner flange by cutting along said grooves;

C) inserting said first box into said hole until said back surface of said outer flange is flush against said siding;

D) drilling holes in said outer flange;

E) inserting fasteners through said holes in said outer flange;

F) tightening said fasteners into said siding and said substrate to secure said second box to said siding and said substrate;

G) installing wiring and said electrical device in said first enclosure; and

H) caulking at the juncture of said second box with said siding.