Electrical outlet box with alternative mounting flanges

• US 7,173,184 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lamson & Sessions Company (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Revlock, Dennis P. Sr., Hull, Eric G., Riedy, Charles H.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/121,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20050199621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 174/63, 174/135, 174/60, 174/57, 220/3.3, 220/3.2, 220/4.02, 248/906, 439/535
• US Class Current: 174/58
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/125 with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

An electrical outlet box having alternative mounting flanges on opposite sides thereof for selectively mounting the box to a front surface of a wall stud or to a side surface of a wall stud. The box and mounting flanges are configured for use of either mounting flange with the box located on either of opposite sides of the wall stud.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet box molded in one-piece of plastic material with alternative mounting flanges thereon, one of said flanges extending outwardly from one box sidewall generally perpendicular thereto for attaching the box to a front surface of a wall stud and the other of said flanges extending outwardly from an opposite box sidewall generally parallel thereto beyond the box endwalls for attaching the box to a side surface of a wall stud, the box lacking any structure for attachment to a side surface of a stud to which the box is attached by the one flange, and the box lacking any structure for attachment to a front surface of a stud to which the box is attached by the other flange.

2. The box of claim 1 wherein said box has a front opening with a front opening plane, said one flange having a rear flange surface facing away from said plane and said other flange having a front flange surface facing toward said plane, and both said rear flange surface and said front flange surface being spaced the same distance from said plane.

3. The box of claim 2 wherein said one flange has a flange thickness generally perpendicular to said plane and said other flange has a flange thickness generally parallel to said plane, and said flange thickness of said other flange being greater than said flange thickness of said one flange.

4. The box of claim 3 wherein said one flange has a flange width generally parallel to said plane and said other flange has a flange width generally perpendicular to said plane, and said flange width of said one flange being greater than said flange width of said other flange, said box having a rear wall and a front opening opposite from said rear wall with a front opening plane, the entire said other flange being spaced toward said front opening from said rear wall and being located closer to said front plane than to said rear wall.

5. The box of claim 1 wherein said box has a front opening with a front opening plane, said one flange having a flange thickness extending generally perpendicular to said plane and said other flange having a flange thickness generally parallel to said plane, and said flange thickness of said other flange being greater than said flange thickness of said one flange.

6. The box of claim 1 wherein said box has a front opening with a front opening plane, said one flange having a width generally parallel to said plane and said other flange having a width generally perpendicular to said plane, said flange width of said one flange being greater than said flange width of said other flange, said box having opposite endwalls extending generally perpendicular to said box sidewalls, and said one flange extending along said one box sidewall a distance less than the distance between said endwalls.

7. An electrical outlet box molded in one-piece of plastic material, said box having opposite sides and opposite ends, a mounting flange on each of said sides for mounting said box to a wall stud, one of said flanges extending outwardly from one of said sides generally perpendicular thereto, the other of said flanges extending outwardly from said ends generally parallel to the other of said sides on the opposite side of said box from said one side, and said other side being free of any mounting flange extending outwardly therefrom generally perpendicular thereto in a position to overlie a front surface of a wall stud when said other flange is attached to a side surface of a wall stud.

8. The box of claim 7 wherein said box has a front opening with a front opening plane, said one flange having a rear flange surface facing away from said plane and said other flange having a front flange surface facing toward said plane, and both said rear flange surface and said front flange surface being spaced the same distance from said plane.

9. The box of claim 8 wherein said one flange has a flange thickness generally perpendicular to said plane and said other flange has a flange thickness generally parallel to said plane, and said flange thickness of said other flange being greater than said flange thickness of said one flange.

10. The box of claim 7 wherein said one flange has a flange width generally parallel to said plane and said other flange has a flange width generally perpendicular to said plane, and said flange width of said one flange being greater than said flange width of said other flange.

11. The box of claim 7 wherein said box has a front opening with a front opening plane, said one flange having a flange thickness extending generally perpendicular to said plane and said other flange having a flange thickness generally parallel to said plane, and said flange thickness of said other flange being greater than said flange thickness of said one flange.

12. The box of claim 7 wherein said box has a rear wall and a front opening opposite from said rear wall with a front opening plane, said one flange having a width generally parallel to said plane and said other flange having a width generally perpendicular to said plane, and said flange width of said one flange being greater than said flange width of said other flange, the entire said other flange being spaced toward said front opening from said rear wall and being located closer to said front plane than to said rear wall.

13. An electrical outlet box molded in one-piece of plastic material, said box having opposite sidewalls, top and bottom walls, a rear wall and a front opening opposite from said rear wall, said front opening having an opening periphery that lies in a plane, a first mounting flange extending outwardly from one of said sidewalls generally perpendicular thereto and generally parallel to said plane for attaching said box to a front surface of a wall stud and being spaced toward said rear wall from said plane, a second mounting flange extending outwardly from the other of said sidewalls generally parallel thereto and generally perpendicular to said plane for attaching said box to a side surface of a wall stud and being spaced toward said rear wall from said plane, said second mounting flange extending outwardly beyond both said top and bottom walls, and said other sidewall being free of any mounting flange or any other flange extending outwardly therefrom generally perpendicular thereto in a position to overlie a front surface of a wall stud when said other flange is attached to a side surface of a wall stud.

14. The box of claim 13 wherein said one flange has a rear flange surface facing away from said plane and said other flange has a front flange surface facing toward said plane, and both said rear flange surface and said front flange surface being spaced the same distance from said plane.

15. The box of claim 14 wherein said one flange has a flange thickness generally perpendicular to said plane and said other flange has a flange thickness generally parallel to said plane, and said flange thickness of said other flange being greater than said flange thickness of said one flange.

16. The box of claim 15 wherein said one flange has a flange width generally parallel to said plane and said other flange has a flange width generally perpendicular to said plane, and said flange width of said one flange being greater than said flange width of said other flange.

17. The box of claim 13 wherein said one flange has a flange thickness extending generally perpendicular to said plane and said other flange has a flange thickness generally parallel to said plane, and said flange thickness of said other flange being greater than said flange thickness of said one flange.

18. The box of claim 13 wherein said one flange has a width generally parallel to said plane and said other flange has a width generally perpendicular to said plane, and said flange width of said one flange being greater than said flange width of said other flange.

19. An electrical outlet box molded in one-piece of plastic material with alternative mounting flanges thereon, one of said flanges extending generally perpendicular to one box sidewall for attaching the box to a front surface of a wall stud and the other of said flanges extending generally parallel to an opposite box sidewall on an opposite side of the box from said one flange for attaching the box to a side surface of a wall stud, said box having top and bottom walls and said other flange extending outwardly beyond both said top and bottom walls generally perpendicular thereto, said opposite box sidewall being free of any flange that overlies a front surface of a wall stud when said other flange is attached to a side surface of the wall stud, said box having a rear wall and a front opening opposite from said rear wall with a front opening plane, and the entire said other flange being spaced toward said front opening from said rear wall and being located closer to said front plane than to said rear wall.

20. An electrical outlet box molded in one-piece of plastic material, said box having opposite sides and opposite ends, a mounting flange on each of said opposite sides for mounting said box to a wall stud, one of said flanges extending outwardly from one of said sides generally perpendicular thereto, the other of said flanges extending outwardly from said ends generally parallel to the other of said sides on the opposite side of said box from said one side, and said other of said sides of said box being free of any flange that overlies a front surface of a wall stud when said other flange is attached to a side surface of the wall stud.

21. An electrical outlet box molded in one-piece of plastic material, said box having opposite sidewalls, top and bottom walls, a rear wall and a front opening opposite from said rear wall, said front opening having an opening periphery that lies in a plane, a first mounting flange extending outwardly from one of said sidewalls generally parallel to said plane and generally perpendicular to said one sidewall for attaching said box to a front surface of a wall stud and being spaced toward said rear wall from said plane, a second mounting flange extending outwardly from the other of said sidewalls generally perpendicular to said plane and generally parallel to said other sidewall for attaching said box to a side surface of a wall stud and being spaced toward said rear wall from said plane, said second mounting flange extending outwardly beyond both said top and bottom walls, and said other of said sidewalls being free of any flange that overlies a front surface of a wall stud when said second mounting flange is attached to the side surface of the wall stud, and the entire said other flange being spaced toward said front opening from said rear wall and being located closer to said front plane than to said rear wall.