Combination mounting bracket and adapter plate for mounting electrical boxes

• US 7,271,335 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Dinh, Cong
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada; Angel R.
• Application Number:
  US10/944,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20050067180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 174/58, 174/54, 174/52.1, 174/53, 174/61, 174/63, 174/520, 174/480, 174/481, 174/50, 174/57, 174/503, 248/300, 248/27.1, 248/906, 248/200, 248/56, 248/57, 248/68.1, 248/343, 248/205.7, 248/298.1, 220/3.3, 220/3.9, 220/3.2, 220/3.4, 220/3.5, 220/3.6, 220/3.7, 220/3.8, 312/245, 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

A mounting system for securing an electrical box within a wall of a building. The electrical box is of typical construction having an open side thereof. The mounting system consists of an elongated bracket having one end region secured to the wall structure and a generally rectangular opening therein sized to permit access to the open side of the electrical box.

An adapter plate is mounted to the bracket with this adapter plate having a central opening that is also sized to permit access to the open side of the electrical box. The adapter plate is further configured with box mounting structure to secure the electrical box to the adapter plate.

Claims

1. A mounting system for securing an electrical box having an open side thereof within a wall of a building comprising:

(a) a generally elongated bracket having a length defined by two opposing end regions and at least one mounting aperture in one end region, wherein said at least one mounting aperture is used to attach said elongated bracket to a wall structure;

(b) an opening in said elongated bracket through which the open side of the electrical box is accessed;

(c) an adapter plate comprising a generally centrally located opening therein through which the open side of the electrical box is accessed;

(d) a plurality of plate mounting apertures in both said adapter plate and said elongated bracket for securing said adapter plate to said bracket; and

(e) a plurality of electrical box mounting apertures in said adapter plate, wherein said electrical box mounting apertures are used to secure the electrical box to said adapter plate.

2. The mounting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said plate mounting apertures in said adapter plate is an elongated slot or a keyhole aperture.

3. The mounting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said plate mounting apertures in said bracket is an elongated slot or a keyhole aperture.

4. The mounting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the opening in the elongated bracket substantially extends between the opposing end regions.

5. The mounting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein both of the opposing end regions have mounting apertures.

6. The mounting system as set forth in claim 5 further comprising an elongated bar mounted to one of said opposing end regions of said elongated bracket, said elongated bar comprising a pair of opposite ends having one or more mounting apertures.

7. The mounting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adapter plate supports a separate and distinct plaster/dry wall ring therefrom.

8. The mounting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the adapter plate further comprises a pair of opposite side regions and wherein said plate mounting apertures in said adapter plate is are located on said pair of opposite side regions of said adapter plate.

9. The mounting system as set forth in claim 8 wherein a plurality of said adapter plates are secured to said elongated bracket.

10. An adapter plate assembly for supporting an electrical box having an open side thereof within a wall of a building comprising:

(a) an adapter plate comprising a pair of opposite side regions and having an opening therein through which the open side of the electrical box is accessed;

(b) a plurality of adapter plate mounting structures on said adapter plate, wherein said mounting structures are used to secure said adapter plate to a wall structure, to an adjacent adapter plate, or to a separate bracket affixed to the wall structure;

(c) a plurality of box mounting structures on said adapter plate, wherein said box mounting structures are used to secure the electrical box to said adapter plate and

(d) a generally elongated bracket having a length defined by two opposing end regions and at least one mounting aperture in one end region, wherein said at least one mounting aperture is used to attach said elongated bracket to a wall structure and wherein said adapter plate is attached to said elongated bracket.

11. The adapter plate assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one of said adapter plate mounting structures is an aperture.

12. The adapter plate assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said adapter supports a separate and distinct plaster/dry wall ring therefrom.

13. The adapter plate assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one adapter plate mounting structure is located on each of the opposite side regions of said adapter plate.

14. The adapter plate assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein a plurality of said adapter plates are secured to said separate bracket.

15. A box mounting system for securing a plurality of electrical boxes within a wall of a building comprising:

(a) a generally elongated bracket having a first opening therein and a length defined by a pair of opposing end regions, wherein at least a first opposing end region comprises a first mounting aperture for securing said elongated bracket to the wall;

(b) a first electrical box positioned in said first opening and secured to said elongated bracket;

(c) an adapter plate having a second opening therein and mounted to said elongated bracket alongside and adjacent to said first electrical box;

(d) a second electrical box positioned in said second opening and secured to said adapter plate; and

(e) an elongated bar having opposite ends, wherein said elongated bar is secured to a second opposing end region of said elongated bracket and wherein said elongated bar has at least one mounting aperture in each of said opposite ends for securing said elongated bar to the wall.

16. The box mounting system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said adapter plate is secured to a front surface of said elongated bracket via a first plurality of mounting apertures in said elongated bracket and a second plurality of mounting apertures in said adapter plate.

17. The box mounting system as set forth in claim 16 wherein a plurality of adapter plates are secured to said elongated bracket, said adapter plates extending generally perpendicular to said length of said elongated bracket and on opposite sides of said first electrical box.

18. An electrical box mounting system comprising:

(a) a generally elongated bracket having a length defined by two opposing end regions and at least one mounting aperture in at least one end region, wherein said at least one mounting aperture is used to attach said elongated bracket to a wall structure;

(b) a first opening in said elongated bracket extending substantially the entire length of the elongated bracket between said two opposing end regions;

(c) an adapter plate comprising a second opening for receiving an electrical box therein, wherein said second opening is smaller than said first opening and wherein said adapter is positioned on said elongated bracket so that the location of said second opening corresponds to the location of said first opening;

(d) a first plurality of mounting apertures in said adapter plate;

(e) a second plurality of mounting apertures in said elongated bracket, wherein the locations of at least two of said first plurality of mounting apertures correspond to the locations of at least two of said second plurality of mounting apertures;

(f) at least two mounting screws, wherein said mounting screws pass through said at least two of said first plurality of mounting apertures corresponding to said at least two of said second plurality of mounting apertures to secure said adapter plate to said elongated bracket; and

(g) a plurality of electrical box mounting apertures in said adapter plate, wherein said electrical box mounting apertures are used to secure the electrical box to said adapter plate.

19. The electrical box mounting system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first plurality of mounting apertures comprises at least one slot or keyhole aperture.

20. The electrical box mounting system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said second plurality of mounting apertures comprises at least one slot or keyhole aperture.