Recessed electrical box

• US 7,435,900 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• 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:
  US11/980,063
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/53, 174/480, 174/481, 174/57, 174/58, 174 61- 63, 220/3.2, 220/3.3, 220/4.02, 220/3.8, 439/535, 248/906
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/121 in plain walls
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A recessed electrical box with a closeable cover member and at least one outward extending flange. The flange serves as a positioning arrangement to recess the electrical box at the correct depth with respect to the surface in which it will be mounted. The recessed electrical box includes of two pieces, including a one-piece electrical box and a one-piece cover member. An inner flange may be included for positioning the recessed electrical box with respect to the outer surface of the substrate on an unfinished building. The inner flange is removable to facilitate installation on a finished building, in which the finish layer such as siding or stucco is installed. The recessed electrical box may include a second, outer flange, for recessing the box at the correct depth with respect to a wall surface.

Claims

1. An electrical box assembly for recessing an electrical device within a wall comprising:

an electrical box including a front sidewall portion and a rear sidewall portion, said front sidewall portion extending a greater width than said rear sidewall portion, said front sidewall portion including a front edge;

a frame member including a lateral flange, a rearward extending peripheral sidewall, and a central opening within said peripheral sidewall;

a rear wall extending across the back of said rear sidewall portion defining an electrical enclosure within said rear sidewall portion;

a lateral wall extending inward from a rear edge of said front sidewall portion and extending between said front sidewall portion and said rear sidewall portion;

a mounting arrangement for securing said electrical box to a stud;

said mounting arrangement including bosses extending from a top surce of said front sidewall portion of said electrical box and a captive fastener held frictionally within each of said bosses;

legs extending from said bosses of said mounting arrangement to said front sidewall portion, said legs offsetting said bosses from said front sidewall portion;

a fastening arrangement including a fastener for securing said frame member to said front edge of said front sidewall portion of said electrical box;

said rear sidewall portion includes an outer surface and one or more ribs extending along said outer surface;

said ribs extend rearward from said lateral wall of said electrical box and provide an extended surface area to accommodate fitting said electrical box flush against the stud;

said electrical box enclosure capable of accepting an electrical device therein; and

said lateral wall around said inner periphery of said electrical box capable of supporting a faceplate for the electrical device.

2. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastening arrangement includes

apertures in said lateral flange of said frame member;

a boss including a bore therein at said front edge of said front sidewall portion of said electrical box; and

said fastener for securing through said apertures in said lateral flange of said frame member into said boss of said front sidewall portion.

3. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein

said lateral wall includes a front face;

and

an arrangement for securing an electrical device to said electrical box such that it is mounted planar with said front face of said lateral wall and thereby recessed within the wall when said electrical box assembly is mounted to the wall.

4. The electrical box assembly of claim 3 wherein

said arrangement for securing an electrical device includes device mounting bosses molded integrally within said electrical box;

and

said device mounting bosses terminating in a front face that is planar with said front face of said lateral wall.

5. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein

said front sidewall portion includes an outer surface;

one or more alignment tabs extending along said outer surface of said front sidewall portion; and

rear edges on said alignment tabs,

whereby said alignment tabs enable proper alignment of said front edge of said front sidewall portion with the stud to align drywall with said front edge.

6. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein said rearward extending peripheral sidewall of said frame member is telescopically received within said front sidewall portion of said electrical box when said frame member is fastened to said electrical box.

7. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 including

an inner chamfered edge at the juncture of said peripheral sidewall and said flange of said frame member;

and

an outer chamfered edge around the outer periphery of said flange.

8. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein

said rear sidewall portion of said electrical box includes one or more recessed areas therein with each of said recessed areas including a recessed peripheral wall therein;

and

said recessed areas including a removable wall portion therein which can be removed to allow insertion of an electrical fitting therein or passage of electrical cables into said electrical box.

9. The electrical box assembly of claim 8 wherein said recessed areas in said rear sidewall portion enable the use of electrical fittings for connecting non-metallic cable to electrical boxes without projecting from said sidewall portions of said electrical box and interfering with placement of said electrical box in locations where space is tightly restricted.

10. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein

said front sidewall portion includes an outer surface;

said captive fastener includes an axial orientation; and

said axial orientation directs said captive fastener away from said outer surface of said front sidewall portion.

11. The electrical box assembly of claim 1 wherein

said captive fastener is at an angle of between 5 and 15 degrees with respect to said front edge of said front sidewall portion of said electrical box.