Wall mounted electrical apparatus

• US 7,595,446 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lamson & Sessions Company (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Revlock, Dennis P. Sr., Turcovsky, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada; Angel R
• Application Number:
  US11/679,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20080202787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/53, 174/57, 174/58, 174/480, 174/481, 174/489, 220 32- 39, 220/4.02, 248/906, 379/451
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A wire management box is sized to contained a high voltage plug and a low voltage terminal inward of a building wall surface. The box has an access opening that is sized for a user manually to reach through with the plug and the terminal. The box further has a high voltage wall that supports a high voltage outlet in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening, and a low voltage wall that supports a low voltage receptacle in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening adjacent to the outlet.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting a high voltage electrical outlet and a low voltage electrical receptacle in adjacent positions recessed from a building wall surface, comprising:

a wire management box having an interior sized to contain a high voltage plug and a low voltage terminal inward of the building wall surface, and having an access opening sized for a user manually to reach through with the plug and the terminal;

the wire management box further having a high voltage wall configured to support the outlet in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening, and a low voltage wall configured to support the receptacle in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening adjacent to the outlet, with the low voltage wall defining the bottom of a low voltage region of the box interior and the high voltage wall defining a deeper bottom of a high voltage region of the box interior.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the wire management box is configured to fit within the building wall in an installed position in which the high voltage wall is skewed relative to the building wall surface.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the wire management box is configured for the low voltage wall to be parallel to the building wall surface when in the installed position.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the wire management box has an integral frame surrounding the access opening, the frame has a rear surface configured to overlie the building wall surface when the wire management box is in an installed position, and the frame further has a finished front trim surface.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the frame is configured for the access opening to remain permanently open when the wire management box is in the installed position.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the high voltage wall of the wire management box is configured to support the outlet in a high voltage electrical outlet box.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the high voltage wall of the wire management box has a rectangular opening sized to receive the outlet box for attachment to the wire management box.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the outlet box is integral with the wire management box and projects from the high voltage wall of the wire management box.

9. An apparatus for supporting a high voltage electrical outlet and a low voltage electrical receptacle in adjacent positions recessed from a building wall surface, comprising:

a wire management box sized to contain a high voltage plug and a low voltage terminal inward of the building wall surface, and having an access opening sized for a user manually to reach through with the plug and the terminal;

the wire management box further having a high voltage wall configured to support the outlet in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening, a low voltage wall configured to support the receptacle in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening adjacent to the outlet, and a bottom wall that faces outward of the access opening and extends between the high voltage wall and the low voltage wall at an acute angle to the low voltage wall.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the bottom wall extends fully from the high voltage wall to the low voltage wall at an acute angle to the low voltage wall.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the bottom wall extends between the high voltage wall and the low voltage wall at a ninety degree angle to the high voltage wall.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the bottom wall extends fully from the high voltage wall to the low voltage wall at a ninety degree angle to the high voltage wall.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the wire management box is configured to fit within the building wall in an installed position in which the high voltage wall is skewed relative to the building wall surface.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the wire management box is configured for the low voltage wall to be parallel to the building wall surface when in the installed position.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the wire management box has an integral frame surrounding the access opening, the frame has a rear surface configured to overlie the building wall surface when the wire management box is in an installed position on the building wall, and the frame further has a finished outer trim surface.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the frame is configured for the access opening to remain permanently open when the wire management box is in the installed position.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the high voltage wall of the wire management box is configured to support the outlet in a high voltage electrical outlet box.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the high voltage wall of the wire management box has a rectangular opening sized to receive the outlet box for attachment to the wire management box.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein outlet box is integral with the wire management box and projects from the high voltage wall of the wire management box.

20. An apparatus for supporting a high voltage electrical outlet and a low voltage electrical receptacle in adjacent positions recessed from a building wall surface, comprising:

a wire management box configured to contain a high voltage plug and a low voltage terminal inward of the building wall surface, having an access opening sized for a user manually to reach through with the plug and the terminal, and configured for the access opening to remain permanently open when the wire management box is in an installed position on the building wall;

the wire management box further having a high voltage wall configured to support the outlet in an installed position in which the outlet is spaced inward from the access opening and faces outward at an acute angle to the building wall surface, and a low voltage wall configured to support the receptacle in an installed position in which the receptacle is spaced inward from the access opening adjacent to the outlet and faces outward in a direction perpendicular to the building wall surface;

wherein the low voltage wall is a major bottom wall which is spaced inward from the access opening, the high voltage wall is a side wall which extends inward from the access opening, and the wire management box further has a minor bottom wall which is spaced inward from the access opening, faces outward of the access opening, and extends between the side wall and the major bottom wall at an acute angle to the major bottom wall.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the minor bottom wall extends fully from the side wall to the major bottom wall at an acute angle to the major bottom wall.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the minor bottom wall extends between the side wall and the major bottom wall at a ninety degree angle to the side wall.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the minor bottom wall extends fully from the side wall to the major bottom wall at a ninety degree angle to the side wall.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the wire management box has an integral frame with a rear surface configured to overlie the building wall surface when the wire management box is in an installed position on the building wall, and the frame has an inner periphery defining the access opening.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the high voltage wall of the wire management box is configured to support the outlet in a high voltage electrical outlet box.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein the high voltage wall of the wire management box has a rectangular opening sized to receive the outlet box for attachment to the wire management box.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein the outlet box is integral with the wire management box and projects from the high voltage wall of the wire management box.

28. An apparatus for supporting a high voltage electrical outlet and a low voltage electrical receptacle in adjacent positions recessed from a building wall surface, comprising:

a wire management box sized to contain a high voltage plug and a low voltage terminal inward of the building wall surface, and having an access opening sized for a user manually to reach through with the plug and the terminal;

the wire management box further having a high voltage wall configured to support the outlet in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening, and a low voltage wall configured to support the receptacle in an installed position spaced inward from the access opening adjacent to the outlet, with the high voltage wall having depth from the access opening in excess of the depth of the low voltage wall, whereby the wire management box has a low voltage region and a deeper high voltage region;

wherein the high voltage wall has an inner edge spaced inward from the low voltage wall, and the wire management box further has a rear wall that faces outward through the access opening and has depth from the access opening that decreases from the inner edge of the high voltage wall outward to the low voltage wall.

29. An apparatus for supporting an electrical device within an opening to be cut into a building wall, comprising:

a support structure configured to be installed in the opening in the building wall and to support the electrical device on the building wall; and

a template having a projecting structure configured to be pressed against the surface of the building wall to impresses an outline of the opening to be cut into the wall;

wherein the projecting structure is a single rib extending as a continuous boundary of an area having the size and shape of the opening to be cut into the building wall.

30. An apparatus for supporting an electrical device within an opening to be cut into a building wall, comprising:

a support structure configured to be installed in the opening in the building wall and to support the electrical device on the building wall; and

a template having a projecting structure configured to be pressed against the surface of the building wall to impresses an outline of the opening to be cut into the wall;

wherein the template is a frame configured to be mounted on the building wall in an installed position with a rear side surface of the frame overlying the surface of the building wall around the opening in the building wall, and the projecting structure projects from a front side surface of the frame; and

wherein the projecting structure comprises a rib that extends as a continuous boundary of an area having the size and shape of the opening to be cut into the building wall.

31. An apparatus for supporting an electrical device within an opening to be cut into a building wall, comprising:

a box-shaped wall structure configured to contain the electrical device and to be installed by insertion through the opening in the building wall; and

a frame that is integral with the box-shaped wall structure, the frame having a rear side surface configured to overlie the surface of the building wall around the opening in the building wall, and having a front side surface with a projecting structure configured to be pressed against the surface of the building wall to impress an outline of the opening to be cut into the building wall;

wherein the projecting structure comprises a rib that extends as a continuous boundary of an area having the size and shape of the opening to be cut into the building wall.