Apparatus for installation of electrical floor boxes

• US 8,022,297 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wiremold Co (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Wiremold Co (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Thibault, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US12/396,974
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 174/57, 174/60, 174/135, 174/486, 439/535, 248/298.1, 248/343
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/185 Floor outlets and access cups

Abstract

An electrical floor box assembly for installation in a floor structure includes an electrical floor box having a plurality of sidewalls and at least one clamp device attached to a sidewall so that the floor box may be mounted to a raised floor structure or leveled atop a support surface using the clamp device. The clamp device includes a clamp body, a threaded rod mounted for rotation along a longitudinal axis within the clamp body, and a clamp arm threadingly engaging the threaded rod so that it is movable along the rod in association with rotation thereof and can be moved into engagement with the undersurface of the floor structure to secure the floor box in place. The clamp device may further include a leveling subassembly for installation of the electrical floor box onto a support surface prior to construction of the floor around the leveled floor box.

Claims

1. An electrical floor box assembly, comprising:

an electrical floor box having a plurality of sidewalls; and

at least one clamp device attached to one of the plurality of sidewalls so that the floor box may be mounted to a raised floor structure or leveled atop a support surface using the clamp device, which includes;

a clamp body;

a threaded rod mounted for rotation along a longitudinal axis within the clamp body; and

a clamp arm threadingly engaging the threaded rod so that it is movable along the longitudinal axis of the threaded rod in association with rotation thereof,

wherein the clamp body includes a back plate, a forward opening opposite the back plate, at least one side plate disposed therebetween, and generally opposed upper and lower end plates, collectively defining an interior cavity of the clamp body; and

wherein the clamp arm is disposed for movement along the threaded rod within the interior cavity of the clamp body.

2. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 1, wherein the clamp arm is movable between a disengaged arm position and an engaged arm position such that in the disengaged arm position, the clamp arm is substantially disposed within the clamp body and in the engaged arm position the clamp arm protrudes outwardly from the clamp body through the forward opening thereof.

3. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 2, wherein in the engaged arm position, the clamp arm engages an undersurface of the raised floor structure.

4. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 1, wherein rotation of the threaded rod in a first rotational direction causes the clamp arm to pivot toward and ride along the at least one side plate toward the upper end plate, and rotation of the threaded rod in a second opposite direction causes the clamp arm to pivot away from the at least one side plate and ride along the back plate away from the upper end plate.

5. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sidewalls of the electrical floor box has an outwardly protruding flange that engages an upper surface of the raised floor structure.

6. An electrical floor box assembly, comprising:

an electrical floor box having a plurality of sidewalls; and

at least one clamp device attached to one of the plurality of sidewalls so that the floor box may be mounted to a raised floor structure or leveled atop a support surface using the clamp device, which includes;

a clamp body;

a threaded rod mounted for rotation along a longitudinal axis within the clamp body;

a clamp arm threadingly engaging the threaded rod so that it is movable along the longitudinal axis of the threaded rod in association with rotation thereof; and

a leveling subassembly for installation of the electrical floor box onto the support surface,

wherein the clamp body includes a back plate, a forward opening opposite the back plate, at least one side plate disposed therebetween, and generally opposed first and second end plates comprising coaxial openings, collectively defining an interior cavity of the clamp body;

the threaded rod having a first end extending through the opening in the first end plate and a second end extending through the opening in the second end plate;

the clamp arm being disposed for movement along the threaded rod within the interior cavity of the clamp body;

wherein the leveling subassembly comprises a locking nut mounted on the second end of the threaded rod such that rotation of the nut causes rotation of the threaded rod which causes the clamp arm to move towards and engage the first end plate; and

further wherein, when the clamp arm engages the first end plate, the amount of the threaded rod extending through the opening in the first end plate may be adjusted by rotation of the threaded rod.

7. An electrical floor box assembly for installation in a floor structure, comprising:

an electrical floor box having a plurality of sidewalls; and

at least one clamp device attached to a sidewall of the floor box so that the floor box may be mounted to a raised floor structure or leveled atop a support surface using the clamp device, wherein said clamp device includes a projection adapted to slidingly engage into a channel formed in one of the plurality of sidewalls.

8. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 7, wherein the engagement between the projection on the clamp device and the channel in the floor box sidewall permits the clamp device to be rotated about an axis of the projection so that the clamp device may be positioned in either a first rotational position or a second rotational position, wherein the second rotational position is a 180 degree rotation from the first rotational position.

9. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 8, wherein the clamp device, while in the first rotational position, is used to mount the floor box to the raised floor structure, and while in the second rotational position, is used to level the floor box on the support surface.

10. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 9, wherein the clamp device comprises:

a clamp body;

a threaded rod mounted for rotation along a longitudinal axis within the clamp body; and

a clamp arm threadingly engaging the threaded rod so that it is movable along the longitudinal axis of the threaded rod in association with rotation thereof;

wherein said clamp device, while in the first position, attaches the floor box to the raised floor structure by rotating the threaded rod to move the clamp arm into engagement with the under surface of the floor structure, and while in the second position, levels the floor box on the support surface by rotating the threaded rod to adjust the amount of the rod extending out of the clamp body while a head thereby contacts the support surface.

11. An electrical floor box assembly comprising:

an electrical floor box having a plurality of sidewalls; and

a clamp device including a clamp body, a clamp arm, and a threaded rod mounted for rotation along a longitudinal axis within the clamp body,

wherein the clamp arm threadingly engages the threaded rod so that it is movable along the longitudinal axis of the threaded rod in association with rotation thereof,

wherein the clamp body includes a back plate, a forward opening opposite the back plate, at least one side plate disposed therebetween, and generally opposed first and second end plates, collectively defining an interior cavity of the clamp body;

wherein the clamp arm is disposed for movement along the threaded rod within the interior cavity of the clamp body; and

further wherein rotation of the threaded rod in a first rotational direction causes the clamp arm to pivot toward and ride along the at least one side plate toward the first end plate, and rotation of the threaded rod in a second opposite direction causes the clamp arm to pivot away from the at least one side plate and ride along the back plate away from the first end plate.

12. The electrical floor box assembly according to claim 11, wherein a portion of the threaded rod extending through the first end plate is adjustable by rotation of the threaded rod when the clamp arm within the clamp body contacts the inner surface of the first end plate and a nut disposed on an opposite end of the threaded rod is turned to effect rotation of the threaded rod.

13. A clamp device for installing an electrical floor box in a floor structure whereby the floor box may be mounted to a raised floor structure or leveled atop a support surface using the clamp device, said clamp device comprising:

a clamp body;

a clamp arm;

and a threaded rod mounted for rotation along a longitudinal axis within the clamp body;

wherein the clamp arm threadingly engages the threaded rod so that it is movable along the longitudinal axis of the rod in association with rotation thereof;

wherein the clamp device is adjustably attachable to a sidewall of the electrical floor box and may be positioned relative to the floor box in either a first rotational position or a second rotational position, the second rotational position being a 180-degree rotation from the first rotational position;

wherein, when the clamp device is in the first rotational position, it is used to mount the floor box to a raised floor structure, and, when the clamp device is in the second rotational position, it is used to level the floor box on a support surface; and

wherein the clamp body includes a projection protruding outwardly therefrom for engaging a channel in a sidewall of the electrical floor box, said projection including flanges for attaching the clamp device to the floor box in either of the first rotational position or the second rotation position.

14. The clamp device according to claim 13, wherein the position of the clamp device along the sidewall to which it is attached is adjustable.