Stackable power distribution box

• US 8,084,686 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Ladewig, Christopher, Conger, Matthew William
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhirubhai R
• Application Number:
  US12/474,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20100300721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 439/535, 248/906, 220/4.02
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0021 Side-by-side or stacked arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

The power box can be stacked while limiting horizontal translation. The power box includes an electrical component box, a cover for the electrical component box, and a support assembly. The support assembly has feet that raise the electrical component box off of the ground. The cover includes one or more raised projections that restrict the horizontal translation of a power box positioned thereon, by dimensioning the projections apart by a distance slightly greater than an exterior width of the support assembly of the power box that rests upon the cover. Horizontal translation is further limited by dimensioning the feet such that, when placed on top of another power box, the interior dimension between two feet is slighting greater than the dimension of the cover. So, when the top power box attempts to slide, the feet of the top power box contact the cover of the bottom power box.

Claims

1. A power distribution box comprising:

an electrical component box comprising;

a top side defined by an aperture;

a plurality of walls extending down from the top side; and

a bottom member coupled to the plurality of walls; and

wherein the electrical component box further comprises a first and a second horizontal dimension

a plurality of feet coupled to the bottom member, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of feet extend below the bottom member of the electrical component box; and

a cover disposed above and coupled to the top side of the electrical component box, the cover having a longitudinal horizontal dimension and a latitudinal horizontal dimension and further comprising;

a top surface;

a bottom surface opposite the top surface; and

a plurality of projections extending vertically upward from the top surface;

wherein at least two of the plurality of projections are spaced-apart a first distance;

wherein the first distance is greater than at least one of a group consisting of the first horizontal dimension and the second horizontal dimension of the electrical component box; and

wherein a longitudinal dimension of the innermost boundary of two of the plurality of feet is greater than the latitudinal horizontal dimension of the cover.

2. The power distribution box of claim 1, further comprising friction enhancing material disposed along the top surface of the cover.

3. The power distribution box of claim 1, wherein the electrical component box further comprises a plurality of electrical receptacles disposed in the plurality of walls along a perimeter of the box.

4. The power distribution box of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises the longitudinal horizontal dimension and a latitudinal horizontal dimension, wherein the longitudinal horizontal dimension of the cover is greater than or equal to the first horizontal dimension of the component box and the latitudinal horizontal dimension is greater than or equal to the second horizontal dimension of the electrical component box.

5. The power distribution box of claim 1, wherein the plurality of projections couple the cover to the top side of the electrical component box.

6. The power distribution box of claim 1, wherein the plurality of projections comprise bolt heads.

7. The power distribution box of claim 1, wherein the feet comprise an aperture dimensioned to receive a device for lifting the electrical component box.

8. The power distribution box of claim 7, wherein the aperture in each of the plurality of feet is dimensioned to receive a fork for a forklift truck.

9. A power distribution box comprising:

an electrical component box comprising;

a cover comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface comprises a plurality of projections extending upward from the top surface;

a plurality of vertical walls extending upward from a bottom member; and

the bottom member coupled to the vertical walls, wherein the walls, bottom member and cover define an interior volume of the electrical component box;

a support assembly having a horizontal longitudinal dimension and a horizontal latitudinal dimension, the assembly comprising;

a top side;

a bottom side; and

a plurality of feet extending down from the bottom side of the support assembly;

wherein the support assembly is coupled to the electrical component box;

wherein at least two of the plurality of projections are spaced-apart a first distance, the first distance being greater than or equal to the latitudinal dimension of the support assembly.

10. The power distribution box of claim 9, wherein the support assembly further comprises:

at least one horizontal latitudinal member comprising a first distal end and a second distal end opposite the first;

a first horizontal longitudinal member disposed substantially orthogonal to the horizontal latitudinal member and coupled to the first distal end; and

a second horizontal longitudinal member disposed substantially orthogonal to the horizontal latitudinal member and coupled to the second distal end.

11. The power distribution box of claim 10,

wherein the plurality of feet comprises four feet;

wherein the first horizontal longitudinal member comprises a first distal end and a second distal end opposite the first;

wherein the second horizontal longitudinal member comprises a first distal end and a second distal end opposite the first; and

wherein a first foot of the plurality of feet extends downward from the first distal end of the first horizontal longitudinal member;

wherein a second foot of the plurality of feet extends downward from the second distal end of the first horizontal longitudinal member;

wherein a third foot of the plurality of feet extends downward from the first distal end of the second horizontal longitudinal member; and

wherein a fourth foot of the plurality of feet extends downward from the second distal end of the second horizontal longitudinal member.

12. The power distribution box of claim 9, further comprising friction enhancing material disposed along the top surface of the cover.

13. The power distribution box of claim 9, wherein the electrical component box further comprises a plurality of electrical receptacles disposed along the plurality of vertical walls of the electrical component box.

14. A method of stacking power distribution boxes comprising the steps of:

providing a first and a second power distribution box each comprising;

an electrical component box comprising;

bottom member;

a plurality of side walls coupled to the bottom member and extending generally upward from the bottom member; and

a cover disposed over the plurality of side walls,

wherein the cover comprises a plurality of projections extending up from a top surface of the cover;

a support assembly coupled to the electrical component box and having a horizontal longitudinal dimension and a horizontal latitudinal dimension, the assembly comprising a plurality of feet extending down from the support assembly the plurality of feet defining a ventral region;

wherein at least two of the plurality of projections are spaced-apart a first distance, the first distance being greater than or equal to the latitudinal dimension of the support assembly;

positioning the first power distribution box on a surface;

positioning the second power distribution box at a substantially ninety degree offset from the first power distribution box; and

positioning the second power distribution box on top of the first power distribution box;

wherein at least a portion of the support assembly of the second power distribution box is positioned upon the upper surface of cover of the first power distribution box; and

wherein the portion of the support assembly is positioned between the at least two projections spaced-apart a first distance to substantially prevent horizontal movement by the second power distribution box in a first direction.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cover of the first power distribution box is slidably positioned into the ventral region of the second power distribution box to substantially prevent horizontal movement by the second power distribution box in a second direction, the second direction being substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein movement in the second direction is substantially prevented by at least one foot of the second power distribution box contacting the cover of the first power distribution box.