Frame for a wall cut-out

• US 8,109,401 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morgan C. Davis
• Original Assignee: Morgan C. Davis
• Inventors: Davis, Morgan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINLEY, CHRISTOPHER BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US12/381,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20090178822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 220/3.2, 220/4.02, 220/3.5, 220/3.9, 174/58
• US Class Current: 220/4.02
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/16 structurally associated with support for line-connecting terminals within the box

Abstract

For a wall cut-out (100) defining a void (101) within a wall (102) for receiving a utility receptacle (104) wherein the cut-out has a perimeter edge (103) surrounding the void (101), the frame (10) includes an insert-flange (12) dimensioned to be inserted into and to sit within the void (101) adjacent the perimeter edge (103). The insert-flange (12) defines a through void frame opening (14) between opposed edges of the insert-flange (12). A wall-shelf (20) is secured to the insert-flange (12), and a mud-ridge (22) is secured to the wall-shelf (20) adjacent to and surrounding an interior perimeter (24) of the frame opening (14). The mud-ridge extends away from the wall-shelf (20) to facilitate application of a bonding compound and secure mounting of a receptacle component (106) within the utility receptacle (104).

Claims

1. A frame (10) for a wall cut-out (100), the cut-out (100) defining a void (101) within a wall (102) for receiving a utility receptacle (104) and the cut-out (100) having a perimeter edge (103) surrounding the void (101), the frame (10) comprising:

a. an insert-flange (12) dimensioned to sit within the void (101) between the perimeter edge (103) and the utility receptacle (104), the insert-flange (12) defining a through void frame opening (14) passing completely through the frame (10);

b. a wall-shelf (20) secured to the insert-flange (12), the wall-shelf (20) defining a plane parallel to a plane defined by the wall (102) and about perpendicular to the entire insert-flange (12), and the wall-shelf (20) extending away from the frame opening (14) defined by the insert-flange (12);

c. a mud-ridge (22) secured to the wall-shelf (20) adjacent to and surrounding an interior perimeter (24) of the frame opening (14), the mud-ridge (22) extending away from the wall-shelf (20) in a direction away from the insert-flange (12) and away from the wall (102), and the mud-ridge (22) having a co-planar top edge (26) defining a plane parallel to the plane defined by the wall (102); and

,

d. wherein the frame (10) includes at least one frame bump-out (27A, 27B, 27C, 27D) defined in an edge of the insert flange (12), the at least one frame bump-out (27A, 27B, 27C, 27D) defining a through-notch (29A, 29B, 29C, 29D) passing partially through the mud-ridge (22) and partially through an adjacent section of the wall-shelf (20), and also defining a partial cut-out (31A, 31B) of the insert-flange (12) adjacent the through-notch (29A, 29B, 29C, 29D).

2. The frame (10) of claim 1, wherein the mud ridge (22) extends away from the wall-shelf (20) a distance that is between about one-sixteenth and about one-eighth of an inch.

3. The frame (10) of claim 1, wherein the wall-shelf (20) includes a plurality of perforations (28).

4. The frame (10, 60) of claim 1, wherein the frame (60) includes a short wall-shelf (62) that is dimensioned to remain within an exterior perimeter (64) of a cover plate (66) that is secured over the frame (60).

5. The frame (10, 60) of claim 1, wherein the frame (60) includes a short wall-shelf (62) that extends away from the insert flange (12) a distance that is no greater than about five times a distance of extension of the mud-ridge (22) above the wall-shelf (62).

6. The frame (10, 70) of claim 1, wherein the frame (70) defines two opposed long sides (72, 74) and two opposed short sides (76, 78), the two opposed short sides (76, 68) including first and second wall-shelves (80, 82) adjacent the opposed short sides (76, 78) wherein the first and second wall-shelves (80, 82) extend away from the insert-flange (12) a distance that is no greater than about five times a distance of extension of the mud-ridge (22) above the first and second wall-shelves (80, 82) and the wall-shelves (80, 82, 20) are dimensioned to remain within an exterior perimeter (64) of a cover plate (66) that is secured over the frame (60).

7. The frame (10) of claim 1, wherein the insert-flange partial cut-outs (31A, 31B) define about the same width as through-notches (27C, 27D) adjacent the partial cut-outs (31A, 31B).

8. The frame (10) of claim 1, further comprising a circular frame (110) including a circular insert-flange (112) that defines a circular through void frame opening (114);

a circular wall-shelf (116) secured to the insert-flange (112) and extending away from the circular frame opening (114) along a plane parallel to a plane defined by the wall (102), the circular wall-shelf (116) being configured to be about perpendicular to the entire circular insert-flange (112); and

a circular mud-ridge (118) secured to the wall-shelf (116) adjacent to and surrounding an interior perimeter (120) of the frame opening (114), wherein the circular mud-ridge (118) has a co-planner top edge (122) defining a plane parallel to a plane defined by the wall (102).

9. The circular frame (110) of claim 8, wherein the circular frame (110) comprises a split circular frame (130) including a split (132) dividing the split circular frame (130) into a first half (132) and a virtually identical second half (134) of the split circular frame (130).