Universal box system

• US 8,497,424 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2010
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Castaldo, Cosmo
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhirubhai R
• Application Number:
  US12/787,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20110290625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 174/50, 174/58, 220/3.2, 220/3.94, 220/4.26, 220/3.8
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/06 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/04 Cases; Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/22 Operating parts, e.g. handle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/14 for joining or terminating cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/088 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A universal electrical box which includes a body having at least one opening for receiving an electrical device. The device can also include at least one mounting bracket coupled to the body, and at least one frame configured to be coupled to the at least one body. In addition there is at least one duplex electrical mounting plate configured to couple to the at least one frame. In this case, the duplex electrical mounting plate is configured to receive a duplex electrical device. In addition, there is at least one sealing gasket configured to be coupled to the body between the at least one frame and the body. This design allows for a universal configuration which allows for multiple different types of electrical devices to be coupled to the enclosure.

Claims

1. An electrical box mounting system comprising:

a) a front cover including a cover section and a hinge;

b) a plate including a plurality of semi-circular openings, a plurality of eye holes, and a plurality of openings for mounting an electrical device;

c) a body having a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall, a fourth side wall, a fifth back wall, an open front face for receiving the electrical device, at least one wiring hole formed in at least one of said side wails for receiving electrical building wiring into the body, a first set of connection elements disposed in the body and accessible via the open front face for mounting the front cover, the front cover being configured to cover and seal the electrical device, and a second set of connection elements disposed in the body and accessible via the open front face for mounting the plate; and

d) a first set of fasteners for passing through the plurality of semi-circular openings formed in the plate to engage the first set of connection elements to secure the front cover to the body, and a second set of fasteners for passing through the plurality of eye holes formed in the plate to engage the second set of connection elements to secure the plate to the body;

wherein said plate is configured to enable the electrical device to be coupled to the body, and wherein each connection element of the second set of connection elements further comprise a recess which are configured to create a substantially round shaped mounting region at the open front face, which provide additional connection space for the electrical device to be installed into the mounting region.

2. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 1, wherein said first set of connection elements comprises an outer set of connection elements, and said second set of connection elements comprises an inner set of connection elements.

3. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 1, wherein said plate is configured to allow a strap mounted electrical device to be coupled to the plurality of openings formed in the plate, when said plate is coupled to said second set of connection elements.

4. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 1, wherein said body comprises a single gang electrical enclosure.

5. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 1, wherein said second set of connection elements is recessed in said body relative to said first set of connection elements.

6. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 1, further comprising an exterior mounting bracket extending from said body, said exterior mounting bracket being configured to mount the body on an exterior wall.

7. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 1, wherein:

said first set of connection elements comprise a first set of posts;

said second set of connection elements comprise a second set of posts which are separate and distinct from said first set of posts,

wherein said first set of posts are located outside of said second set of posts so that said first set of posts are spaced a first distance apart, while said second set of posts are spaced a second distance apart, wherein said first distance is greater than said second distance.

8. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 1, wherein two of said plurality of semi-circular openings and two of said plurality of eyeholes are positioned on a top region of said plate.

9. The electrical box mounting system as in claim 8, wherein two of said plurality of semi-circular openings and two of said plurality of eyeholes are positioned on a bottom region of said plate.

10. A device mounting system comprising:

a) a plurality of front covers, each of the plurality of front covers including a cover section and a hinge;

b) a plurality of plates, each of the plurality of plates including a plurality of semi-circular openings, a plurality of eye holes, and a plurality of openings for mounting one of a plurality of electrical devices;

c) a multi ganged electrical box comprising a body having a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall, a fourth side wall, a fifth back wall, an open front face adapted and configured to receive a plurality of electrical devices, a plurality of wiring holes formed in at least one of said side walls for receiving electrical building wiring into the body, the body further comprising a plurality of connection elements comprising at least two groups of connection elements with a first group of connection elements defining a single gang mourning surface and at least a second group of connection elements defining an additional single gang mounting surface with each of said at least two groups of connection elements comprising a first set of outer connection elements disposed in said body and accessible via said open front face configured to couple to one of the plurality of front covers, each of the front covers being configured to cover and seal one of the plurality of electrical devices, and a second set of inner connection elements disposed in the body and accessible via the open front face configured to couple to one of the plurality of plates;

d) a plurality of fasteners for passing through the plurality of semi-circular openings formed in each of the plurality of plates to engage each of the first set of connection elements to secure each of the front covers to the body, and for passing through the plurality of eye holes formed in each of the plurality of plates to engage each of the second set of connection elements to secure each of said plates to the body; and

e) at least one frame configured to be coupled to said body, said frame being disposed between said plates and said body, said frame comprising at least two openings, with each of the openings comprising a single gang opening, and at least one central face configured to space said at least two openings apart a sufficient distance to allow at least two different individually mounted plates and at least two different individually mounted single gang electrical devices and their associated covers to be mounted on the multi-ganged electrical box.

11. The device mounting system as in claim 10, wherein the multi ganged box comprises at least one of a double ganged box, or a triple ganged box.

12. The device mounting system as in claim 10, wherein said multi ganged box is a triple ganged box and said at least one frame comprises at least two spacing faces configured to space at least three openings apart from each other to allow at least three different individually mounted plates and at least three different individually mounted single gang electrical devices and their associated covers to be mounted on said multi-ganged electrical box.

13. The device mounting system as in claim 10, further comprising at least one gasket disposed between said multi ganged box and said at least one frame, wherein said at least one gasket is configured to be coupled to said body.

14. The device mounting system as in claim 13, wherein said at least one gasket further comprises at least one groove for indexing with said frame and said body to form a water resistant seal between said frame and said body.