Modular device housing assembly

• US 8,921,714 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pass & Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Pass & Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Haberek, Andrew M., Ganta, Kapil, Junko, Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US13/311,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20120222896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 174/560
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a modular wall box system configured to be mounted substantially flush with respect to the wall. The assembly includes a plurality of wall surfaces, each wall surface includes a single gang opening that accommodates an AC electrical wiring device or a low voltage telecom device. At least one removable flange cover is configured to be removably coupled to the mounting flange. At least one modular connector can be inserted within the single gang modular device opening and includes a slidable engagement portion. The slidable engagement portion slidably engages a lateral edge of the wall surface forming the single gang modular device opening such that the at least one modular connector is slidably moveable to any vertical position.

Claims

1. A modular wall box system comprising:

a housing structure that includes,

a rectangular frame portion configured to be mounted substantially flush with respect to a wall upon installation of the system, the rectangular frame portion having a perimeter portion that forms a frame opening,

a recessed roof portion and a recessed floor portion connected to the rectangular frame portion such that the recessed roof portion is substantially parallel to the recessed floor portion,

a plurality of wall surfaces connected between the roof portion and the floor portion to form a recessed device mounting volume accessible via the frame opening, each wall surface of the plurality of wall surfaces including a single gang modular device opening configured to accommodate either an AC electrical wiring device or a low voltage telecom device, a first wall surface of the plurality of wall surfaces being connected to the recessed roof portion and the recessed floor portion at a first acute angle, and a second wall surface of the plurality of wall surfaces being connected to the recessed roof portion and the recessed floor portion at a second acute angle such that each of the plurality of wall surfaces are not coplanar with respect to any other one of the plurality of wall surfaces;

at least a portion of the perimeter being configured as at least one mounting flange, the at least one mounting flange including a plurality of mounting elements configured to mount the housing structure to the wall; and

at least one removable flange cover substantially conforming to a shape of the at least one mounting flange such that it does not occlude the frame opening or prevent access to the recessed device mounting volume, the at least one removable flange cover being configured to be removably coupled to the at least one mounting flange after the housing structure is mounted to the wall such that the at least one removable flange cover is substantially flush with respect to adjacent portions of the rectangular frame portion, the at least one removable flange cover being configured to cover the plurality of mounting elements when the at least one removable flange cover is coupled to the at least one mounting flange.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one modular connector configured to be inserted within the single gang modular device opening, the at least one modular connector including a slidable engagement portion disposed at either end thereof, the slidable engagement portion being configured to slidably engage a lateral edge of the wall surface forming the single gang modular device opening such that the at least one modular connector is moveable to any vertical position within the single gang modular device opening.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one modular connector includes a first modular connector disposed at one end of the single gang modular device opening and a second modular connector disposed at a second opposing end of the single gang modular device opening, the first modular connector and the second modular connector being configured to mount either a low voltage telecom device or a device box for an AC electrical wiring device therebetween.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one modular connector includes at least one retainer element configured to mate with a corresponding indent formed an upper edge or lower edge forming the single gang modular device opening.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one modular connector includes at least one boss element for a threaded screw opening, the at least one boss element being configured to snap into an upper edge or lower edge of the single gang modular device opening.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the slidable engagement portion includes a channel formed between a finger portion and a wing portion.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the slidable engagement portion includes a flexible spring clip.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the slidable engagement portion includes a channel formed between an outboard gripper member and an in-board portion.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting flange includes a plurality of marking holes disposed therein.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting flange includes a plurality of registration elements configured to align the at least one removable flange cover with the at least one mounting flange.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting flange includes a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange opposing the first mounting flange.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first mounting flange is disposed on an upper frame member portion of the rectangular frame portion and the second mounting flange is disposed on a lower frame member portion of the rectangular frame portion.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first mounting flange is disposed on a first upright frame member portion of the rectangular frame portion and the second mounting flange is disposed on a second upright frame member portion of the rectangular frame portion.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wall surfaces includes a third wall surface configured to include a third single gang modular device opening, the third wall surface being interposed between the first wall surface and the second wall surface, and wherein the first wall surface is configured to include a first single gang modular device opening and wherein the second wall surface is configured to include a second single gang modular device opening.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the third wall surface is substantially parallel to the frame opening.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first, second and third single gang modular device openings can accommodate AC electrical devices, low voltage telecom devices, or any combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein a first centerline normal to the first single gang modular device opening and a third centerline normal to the third single gang modular device opening form the first acute angle.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein a second centerline normal to the second single gang modular device opening and a third centerline normal to the third single gang modular device opening form the second acute angle.

19. A modular wall box system comprising:

a housing structure that includes,

a rectangular frame portion configured to be mounted substantially flush with respect to a wall upon installation of the system, the rectangular frame portion including an upper frame member, a lower frame member, a first upright frame member interconnecting the upper frame member to the lower frame member at one end thereof and a second upright frame member interconnecting the upper frame member to the lower frame member at second end thereof,

a recessed roof portion connected to the upper frame member and a recessed floor portion connected to the lower frame member such that the recessed roof portion is substantially parallel to the recessed floor portion,

a plurality of wall surfaces connected between the roof portion and the floor portion to form a recessed device mounting volume, each wall surface of the plurality of wall surfaces including a single gang modular device opening configured to accommodate either an AC electrical wiring device or a low voltage telecom device, a first wall surface of the plurality of wall surfaces being connected to the first upright frame member and extending away from the upper frame member and the lower frame member at a first acute angle, and a second wall surface of the plurality of wall surfaces being connected to the second upright frame member and also extending away from the upper frame member and the lower frame member at a second acute angle such that each of the plurality of wall surfaces are not coplanar with respect to any other one of the plurality of wall surfaces;

at least one mounting flange formed in at least one of the upper frame member, lower frame member, first upright frame member or second upright frame member, the at least one mounting flange including a plurality of mounting elements configured to mount the housing structure to the wall;

at least one removable flange cover configured to be removably coupled to the at least one mounting flange after the housing structure is mounted to the wall, the at least one removable flange cover being configured to cover the plurality of mounting elements when the at least one removable flange cover is coupled to the at least one mounting flange; and

at least one modular connector configured to be inserted within the single gang modular device opening, the at least one modular connector including a slidable engagement portion disposed at either end thereof, the slidable engagement portion being configured to slidably engage a lateral edge of the wall surface forming the single gang modular device opening such that the at least one modular connector is slidably moveable to any vertical position within the single gang modular device opening.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one modular connector includes a first modular connector disposed at one end of the single gang modular device opening and a second modular connector disposed at a second opposing end of the single gang modular device opening, the first modular connector and the second modular connector being configured to mount either a low voltage telecom device or a device box for an AC electrical wiring device therebetween.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one modular connector includes at least one retainer element configured to mate with a corresponding indent formed an upper edge or lower edge forming the single gang modular device opening.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one modular connector includes at least one boss element for a threaded screw opening, the at least one boss element being configured to snap into an upper edge or lower edge of the single gang modular device opening.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the slidable engagement portion includes a channel formed between a finger portion and a wing portion.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the slidable engagement portion includes a flexible spring clip.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the slidable engagement portion includes a channel formed between an outboard gripper member and an in-board portion.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one mounting flange is an integrally formed portion of the housing structure.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one mounting flange includes a plurality of marking holes disposed therein.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one mounting flange includes a plurality of registration elements configured to align the at least one removable flange cover with the at least one mounting flange.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one mounting flange includes a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange opposing the first mounting flange.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first mounting flange is disposed on the upper frame member and the second mounting flange is disposed on the lower frame member.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the first mounting flange is disposed on the first upright frame member and the second mounting flange is disposed on the second upright frame member.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of wall surfaces include the first wall surface including a first single gang modular device opening, the second wall surface including a second single gang modular device opening, and a third wall surface including a third single gang modular device opening, the third wall surface being interposed between the first wall surface and the second wall surface.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the third wall surface is substantially parallel to the rectangular frame portion.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the first, second and third single gang modular device openings can accommodate AC electrical devices, low voltage telecom devices, or any combination thereof.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein a first centerline normal to the first single gang modular device opening and a third centerline normal to the third single gang modular device opening form the first acute angle.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein a second centerline normal to the second single gang modular device opening and a third centerline normal to the third single gang modular device opening form the second acute angle.

37. A modular wall box system comprising:

a housing structure that includes,

a rectangular flame portion configured to be mounted substantially flush with respect to a wall upon installation of the system,

a recessed roof portion and a recessed floor portion connected to the rectangular frame portion member such that the recessed roof portion is substantially parallel to the recessed floor portion,

a plurality of wall surfaces connected between the roof portion and the floor portion to form a recessed device mounting volume, each wall surface of the plurality of wall surfaces including a single gang modular device opening configured to accommodate either an AC electrical wiring device or a low voltage telecom device, and

at least one modular connector configured to be inserted within the single gang modular device opening of at least one of the plurality of wall surfaces, the at least one modular connector including a slidable engagement portion disposed at either end thereof, the slidable engagement portion being configured to slidably engage a lateral edge of the wall surface forming the single gang modular device opening such that the at least one modular connector is moveable to any vertical position within the single gang modular device opening.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the at least one modular connector includes a first modular connector disposed at one end of the single gang modular device opening and a second modular connector disposed at a second opposing end of the single gang modular device opening, the first modular connector and the second modular connector being configured to mount either a low voltage telecom device or a device box for an AC electrical wiring device therebetween.