Adjustable bracket for steel stud

• US 8,975,519 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Lalancette, Daniel, Veillette, Marc-Antoine, Boucher, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhirubhai R
• Application Number:
  US13/906,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20140008095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 248/343, 248/300, 174/57, 174/58, 523/17, 220/3.9
• US Class Current: 174/58
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings

Abstract

An electrical box assembly includes an electrical box and a primary bracket. The primary bracket includes a first end panel for securing to a first surface of a stud; a second end panel for securing to a second surface of the stud and in a substantially parallel orientation to the first end panel; and mounting panel, joined to a first surface of the electrical box and located between the first end panel and the second end panel, the mounting panel having a length corresponding to a first stud depth. The primary bracket also includes an adaptation panel, between the mounting panel and the rear panel, having a length corresponding to a difference between the first stud depth and a second larger stud depth. The adaptation panel is selectively manipulated to position the front panel and the rear panel to accommodate either the first stud depth or the second stud depth.

Claims

1. An electrical box assembly, comprising:

an electrical box; and

a primary bracket including;

a front panel configured to be secured by fasteners to a first side of a stud,

a rear panel configured to be secured by fasteners to a second side of the stud and in a substantially parallel orientation to the front panel,

a mounting panel, connected to an end of the front panel at a ninety-degree angle to the front panel and joined to the electrical box, the mounting panel having a length corresponding to a first stud depth, and

an adaptation panel, connected at a first score line to an end of the mounting panel and connected at a second score line to an end of the rear panel, the adaptation panel having a length corresponding to a difference between the first stud depth and a second larger stud depth,

wherein the primary bracket is selectively bent at the first score line or the second score line to set a distance between the front panel and the rear panel at a distance corresponding to either of the first stud depth or the second stud depth.

2. The electrical box assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a support bracket joined to the electrical box, wherein the support bracket is configured to contact a back side of a wall surface mounted to the second side of the stud when the electrical box is installed in the wall.

3. The electrical box assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary bracket is formed from a single piece.

4. The electrical box assembly of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the rear panel include a plurality of mounting holes configured to receive a fastener and thereby to position the secondary bracket at one of a range of distances from the stud.

5. The electrical box assembly of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the rear panel include a plurality of ribs extending along a length of the front panel and the rear panel.

6. The electrical box assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary bracket further includes a first score line between the mounting panel and the adaptation panel, and a second score line between the adaption panel and the rear panel.

7. The electrical box assembly of claim 6, wherein the primary bracket further includes a tab extending from an edge of the primary bracket at the second score line, and wherein the tab is configured to be selectively bent to reinforce a straight portion of the edge of the primary bracket extending from the adaption panel to the rear panel.

8. A bracket assembly for an electrical box, comprising:

a primary bracket including;

a front panel configured to be secured by fasteners to a first side of a stud,

a rear panel configured to be secured by fasteners to a second side of the stud and in a substantially parallel orientation to the front panel,

a mounting panel having a top flange and bottom flange, the mounting panel connected to an end of the front panel at a ninety-degree angle to the front panel and the mounting panel having a length corresponding to a first stud depth,

an adaptation panel, connected at a first score line to an end of the mounting panel and connected at a second score line to an end of the rear panel, the adaptation panel having a length corresponding to a difference between the first stud depth and a second larger stud depth, wherein the primary bracket is selectively bent at the first score line or the second score line to set a distance between the front panel and the rear panel at a distance corresponding to either of the first stud depth or the second stud depth; and

a secondary bracket secured to a side of the electrical box, the secondary bracket configured to be secured within the top flange and the bottom flange,

wherein the secondary bracket, the top flange, and the bottom flange provide multiple preconfigured mounting distances between the front panel and a face of the electrical box.

9. The bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the front panel and the rear panel include a plurality of mounting holes configured to receive a fastener and thereby to position the secondary bracket at one of a range of distances from the stud.

10. The bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the multiple preconfigured mounting distances between the front panel and the face of the electrical box include a distance corresponding to a wall thickness with single drywall installation and a distance corresponding to a wall thickness with double drywall installation.

11. The bracket assembly of claim 10, wherein the multiple preconfigured mounting distances between the front panel and the face of the electrical box further include a distance corresponding to a wall thickness with single drywall installation with a resilient bar and a distance corresponding to a wall thickness with double drywall installation with a resilient bar.

12. The bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the top flange includes one or more slots configured to receive a fastener from above the top flange, and wherein the bottom flange includes one or more slots configured to receive a fastener from below the bottom flange.

13. The bracket assembly of claim 12, wherein the secondary bracket includes a set of holes configured to align with the one or more slots of the top flange and the one or more slots of the bottom flange.

14. The bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the top flange and the bottom flange each include one or more slots configured to permit adjustment of at least one of the multiple preconfigured mounting distances between a first distance, associated with a first standard drywall thickness, and a second distance, associated with a second standard drywall thickness.

15. The bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the adaptation panel includes a plurality of ribs extending between the first score line and the second score line.

16. The bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the primary bracket further includes a tab extending from an edge of the primary bracket at the second score line, and wherein the tab is configured to be selectively bent to reinforce a straight portion of the primary bracket extending from the adaption panel to the rear panel at the second score line.

17. The bracket assembly of claim 8, wherein the secondary bracket includes a plurality of welding embosses extending longitudinally from an edge of the secondary bracket.

18. A bracket assembly, comprising:

a primary bracket for mounting on a stud, the primary bracket including a mounting panel, the mounting panel having;

a top flange including a first plurality of slots, and

a bottom flange including a second plurality of slots substantially aligned with the first plurality of slots; and

a secondary bracket secured to the top flange and the bottom flange, the secondary bracket including;

a first hole to align with one of the first plurality of slots, and

a second hole to align with one of the second plurality of slots,

wherein the first hole and the second hole are each configured to receive a fastener to secure the primary bracket to the secondary bracket, and

wherein the secondary bracket, the top flange, and the bottom flange provide multiple preconfigured mounting depths for an electrical box attached to the secondary bracket relative to the stud.

19. The bracket assembly of claim 18, wherein the primary bracket is configured to be selectively adjusted for positioning the mounting panel, in a parallel orientation to the stud, for at least two standard-depth stud sizes.

20. The bracket assembly of claim 18, wherein the multiple preconfigured mounting depths include:

a distance corresponding to a wall surface, applied to the stud, with single drywall installation, and

a distance corresponding to a wall surface, applied to the stud, with single drywall installation and a resilient bar.

21. The bracket assembly of claim 20, wherein the multiple preconfigured mounting depths further include:

a distance corresponding to a wall surface, applied to the stud, with double drywall installation, and

a distance corresponding to a wall surface, applied to the stud, with double drywall installation and a resilient bar.

22. The bracket assembly of claim 18, wherein the mounting panel includes a plurality of ribs, and wherein the secondary bracket includes a set of protrusions configured to engage the plurality of ribs when the secondary bracket is secured to the top flange and the bottom flange.

23. The bracket assembly of claim 18, wherein the secondary bracket is joined to one side of the electrical box, and where the bracket assembly further comprises:

another bracket joined to another side of the electrical box, wherein the other bracket is configured to receive a support bracket that contacts a back side of a wall surface applied to the stud.