Backless electrical box and method of making

• US 9,627,868 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Original Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Inventors: Lynch, Jr., Edward J., Mominee, Daniel S., Korte, Peter B., Laughlin, Raymond S., Wilson, Eric J., Olle, Raymond M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, King M
• Application Number:
  US13/347,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20130175263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 220 32- 402, 174 58, 174 53, 174 61, 174 63
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 51/52 boxes, cigarette cases, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers

Abstract

A backless electrical box is formed out of a single piece of material, with a front and sides of the box being parts of the same single piece of material. The front of the box has an integrally-formed mud ring that extends forward from a front base of the front. The sides are made out of material bent back from two opposite edges of the front base, bent around to form the four sides. Some or all of the sides may have seams in them, which may be secured by portions of material overlapping along some or all of the height of the sides, riveted or otherwise attached together. Mounting flanges may extend from the other two opposite edges of the front base. Tabs bent downward from the mounting flanges may be used to cover holes in the sides that extend rearward from these two other opposite edges.

Claims

1. An electrical box comprising:

a front; and

four sides extending rearward from the front to define a substantially rectangular enclosure for electrical connections, with a respective intersection between each adjacent pair of the four sides;

the front and the four sides being parts of a single piece of continuous material;

each of at least two of the four sides having a distinct respective seam that is spaced apart from the respective intersections and extends over a full height of the respective side; and

the front covering a portion of a front opening of the substantially rectangular enclosure, the portion extending between two opposite sides of the four sides.

2. The electrical box of claim 1,

wherein one or more of the four sides include knockouts;

and

wherein at least one of the knockouts overlaps at least one of the seams.

8. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the front includes a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange on opposite sides of the front from each other.

9. The electrical box of claim 8, wherein the first mounting flange includes a first cutout and the second mounting flange includes a second cutout, the first cutout being bent rearward to cover a first opening in one of the four sides and the second cutout being bent rearward to cover a second opening in another of the four sides.

10. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein each of at least two of the seams is covered by a respective overlap of material of a respective one of the four sides.

11. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein the overlaps extends along the height of the four sides.

12. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein at least one of the overlaps includes a tab.

13. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein each of the overlaps is mechanically joined to secure the respective seam covered by the respective overlap.

14. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein each of the four sides has a distinct respective seam.

15. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the single piece of continuous material is a steel piece.

3. An electrical box comprising:

a front; and

four sides extending rearward from the front to define a substantially rectangular enclosure for electrical connections;

the front and the four sides being parts of a single piece of continuous material;

at least one of the four sides having a distinct respective seam; and

the front including;

a front base, with the four sides extending rearward from the front base; and

an integral mud ring that extends forward from the front base, the integral mud ring being part of the single piece of continuous material.

4. The electrical box of claim 3,

wherein the front base is substantially rectangular with a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, the first edge and the third edge being substantially parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the front base from each other, and the second edge and the fourth edge being substantially parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the front base from each other;

wherein the four sides include;

a first side extending rearward from the first edge;

a second side extending rearward from the second edge;

a third side extending rearward from the third edge; and

a fourth side extending rearward from the fourth edge;

wherein the four sides are made up of material folded rearward from the first and third edges; and

wherein the front includes a first mounting flange extending from the second edge, and a second mounting flange extending from the fourth edge.

5. The electrical box of claim 4, further comprising a first covering tab folded backward from the second edge and a second covering tab folded backward from the fourth edge, the first covering tab covering a first opening in the second side and the second covering tab covering a second opening in the fourth side.

6. The electrical box of claim 5,

wherein the first mounting flange includes a first distal portion and the second mounting flange includes a second distal portion, the first distal portion corresponding in shape to the first opening covered and the second distal portion corresponding in shape to the second opening.

7. The electrical box of claim 4,

wherein the second side abuts the second edge, with a top seam between the second side and the second edge;

and

wherein the fourth side abuts the fourth edge, with another top seam between the fourth side and the fourth edge.

16. An electrical box comprising:

a front including a substantially rectangular front base with a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, the first edge being substantially parallel to and opposite from the third edge, and the second edge being substantially parallel to and opposite from the fourth edge; and

four sides extending rearward from the front to define a substantially rectangular, backless enclosure for electrical connections, the four sides being formed from material folded rearward from at least two of the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge;

the front and the four sides being parts of a single piece of continuous material; and

each of at least two of the sides having a distinct respective seam.

17. The electrical box of claim 16, further comprising:

a first covering tab folded backward from the front to cover a first opening in one of the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge; and

a second covering tab folded backward from the front to cover a second opening in another-of the first edge, the second edge, the third edge, and the fourth edge.

18. The electrical box of claim 17, further comprising:

a first mounting flange and a second mounting flange on opposite sides of the front from each other;

wherein the first covering tab is formed from a first cutout included in the first mounting flange and the second covering tab is formed from second cutout included in the second mounting flange.

19. The electrical box of claim 16, further comprising:

an integral mud ring that extends forward from the substantially rectangular front base.

20. The electrical box of claim 16, wherein the four sides include:

a first side adjacent to the first edge;

a second side adjacent to the second edge;

a third side adjacent to the third edge; and

a fourth side adjacent to the fourth edge;

wherein the first side, a first part of the second side, and a first part of the fourth side are formed from material folded rearward from the first edge; and

wherein the third side, a second part of the second side, and a second part of the fourth side are formed from material folded rearward from the third edge.