Extendable electrical box

• US 9,847,631 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2014
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Shotey, Marcus J., Baldwin, Jeffrey P., Cleghorn, Richard L., Klein, John, Miserendino, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pickett, J. Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ, RAFAEL ALFREDO
• Application Number:
  US14/534,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20150060441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 220 37, 220 401- 403, 220 8, 220 392, 220 394, 220 39, 220 33, 220 32, 174 50, 174 57, 174559, 174560, 174561, 174562, 174520
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/086 Collapsible or telescopic containers B65D1/0292 and B65D21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes

Abstract

An extendable electrical box comprises an electrical box having two open ends to an internal box space having a first depth. The electrical box comprises a mounting structure attached to at least one wall of the electrical box. The mounting structure is configured to mount the electrical box to a vertical wall structure such that the open end faces substantially parallel to the vertical wall structure. At least two extendable first rings each continuously surround one of the two open ends of the electrical box. The at least two extendable first rings are each slidably coupled with the electrical box via the sliding mechanical cooperation of one or more guides with one or more tracks, such that sliding either of the at least two extendable first rings in relation to the open ends of the electrical box expands the electrical box from the first depth to a larger second depth.

Claims

1. An extendable electrical box comprising:

an electrical box comprising four walls including a first end wall, a first side wall, a second end wall and a second side wall, a first open end, a second open end opposite said first open end, an internal box space extending from said first open end to said second open end and having a first depth, a mounting structure integrally formed with at least one of said walls, the mounting structure configured to mount the electrical box to a vertical wall structure, a first guide projecting into said internal box space from a first corner between said first end wall and first side wall and extending from said first open end, and a second guide projecting into said internal box space from a second corner opposite said first corner between said second end wall and second side wall and extending from said first open end, said first guide having a first face extending from said first end wall, and a second face extending from said first side wall substantially perpendicular to said first face of said first guide; and

an extendable first ring having a first open end and a second open end, said extendable first ring being slidably mounted in the internal box space of said electrical box, said extendable first ring having an outer surface with an inwardly angled first track at a first corner of said first ring extending between a first open end and a second open end receiving said first guide of the electrical box, an inwardly angled second track at a second corner of said first ring opposite said first corner and extending between a first open end and a second open end receiving said second guide, and a screw hole on two opposing walls of said extendable first ring for receiving a mounting screw and supporting an electrical device at said first open end of said first ring, said first track of said first ring having a first face extending substantially perpendicular from a first end wall of said first ring and a second face extending substantially perpendicular from a first side wall of said first ring defining a longitudinal recess receiving said first guide.

2. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein,

said first face of said first guide extends substantially perpendicular to said first end wall, and

said second face of said first guide extends substantially perpendicular to said first side wall and substantially perpendicular to said first face.

3. The electrical box of claim 1, further comprising

an extendable second ring slidably received in said second open end of said electrical box, said second ring having a first end wall, a first side wall, a first open end and a second open end, and an inwardly angled first track at a first corner between said first end wall and said first side wall and extending between said open ends of said second ring, said first track of said second ring receiving said first guide of said electrical box.

4. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein

said second guide projects into said internal box space opposite said first guide, said second guide projecting from a corner between said second end wall and said second side wall.

5. The electrical box of claim 4, wherein

said first guide and second guide define a channel on an outer surface of said electrical box.

6. The electrical box of claim 5, further comprising

an extendable second ring having a first open end and a second open end;

and

said second ring having a first track configured for mating with said first guide, and a second track configured for mating with said second guide, said second ring being slidably received in said second open end of said electrical box and being slidable from a retracted position to an extended position.

7. The electrical box of claim 6, wherein

said first open end of said electrical box has a screw hole spaced outwardly from said first ring configured for receiving a screw of a cover for closing said first open end.

8. An extendable electrical box comprising:

an electrical box having a continuous front edge surrounding a first open end and a continuous rear edge surrounding a second open end opposite said first open end, an internal box space having a first depth, the electrical box comprising a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall, a first guide projecting inwardly from an inner surface of said electrical box into a box cavity and oriented at a first corner between said first wall and said second wall, said first guide defining a first longitudinal recessed channel on an outer surface of said electrical box, said first longitudinal channel extending between said first open end and said second open end, a second guide projecting inwardly from the inner surface of the electrical box into the box cavity and oriented at a second corner between said third wall and said fourth wall and extending between the first and second open ends, said second guide defining a second longitudinal recessed channel on the outer surface of the electrical box and extending between said first open end and said second open end of said electrical box, said first guide and second guide having a longitudinal dimension extending between the first and second open ends of said electrical box, a first screw hole on an outer surface at said first corner and a second screw boss hole on an outer surface at a second corner for mounting a cover plate to said electrical box;

an extendable first ring slidably received in said first open end of said electrical box, said first ring having an outer surface with an inwardly angled recessed first track at a first corner of said first ring adapted to mate with the first guide, and an inwardly angled second track at a second corner of said first ring opposite said first corner adapted to mate with the second guide, the first ring slidably coupled with the electrical box such that sliding the extendable first rings in relation to the open end of the electrical box expands the electrical box from the first depth to a larger second depth;

an extendable second ring slidably received in said second open end of said electrical box, said second ring having an outer surface with an inwardly angled first track at a first corner configured to mate with said first guide of said electrical box, and an inwardly angled second track at a second corner opposite said first corner configured to mate with the second guide of the electrical box;

a screw hole on said first ring for supporting an electrical device at said first open end of said first ring; and

wherein a front edge of the first ring is substantially flush with the continuous front edge of the electrical box when said first extendable ring is in a retracted position with respect to the electrical box.

9. The electrical box of claim 8, wherein

said first track on said first and second rings define a first recessed channel extending between said open ends of said first and second rings, and

said second track on said first and second rings define a second recessed channel extending between said first and second open ends of said first and second rings.

10. The electrical box of claim 8, wherein

said first guide has a first face extending inwardly from said first wall substantially perpendicular to said first wall, and a second face extending inwardly from said second wall and substantially perpendicular to said second wall;

and

said second guide has a first face extending inwardly from said third wall substantially perpendicular to said third wall and a second face extending inwardly from said fourth wall substantially perpendicular to said fourth wall, and

where said first track and second track have an internal shape complementing the shape of the first guide and second guide.

11. The electrical box of claim 10, wherein

said first track has a first face extending inwardly from a first wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said first wall of said first ring and a second face extending inwardly from a second wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said second wall, and

said second track has a first face extending inwardly from a third wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said third wall of said first ring and a second face extending inwardly from a fourth wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said fourth wall.

12. An extendable electrical box comprising:

an electrical box having a continuous front edge surrounding a first open end and a continuous rear edge surrounding a second open end opposite said first open end, an internal box space having a first depth, the electrical box comprising a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall, a first guide on an inner surface of said electrical box at a first corner between said first wall and said second wall, said first guide projecting into said internal box space and having a longitudinal dimension extending between said first and second open ends, and a second guide on an inner surface of said electrical box at a second corner between said third wall and said fourth wall, said second guide projecting into said internal box space and having a longitudinal dimension extending between said first and second open ends;

an extendable first ring slidably received in said first open end of said electrical box, said first ring having an inwardly angled recessed track on an outer surface at a first corner between a first wall and a second wall of said first ring and configured to mate with the first guide, and a second inwardly angled recessed track on an outer surface at a second corner between a third wall and a fourth wall of said second ring and configured to mate with said second guide, and where a front edge of said first ring is substantially flush with continuous front edge of the electrical box when said first ring is in a retracted position with respect to said electrical box; and

an extendable second ring received in said second open end of said electrical box, said second ring having an inwardly angled recessed first track on an outer surface at a corner between a first wall and a second wall of said second ring and configured to mate with the first guide of said electrical box, and an inwardly angled second track on an outer surface at a corner between a third wall and a fourth wall of said second ring and configured to mate with the second guide of the electrical box.

13. The electrical box of claim 12, wherein

said first track has a first face extending inwardly from a first wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said first wall of said first ring and a second face extending inwardly from a second wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said second wall, and

said second track has a first face extending inwardly from a third wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said third wall of said first ring and a second face extending inwardly from a fourth wall of said first ring substantially perpendicular to said fourth wall.