Electrical box bracket

• US 9,853,431 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Original Assignee: ERICO International Corporation (nVent Electric Plc)
• Inventors: Jones, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Estrada, Angel R
• Application Number:
  US15/373,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 174480, 174481, 174 50, 174 53, 174 57, 174 58, 220 32- 39, 220 402, 2202194, 248906, 248343
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/12 for flush mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work

Abstract

A bracket is configured to secure a component, such as an electrical box, to a support member, such as a stud. The bracket can include an engagement portion, such as a snap-on arm, configured to interact with multiple surfaces of the support member. A biased or snap-on feature of the engagement portion can be configured to engage a side of the support member to secure the bracket to the support member.

Claims

1. A mounting bracket to secure a component to a support member, the mounting bracket comprising:

a mounting portion configured to support the component with the component disposed at least partly along a first side of the support member;

a first snap-on arm extending from a first side of the mounting portion; and

a second snap-on arm extending from a second side of the mounting portion;

the first snap-on arm including a first portion extending away from the mounting portion and configured to overlie a front face of the support member;

the first snap-on arm further including a second portion extending at an angle relative to the first portion, the second portion including a snap-on feature that is configured to engage a second side of the support member, opposite the first side, when the first portion of the first snap-on arm overlies the front face of the support member, to secure the mounting bracket to the support member; and

the first and second snap-on arms being offset from each other in a direction that extends in parallel with an elongate direction of the support member.

2. The mounting bracket of claim 1, wherein the snap-on feature is configured as a snap-on tab that extends from a body of the second portion.

3. The mounting bracket of claim 1, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side, wherein, with the mounting bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, the snap-on feature is configured to engage the open side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud;

and

wherein, with the mounting bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, the snap-on feature is configured to engage the closed side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud.

4. The mounting bracket of claim 3, with the open side of the stud including a lip adjacent to the front face, wherein the snap-on feature is configured to engage the open side of the stud at the lip.

5. The mounting bracket of claim 1, further comprising:

a support feature connected to the mounting portion;

wherein, with the snap-on feature engaging the second side of the support member, the support feature is disposed to engage the first side of the support member to further secure the mounting bracket to the support member.

6. The mounting bracket of claim 5, wherein the support feature includes a plurality of wings configured to engage the first side of the support member.

7. The mounting bracket of claim 5, wherein the support feature includes a support tab extending rearward relative to the mounting portion.

8. The mounting bracket of claim 7, wherein the support feature further includes a locking tab that extends away from the support tab;

and

wherein the locking tab is configured to engage the second side of the support member.

9. The mounting bracket of claim 8, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side, wherein, with the mounting bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, the locking tab is configured to engage the open side of the stud and the snap-on feature is configured to engage the closed side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud;

and

wherein, with the mounting bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, the locking tab is configured to engage the closed side of the stud and the snap-on feature is configured to engage the open side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud.

10. The mounting bracket of claim 9, with the open side of the stud including a lip adjacent to the front face, wherein the locking tab and the snap-on feature are configured to engage the open side of the stud at the lip.

11. The mounting bracket of claim 1, further comprising:

a foldable leg configured to be arranged by an end user to engage the support member at different distances from the mounting portion, to support the mounting portion relative to the support member.

12. A mounting arrangement to secure a mounting bracket to a support member, the mounting bracket being configured to support a component with the component disposed at least partly along a first side of the support member, the mounting arrangement comprising:

a snap-on arm mechanically coupled to the mounting bracket and configured to mechanically engage multiple surfaces of the support member to secure the mounting bracket to the support member; and

a foldable leg configured to be arranged by an end user to engage the support member at different distances from the component, to support the component relative to the support member;

the snap-on arm extending away from the mounting bracket and including a bend that separates a first portion of the snap-on arm from a second portion of the snap-on arm;

the first portion of the snap-on arm being configured to contact a front face of the support member; and

the second portion of the snap-on arm including a biased tab configured to contact a second side of the support member, opposite the first side of the support member, when the first portion of the snap-on arm contacts the front face of the support member, to secure the mounting bracket to the support member.

13. The mounting arrangement of claim 12, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side, wherein, with the mounting bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, the biased tab contacts the open side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud;

and

wherein, with the mounting bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, the biased tab contacts the closed side of the stud to secure the mounting bracket to the stud.

14. The mounting arrangement of claim 13, with the open side of the stud including a lip adjacent to the front face, wherein the biased tab contacts the open side of the stud at the lip.

15. The mounting arrangement of claim 12, further comprising:

a support tab mechanically coupled to the mounting bracket;

wherein, with the biased tab of the snap-on arm contacting the second side of the support member the support tab contacts the first side of the support member to further secure the mounting bracket to the support member.

16. The mounting arrangement of claim 15, wherein the biased tab of the snap-on arm is a first biased tab;

and

wherein the support tab includes a second biased tab configured to contact the second side of the support member.

17. The mounting arrangement of claim 16, with the support member configured as a stud that includes a closed side and an open side with a lip, wherein the first biased tab and the second biased tab are configured to contact the open side of the stud at the lip.

18. A bracket to secure an electrical-system component to a stud, the stud having front face the bracket comprising:

a mounting portion configured to receive the electrical-system component;

a first plurality of stud engagements extending from a first side of the mounting portion and being configured to engage the front face of the stud and at least one side of the stud, to attach the bracket to the stud; and

a second plurality of stud engagements extending from a second side of the mounting portion and being configured to engage the front face of the stud and at least one side of the stud, to attach the bracket to the stud;

each stud engagement of the first and second pluralities of stud engagements including an engagement member with a bend and a biased engagement feature that is disposed on an opposite side of the bend from the mounting portion; and

the first plurality of stud engagements being offset from the second plurality of stud engagements in a direction that extends in parallel with an elongate direction of the stud.

19. The bracket of claim 18, with the stud including a closed side and an open side, wherein the biased engagement features of the first plurality of stud engagements are configured to:

with the bracket in a first orientation relative to the stud, engage the open side of the stud to secure the bracket to the stud; and

with the bracket in a second orientation relative to the stud, engage the closed side of the stud to secure the bracket to the stud.

20. The bracket of claim 18, wherein, due to the offset between the first plurality of stud engagements and the second plurality of stud engagements, the bracket is configured so that with a first instance of the bracket secured to the stud using the respective first plurality of stud engagements and with a second instance of the bracket secured to the stud using the respective second plurality of stud engagements, the mounting portions of the first and second instances of the bracket are aligned at a common height relative to the stud, without the first plurality of stud engagements of the first instance of the bracket overlapping with the second plurality of stud engagements of the second instance of the bracket.