Mounting bracket for electrical or communication device

• US 9,929,549 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Witherbee, Martin Lee, Khairnar, Lalit Subhash, Patil, Sagar Ashok
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Todd M
• Application Number:
  US14/811,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 2482001, 220 39
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/245 external, i.e. with contracting action
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/32 Mounting of devices therein
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/125 with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame

Abstract

A stud mounting bracket for a junction box includes a mounting extension extending outward from a longitudinal end margin of a main body. The mounting extension includes a mounting body connected to the longitudinal end margin of the main body and an extension tab connected to the mounting body. The extension tab is pivotable relative to the mounting body about an axis from a compact configuration to an extended configuration to increase the length of the mounting extension. A box mounting bracket for mounting a junction box on a stud mounting bracket includes first and second jaws. The first and second jaws engage the stud mounting bracket for use in attaching the box mounting bracket to the stud mounting bracket. The first and second jaws are resiliently deflectable both relative to the base and independent of one another when attaching the box mounting bracket to the stud mounting bracket.

Claims

1. A stud mounting bracket for a junction box comprising:

an elongate main body having a length and opposite longitudinal end margins;

a mounting extension extending outward from one of the longitudinal end margins of the main body, the mounting extension having a length extending from the longitudinal end margin of the main body to a free end of the mounting extension, the mounting extension including a mounting body connected to the longitudinal end margin of the main body and an extension tab connected to the mounting body,

wherein the extension tab is pivotable relative to the mounting body about an axis from a compact configuration to an extended configuration to increase the length of the mounting extension,

wherein the mounting extension is configured to be bent back on itself to pivot the extension tab relative to the mounting body about the axis from the compact configuration to the extended configuration to increase the length of the mounting extension.

2. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting body includes an opening configured for receiving a fastener to attach the stud mounting bracket to a wall stud when the mounting extension is in the compact configuration.

3. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 2, wherein the extension tab includes an opening configured for receiving a fastener to attach the stud mounting bracket to a wall stud when the mounting extension is in the extended configuration.

4. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein an interior section of the mounting extension comprises the extension tab and an exterior section of the mounting extension comprises the mounting body, such that the interior section of the mounting extension is pivotable relative to the exterior section of the mounting extension to increase the length of the mounting extension.

5. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein an exterior section of the mounting extension comprises the extension tab and an interior section of the mounting extension comprises the mounting body, such that the exterior section of the mounting extension is pivotable relative to the interior section of the mounting extension to increase the length of the mounting extension.

6. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein the extension tab is connected to the mounting body at the axis about which the extension tab is pivotable relative to the mounting body.

7. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 6, wherein the extension tab has a free end opposite the pivoting axis that is removably attached to the mounting body.

8. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein in the compact configuration, a free end of the extension tab is closer to the longitudinal end margin of the main body than a free end of the mounting body, and in the extended configuration the free end of the mounting body is closer to the longitudinal end margin of the main body than the free end of the extension tab.

9. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein in the compact configuration, the extension tab and mounting body are configured to be bent together at a bending location to position the mounting extension in a mounting configuration for mounting the junction box on a wall stud.

10. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein in the extended configuration, the extension tab is configured to be bent relative to the mounting body at a bending location to position the mounting extension in a mounting configuration for mounting the junction box on a wall stud.

11. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein the extension tab defines a line of weakness to facilitate pivoting of the extension tab relative to the mounting body about the axis.

12. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 1, wherein the extension tab is configured to extend from the axis toward the elongate main body in the compact configuration, wherein the extension tab is configured to extend from the axis away from the elongate main body in the extended configuration.

13. A stud mounting bracket for a junction box comprising:

an elongate main body having a length and opposite longitudinal end margins;

a mounting extension extending outward from one of the longitudinal end margins of the main body, the mounting extension having a length extending from the longitudinal end margin of the main body to a free end of the mounting extension, the mounting extension including a mounting body connected to the longitudinal end margin of the main body and an extension tab connected to the mounting body,

wherein the extension tab has opposite first and second longitudinal ends and is pivotable relative to the mounting body about an axis from a compact configuration, in which the first longitudinal end of the extension tab extends longitudinally away from the elongate main body and the second longitudinal end of the extension tab extends toward the elongate main body, to an extended configuration, in which the second longitudinal end of the extension tab extends longitudinally away from the elongate main body and the first longitudinal end of the extension tab extends toward the elongate main body, to increase the length of the mounting extension.

14. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 13, wherein the second longitudinal end of the extension tab in the extended configuration extends from the elongate main body a distance that is greater than a distance the first longitudinal end of the extension tab in the compact configuration extends from the elongate main body.

15. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 13, wherein the mounting extension is configured to be bent back on itself to pivot the extension tab relative to the mounting body about the axis from the compact configuration to the extended configuration to increase the length of the mounting extension.

16. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 13, wherein in the compact configuration, the extension tab and mounting body are configured to be bent together at a bending location to position the mounting extension in a mounting configuration for mounting the junction box on a wall stud.

17. A stud mounting bracket for a junction box comprising:

an elongate main body having a length and opposite longitudinal end margins;

a mounting extension extending outward from one of the longitudinal end margins of the main body, the mounting extension having a length extending from the longitudinal end margin of the main body to a free end of the mounting extension, the mounting extension including a mounting body connected to the longitudinal end margin of the main body and an extension tab connected to the mounting body,

wherein the extension tab is pivotable relative to the mounting body 180 degrees about an axis from a compact configuration to an extended configuration to increase the length of the mounting extension.

18. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 17, wherein the extension tab has opposite first and second longitudinal ends and is pivotable relative to the mounting body about an axis from a compact configuration, in which the first longitudinal end of the extension tab extends longitudinally away from the elongate main body and the second longitudinal end of the extension tab extends toward the elongate main body, to an extended configuration, in which the second longitudinal end of the extension tab extends longitudinally away from the elongate main body and the first longitudinal end of the extension tab extends toward the elongate main body, to increase the length of the mounting extension.

19. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 17, wherein the second longitudinal end of the extension tab in the extended configuration extends from the elongate main body a distance that is greater than a distance the first longitudinal end of the extension tab in the compact configuration extends from the elongate main body.

20. The stud mounting bracket as recited in claim 17, wherein in the compact configuration, the extension tab and mounting body are configured to be bent together at a bending location to position the mounting extension in a mounting configuration for mounting the junction box on a wall stud.