ELECTRICAL BOX

• US 20110083871A1
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Veillette, Marc-Antoine, Lalancette, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,344,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/123 in thin walls
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/126 with supporting means for mounting on a single wall stud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49815 Disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener

Abstract

An electrical box may include a top side and a bottom side that are connected to one another by panels. Each of the top side and bottom side may include a front portion with a side edge, a front edge and a back edge, a back portion with a side edge, a front edge and a back edge, and an angled portion connecting the front portion to the back portion, the back portion being offset with respect to the front portion. The angled portion may include a transition edge that joins the back edge of the front portion to the back edge of the back portion. The transition edge may provide for space for maneuvering the electrical box aligned to a wall stud in a wall assembly out of the wall assembly through a hole in a drywall of the wall assembly.

Claims

1. An electrical box comprising:

a top side and a bottom side that are connected to one another by panels, each of the top side and bottom side including;

a front portion with a side edge, a front edge and a back edge;

a back portion with a side edge, a front edge and a back edge; and

an angled portion connecting the front portion to the back portion, the back portion being offset with respect to the front portion, the angled portion including;

a transition edge that joins the back edge of the front portion to the back edge of the back portion, the transition edge providing for space for maneuvering the electrical box aligned to a wall stud in a wall assembly out of the wall assembly through a hole in a drywall of the wall assembly.

2. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the transition edge includes one of:

one or more slanted edges;

or

a rounded edge.

3. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the angled portion includes:

a curved portion formed between the front edge of the front portion and the front edge of the back portion, wherein the curved portion provides for additional space for maneuvering the electrical box aligned to the wall stud in the wall assembly out of the wall assembly through the hole in the drywall of the wall assembly.

4. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the top side includes:

a cover fastening portion that is integrally and perpendicularly connected to the front edge of the front portion, the cover fastening portion including a threaded hole via which a screw fastens a face plate that covers a portion of the electrical box after an installation of the electrical box in the wall assembly.

5. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the top side includes one of:

a grounding hole for inserting a grounding screw;

or

a grounding ear.

6. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein one of the panels includes a fastening portion that is integrally and perpendicularly connected to a front edge of the panel.

7. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the top side, the bottom side, and the panels are attached to one another via at least one of:

welds or screws.

8. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein each of the top side and bottom side includes:

a step between a back edge of the front portion and the transition edge of the angled portion connecting the front portion to the back portion,

wherein the steps of the top and bottom sides fit over an edge of the wall stud when the electrical box is positioned for reinstallation inside the wall assembly.

9. The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the panels include a mounting panel that connects the back edge of the front portion of the top side to the back edge of the front portion of the bottom side, the mounting panel including at least one hole for passing a screw that affixes the electrical box to the wall stud during an installation of the electrical box in the wall assembly.

10. The electrical box of claim 9, wherein the at least one hole includes a hole that permits the screw to pass through and be inserted into the wall stud at an orientation that is perpendicular to the mounting panel.

11. The electrical box of claim 9, wherein the panels include a back side that connects the side edge of the back portion of the top side to the side edge of the back portion of the bottom side, the back side including knock-out portions, when removed, creates for knock-out holes to receive cables, connectors, or conduits into electrical box.

12. The electrical box of claim 11, further comprising:

a clamp for fastening the cables to one of the panels; and

a screw for tightening the clamp, a head of the screw passing through a hole in another one of the panels into a portion of the clamp.

13. The electrical box of claim 12, wherein the wall assembly includes a vapor barrier, and the other one of the panels includes a recessed area that includes the hole, the recessed area partially covering the head of the screw and preventing the screw from puncturing the vapor barrier during an installation of the electrical box in the wall assembly.

14. The electrical box of claim 11, wherein each of the knock-out portions has a hole, the hole being open for inserting a rigid member to pry out the knock-out portion from the electrical box.

15. A method comprising:

inserting the electrical box at an oblique angle through the hole and passing one end of the electrical box past between an edge of a wall stud in the wall assembly and an edge of a drywall of the wall assembly, the hole being in the shape of a front face of the electrical box;

partly rotating the electrical box, an angled panel on a back of the electrical box providing for clearance for rotating the electrical box unobstructed by the edge of the wall stud; and

fitting a step on the back of the electrical box to an edge of the wall stud.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

removing the electrical box from the wall assembly.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

covering the front face, which is exposed through the hole to space outside of the wall assembly, with a face plate; and

attaching the face plate to the electrical box.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

inserting a screw through a panel of the electrical box into the wall stud;

fastening the electrical box to the wall assembly by tightening the screw.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

inserting a cable into the electrical box through a knock-out hole and tightening a clamp in the electrical box to affix the cable to a surface inside the electrical box.

20. An electrical box comprising:

a front portion;

a back portion; and

a transition portion disposed between the front portion and the back portion, the front portion being offset relative to the back portion, the transition portion including a panel that provides for space for rotating the electrical box away from a wall stud in a wall assembly during a removal of the electrical box from within the wall assembly.

21. The electrical box of claim 20, wherein the transition portion includes one of:

one or more angled panels;

or

a rounded panel.