Outlet box and partition

• US 6,653,561 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Lalancette, Daniel, Aubin, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US10/238,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20030056964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 124/48, 124/50, 124/58, 124/63, 124/60, 220/4.02, 220/3.8, 439/926, 361/752
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/926 within machine casing or motor housing, connector within casing wall

Abstract

An electrical outlet box assembly provides for the divided accommodation of various voltages of wires and termination devices. The outlet box assembly includes a box housing having a back wall, a perimetrical side wall surrounding the back wall which defines an open front face and a box interior. The back wall includes a plurality of removable ground screws threadedly attached to the back wall. A box divider is insertable into the box interior through the front face. The box divider includes a planar divider wall and a transverse mounting bracket extending from edge thereof. The transverse bracket includes an aperture for allowing mounting of the divider to the back wall of the box using one of the ground screws. The divider wall includes at least one frangible end portion for adjusting the length of the wall.

Claims

1. An electrical outlet box comprising:

a box housing having a back wall, a perimetrical side wall surrounding said back wall defining an open front face and a box interior, said back wall having a plurality of ground screw apertures in said back wall; and

a box divider insertable into said box interior through said front face, said box divider including a planar divider wall and a transverse mounting bracket extending from one edge thereof, said transverse bracket including a bracket aperture for allowing mounting of said divider to said back wall using one of said ground screw apertures of said box back wall, wherein said transverse bracket includes a convex boss extending towards said open front face, said convex boss defining a raised curved surface which prevents attachment of a ground wire thereto.

2. An electrical outlet box of claim 1 wherein said bracket aperture is of sufficient dimension to allow passage of a threaded screw therethrough.

3. An electrical outlet box of claim 1 wherein said boss positionally aligns said divider within said box interior.

4. An electrical outlet box of claim 3 wherein said back wall of said box includes screw retention bumps, said bumps being engageable with said box to positionally align said divider within said box interior.

5. An electrical outlet box of claim 1 wherein said box divider extends from said back wall approximately co-extensively with said perimetrical side wall.

6. An electrical outlet box of claim 5 wherein said planar divider wall includes at least one frangible end portion for adjusting the length of said wall.

7. An electrical outlet box of claim 6 wherein said at least one frangible portion is defined by a score line permitting detachment of said frangible portion.

8. An electrical outlet box of claim 6 wherein said planar divider wall includes a pair of side-by-side frangible portions.

9. An electrical outlet box of claim 1 wherein said perimetrical side wall is formed of separate wall components.

10. An electrical outlet box of claim 1 wherein said box housing and said divider are formed of conductive metal.

11. A divider for insertion into an electrical outlet box comprising:

a planar divider wall having a perimetrical edge; and

a bracket extending transverse from said planar divider wall along said edge, said bracket including a convex boss having a central bracket aperture for accommodating a fastener for attaching said divider to said box, wherein said convex boss defining a raised curved surface which prevents attachment of a ground wire thereto.

12. A divider of claim 11 wherein said bracket aperture is of sufficient dimension to allow passage of said fastener therethrough.

13. A divider of claim 11 wherein said planar divider wall and said bracket are integrally formed.

14. A divider of claim 11 wherein said planar divider and said bracket are formed of conductive metal.

15. A divider for insertion into an electrical outlet box comprising:

a planar divider wall having a perimetrical edge; and

a bracket extending transverse from said wall along said edge, said bracket including a convex boss having a central bracket aperture for accommodating a fastener for attaching said divider to said box, wherein said planar divider wall is elongate and includes a proximal end adjacent said transverse mounting bracket and an opposed distal end, said distal end including at least one frangible portion for reducing the length of said divider wall.

16. A divider of claim 15 wherein said planar divider wall includes a pair of side-by-side frangible portions adjacent said distal end.

17. A divider of claim 15 wherein said frangible portions are defined by score lines.