Abstract:
A bracket assembly for supporting an electrical enclosure. The bracket assembly includes a bracket extending from an electrical enclosure and a flange extending from the bracket. The flange is designed to support one or more biasing structures which engage the support structure, such as a stud, to secure the bracket assembly thereto. The bracket assembly may further include gripping teeth to provide further securement thereto.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/675,223, filed on Apr. 27, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention pertains in general to an electrical enclosure, housing or assembly that is supported from a stud; and more particularly to a bracket affixed to the enclosure that once applied to the stud, requires no further operation, installation step or hardware for the supported enclosure to be in compliance with industry code. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Electrical enclosures, frames, housings, boxes or the like are quite common and are extensively used to support fixtures to which high and low voltage wires are terminated. Examples of such fixtures are electrical switches, receptacles, telephone jacks, cable connections and other power or communication devices. Such enclosures supporting these fixtures are not free-standing and thus require support within the building structure if they are to be installed in accordance with local or national codes. These codes often specify a certain loading or series of forces the enclosure must withstand after being installed. 
   Perhaps the most common way of supporting such devices is via nails or screws inserted through openings in the device before being driven into a stud of the building. Other methods of securing the electrical enclosure to the building include a separate elongated metal bracket that spans between adjacent studs, the enclosure then being bolted or screwed to the bracket. Another method involves a metal bracket affixed directly to the box itself that is pushed onto or against a stud and then subsequently fastened in place via nails or screws. 
   As quick and simple as the above may appear, the operation of driving or fastening the nail or screw is still a secondary operation that must be completed after the box is initially positioned. This secondary operation requires time, some more than others, and thus prolongs the amount of time it takes to install the box in a fashion that will comply with local code. Such secondary operations also limit the number of boxes that may be installed in a given period of time. 
   To ease installation when it is known that a nail or screw is to be used, electrical outlet boxes are oftentimes made were the nail or screw is held captive on the device prior to installation. Thus, to cut down on the number of secondary steps required, the user need only drive the nail or screw home after the box is positioned against the stud. However, care has to be taken to insure that the step of screwing or nailing does not move the box out of position. Also, care has to be taken that this additional fastening hardware is not dropped or lost. Furthermore, the user has to be mindful of how the box is held during the driving operation so that the step of swinging a hammer or installing a screw does not inadvertently result in personal injury or damage to the enclosure. 
   Thus, it becomes desirable to avoid these secondary securement steps so that more boxes can be installed in the same period of time. It is also desirable to dispense with these separate fasteners or screws as this only adds cost and another assembly step in the manufacture of the final product. Furthermore, such fasteners can be lost. Safety is also a factor as one injury can result in considerable and quite unexpected cost and delay. Another desirable feature is to have the box automatically secured to the stud upon initial installation with no further operation required by the installer. Yet another desirable feature is a low cost box that can be secured as above while still complying with local codes and ordinances. These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be described in greater detail below. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A bracket assembly for supporting an electrical enclosure is configured having a bracket extending therefrom and with one side of the electrical enclosure having at least one stud gripping tooth affixed thereto. The bracket has a generally planar surface and a flange opposite the electrical enclosure with this electrical enclosure, the generally planar surface and the flange defining a stud receiving cavity therebetween. The flange is designed to support one or more biasing structure that extends into the stud receiving cavity with this biasing structure configured with at least another stud gripping tooth affixed thereto. Both of the stud gripping teeth extend into the stud receiving cavity. Wherein, upon the insertion of a stud into the stud receiving cavity, the stud engages and deflects the biasing structure thereby biasing the stud intermediate the stud gripping teeth. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front plan view of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an end plan view of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an end plan view of the invention shown installed on a stud. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the invention shown installed on a stud. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to the figures, there is shown box assembly  10  including box or housing  12  and bracket  14 . It should be understood from the outset, that box or housing  12  can include a single or a multiple gang outlet box. Also, box  12  can include a combo box or enclosure of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,727,428 wherein both a power connection and a low voltage connection can be made. Furthermore, box  12  can include simply a low voltage frame similar to the low voltage frame shown and described in the above U.S. patent. Other structures are equally likely for box  12  and are meant to be included herein. 
   Box  12  is of typical construction except for the exterior configuration of adjacent side  16 . Box assembly  10  is also preferably of one piece plastic construction and its method of manufacture is preferably molding, but of course a metal assembly or a combination of metal and plastic (i.e. two or more pieces) are equally suitable. Likewise, other methods of manufacture may be employed to create this assembly other than molding. 
   In the embodiment shown, the exterior of adjacent side  16  of box  12  is configured with one or more teeth  18 . These teeth  18  extend into stud cavity  20  for subsequent embedment into the stud. Such teeth  18  may or may not be separately beveled for better lodging. Also shown secured to adjacent side  16  are stand-offs  22  which help prevent box  12  from rocking on the stud either horizontally or vertically.  FIG. 2  shows stand off  22  is generally parallel to side  16  and extends or is displaced from side  16  to provide a contact surface to the stud. Of course, teeth  18  extend beyond stand-offs  22 . In the normal uninstalled state of box assembly  10 , adjacent side  16  is generally parallel with stud cavity  20 . 
   Bracket  14  secured to box  12  is shown inset from the front opening of box  12  so as to accommodate drywall or other wall covering that will surround the box. Opposite this bracket  14  but at the same inset depth as bracket  14  is drywall support  24 . Drywall support  24  braces the drywall material adjacent the front opening of box  12 . Bracket  14  is generally planar so as to permit drywall to cover it without creating any bulges. 
   Opposite box  12  is flange  26  forming a part of bracket  14 . Flange  26  extends from the generally planar surface of bracket  14  and it, along with generally planar surface of bracket  14  and adjacent side  16  of box  12  help define stud cavity  20  therebetween. 
   As shown in this embodiment, flange  26  is configured with two curved deflectable springs  28 . These springs  28  are cantilevered in nature and are secured at their one end to flange  26  along a lower end region thereof. The opposite extent of curved springs  28  include teeth  30  which extend into stud cavity  20  generally opposite teeth  18 . To increase the rigidity of the straight portion  32  of springs  28  (as contrasted with the more flexible curved component  34  of springs  28 ), braces  36  are employed between this straight portion  32  and flange  26 . These braces  36  insure that the deflection of springs  28  occur in the curved component  34  and not in straight portion  32  or where springs  28  connect to flange  26 . 
   The underside of flange  26  (that side adjacent stud cavity  20 ) is also configured with stiffeners  38 . These stiffeners  38  provide rigidity to flange  26  as well as provide a tapered alignment guide for guiding the stud into stud cavity  20 . 
   In operation, a user would push box assembly  10  onto a stud and perhaps by using stiffeners  38  as a guide. As the stud fully enters cavity  20  it will have engaged both sets of teeth  18  and  30  on its opposite sides. Teeth  18  are rigid whereas teeth  30  are secured to deflectable curved component  34  of spring  28 . Thus, once fully seated within cavity  20 , the stud is gripped via both teeth sets with springs  28  providing the bias to pinch or squeeze the opposite sides of the stud. 
   Both teeth sets  18  and  30  are also configured to ease the insertion of the stud between them, but are angled so that once lodged or embedded in the stud, it is rather difficult to remove the stud from the grip of these teeth. It should also be pointed out that the forces applied by teeth  18  and  30  upon the stud are nearly directly opposite each other and also are generally perpendicular to the sides of the stud. Such perpendicularity to the engaged stud surface is accomplished via the curved component  34  of springs  28  since the presence of the stud in stud cavity  20  forces springs  28  directly outwardly rather than at a 45 or less degree angle to the side of the stud. 
   By the configuration of teeth  18  and  30 , their respective tapered ends will dig into the stud even further should box assembly  10  be moved or loaded. This arrangement provides for assured and continued gripping of the stud after initial installation. 
   Bracket  14  may also be configured with alignment indicia (not shown) so that the installer can readily position box assembly  10  at the correct location on the stud. Such indicia may take the form of a line, a marker, a slot, an opening or something else, the chosen design being determined by the manufacturer from a variety of possibilities. 
   One unique feature of box assembly  10  is that it is designed so that flange  26  is not readily deflected outwardly from the stud which would result in a reduced gripping force of teeth  18  and  30  upon the stud. This is accomplished in this embodiment by teeth  30  being secured to springs  28  such that the deflection that occurs (and hence the bias that is generated) is primarily in the curved component  34  of the springs  28  and not in its straight portion  32  or in flange  26 . Such engagement will result in an installed box assembly  10  that complies with code requirements that address resisting removal and/or movement. 
   It should be understood that while box assembly  10  has been shown with springs  28  opposite box  12  (and thereby biasing against this box  12 ), it is also conceivable that springs  28  can be positioned on the same side of stud cavity  20  as is box  12  so that springs  28  now bias against flange  26 . 
   While select preferred embodiments of this invention have been illustrated, many modifications may occur to those skilled in the art and therefore it is to be understood that these modifications are incorporated within these embodiments as fully as if they were fully illustrated and described herein.