Ceiling fan brace bracket

A ceiling fan brace bracket assembly with a bracket, at least two holes, at least one first screw, and at least one second screw. The bracket has a channel that opens toward a bottom of the bracket and at least one lip that extends along the channel. The channel is sized and shaped to extend around a ceiling fan brace. The at least two holes extend through the at least one lip, and each of the at least two holes is configured to align with a corresponding screw hole in an electrical box. The at least one first screw is a press-fit screw and is configured to extend downward through a first hole of the at least two holes. The at least one second screw is configured to extend upward through a second hole of the at least two holes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of this document relate generally to brackets, and more specifically to brackets for attaching electrical boxes to ceiling fan braces.

BACKGROUND

Electrical boxes are commonly used in ceilings to provide electrical current to and support the weight of light fixtures and ceiling fans. These electrical boxes must be secured to the structure of the house, such as a joist or stud, to support the weight of these fixtures. When the desired location for the fixtures does not have a joist or stud sufficiently close, a brace is often used as a support. The brace attaches to two joists and spans the gap between them. The electrical box can then be attached to and supported by the brace in the desired location.

Brackets are used to attach the electrical box to the brace. However, it can be difficult to install the bracket and attach the electrical box because of the difficulty in aligning the box and getting screws started in threaded holes in the bracket. If this is attempted from below, the hole can't be seen by the user, but if the user works from above, in the attic, it is often dark and therefore hard to see the holes. In addition, having a large number of screws protruding into the electrical box decreases the available space for wiring and presents a large number of abrasive surfaces, such as the threading on the screws, to the wires.

SUMMARY

Aspects of this document relate to a ceiling fan brace bracket assembly comprising a bracket having a channel opening toward a bottom of the bracket and at least one lip extending along the channel, the channel sized and shaped to extend around a ceiling fan brace, at least two holes extending through the at least one lip, each of the at least two holes configured to align with a corresponding screw hole in an electrical box, at least one first screw configured to extend downward through a first hole of the at least two holes and the corresponding screw hole in the electrical box and align the first hole with the corresponding screw hole, wherein the first hole is unthreaded, the at least one first screw is a press-fit screw, and, when the at least one first screw extends through the first hole, a head of the at least one first screw is on a top of the bracket and a shaft of the at least one first screw extends down away from the bottom of the bracket, at least one nut sized to threadedly couple with the at least one first screw and configured to hold the electrical box against the bottom of the bracket, and at least one second screw configured to extend upward through a second hole of the at least two holes and the corresponding screw hole, wherein the electrical box is configured to couple to the bracket through the at least one second screw, and wherein when the at least one second screw extends through the second hole, a head of the at least one second screw is adjacent the bottom of the bracket and a shaft of the at least one second screw extends up away from the top of the bracket.

Particular embodiments may comprise one or more of the following features. The bracket assembly may further comprise a raised ridge extending across the top of the bracket perpendicular to the channel, the raised ridge configured to increase the rigidity of the bracket. The at least one first screw may have a plurality of teeth extending radially away from the at least one first screw, the plurality of teeth may form a tooth outer diameter greater than a hole outer diameter of the first hole, and when the at least one first screw is pressed into the first hole, the plurality of teeth may engage with the first hole to hold the at least one first screw in place. The channel may have two sides, wherein the two sides of the channel are angled inward and configured to grip the ceiling fan brace when installed on the ceiling fan brace.

Aspects of this document relate to a ceiling fan brace bracket assembly comprising a bracket having a channel opening toward a bottom of the bracket and at least one lip extending along the channel, the channel sized and shaped to extend around a ceiling fan brace, at least two holes extending through the at least one lip, each of the at least two holes configured to align with a corresponding screw hole in an electrical box, at least one first screw configured to extend downward through a first hole of the at least two holes and align the first hole with the corresponding screw hole, wherein when the at least one first screw extends through the first hole, a shaft of the at least one first screw extends down away from the bottom of the bracket, and at least one second screw configured to extend upward through a second hole of the at least two holes, wherein the electrical box is configured to couple to the bracket through the at least one second screw, and wherein when the at least one second screw extends through the second hole, a shaft of the at least one second screw extends up away from the top of the bracket.

Particular embodiments may comprise one or more of the following features. The bracket assembly may further comprise a raised ridge extending across the top of the bracket perpendicular to the channel, the raised ridge configured to increase the rigidity of the bracket. The at least one first screw may have a plurality of teeth extending radially away from the at least one first screw, the plurality of teeth may form a tooth outer diameter greater than a hole outer diameter of the first hole, and when the at least one first screw is pressed into the first hole, the plurality of teeth may engage with the first hole to hold the at least one first screw in place. The channel may have two sides, wherein the two sides of the channel are angled inward and configured to grip the ceiling fan brace when installed on the ceiling fan brace. The first hole may be unthreaded. The at least one first screw may be a press-fit screw. The bracket assembly may further comprise at least one nut sized to threadedly couple with the at least one first screw and configured to hold the electrical box against the bottom of the bracket.

Aspects of this document relate to a ceiling fan brace bracket assembly comprising a bracket having a channel opening toward a bottom of the bracket and at least one lip extending along the channel, the channel sized and shaped to extend around a ceiling fan brace, at least one hole extending through the at least one lip, the at least one hole configured to align with a corresponding screw hole in an electrical box, at least one screw configured to extend through the at least one hole and align the at least one hole with the corresponding screw hole, and a raised ridge extending across the top of the bracket perpendicular to the channel, the raised ridge configured to increase the rigidity of the bracket, wherein the electrical box is configured to couple to the bracket through the at least one screw.

Particular embodiments may comprise one or more of the following features. The at least one hole may comprise a first hole and the at least one screw may comprise at least one first screw, the at least one first screw configured to extend downward through the first hole and align the first hole with the corresponding screw hole, wherein when the at least one first screw extends through the first hole, a shaft of the at least one first screw extends down away from the bottom of the bracket. The at least one first screw may have a plurality of teeth extending radially away from the at least one first screw, the plurality of teeth may form a tooth outer diameter greater than a hole outer diameter of the first hole, and when the at least one first screw is pressed into the first hole, the plurality of teeth may engage with the first hole to hold the at least one first screw in place. The first hole may be unthreaded. The at least one first screw may be a press-fit screw. The bracket assembly may further comprise at least one nut sized to threadedly couple with the at least one first screw and configured to hold the electrical box against the bottom of the bracket. The at least one hole may comprise a second hole and the at least one screw may comprise at least one second screw, the at least one second screw configured to extend upward through the second hole, wherein the electrical box is configured to couple to the bracket through the at least one second screw, and wherein when the at least one second screw extends through the second hole, a shaft of the at least one second screw extends up away from the top of the bracket. The second hole may be threaded. The channel may have two sides, wherein the two sides of the channel are angled inward and configured to grip the ceiling fan brace when installed on the ceiling fan brace.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the specification, drawings, and the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to the specific material types, components, methods, or other examples disclosed herein. Many additional material types, components, methods, and procedures known in the art are contemplated for use with particular implementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular implementations are disclosed, such implementations and implementing components may comprise any components, models, types, materials, versions, quantities, and/or the like as is known in the art for such systems and implementing components, consistent with the intended operation.

While this disclosure includes a number of implementations that are described in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail particular implementations with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the disclosed methods and systems, and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the disclosed concepts to the implementations illustrated.

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and which show by way of illustration possible implementations. It is to be understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural, as well as procedural, changes may be made without departing from the scope of this document. As a matter of convenience, various components will be described using exemplary materials, sizes, shapes, dimensions, and the like. However, this document is not limited to the stated examples and other configurations are possible and within the teachings of the present disclosure. As will become apparent, changes may be made in the function and/or arrangement of any of the elements described in the disclosed exemplary implementations without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

The present disclosure relates to a ceiling fan brace bracket assembly100. The bracket assembly100is configured to facilitate installation of the bracket assembly100on a ceiling fan brace10and reduce the number of abrasive surfaces within the electrical box20supported by the bracket assembly100. As illustrated inFIGS.1-7, the bracket assembly100has a bracket102, at least one hole104, and at least one screw106. The at least one screw106may comprise at least one first screw108and at least one second screw110. The bracket102has a channel112opening toward a bottom114of the bracket102. The channel112is sized and shaped to extend around the ceiling fan brace10, regardless of the shape of the ceiling fan brace10. For example, the channel112may fit around a ceiling fan brace10with a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, a hexagonal cross section, or any other cross section. As shown specifically inFIG.4, the channel110may have two sides116which are angled inward as the two sides116extend down toward the opening of the channel112. Thus, the two sides116are configured to grip the ceiling fan brace10when the bracket102is installed on the ceiling fan brace10.

The bracket102also has at least one lip118extending along the channel112. The at least one lip118may extend along the entire length of the channel112or may extend along only a portion of the channel112. The at least one hole104extends through the at least one lip118. The at least one hole104may be at least two holes104. Each of the at least one hole104is configured to align with a corresponding screw hole120in the electrical box20.

The at least one first screw108is configured to extend downward through a first hole122of the at least one hole104and through the corresponding screw hole120in the electrical box20. Thus, the at least one first screw108is configured to align the first hole122with the corresponding screw hole120. When the at least one first screw108extends through the first hole122, a head124of the at least one first screw108may be on a top126of the bracket102and a shaft128of the at least one first screw108may extend down away from the bottom114of the bracket102. The first hole122may be unthreaded, and the at least one first screw108may be a press-fit screw. For example, the at least one first screw108may have a plurality of teeth130that extend radially away from the at least one first screw108and form a tooth outer diameter132. The tooth outer diameter132is greater than a hole outer diameter134of the first hole122, as shown inFIG.8. Thus, when the at least one first screw108is pressed into the first hole122, the plurality of teeth130may engage with the first hole122to hold the at least one first screw108in place. The plurality of teeth130may dig into and deform the bracket102. The bracket assembly100may also comprise at least one nut136sized to threadedly couple with the at least one first screw108, as shown inFIGS.9-13. The at least one nut136may be coupled to the at least one first screw108after the at least one first screw108extends through the first hole122and the corresponding screw hole120of the electrical box20. Thus, the at least one nut136is configured to hold the electrical box20against the bottom114of the bracket102, as shown inFIG.12.

The at least one second screw110is configured to extend upward through a second hole138of the at least one hole104and through the corresponding screw hole120in the electrical box20. The second hole138may be threaded. The electrical box20is configured to couple to the bracket102through the at least one second screw110. When the at least one second screw110extends through the second hole138, a head140of the at least one second screw110may be adjacent the bottom114of the bracket102and a shaft142of the at least one second screw110may extend up away from the top126of the bracket102. The bracket assembly100may also comprise a raised ridge144extend across the top126of the bracket102. The raised ridge144may be perpendicular to the channel112. The raised ridge144is configured to increase the rigidity of the bracket102.

The at least one first screw108and the at least one second screw110configured as described above allow the bracket assembly100to securely hold the electrical box20, while decreasing the number of abrasive surfaces within the electrical box20. In addition, the at least one first screw108facilitates aligning the first hole122with the corresponding screw hole120because the at least one first screw108can extend through the first hole122and the corresponding screw hole120without rotating. Thus, the bracket assembly100facilitates installation and reduces the number of abrasive surfaces within the electrical box20.

It will be understood that implementations of a bracket assembly are not limited to the specific assemblies, devices and components disclosed in this document, as virtually any assemblies, devices and components consistent with the intended operation of a bracket assembly may be used. Accordingly, for example, although particular bracket assemblies, and other assemblies, devices and components are disclosed, such may include any shape, size, style, type, model, version, class, measurement, concentration, material, weight, quantity, and/or the like consistent with the intended operation of bracket assemblies. Implementations are not limited to uses of any specific assemblies, devices and components; provided that the assemblies, devices and components selected are consistent with the intended operation of a bracket assembly.

Accordingly, the components defining any bracket assembly may be formed of any of many different types of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formed into shaped objects provided that the materials selected are consistent with the intended operation of a bracket assembly. For example, the components may be formed of: polymers such as thermoplastics (such as ABS, Fluoropolymers, Polyacetal, Polyamide; Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, Polysulfone, and/or the like), thermosets (such as Epoxy, Phenolic Resin, Polyimide, Polyurethane, Silicone, and/or the like), any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; glasses (such as quartz glass), carbon-fiber, aramid-fiber, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; composites and/or other like materials; metals, such as zinc, magnesium, titanium, copper, lead, iron, steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel, stainless steel, brass, nickel, tin, antimony, pure aluminum, 1100 aluminum, aluminum alloy, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; alloys, such as aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, copper alloy, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; any other suitable material; and/or any combination of the foregoing thereof. In instances where a part, component, feature, or element is governed by a standard, rule, code, or other requirement, the part may be made in accordance with, and to comply under such standard, rule, code, or other requirement.

Various bracket assemblies may be manufactured using conventional procedures as added to and improved upon through the procedures described here. Some components defining a bracket assembly may be manufactured simultaneously and integrally joined with one another, while other components may be purchased pre-manufactured or manufactured separately and then assembled with the integral components. Various implementations may be manufactured using conventional procedures as added to and improved upon through the procedures described here.

Accordingly, manufacture of these components separately or simultaneously may involve extrusion, pultrusion, vacuum forming, injection molding, blow molding, resin transfer molding, casting, forging, cold rolling, milling, drilling, reaming, turning, grinding, stamping, cutting, bending, welding, soldering, hardening, riveting, punching, plating, and/or the like. If any of the components are manufactured separately, they may then be coupled with one another in any manner, such as with adhesive, a weld, a fastener (e.g. a bolt, a nut, a screw, a nail, a rivet, a pin, and/or the like), wiring, any combination thereof, and/or the like for example, depending on, among other considerations, the particular material forming the components.

It will be understood that methods for manufacturing or assembling bracket assemblies are not limited to the specific order of steps as disclosed in this document. Any steps or sequence of steps of the assembly of a bracket assembly indicated herein are given as examples of possible steps or sequence of steps and not as limitations, since various assembly processes and sequences of steps may be used to assemble bracket assemblies.

The implementations of a bracket assembly described are by way of example or explanation and not by way of limitation. Rather, any description relating to the foregoing is for the exemplary purposes of this disclosure, and implementations may also be used with similar results for a variety of other applications employing a bracket assembly.