Abstract:
An under-floor box system including a floor having an opening therein and a floor box position in the opening of the floor. The full box includes a housing and at least one fastening device partially retractable within the housing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/649,775, entitled “Floor Access Box Adjustment Method”, filed Feb. 3, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an under-floor box, and, more particularly, to an under-floor box installed through an opening in a floor. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In the work office environment and on convention floors there are often an assortment of electrically operated hardware each requiring one or more separate connections to electrical and telecommunication outlets. The versatility of an under-floor box allows for a remaking of the floor plan in the office and/or convention floor. Under-floor boxes may be positioned before the pouring of concrete on a floor, which thereby permanently positions the under-floor box and is often used in areas where high strength flooring is utilized. 
     In certain construction techniques it is often advantageous to use a raised floor, which allows the running of electrical wiring cable therebeneath. To provide access to the electrical wiring and cabling, an opening is cut through the floor at a convenient location and the electrical service cables and communication lines are terminated in a box that is suspended from the raised floor. These in-floor boxes are generally open-ended box like containers that are substantially flush with the finished floor once inserted into the opening of the raised floor. A cover having slots and/or openings may be positioned over the open end of the box to cover the electrical connections therein. 
     It is known to fasten the floor box to the floor by utilizing a bracket that is first mounted underneath the floor and then the floor box is mounted directly to the bracket that has been secured to the bottom part of the floor opening. 
     What is needed in the art is a cost effective, easily installed and removed fastening for an under-floor box. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an under-floor box attachment method that allows easy securing of the under-floor box without requiring access to the underside of the floor for the installation of brackets thereunder. 
     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an under-floor box system including a floor having an opening therein and a floor box positioned in the opening of the floor. The floor box includes a housing and at least one fastening device partially retractable within the housing. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that a bracket rotates angularly and extends underneath the floor and is secured by a screw to hold the under-floor box in position. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that the bracket can be simply retracted after the loosing of a screw and the box removed through the floor opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an under-floor box installed in a floor according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the under-floor box of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a fastener device utilized in the under-floor box of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the fastener device of  FIGS. 1–3  as it is being installed in a floor; and 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the fastener device of  FIGS. 1–4  having been installed in an opening of a floor. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown an under-floor box system  10  installed in floor  12 . Under-floor box  10  includes a lid  14 , a hinge  16 , a bezel  18 , a housing  20  and fastening devices  22 . Floor  12  is a floor or sub-floor having an opening cut therein throughwhich floor box  10  is positioned and secured by way of fastening devices  22 . Lid  14  is attached to bezel  18  by way of hinge  16  and lid  14  may be directly connected by way of hinge  16  to housing  20  without the use of a bezel  18 . 
     Within housing  20  there may be openings  24  that allow the entrance of power and data cables therethrough into the interior of housing  20 . Electrical receptacle  26  and data receptacle  28  are removably placed within housing  20  and are respectively connected to electrical and data wiring. 
     Housing  20  includes a flange  30 , opening  32  and a tab  34 . Flange  30  extends outwardly from housing  20  and generally comes in contact with the top of floor  12 , thereby retaining floor box  10  in an accessible position relative to the top of floor  12 . Openings  32  may be formed by the bending away of tab  34  from a wall of housing  20  allowing tab  34  to be created from the material that is folded from opening  32 . Opening  32  and tab  34  are variously formed in the side walls of housing  20  at opposing positions in housing  20 . 
     Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 3–5  there is illustrated the details of fastening device  22 , which co-act with openings  32  and tabs  34  to secure under-floor box system  10  to floor  12 . Fastening device  22  includes a screw  36 , and a cantilevered bracket  38 . Screw  36  extends through cantilevered bracket  38  and screw  36  is threadingly engaged with tab  34  as cantilevered bracket  38  extends through opening  32 . Cantilevered bracket  38  includes an angled portion  40  and a slot  42 . Angled portion  40  extends through opening  32  to allow for irregular features that may occur on the bottom side of floor  12 . Angled portion  40  advantageously allows for a snug fit as cantilevered bracket  38  is extended through opening  32  to further encounter the bottom side of floor  12 . Slot  42  allows cantilever bracket  38  to be angularly and linearly displaced when screw  36  is generally extended above the upper surface of tab  34 . 
     Prior to the installation of under-floor box system  10  into floor  12 , screws  36  are extended upwardly from tab  34  and cantilevered brackets  38  are lifted so as to allow for sufficient clearance as under-floor box  10  is lowered in to an opening of floor  12 . Once flange  30  is in contact with an upper portion of floor  12  cantilevered brackets  38  are released and are slid in direction  50  to extend cantilever bracket  38  outwardly allowing angle portion  40  and a non-angled portion to come in contact with the bottom of floor  12 . Screw  36  is then tightened, thereby securing under-floor box  10  to floor  12 . Floor  12  has a floor height  52  and under-floor box system  10  has an accommodating height  54  of fastening device of  22 . Floor height  52  can vary to some extent, since accommodating height  54  of fastening device  22  is sufficient to allow cantilevered bracket  38  to be installed in angled positions with screw  36  not drawing bracket  38  into a flat contact with tab  34 . Nonetheless, under-floor box  10  is not removable from floor  12  until screw  36  is loosened and cantilever bracket  38  is drawn inwardly and upwardly for the removable of under-floor box system from floor  12 . 
     Advantageously, the present invention allows for an easy installation and securing of under-floor box system  10  in a floor  12 , without requiring the installation of any brackets beneath floor  12 . Further, tab  34  is effectively constructed by the forming of opening  32 . The co-acting of slot  42  with screw  36  allows for the combined angular and linear retraction of cantilever bracket  38 . 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the -limits of the appended claims.