Abstract:
A method and structure of a system of electrical boxes including differing patterns of interference structures, such as ribs and/or grooves, to prevent identical boxes from being nested but permit non-identical boxes from being nested for more space-efficient storage of electrical boxes.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/789,328 entitled “Stackable Electrical Box” to Jeffrey P. Baldwin et al. which was filed on May 27, 2010, which claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/181,909 to Cleghorn entitled “Electrical Box,” which was filed on May 28, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     Aspects and implementations of this document relate generally to electrical boxes. Particular implementations include electrical boxes designed to be nested with each other in a variety of ways (e.g., vertically stacked in a nested configuration) for storage, shipment, and the like. 
     2. Background Art 
     Electrical boxes are well known in the art of the electrical installation aspects of construction to house electrical components of such things as switches and receptacles. Conventional electrical boxes are typically one-piece structures with external features that make them somewhat voluminous. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the storability, portability and shipability of electrical boxes by providing electrical boxes designed to be nested and stacked allowing the boxes to be maintained in as minimal a space as possible. 
     There are multiple variations of electrical box designs known in the art including designs that accommodate any number of wires and wiring gauges, include external features to facilitate mounting or securing to external construction or other characteristics. Features of electrical boxes typically facilitate installation and improve functionality of the electrical box but these features may also make compact storage of groups of electrical boxes difficult. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure includes one or more electrical box designs that do not impact the installation capabilities or features of an electrical box but allow nesting to reduce the amount of space required to store, carry or ship multiple boxes. A particular implementation employs nesting features that are reversed from left to right or front to back for at least two variations within a family of products. These features may include, for example, ribs, grooves, notches, chamfers, tapers, key ways, protrusions, bosses, or other features that allow the stacking of electrical boxes in a specific orientation while prohibiting the stacking of electrical boxes in a different orientation. 
     When nesting features of electrical boxes of a single model within a product family include two variations, the product may be shipped or stored in an X-Y-X-Y pattern where X and Y represent the two patterns of a single electrical box model with reversed stacking features of one another. Other features of the electrical boxes may not be reversed for the X-Y pattern in order to maintain standard installation, such as the angle of the mounting brackets or the position of fastener guides. 
     However, the nesting features do not necessarily need to be reversed of one another. Features may be added that allow for nesting of patterns that may include more than two patterns such that a model with three pattern variations, X, Y and Z allow for nesting in an X-Y-Z-X-Y-Z pattern. The nesting features are not limited to two or three patterns within a specific model and features but may include any number of patterns necessary to allow stacking based on a desired pattern. Clearly, the added features can be employed in other manners to achieve similar results as well. Any number of features may be employed in any manner to create different versions of electrical boxes and accomplish the various stacking patterns envisioned in this document. This document is not limited to the stated examples and other configurations are possible and within the teachings of the present disclosure. 
     In a first aspect, a system of electrical boxes may comprise first and second similarly sized electrical boxes each comprising at least four sides extending from a bottom to an open top and at least two box mounting screw apertures adjacent to each of at least two sides, each box mounting screw aperture comprising an opening extending toward the open top of the first electrical box, a first pattern of at least one interfering structure on an external surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the electrical box adjacent to the bottom of the first electrical box, and a second pattern of at least one interfering structure on an internal surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the electrical box adjacent to the open top of the first electrical box, wherein the first and second patterns of interfering structures of the first electrical boxes interfere with corresponding second and first patterns of interfering structures of other first electrical boxes to prevent nesting of two first electrical boxes, but do not interfere with second and first patterns of interfering structures of the second electrical boxes to permit nesting of first electrical boxes within second electrical boxes and second electrical boxes within first electrical boxes. 
     Particular implementations of a system of electrical boxes may comprise one or more of the following features. In a system of electrical boxes, the first pattern of interfering structures of each of the electrical boxes may comprise at least one rib extending toward the bottoms of the respective electrical boxes from adjacent the open tops. In a system of electrical boxes, each of the first and second electrical boxes may further comprise a shoulder formed between the open top and the bottom of the respective electrical boxes such that the bottom of the first electrical box is smaller than the open top of the second electrical box and the bottom of the second electrical box is smaller than the open top of the first electrical box and the respective shoulders establish a nesting limit to stop nesting movement of the respective electrical boxes within each other. Shoulders may be included only on one side and up to and including any number of sides of an electrical box. Additionally, shoulders on any side may be combined with sides that are angled at the bottom of the box. Such implementations would facilitate the nesting of one electrical box into another electrical box while limiting the nesting movement with a shoulder on the nested electrical boxes. In a system of electrical boxes, the first pattern of interfering structures of the respective electrical boxes may each comprise at least one rib extending toward the bottoms of the respective electrical boxes from adjacent the open top. In a system of electrical boxes, the shoulders of the respective electrical boxes may be approximately midway between the respective open tops and the bottoms. In a system of electrical boxes, the shoulders of the respective electrical boxes may be formed on at least two sides of the respective electrical boxes. In a system of electrical boxes, at least two opposing sides of each of the first and second electrical boxes may be sloped inward along any distance from the open tops of the respective electrical boxes to the bottoms of the respective electrical boxes to accommodate nesting of the first electrical box into the second electrical box and nesting of the second electrical box into the first electrical box. 
     In a second aspect, a system of electrical boxes may comprise a first electrical box comprising at least four sides extending from a bottom to an open top and at least two box mounting screw apertures adjacent to each of at least two sides, each box mounting screw aperture comprising an opening extending toward the open top of the first electrical box, a first pattern of at least one interfering structure on an external surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the first electrical box adjacent to the bottom of the first electrical box, and a second pattern of at least one interfering structure on an internal surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the first electrical box adjacent to the open top of the first electrical box; a second electrical box comprising at least four sides extending from a bottom to an open top and at least two box mounting screw apertures adjacent to each of at least two sides, each box mounting screw aperture comprising an opening extending toward the open top of the second electrical box, a third pattern of at least one interfering structure, different from the first pattern, on an external surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the second electrical box adjacent to the bottom of the second electrical box, and a fourth pattern of at least one interfering structure, different from the second pattern, on an internal surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the second electrical box adjacent to the open top of the second electrical box; wherein the first and second patterns of interfering structures interfere with corresponding second and first patterns of interfering structures to prevent nesting of two first electrical boxes but do not interfere with fourth and third patterns of interfering structures to permit nesting of the first electrical box with the second electrical box. 
     Particular implementations of a system of electrical boxes may comprise one or more of the following features. In a system of electrical boxes, the first pattern of interfering structures of the first electrical box may comprise at least one rib extending toward the bottom of the first electrical box from adjacent the open top. A system of electrical boxes may further comprise a shoulder formed between the open top and the bottom of the first electrical box such that the bottom of the first electrical box is smaller than the open top of the second electrical box and the shoulder establishes a nesting limit to stop nesting movement of the first electrical box into the second electrical box beyond the shoulder. In a system of electrical boxes, the first pattern of interfering structures of the first electrical box may comprise at least one rib extending toward the bottom of the first electrical box from adjacent the open top. In a system of electrical boxes, the shoulder may be approximately midway between the open top and the bottom of the first electrical box such that nesting of the first electrical box into the second electrical box allows the bottom of the first electrical box to be slid approximately halfway to the bottom of the second electrical box. In a system of electrical boxes, the shoulder may be formed on at least two sides of the first electrical box. In a system of electrical boxes, at least two opposing sides of each of the first electrical box and the second electrical box may be sloped inward along any distance from the open tops of the respective electrical boxes to the bottoms of the respective electrical boxes to accommodate nesting of the first electrical box into the second electrical box and nesting of the second electrical box into the first electrical box. 
     In a system of electrical boxes, the third and fourth patterns of interfering structures interfere with corresponding fourth and third patterns of interfering structures to prevent nesting of two second electrical boxes but do not interfere with second and first patterns of interfering structures to permit nesting of the second electrical box with the first electrical box. A system of electrical boxes may comprise a third electrical box comprising at least four sides extending from a bottom to an open top and at least two box mounting screw apertures adjacent to each of at least two sides, each box mounting screw aperture comprising an opening extending toward the open top of the third electrical box, a fifth pattern of at least one interfering structure, different from the first pattern, on an external surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the third electrical box adjacent to the bottom of the third electrical box, and a sixth pattern of at least one interfering structure, different from the second pattern, on an internal surface of at least one of the at least four sides of the third electrical box adjacent to the open top of the third electrical box, wherein the third and fourth patterns of interfering structures interfere with corresponding third and fourth patterns of interfering structures to prevent nesting of two second electrical boxes but do not interfere with fifth and sixth patterns of interfering structures to permit nesting of the second electrical box with the third electrical box and the first and second patterns of interfering structures do not interfere with the fifth and sixth patterns of interfering structures to permit nesting of the first electrical box with the third electrical box. 
     In a third aspect, a method of stacking electrical boxes may comprise providing a first plurality of first electrical boxes each comprising a first pattern of interfering structures and a second plurality of second electrical boxes each comprising a second pattern of interfering structures different from the first pattern, and stacking the first and second pluralities of first and second electrical boxes in an alternating first-second pattern by nesting first electrical boxes into second electrical boxes and second electrical boxes into first electrical boxes. 
     Particular implementations of a method of stacking electrical boxes may comprise one or more of the following. A method of stacking electrical boxes may further comprise preventing nesting of first electrical boxes within first electrical boxes by interference between interfering structures of the first pattern on one first electrical box with interfering structures of the first pattern on another first electrical box, and preventing nesting of second electrical boxes within second electrical boxes by interference between interfering structures of the second pattern on one second electrical box with interfering structures of the second pattern on another second electrical box. A method of stacking electrical boxes may further comprise aligning ribs on respective internal surfaces of the first electrical boxes with grooves on external surfaces of the second electrical boxes to permit nesting, and aligning ribs on respective internal surfaces of the second electrical boxes with grooves on external surfaces of the first electrical boxes to permit nesting. A method of stacking electrical boxes may further comprise limiting how far one of the plurality of first electrical boxes nests into one of the plurality of second electrical boxes with a shoulder of the first electrical box contacting the open top of the second electrical box and limiting how far one of the plurality of second electrical boxes nests into one of the plurality of first electrical boxes with a shoulder of the second electrical box contacting the open top of the first electrical box. 
     Aspects and applications presented here are described below in the drawings and detailed description. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given their plain, ordinary, and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. The inventors are fully aware that they can be their own lexicographers if desired. The inventors expressly elect, as their own lexicographers, to use only the plain and ordinary meaning of terms in the specification and claims unless they clearly state otherwise and then further, expressly set forth the “special” definition of that term and explain how it differs from the plain and ordinary meaning. Absent such clear statements of intent to apply a “special” definition, it is the inventors&#39; intent and desire that the simple, plain and ordinary meaning to the terms be applied to the interpretation of the specification and claims. 
     The inventors are also aware of the normal precepts of English grammar. Thus, if a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be further characterized, specified, or narrowed in some way, then such noun, term, or phrase will expressly include additional adjectives, descriptive terms, or other modifiers in accordance with the normal precepts of English grammar. Absent the use of such adjectives, descriptive terms, or modifiers, it is the intent that such nouns, terms, or phrases be given their plain, and ordinary English meaning to those skilled in the applicable arts as set forth above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features of particular embodiments and implementations of electrical boxes will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and: 
         FIG. 1  is an oblique view of sample electrical boxes illustrative of box features; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the electrical boxes of  FIG. 1  in a stacked position; 
         FIG. 3  is an oblique view of representative electrical boxes comprising nail bosses and mounting screw apertures; and 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the electrical boxes of  FIG. 3  in a stacked position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to the specific components or assembly procedures disclosed herein. Many additional components and assembly procedures known in the art consistent with the intended electrical boxes and/or assembly procedures for electrical boxes may be used and will become apparent for use with particular implementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular implementations are disclosed, such implementations and implementing components may comprise any shape, size, style, type, model, version, measurement, concentration, material, quantity, and/or the like as is known in the art for such electrical boxes and implementing components, consistent with the intended operation and purpose of electrical boxes. As used herein, “electrical boxes” is intended to specifically refer to the types of electrical boxes that are mounted within a wall structure and to which small electrical devices such as electrical switches and electrical receptacles are mounted using box mounting device screws. 
     Accordingly, there are a variety of electrical box implementations. With reference to  FIG. 1 , an implementation of electrical boxes with reversed or opposite stacking features is represented. This illustrative implementation comprises a simplified electrical box comprising only the box parts itself but without box mounting screw apertures, openings to the box or box mounting bosses or features. The illustrative implementation is intended to illustrate the general features that may be added to any implementation of an electrical box and should be considered to include the elements common to a conventional electrical box in addition to the features described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Specifically, the particular electrical box of  FIG. 1  includes a first electrical box  100  with a first pattern of stacking features and a second electrical box  200  with a second pattern of stacking features that are reversed or opposite from those of the first electrical box. It should be noted that the non-identical versions of the illustrative electrical box implementation of  FIGS. 1 and 2  are marked X and Y so the stacking pattern would be an X-Y-X-Y pattern. 
     Each box X and Y has an open top  140 , a bottom  130 , and  4  sides  110 ,  120 ,  150  and  151 . The top  140  is open to allow access to the interior of the boxes. Electrical boxes X  100  and Y  200  are not identical because certain features or patterns of features in the boxes are reversed or opposite from each other that cannot be superimposed onto one another. In particular, boxes X  100  and Y  200  each include, among other depicted features, interfering structures, such as, by non-limiting example, opposing internal ribs  170 ,  171  extending upwards from opposing internal shoulders  190  and opposing external ribs  160 ,  161  extending downwards from opposing external shoulders  180 . The internal ribs  170 ,  171  and external ribs  160 ,  161  extend all the way flush with the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the electrical boxes. It should be noted, however, that it is not required that the ribs or other features extend all the way flush with the top and bottom surfaces and that in particular contemplated implementations the ribs may extend to within a half inch of the top and bottom surfaces of the electrical boxes. Although the particular implementation shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  includes ribs, other particular implementations may include interfering structures other than ribs such as tabs, indentations, protrusions, shoulders, blocks, grooves, recesses and any other structure which allows or prohibits the nesting of two electrical boxes. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily identify from this disclosure other structures which can interfere to prevent nesting of the electrical boxes with another identical electrical box but permit nesting with another non-identical box. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the two sides  110   120  step towards the interior of the box forming an internal shoulder  190  and an external shoulder  180  that is approximately midway between the top and bottom of the box. These shoulders allow non-identical versions (e.g., X and Y) of the box to be stacked in a vertically nested fashion. That is, the bottom  130  of one box (version X  100 ) can be slid through the open top  140  of a different box (version Y  200 ) to a distance that is approximately half way to the bottom. Having shoulders approximately midway between the top and bottom of the box provides the greatest benefit, although a significant benefit would still be achieved if the offsets occurred at any other locations on the interior of the box. 
     The sides  150 ,  151  of the box may be otherwise shaped to accommodate nesting. For example, the sides  150 ,  151  of the box may angle steadily inward along any distance from the top of the box to the bottom of the box or may simply be stepped. As another example, the lower portions of the box may be provided with indentations to accommodate corresponding inward bulges in the upper portions of the box (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 3-4  below). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2B , the Y-X-Y stack in the middle is nested. This is because the ribs employed in the electrical box with pattern X  100  and the electrical box with pattern Y  200  are reversed and opposite each other allowing the bottom  130  of the electrical box Y  200  to slide into the open top of electrical box X  100 . However, the X-X  100  electrical box stacks of  FIG. 2A  and the Y-Y  200  electrical box stacks of  FIG. 2C  cannot nest because the ribs  160  &amp;  170  are exactly aligned with each other when electrical boxes with the same pattern of stacking features are used. As  FIG. 2  clearly illustrates, the bottom  130  of one box (version X  100 ) cannot be slid through the open top  140  of another same box (version X  110 ). The back  120  of the first box (version X  110 ) cannot be placed at any depth into the inside of the second identical box (version X  110 ). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the internal ribs of the same versions of the box abut one another and physically prevent the same versions of the box from nesting with each other to any depth. There is no orientation that defeats the concept. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and for the exemplary purposes of this disclosure, another electrical box implementation is shown. It should be noted that the non-identical versions of the electrical box implementation of  FIGS. 3 and 4  are marked L and R so the stacking pattern would be L-R-L-R which is the same pattern as the X-Y-X-Y patterns described earlier. The representative examples of  FIGS. 3 and 4  differ from the illustrative examples of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in that  FIGS. 3 and 4  include some of the conventional features such as nail bosses  310  and mounting screw apertures  410  found on an electrical box in addition to the features added through this disclosure. From this disclosure, it is made clear that additional other conventional electrical box features may also be included in other implementations and such conventional features are specifically contemplated through this reference. 
     Referring specifically to  FIG. 3 , non-identical electrical box versions L  300  and R  400  are depicted. Each box L and R includes an open top  340 , a bottom  330  and at least four sides  310 ,  320 ,  350  and  351 . The top  340  is open to allow access to the interior of the box. Electrical boxes L  300  and R  400  are not identical because certain features in the boxes are reversed and are mirror images of each other that cannot be superimposed onto one another. In particular, boxes L  300  and R  400  (which in this particular implementation are mirror images of each other though this is not required) include, among other depicted features, interfering structures such as, by non-limiting example, opposing internal offset ribs  370 ,  371  extending upwards from opposing internal shoulders  390  and corresponding opposing external grooves  320 ,  321  extending downwards from opposing external shoulders  380 . The internal ribs  370 ,  371  and external grooves  320  extend all the way flush with the top  340  and bottom  330  surfaces, respectively, of the electrical boxes. Although the particular implementation shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  includes ribs and grooves, other particular implementations may include structures other than the ribs and grooves, or the ribs and grooves may be reversed, or both may include ribs as in the illustrative  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the sides  350  and  351  of each electrical box steps towards the interior of the box forming a shoulder  380  that is approximately midway between the top  340  and bottom  330  of the box. These shoulders  380  allow non-identical versions (e.g., L  300  and R  400 ) of the box to be stacked in a vertically nested fashion. That is, the bottom  330  of one box (version L  300 ) can be slid through the open top  340  of a different box (version R  400 ) to a distance that is approximately half way to the bottom. Having shoulders  380  approximately midway between the top  340  and bottom  330  of the box provides the greatest benefit, although a significant benefit would still be achieved if the offsets occurred at any other locations on the interior of the box. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the L-R-L stack in  FIG. 4B  is nested. This is because the internal ribs  370 ,  371  and grooves  320 ,  321  employed in versions L  300  and R  400  are reversed and are opposite of each other.  FIG. 4B  is also illustrative of the limited nesting the shoulder  380  allow to electrical box implementations that include this feature. The shoulder of a first electrical box being nested within a second electrical box contacts the open top of the second electrical box to limit how far the first electrical box can be nested into the second electrical box. However, the L-L  300  electrical box stacks of  FIG. 4A  and the R-R  400  electrical box stacks of  FIG. 4C  cannot nest because the internal ribs  370 ,  371  and external grooves  320 ,  321  are not aligned, thereby preventing the bottom  330  of the electrical box from sliding into the top of an electrical box with the same interfering structure and nesting features. Flat landings  450 ,  451  may also be included on the bottom  330  of one embodiment of an electrical box that align with internal grooves  370 ,  371  respectively as an additional feature that prevents the nesting of identical electrical boxes.  FIG. 4A  clearly illustrates the bottom  330  of one box (version L  300 ) cannot be slid through the open top  340  of another same box (version L  300 ). The sides  350  and  351  of the first box (version L  300 ) cannot be placed at any depth into the inside of the second identical box (version L  300 ). There is no orientation that defeats the concept. 
     Other shapes and configurations of electrical boxes are contemplated as well. For example, round electrical boxes (such as ceiling boxes), octagon boxes, square boxes, and any other rectilinear or curvilinear shaped boxes and the like may also be used. Additionally, although implementations have thus far been described with reference to single gang electrical boxes, this document encompasses electrical boxes with any number of gangs (e.g., two, three, four, and the like). 
     In places where the description above refers to particular implementations of an electrical box, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The disclosed implementations are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, many additional implementations are possible. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure set forth in this document. All changes that come within the meaning of and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. 
     Additionally, while the configuration and nesting of electrical box implementations have been described, it will be understood that the configuration and nesting of electrical box implementations are not limited to the specific components or steps as disclosed. Any components or steps or sequence of steps indicated herein are given as examples of possible components, steps or sequence of steps and not as limitations, since various configurations, processes and sequences of steps may be used. Other electrical box implementations may be configured and nested in similar manners. 
     The concepts disclosed herein are not limited to the specific implementations shown herein. For example, implementations of electrical boxes, and implementing components, 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 electrical box implementations. For example, the components may be formed of: polymers such as thermoplastics (such as ABS, Fluoropolymers, Polyacetal, Polyamide; Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, Polypropylene (low or high density), 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; composites and/or other like materials; metals and/or other like materials; alloys and/or other like materials; any other suitable material; and/or any combination of the foregoing thereof. Also, appropriate mounting fasteners, hardware and components may be provided. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily be able to select appropriate materials and manufacture these products from the disclosures provided herein. 
     Furthermore, the electrical boxes, ribs, nail bosses, and any other components forming any particular implementation of an electrical box may be manufactured simultaneously or separately and integrally joined with one another, while other components may be 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 principles described here. Accordingly, manufacture of these components separately or simultaneously may involve extrusion, vacuum forming, injection molding, blow molding, casting, forging, cold rolling, milling, drilling, reaming, turning, grinding, stamping, pressing, cutting, bending, welding, soldering, hardening, riveting, punching, and/or the like. Components manufactured separately may then be coupled or removably coupled with the other integral components, if necessary, in any manner, such as with adhesive, a weld joint, a solder joint, a fastener (e.g. a bolt, a bolt and a nut, a screw, a rivet, a pin, and/or the like), washers, retainers, any combination thereof, and/or the like for example, depending on, among other considerations, the particular material forming the components. Other possible steps might include sand blasting, polishing, powder coating, zinc plating, anodizing, hard anodizing, and/or painting the components for example. 
     For example, via injection molding, versions of electrical boxes can be made by the use of a dedicated tool (e.g., a mold) for each version or by making one tool with a specific set of first version cavities, a specific set of second version cavities, a specific set of third version cavities, and the like. 
     One particular benefit that may be found in particular implementations of electrical boxes disclosed in this document is the value added from being able to store and transport non-identical electrical boxes in a nested condition. By significantly reducing the transport size, the transport and storage cost is also significantly reduced.