Abstract:
This invention pertains to an electrical box assembly for securing to a stud using an adhesive. The assembly comprises an electrical enclosure, a bracket and at least one pair of opposed pads. The bracket is affixed to the enclosure and defines a stud-receiving cavity extending along an edge of the enclosure. The at least one pair of opposed pads are substantially disposed within the cavity and have a portion thereof for engaging the stud. The pads are sized and configured to receive the adhesive on the portion.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/696,691 filed Jul. 5, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     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. The principal method of attachment of the bracket to the stud is via adhesion.  
         [0003]     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.  
         [0004]     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.  
         [0005]     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.  
         [0006]     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  
       [0007]     This invention pertains to an electrical box assembly for securing to a stud using an adhesive. The assembly comprises an electrical enclosure, a bracket and at least one pair of opposed pads. The bracket is affixed to the enclosure and defines a stud-receiving cavity extending along an edge of the enclosure. The at least one pair of opposed pads are substantially disposed within the cavity and have a portion thereof for engaging the stud. The pads are sized and configured to receive the adhesive on the portion.  
         [0008]     The assembly may include additional features in accordance with further aspects of the invention. As such, the at least one pair of opposed pads can be biased toward the stud. Also, the pads can be pivotally mounted with respect to the bracket. With regard to the bracket, it can include a flange having a slightly concave shape supporting at least one of the pads The concave shape can bias a pad toward the stud. Further, the bracket can include a stiffener secured to the flange for resisting deflection. Further still, the bracket can include a pair of flanges having a concave shape that are generally parallel to each other. The pair of flanges can form two sides of the stud receiving cavity. Additionally, the assembly can include a drywall support extending from the enclosure opposite the bracket. Also, the assembly can include a guide for aligning the assembly relative to the stud. The electrical enclosure or box can include a single or multiple gang electrical outlet box or a low voltage outlet frame. Yet further still, the assembly can include the adhesive disposed on the portion of the pads, as well as a removable protective sheet sized to cover the adhesive. The protective sheet is preferably adapted to be easily removed prior to installation of the assembly on the stud.  
         [0009]     Another aspect of the present invention is an assembly for supporting an electrical enclosure wherein the enclosure is configured with a bracket extending from a first side of the enclosure. This bracket, in turn, is configured with a first generally planar surface and at least one flange extending generally orthogonal to the planar surface. The planar surface and the one or more flanges form perimeter portions of an adjacent stud receiving cavity. The flange is, in turn, configured to support one or more adhesive pad surfaces thereon that extend into the stud receiving cavity. These adhesive pad surfaces are configured for an adhesive to be applied thereto wherein upon the insertion of a stud into the stud receiving cavity, the adhesive pad surfaces bias the adhesive against the stud.  
         [0010]     These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an electrical box assembly, in accordance with the present invention, mounted onto a stud.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , without the stud.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is front perspective view of an alternate multi-gang electrical box assembly, in accordance with the present invention, mounted onto a stud.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is rear view of a further alternate electrical box assembly, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]     Referring to the figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates an electrical box assembly  10  comprising box or housing  12  and bracket  14 . It should be understood from the outset, that box or housing  12  can comprise a single or a multiple gang outlet box, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Also, box  12  can comprise 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 comprise 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.  
         [0020]     Box  12  may be of typical construction except for the inclusion of bracket  14 . 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.  
         [0021]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , bracket  14  extends from one side  16  of box  12  and is configured with stud receiving cavity  18  therein. Bracket  14  is designed so that stud  20  can easily be inserted within stud receiving cavity  18 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , bracket  14  secured to box  12  is shown inset or recessed from the front opening  12   a  of box  12 . This accommodates drywall or other wall covering that will surround the box. While this embodiment shows stud receiving cavity  18  fully within bracket  14 , an alternative embodiment could incorporate side  16  of box  12  as defining one side of stud receiving cavity  18 , as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0022]     Opposite bracket  14  (or even surrounding box  12 ) but at the same inset depth as bracket  14 , is drywall support  22 . Drywall support  22  braces the drywall material adjacent the front opening of box  12 . Bracket  14  has a generally planar front surface  24  so as to permit the drywall to cover it without creating any bulges.  
         [0023]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , two flanges  26  form part of bracket  14  and extend from generally planar surface  24 . These flanges  26  extend generally parallel to each other and to a side  16  of box  12 . As indicated earlier, in the embodiment shown, these flanges  26  along with generally planar surface  24  of bracket  14  define stud receiving cavity  18  there between. As shown in the drawings, each flange  26  is slightly concave with respect to stud receiving cavity  18 . Also, the opposite ends of each curved flange  26  are further configured with a generally planar pad surface  28  that are intended to engage stud  20 . Thus, whenever stud  20  is placed within stud receiving cavity  18 , the deflection and curved nature of flange  26  helps bias pad surfaces  28  against stud  20 . These planar pad surfaces  28  are also somewhat pivotally secured to flange  26  so that as much of their full planar surface can engage the side of stud  20  due to the bias applied.  
         [0024]     While this embodiment discloses two pad surfaces  28  forming a part of each flange  26 , there could be more or fewer such pad surfaces  28  such that one curved end region of flange  26  may not contain a pad surface  28  at all or each end region may contain more than one pad surface  28 . The decision is left up to the manufacturer.  
         [0025]     It should be noted that the planar front surface  24  can also be made slightly concave with respect to stud receiving cavity  18 . Hence, this slightly curved planar front surface  24  will, when straightened, apply a bias to opposite flanges  26 . These flanges  26 , in turn, are designed to apply a bias to pad surfaces  28 . This accumulated bias will hence result in a clamping or grasping force being applied to the stud  20 .  
         [0026]     If desired, stiffeners  30  and  32  may be employed within or adjacent stud receiving cavity  18  so as to decrease or eliminate any unwanted deflection of either planar front surface  24  or flanges  26 .  
         [0027]     An adhesive substance  34 , whether it be in solid or liquid form and whether it is sprayed on, dipped, manually applied or otherwise, is applied to one or more pad surfaces  28 . Thus, the adhesive could take the form of a double sided adhesive tape.  
         [0028]     Preferably, after application, adhesive  34  is covered with a protective sheet, coating or barrier so as to retain its adhesive qualities until needed by the installer. Alternatives to this may be to employ one component of a multi-component adhesive formula such that the remaining component(s) or reactant(s) is/are applied on the job site. Also, it maybe desired to supply box assembly  10  without any such adhesive  34  on pad surfaces  28  such that the installer can apply his/her own desired adhesive or a preferred adhesive can be separately supplied with box assembly  10  for field application.  
         [0029]     Box assembly  10  may also be configured with alignment indicia (not shown) so that the installer can readily position box assembly  10  at the correct location on stud  20 . 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.  
         [0030]     In operation, a user would first note where box assembly  10  is to be applied to stud  20  so that it may be properly placed thereon without the need for re-alignment once installed. Usually, prior to box installation, stud  20  is marked not only as to the height of the box on the stud, but whether box  12  is to be a single gang box, a multi-gang box, a combination box supporting both power and low voltage fixtures or simply a low voltage frame.  
         [0031]     Once the location of box assembly  10  is established, the user exposes adhesive  34  on pad surface  28  such as by uncovering it or applying the reactant, or even applying adhesive to pad surface  28  in the field as discussed above. Afterwards, using the alignment indicia, the user installs box assembly  10  by inserting stud  20  within stud receiving cavity  18 . Such insertion will force pad surfaces  28  to pivot so as to be in better, if not perfect, alignment with respect to the sides of stud  20 . This act will also cause flanges  26  to be flexed slightly outwardly away from  15  stud receiving cavity  18 . Such deflection will cause even greater bias to occur at the curved end regions of flanges  26  where pad surfaces  28  are located. Hence, each pad surface  28  will be more biased against its respective surface of stud  20 .  
         [0032]     Furthermore, the engagement of stud  20  with planar front surface  24  and/or the flexing of flanges  26 , causes planar front surface  24  to straighten or lessen its curvature. This deflection of surface  24  will create even more bias in bracket  14  so that even more force is now applied by flanges  26  and hence pad surfaces  28  upon stud  20 . All these biasing steps occur automatically without any secondary operation or step by the installer. Thus, when using a slow curing adhesive  34 , the installer need not wait for it to cure before releasing the box assembly  10  on the stud  20 . Preferably, the biasing in the bracket  14  provides enough grip to hold the box assembly to the stud while a slow cure adhesive  34  sets. However, in the embodiment using a quick set adhesive, such as that commonly found on adhesive tape, the bracket could have less or even no bias.  
         [0033]     Upon curing, box assembly  10  is fixed in place without the need for any secondary operation or further fastening steps by the installer. No nailing or screwing is required to bring box  12  in compliance with local or national code with respect to load bearing as it already is in such compliance. This adhesive manner of securing thus provides for assured and continued gripping of stud  20 ; box  12  will now be installed such that it resists subsequent movement.  
         [0034]     It should be understood that while box assembly  10  has been shown with stud receiving cavity  18  being defined via a pair of flanges  26 , as stated earlier, cavity  18  can also be defined employing side  16 . In this latter situation, pad surfaces  28  would then also be secured to side  16  in a like manner as it is secured to flange  26 . While select preferred embodiments of this invention have been illustrated, many  10  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.  
         [0035]     Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be applied therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.