Abstract:
A hanger assembly and electrical box combination for enabling rain-tight mounting of a light fixture, paddle fan, or similar electrical device from an overhead support structure. The hanger assembly includes sliding tubular members with end flanges for spanning between adjacent overhead joists. A mounting plate, bracket, and fastener combination enables connection of a rain-proof electrical box may to the hanger assembly while locking the tubular members with respect to one another. A medallion connectable to the electrical box in a rain-tight fit includes a wide flange for directing rain and water away from the electrical box assembly. Adjoining planar surfaces on the electrical box and medallion enable a flush, rain-tight fit between the medallion and the electrical box.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to provisional U.S. Application No. 62/213,234, filed Mar. 17, 2015, and is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/789,069, filed Jul. 1, 2015, the entire contents of which applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to mounting of electrical fans, and specifically to a rain tight fan box assembly for mounting a fan to an overhead support member. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Overhead electrical fans or fixtures are often mounted in locations that are exposed to the elements, inside or outside. Many locations are exposed to wind-driven rain and water spray. Typically, the overhead fan or fixture is mounted to a conventional electrical box that is secured to rafters or similar overhead supports. 
     Unfortunately, conventional electrical boxes used to support a wet-rated or damp-rated fan or fixture do not prevent moisture or water from entering the box, thus leading to an unsafe condition and potentially an electrical short. Open areas in a conventional electrical box can allow water to build up in the electrical box and canopy and thus compromise the safety of the wiring within the box and fixture. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a hanger and fan box assembly that enables mounting a fan or fixture to overhead joists and which also provides a rain tight seal between the overhead support and the fan canopy and thus prevents a penetration of moisture from reaching the wiring within the electrical box and canopy. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a hanger assembly and electrical box combination for enabling rain-tight mounting of a light fixture, paddle fan, or similar electrical device from an overhead support structure. The hanger assembly includes sliding tubular members with end flanges for spanning between adjacent overhead joists. A mounting plate, bracket, and fastener combination enables connection of a rain-tight electrical box may to the hanger assembly while locking the tubular members with respect to one another. A medallion connectable to the electrical box in a rain-tight fit includes a wide flange for directing rain and water away from the electrical box assembly. Adjoining planar surfaces on the electrical box and medallion enable a flush, rain-tight fit between the medallion and the electrical box. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     A first object of the invention is to provide a hanger and fan box assembly for providing rain-tight mounting of a fan box or fixture to an overhead support. 
     A second object of the invention is to provide a hanger and fan box assembly in which the load is supported by the hanger, and not by the fan box itself. 
     A further object of the current invention is to provide a rain tight electrical box assembly that enables secure and rain-tight mounting of electrical fixtures or fans to a structural member. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a labor saving solution to installing a fan or fixture exposed to rain or moisture, either indoors or outdoors. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a fan or fixture box that eliminates the need for time-consuming field modifications. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a fan or fixture box that is completely sealed so that water stays out and the wiring stays dry. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a fan or fixture box that is capable of supporting a 70 pound fan or fixture securely and safely. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a fan or fixture box that is adapted for use with electrical cable or conduit. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following description along with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view of the preferred embodiment of a hanger and fan box assembly for rain tight mounting of a fan box according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a rain tight fan box which forms a portion of the rain tight fan box and hanger assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the electrical box portion of the rain tight fan box of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a medallion that forms a portion of the rain tight fan box of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the hanger and fan box assembly. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the hanger and fan box assembly. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the hanger and fan box assembly taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded isometric view of the hanger and fan box assembly in alignment with a fan fixture bracket and fan canopy. 
         FIG. 9  is an isometric view of the hanger and fan box assembly with the medallion and fan box assembled to the hanger bar assembly. 
         FIG. 10  is an isometric view of a mounting bracket which forms a portion of the rain tight fan box and hanger assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 11  is an isometric view of a mounting plate which forms a portion of the rain tight fan box and hanger assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 12  is sectional view of the rain tight fan box and hanger assembly taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  there is shown the preferred embodiment of a hanger and fan box assembly  20  for rain tight mounting of a fan box or fixture. The hanger and fan box assembly  20  includes a hanger assembly  22  including an inner bar  24 , an outer bar  26 , a mounting plate  28 , and a mounting bracket  30 . The hanger and fan box assembly  20  further includes a rain-tight electrical box  32  and medallion  34 . The inner bar  24  and outer bar  26  include inner ends  36  and outer ends  38  and an end plate  40  integral with each outer end. Mounting plate  28  may be slid within inner bar  24 , and inner end  36  of inner bar  24  may be slid within outer bar  26  to form the hanger assembly  22 . Box fasteners  42  provide a means of loosely assembling the electrical box  32  to the hanger assembly  22 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the electrical box  32  includes sidewalls  44  and one or more conduit ports  46  within the sidewalls. End plates  40  include a planar bottom edge  48 , one or more row of slots  50 , and one or more nailing apertures  51  therein. Each row of slots  50  is configured to be parallel with the bottom edge  48  of the end plate  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , electrical box  32  includes a top wall  50 , a set of box mounting bosses  52  including bores  54  formed in the sidewall  44  and a set of fan mounting bosses  56  with bores  58  therein. A reinforced hub  60  is provided around each of the conduit ports  46 . Hanger mounting tabs  62  extend from the sidewalls  44  on opposing sides, preferably 180° apart, of the electrical box  32 . The hanger mounting tabs  62  include two sides  64  and a support leg  66  extending from each tab side  64  and anchoring the tabs to the sidewalls. A recessed area  68  is provided in the electrical box sidewall  44  at each box mounting boss  52 . Electrical box  32  sidewall  44  includes a planar lower edge  69 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , medallion  34  includes a flange  70  having a top surface  72 , a peripheral wall  74  extending from the top surface, and one or more triangular-shaped fins  76  integral with the outer surface of the peripheral wall  74  and the top surface  72  of the flange  70 . Flange  70  extends to an outer periphery  78  and includes a downward-extending drip edge  77  (see  FIG. 7 ) on the outer periphery  70  of the flange. First bosses  82  and second bosses  84  extend from the inner periphery  80  of peripheral wall  74 . Peripheral wall  74  includes a planar top edge  86 . First bosses  82  include a first bore  88  therein and second bosses  84  include a second bore  90  therein. Alignment posts  92  extend from the top surface  94  of the second bosses  84 , each alignment post on opposing sides of the second bore  90 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , mounting plate  28  is preferably a flat member with inner apertures  96  and outer apertures  98 , which outer apertures  98  are preferably threaded. Box mounting bracket  30  includes outer apertures  101  and inner threaded apertures  103 . Rails  105  extend along the elongated sides  107  of box mounting bracket  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the an inner and outer bars  24  and  26  of the hanger and fan box assembly  20  may include one or more captive fasteners  109  stored in a bore  111  in the sidewall  113  of the bar members. After the adjustable hanger assembly  22  is adjusted to fit between adjacent rafters (not shown), the captive fastener  109  is removed from the sidewall bore  111  and may be driven through end plate  40  to secure the adjustable hanger assembly  22  to the rafters. A nailing flange  115 , which is a portion of the end plate  40  that is lanced from the end plate and bent inwards of the end plate, may be hammered into the respective rafter to temporarily hold the adjustable hanger assembly  22  to the rafters. A joist positioning tab  117 , provided on the lower end of the end plate  40 , provides a means of rapidly aligning the electrical box  32  with the lower edge of the ceiling wallboard (not shown). 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the inner cavity  119  of the electrical box  32  includes hub extensions  121  extending inward from each of the reinforced hubs  60  (see  FIG. 3 ) on the electrical box sidewalls  44  into the inner cavity. After wiring is pulled into the electrical box  32  and wiring connections are completed, any hubs  60  that are unused for wiring may be closed off with a plug  123  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the hanger and fan box assembly  20  initially includes electrical box  32  loosely assembled to the joined hanger bars  24  and  26  by box fasteners  42  passed through tabs  62  of electrical box  32 , though outer apertures  96  in mounting bracket  30  and into threaded bores  98  in mounting plate  28 . After being positioned in the desired location along the hanger bar assembly  22 , the box fasteners  42  may be tightened to secure the electrical box  32  to the hanger bar assembly. Medallion  34  may then be secured to the electrical box  32  with medallion screws  125 . Planar lower edge  69  of electrical box  32  sidewall  44  and planar top edge  86  of peripheral wall  74  of medallion  34  meet in a common plane and thus tightening of medallion screws  125  into electrical box  32  results in a moisture-proof and rain-tight seal between the electrical box and medallion  34 . Preferably there are two first bosses  82  aligned upon a first axis  124  and two second bosses  84  that are aligned upon a second axis  126 . Thus first bosses  82  are aligned laterally or at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis  126  through the hanger bars  24  and  26  of the hanger assembly  22  and second bosses  84  are aligned along the longitudinal axis  126 . Thus the paired first bosses  82  are aligned at a 90° angle from the pair of second bosses  84 . Rain-tight electrical box  32  and medallion  34  are configured such that first bosses  82  of medallion each align coaxially with a corresponding medallion mounting boss  52  of electrical box  32  and second bosses  84  of medallion each align coaxially with a corresponding fan mounting boss  56  of electrical box  32 . 
     Wiring connections can then be completed between the electrical box and the wiring (not shown) of the fan or fixture. Elongated fan mounting screws  127  may then be driven through the fan or fixture bracket  129 , which is typically supplied by the manufacturer with the fan or fixture, through the axially aligned bores in the second bosses  84  of medallion  34  and the fan mounting bosses  56  electrical box, and tightened into the threaded apertures  103  in the mounting plate  30 . The inner bar  24 , outer bar  26 , mounting plate  28 , and mounting bracket  30  are all preferably constructed of steel, thus the fan or fixture bracket  129  and any fan or fixture connected to it will be securely supported by steel components. Fan canopy  131  can then be secured to the hanger and fan box assembly  20  by fixture screws  133 . Lower surface  135  of medallion  34  overlaps and seals against the upper edge of the fan canopy  131  and thus provides a moisture and rain-tight hanger and fan box assembly  20  that can be safely used with wet-rated or damp-rated fans or fixtures. 
       FIG. 9  depicts the hanger and fan box assembly  20  of the present invention with the electrical box secured to the hanger assembly  22  by box fasteners  42  and medallion  34  secured to electrical box and hanger assembly by medallion screws  125 . Thus assembled between two joists or similar overhead supports  137  (one of which is shown), the hanger and fan box assembly  20  is ready for attachment of an electrical fan or fixture. 
     With reference to  FIG. 8 , when mounted to the hanger and fan box assembly  20 , fan or fixture, the canopy portion  131  of which is shown in  FIG. 8 , and the internal wiring connections will be maintained moisture-proof and rain-tight with all falling rain channeled off of the electrical box  32  and off of the flange  70  of the medallion  34  to safely fall off of drip edge  77 . 
     Although the electrical box and medallion can be constructed of metal or plastic, most preferably, the front electrical box  22  and medallion  26  are each molded in one-piece of plastic, such as polycarbonate or polyvinyl chloride. Hanger bars  24  and  26 , mounting plate  28 , and mounting bracket  30  are preferably constructed of galvanized steel. 
     Although the description above contains many specific descriptions, materials, and dimensions, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.