Abstract:
An integral, one-piece low voltage/receptacle electrical outlet box includes an integral one-piece structure having a top, a bottom, opposing side walls and an internal, integral dividing wall defining low voltage and receptacle sides of the electrical box. Punchouts and apertures for the insertion of power and securing of electrical cables and the like are provided in the receptacle side and punchouts and/or openings are provided in the low voltage side for the insertion and securing of low voltage wiring/cables. Both a new construction and “old work” or retrofit version of such a device are described.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,027 filed Jun. 7, 2003 and copending herewith. 

   FIELD OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to electrical outlet boxes and more particularly to an integral combined low voltage/high voltage such box. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The installation of low voltage wiring and the attendant connecting devices and outlets is becoming more common with the proliferation of computer equipment and various other low voltage environmental control devices and the like. Accordingly, it is not unusual for a building, commercial or residential, to have an almost equal number of low voltage and high voltage outlet boxes installed either during construction or remodeling or even as retrofit installations. 
   While a number of so-called “low voltage boxes” have been designed manufactured and are currently marketed and even some so-called combined structures that comprise a low voltage attachment means fastened in one fashion or another to a conventional high voltage electrical box have been designed manufactured and sold, no totally integral such device has been designed or marketed. The availability of such an integral device that incorporates the capabilities of both high voltage and low voltage connection would accordingly be valuable to the electrical installation and construction trades. 
   OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an integral, one-piece combined high and low voltage outlet box that permits simultaneous installation of both such services in a single opening. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, there is provided an integral, one-piece low voltage/receptacle electrical outlet box comprising an integral one-piece structure having a top, a bottom, opposing side walls and an internal, integral dividing wall defining low voltage and receptacle sides of the electrical box. Knockouts for the insertion of power and securing of electrical cables and the like are provided in the receptacle side and knockouts and openings are provided in the low voltage side for the insertion and securing of low voltage wiring/cables. Both a new construction and retrofit version of such a device are described and claimed herein. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of one embodiment of the integral one-piece combined receptacle/low voltage electrical box of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of one embodiment of the integral one-piece combined receptacle/low voltage electrical box of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the integral one-piece combined receptacle/low voltage electrical box of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of one embodiment of the integral one-piece combined receptacle/low voltage electrical box of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate preferred embodiment of the electrical box of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical box of  FIG. 5  installed in a wall. 
       FIG. 7  is a front plan view of the electrical box of  FIG. 5  with flags extended. 
       FIG. 8  is a rear plan view of the electrical box of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the integral one-piece combined receptacle/low voltage electrical box  10  of the present invention, hereinafter integral box  10 , comprises a top  12 , a bottom  14 , opposing sides  16  and  18 , a rear wall  20  and a front opening  22  all of which together serve to define a interior volume  30  having one side open at front opening  22 . Interior volume  30  is divided into two separate volumes  24  and  26  by a wall  28  that extends, preferably from top  12  to bottom  14 . As depicted in the attached Figures, interior volume  24  comprises the receptacle or conventional voltage box portion of integral box  10  and interior volume  26  comprises the low voltage box portion of integral box  10 . 
   Integral box  10  is equipped with a variety of devices and apertures to permit attachment thereof to studs or other structural members in a building. These include nailing flanges  32  as well as nailing flanges  34 , each of which includes a fastener aperture  36 . 
   Referring now more specifically to interior volume  24  that defines the receptacle or high voltage electrical box portion  40  of integral box  10 , this portion of integral box  10  is equipped with knockouts  38  in top  12  and bottom  14  (those in bottom  14  are not shown in the Figures) to allow for the insertion of electrical cabling or wiring. Electrical box portion  40 , as well as low voltage box portion  42  defined by interior volume  26 , are equipped with face plate fastener apertures or mounting blocks  44  to allow for the application of a conventional faceplate  55  over front opening  22  integral box  10  and the installation of low voltage and high voltage outlets  66  and  68  respectively shown most clearly in  FIG. 6 . 
   In the case of low voltage box portion  42 , defined by interior volume  26 , bottom  14 , side  18 , top  12  and rear wall  20  are all provided with apertures  46 ,  48 ,  50  and  52  respectively for the easy insertion of low voltage wiring such as generally does not require secure fastening to integral box  10  except as may be provided by attachment to a fitting mounted in an over-applied faceplate (not shown). Additionally, low voltage box portion  42  in top  12  and bottom  14  is equipped with punchouts or apertures  54  that are adapted to receive low voltage cable retention devices or fittings when such fittings are required or desired. It should be noted that apertures  52  and  48  preferably comprise a majority of the area of rear and side walls  20  and  18  respectively to provide maximum ready access to interior volume  26  during installation of low voltage cabling. 
   While the embodiment depicted in the various views presented in  FIGS. 1–4  represent a preferred embodiment of the integral electrical box of the present invention, it will be obvious to the skilled artisan that a number of modifications can be made thereto without materially affecting the functionality of integral electrical box  10 . For example, additional or fewer knockouts and punchouts can be provided. The relative sizes of apertures or openings  46 ,  48 ,  50  and  52  can be varied. While it is clearly desirable from a manufacturing point of view that wall  28  be located at or in the vicinity of the midpoints of top  12  and bottom  14 , wall  28  can be located virtually at any point between these two elements so long as adequate space is provided on receptacle side  40  as to permit the insertion of a receptacle and its associated wiring. 
   Depicted in  FIGS. 5–9  is an alternative preferred embodiment of the integral electrical box of the present invention. Referring now to  FIG. 5  that depicts a perspective view of the alternate preferred embodiment of integral box  10  of the present invention, integral box  10  is fundamentally of the same configuration as described hereinabove in connection with  FIGS. 1–4  except that; 1) nailing flanges  32  and  34  shown in  FIGS. 1–4  have been eliminated and flags  60  and mounting blocks  72  added; 2) knockouts  38  have been replaced by a single cable entry aperture  62 ; and 3) a peripheral flange  64  including faceplate screw mounting apertures  70  has been added about front opening  22 . In this configuration, i.e., by virtue of the substitution of elements  60  and  64 , integral box  10  is suitable for “old work” or retrofit applications. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6  that depicts an exploded perspective view of integral box  10  in a wall, completely assembled and installed in a wall as an “old work”installation, integral box  10  is inserted into a rectangular opening in wall  74  screws  76  that engage flags  60  as described hereinafter are turned causing flange  64  to bear directly against wall  74 , low voltage and high voltage outlets  66  and  68  are mounted to integral box  10  by tightening of screws  78  that engage mounting blocks  44  and face plate  55  is applied over front opening  22  by the tightening of screws  80  that engage screw mounting apertures  70 . 
   While a complete and detailed description of flags  60  and their related elements is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,890 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a further description of flags  60  and related structure follows. Within opposing diagonal corner-located mounting blocks  72  are turning screw holes  82  each of which contain turning screw  76  which freely rotates in screw holes  82  that are smooth and not threaded. The leading ends  84  of turning screws  76  are adjustably carried via turning screw holes  82  to flags  60 . Each flag  60  has an aperture  86  that receives the leading ends  84  of turning screws  76  that are threaded therein with a friction fit. 
   After a rectangular hole has been cut in wall  74 , integral box  10  is inserted therein and turning screws  76  turned clockwise (given that turning screws  76  are right handed screws) to flip flags  60  into position, i.e. away from the body of integral box  10 . As turning screws  76  continue to turn, they draw the pads  88  to the inside surface of wall  74  to hold integral box  10  firmly in position. Integral box  10  also includes a flanges  90  that extend parallel to the depth of integral box  10 . Flanges  90  serve to prohibit flag  60  from turning beyond the outside edge of integral box  10  thereby allowing for further tightening of turning screws  76  beyond engagement with apertures  86  and rotation of flags  60  to frictionally drive into apertures  82  thereby drawing flags  60  into contact with the rear surface of wall  74 , while the rear surface of peripheral flange  64  engages the front surface of wall  74 . As will be apparent to the skilled artisan, when flags  60  are in their retracted or unextended/turned position depicted in the various Figures, they rotate to a position within the boundaries of flange  64  thus making electrical box  10  readily insertable into a rectangular opening in wall  74  as described above. Such movement is best understood by viewing  FIG. 7  wherein the movement of flags  60  is indicated by arrows  100 . 
   Placement of mounting blocks  72  at the opposing diagonal corners of integral box  10  provides a secure fastening of integral box  10  to wall  74  during subsequent installation of low and high voltage connections through apertures  52  and  54  respectively in the conventional fashion. 
   While the integral one-piece combined low voltage/high voltage electrical box of the present invention may be fabricated from a variety of materials, it is preferred that it be fabricated from a polymeric material that is relatively easily fabricated by, for example, compression molding while providing a product with excellent insulating properties. 
   There has thus been described an integral one-piece combined low voltage/high voltage electrical box that allows side by side installation of, for example, a standard receptacle and low voltage outlet(s) in either a new construction or an “old work” or retrofit application. 
   As the invention has been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention applies that the same may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Any such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.