Patent Publication Number: US-2022216677-A1

Title: Wall cavity electrical cupboard system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/AU2020/051017, filed Sep. 24, 2020, which takes priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2019903565, filed Sep. 24, 2019, the contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a wall cavity electrical cupboard system for housing switching and interrupting devices such as fuses, circuit breakers, relays and associated controls, instrumentation and metering devices. 
     The invention has been developed primarily for use as a wall cavity electrical cupboard system allowing flush mounting with ready electrical access and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A wall mounted electrical cupboard type of enclosure is common as a “switchboard” and “sub board” type classification of enclosure. The main purpose is to house electrical circuit breakers which control the power flow out to sub circuits. These types of enclosures are common in the electrical industry with domestic properties and buildings requiring one or many. 
     The main type of switchboard is an external surface mounted enclosure, which is normally fully mounted on the surface and protrudes out. This is commonplace in traditional houses and industry where switchboards can be readily accessed for meter reading. 
     With the increase in complex high-rise developments where IOC&#39;s of apartments may be built and exist in multi-levels, the traditional switchboard has been incorporated within an apartment by surface mounting on an internal wall. 
     In addition, the surface mounting of a switchboard in an apartment means that some of the available volume of space available becomes even more constrained as the switchboard ordinarily would protrude out. The nature of the switchboard protruding outwards may also detract from the overall appearance of the apartment. 
     It can be seen that known prior art wall mounted electrical cupboard has the problems of: 
     a) Affecting the aesthetics of an apartment or the like dwelling 
     b) Less available room space 
     The present invention seeks to provide a wall cavity electrical cupboard system, which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative. 
     It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to a first of the present invention, a wall cavity electrical cupboard system is provided for allowing flush mounting with ready electrical access comprising: a. a base mounting module including a cavity container having a rear wall and circumferential side walls with a front opening and mountable substantially flush to and between a set of parallel spaced studs; b. an electrical mounting module including an electrical container having a rear wall and circumferential side walls with at least one front opening for holding a plurality of electrical fittings including switches and fuses, and the electrical container being mountable in the cavity container and sized to allow circumferential spacing forming a circumferential channel between the electrical container and the side walls of the cavity container; c. a door mounted to the base mounting module for closing the front opening and being substantially flush to the wall. 
     The wall cavity electrical cupboard system provides the benefit of fitting the cupboard flush with an existing wall. This vastly improves aesthetics and is particularly relevant to quick installations and economy of scale in multi-apartment high rise buildings. 
     The cavity container can include access holes in one or more of the side walls of the cavity container for providing wiring to be connected to the electrical mounting module from within the cavity wall. Preferably the electrical container also includes access holes in one or more of the side walls of the electrical container for providing wiring to be connected to the electrical mounting module from within the cavity wall. This arrangement allows for installation during building stage and follow up electrical connection in a single run. This makes a clear and substantial contribution to the commercial construction of a complex building. 
     The cavity container can include side mountings for connection to wall studs and mounting of the plaster. 
     Preferably the side mountings of the cavity container has integral wings extending outwardly and substantially normal to the side walls of the cavity container allowing for overlap over the studs and attachment thereto while allowing plaster to overly the integral wings to cause flush fitting. 
     Preferably the wall cavity electrical cupboard system can include a closing module having a hinge connection mountable in one side of the circumferential channel for receiving and holding the door at one end and a latch means in the opposing side of the circumferential channel of the door at the distal end for latching the door closed. 
     Preferably the latching means is a push catch module allowing for flush mounting without external openings. 
     Preferably the cavity electrical cupboard includes a finishing module attachable to the cavity container to allow a wet finishing. 
     The finishing module of the cavity electrical cupboard can include a plurality of elongated walls with a top continuous beading wherein the elongated walls are attachable to the inside of the circumferential side walls of the cavity container for allowing plaster and wet plaster filling to be fixed up to the beading and allow flush finishing. 
     Preferably the cavity electrical cupboard includes a finishing module attachable to the cavity container to allow a dry finishing. Preferably the finishing module of the cavity electrical cupboard includes a plurality of elongated walls with a top outwardly extending overhang wherein the elongated walls are attachable to the inside of the circumferential side walls of the cavity container for allowing plaster and to be fixed up under the overhang and allow flush finishing. 
     In a related embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a method of forming a wall cavity electrical cupboard system for allowing flush mounting with ready electrical access including the steps of: providing a base mounting module including a cavity container having a rear wall and circumferential side walls with a front opening and mountable substantially flush to and between a set of parallel spaced studs; mounting an electrical mounting module including an electrical container sized smaller than the cavity container into the cavity container allowing circumferential spacing forming a circumferential channel between the electrical container and the side walls of the cavity container; mounting a door to the base mounting module with a hinge connection mountable in one side of the circumferential channel for receiving and holding the door at one end and a latch means in the opposing side of the circumferential channel of the door at the distal end for latching the door closed and being substantially flush to the wall. 
     Preferably the method of forming a wall cavity electrical cupboard system further includes the step of providing a finishing module allowing a wet flush mounting by: connecting a plurality of elongated walls with a top continuous beading wherein the elongated walls are attachable to the inside of the circumferential side walls of the cavity container for allowing plaster and wet plaster filling to be fixed up to the beading and allow flush finishing. 
     Preferably the method of forming a wall cavity electrical cupboard system further includes the step of providing a finishing module allowing a wet flush mounting by: a plurality of elongated walls with a top outwardly extending overhang wherein the elongated walls are attachable to the inside of the circumferential side walls of the cavity container for allowing plaster and to be fixed up under the overhang and allow flush finishing. 
     It can be seen that the invention of a wall cavity electrical cupboard system provides the benefit of easy access to switches and fuses and easy installation of electrical cabling. 
     Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a wall cavity electrical cupboard system allowing flush mounting with ready electrical access in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a photographic representation of a part installed wall cavity electrical cupboard system in-situ which allows flush mounting with ready electrical access;  FIG. 3  is a photographic representation of the module in  FIG. 2  installed in-situ and flush mounting to a wall surface; 
         FIG. 4  is a photographic representation in overhead plan view of a base mounting module for the wall cavity electrical cupboard system in accordance with this disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a photographic representation in part side elevation of the base mounting module of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a photographic representation in part overhead plan view of an electrical container forming part of an electrical mounting module in accordance with this disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a photographic representation in side elevation of the electrical container of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a photographic representation in overhead plan view of an electrical mounting module of the present disclosure including a protection (cover) plate; 
         FIG. 9  is a photographic representation in overhead plan view of a part assembly of the wall cavity electrical cupboard system showing combined base mounting module of  FIG. 4  and electrical container of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a photographic representation in overhead plan view of a part assembly of the wall cavity electrical cupboard system showing combined base mounting module of  FIG. 4  and electrical mounting module of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a photographic representation of side elevation of the assembly of  FIG. 10  in-situ; 
         FIG. 12  is a photographic representation of an assembly with door hingedly open; 
         FIG. 13  is a photographic representation of an assembly with door closed; 
         FIG. 14  is a photographic representation showing an close-up view of a corner portion of installed wall cavity electrical cupboard system with external beading prior to finishing plaster coat. 
         FIGS. 15 and 15A  is a schematic representation in vertical cross-section of an assembly of the wall cavity electrical cupboard system mounted in-situ within a wall cavity flush to external wall by wet plaster process; 
         FIGS. 16 and 16A  is a schematic representation in vertical cross-section of an assembly of the wall cavity electrical cupboard system mounted in-situ within a wall cavity flush to external wall by dry installation process. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar features. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  there is shown a wall cavity electrical cupboard system  11  in-situ, providing flush mounting to a wall  13  with ready electrical access. As further exemplified in one form in the drawings, the wall cavity electrical cupboard system comprises a base mounting module  25  (best seen  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) including a cavity container  31  , an electrical mounting module  26  (best seen in  FIG. 8 ) having an electrical container  49  (best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ), the electrical container  49  adapted to be received within the cavity container  31  of the base mounting module  25  and sized to allow circumferential spacing forming a circumferential channel  29  (best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) between the electrical container and the side walls of the cavity container, and a closing module  75  (refer  FIGS. 12 and 13 ) adapted to be received within the circumferential channel and provide a finished flush mount with the wall  13 . 
     Our enclosure comprises of 5 main parts: 
     a) PART 1: Mounting frame being the base mounting module  25   
     b) PART 2: Enclosure being the electrical mounting module  26   
     c) PART 3: Mechanical protection plate  46 —to be fixed to mounting box to protect cables from rear damage—required to meet Aus standards in multi residential buildings 
     d) PART 4: Door kit wet—for plastering into the wall (troweling over) 
     e) PART 5: Door kit dry—for installing when the door kit wet has not been used (optional extra) The face/door of the enclosure will come primed ready for painting with the wall. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the base mounting module  25  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention comprises a cavity container  31  comprising a flat rear wall or floor portion  34  which is substantially square or rectangular and circumferential side walls  32   a,    32   b,    33   c  and  32   d  on four sides with a front opening. The cavity container further includes side mounting flaps  33   a,    33   b,    33   c  and  33   d  integral with and extending at right angles outwardly from the side walls  32   a,    32   b,    32   c  and  32   d  in a common plane parallel to the plane of the floor portion  34 . 
     The opposite side mounting flaps  33   a  and  33   b  include a series of spaced apart openings  67  that allow mounting attachment of the base mounting module  25  to a set of parallel spaced wall studs  15  and for the cavity container  31  to extend substantially between the set of parallel spaced wall studs  15  (see  FIG. 2 ) and flush with the mounting of plaster on the wall. In this condition, the opposite side mounting flaps  33   c  and  33   d  are positioned between the set of parallel studs. 
     At least two of the side walls  32   a,    32   b,    32   c  and  32   d  have holes  35  sized to receive cabling and providing access to the central volume of the cavity container  31  for later connection to the electrical mounting module to be fixed therein. 
     It can be seen that the cavity container  31  can be mounted to the stud walls and general wiring undertaking and feeding to the container through the holes so that the construction of walls ids not held up and the 
     The wall cavity electrical cupboard system  11  further includes an electrical mounting module  26  (see  FIG. 8 ) which is received within the cavity  31  of the base mounting module  25  seated on the rear wall or floor portion  34  thereof. 
     The electrical mounting module  26  comprises an electrical container  49  (best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) and a protection plate  46 . The electrical container  49  is sized substantially square or rectangular but smaller than the cavity container  31  to which it is attached to form a circumferential channel  29 . The electrical container is also an open front container with side walls extending from a floor on which two spaced support brackets  47   a  and  47   b  extend parallel to support fuses and the like and the connected wiring. The container  49  is of a depth to allow receipt of electrical wiring and fuses while not extending proud of the top of the side walls  32   a,    32   b,    32   c  and  32   d  of the cavity container  31 . 
     A protection plate  46  is fixedly mounted over the open front to the top of the walls of the electrical container and includes spaced cut-out portions  27   a  and  27   b  coinciding with spaced support brackets  47   a  and  47   b,  the support brackets being adapted to mount electrical switches  39  protruding through the corresponding cutout openings  27  but not proud of the container. 
     The cavity container  31  of the base mounting module and the electrical container of the electrical mounting module are sized to allow forming of a circumferential channel  29  between the electrical container  49  and the side walls  32   a ,  32   b,    32   c  and  32   d  of the cavity container  31 . 
     It can be seen that the electrical mounting module can be installed in the wall after the time of the main building and plastering. In particular because wiring through the wall can enter through the side openings of the cavity container 
     The circumferential channel  29  also allows provides the benefit of allowing the wiring to at the time of the further the circumferential channel allows mounting of the closing module  75  without affecting the plastered wall. It further allows the finishing module to have finishing plates attached or integral with the side walls  32   a ,  32   b,    32   c  and  32   d  of the cavity container  31  so that plaster can in a dry wall about the finishing plate or in a wet wall have a mesh plate  95  extend over the plaster to have a wet plaster smoothed over and up to and abutting the edge of the finishing plate. The finishing plate can have beading at a top edge that thereby surrounds the cavity and provides the flush line of the front of the system to the adjacent wall  13 . 
     The circumferential channel  29  can further include the fastening means of the closing module  75  so that one part  79   a  is on the rear of the door  77  and the second part  78   a  and  78   b  are within the circumferential channel  29 . Further the hinges  76   a  and  76   b  are in the opposite portion of the circumferential channel  29 . Still further the rolled edges of the front door  77  can fit within the channel. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , opposite side mountings  33   a  and  33   b  include a plurality of openings  67  which allow fastening of the base mounting module by screws to the wall studs  15 . 
     In  FIGS. 2 to 5 , the cavity container  31  includes access holes  35  in opposite side walls  32   c  and  32   d  of the cavity container for providing wiring to be connected to the electrical mounting module from within the cavity wall. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the access holes  35  in walls of the cavity container are aligned parallel with the wall studs  15 . The electrical container  49  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  also includes template openings  56  in the side walls are aligned and located to align with access holes  35 . 
     The cavity container  31  has side mountings  33   a  and  33   b  for connection to the studs  15  and mounting of the plaster board or sheeting thereon. As shown in  FIG. 4  the side mountings of the cavity container include integral wings extending outwardly and substantially normal to the side walls of the cavity container allowing for overlap over the studs and attachment thereto while allowing the plaster (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) to overly the integral wings to cause flush fitting. 
     It can be seen, such as in  FIG. 10 , that the wiring that is received through holes  35  of the cavity container  31  and can feed along the circumferential channel  29  and into holes of the template openings  56  and can be connected to control means in the electrical mounting module mounted on the support brackets  47   a    47   b  such as fuses, surge protectors, short circuit protection cutoffs etc. Further the power can be properly distributed by the wiring to the different electrical pathways through the premises based on their individual requirements, collective requirements and for reasons of power balancing and importance of circuitry loads. Only the front switches or indicators  20  appear through the cut outs  27   a    27   b.  The channel and the template openings provides a benefit that the wiring therefore can be selectively moved around and readily connected without needing to line up the holes of the cavity container  31  and the electrical container  49  and with adjustability and safety of placing wiring connection behind the sealing protector plate  46  covering the opening except for what is allowable to show through the cutouts  27   a    27   b  and be mounted on the support brackets  47   a    47   b.    
     Overall the system allows for flush mounting while allowing for improvement in connection without affecting different trades and providing flexibility for the electrician to provide the required electrical circuits without breaking completed walls or requiring wall repairs after final wiring. 
     Example 
     A new flush type switchboard. The new design incorporates a new installation module and process. In the finish, there is no protrusion past the plaster wall—or exceedingly small, e.g. a couple of mm. As displayed above all other enclosures on the market stand out, off the wall i.e. 10+mm. 
     This enclosure has been prototyped as a  26 -pole enclosure - (this relates to the capacity of single pole circuit breakers it can hold). We can have several sizes all with the same concept available. [ 0051 ] As further shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the wall cavity electrical cupboard system includes a closing module  75  having a hinge connection  76  mountable in one side of the circumferential channel  29  for receiving and holding a door  77  at one end and a latch means  78   a  and  78   b  in the opposing side of the circumferential channel of the door at the distal end for latching the door closed with connectors  79   a  and  79   b  on inside portions of the door. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 12  the latching means is a push catch and release module allowing the door to be received within the circumferential channel  29  for flush mounting without external openings.  FIGS. 10 and 12  show a fuse or circuit breaker  90  mounted in support brackets  47   a  and  47   b  accessible through openings  27   a  and  27   b  in protection plate  46 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the door  77  is hingedly mounted to the base mounting module and received within the circumferential channel  29  for closing the front opening in the wall cavity and being substantially flush to the wall  13 . 
     As further shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the wall cavity electrical cupboard system includes a finishing module  95  having circumferential beading about the periphery of the door  77 . The beading is subsequently plastered over ( FIG. 1 ) producing a substantially flush finish to the wall  13 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 15 to 17  there is illustrated a method of forming a wall cavity electrical cupboard system according to embodiments of the invention for allowing flush mounting with ready electrical access including the steps of: 
     a) providing a base mounting module  25  including a cavity container having a rear wall and circumferential side walls with a front opening and mountable substantially flush to and between a set of parallel spaced studs; 
     b) mounting an electrical mounting module  26  including an electrical container sized smaller than the cavity container into the cavity container allowing circumferential spacing forming a circumferential channel  29  between the electrical container and the side walls of the cavity container; 
     c) mounting a door  77  to the base mounting module with a hinge connection  76  mountable in one side of the circumferential channel for receiving and holding the door at one end and a latch means  78   a  in the opposing side of the circumferential channel of the door at the distal end for latching the door closed and being substantially flush to the wall or plaster sheet  96 ; 
     d) providing a finishing module allowing a wet flush mounting by connecting a plurality of elongated walls with a top continuous beading  95  wherein the elongated walls are attachable to the inside of the circumferential side walls of the cavity container for allowing plaster and wet plaster filling to be fixed up to the beading and allow flush finishing. 
     Interpretation 
     Embodiments 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments. 
     Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of example embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention. 
     Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination. Different Instances of Objects 
     As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner. 
     Specific Details 
     In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description. 
     Terminology 
     In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as “forward”, “rearward”, “radially”, “peripherally”, “upwardly”, “downwardly”, and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms. 
     Comprising and Including 
     In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 
     Any one of the terms: including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising. 
     Scope of Invention 
     Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms. 
     Industrial Applicability 
     It is apparent from the above, that the arrangements described are applicable to the electrical and building industries.