Abstract:
A reconfigurable electrical box hanger assembly for mounting a lighting or fan fixture to the grid supporting structure of a drop ceiling. The hanger assembly includes a one-piece elongated bar, two end pieces with widely spaced support legs, a turnbuckle, and a center bracket supporting an electrical box. The turnbuckle and end pieces are rotatable with respect to the elongated bar, thereby enabling two configurations of the hanger assembly including a compact profile for storage and shipping and an expanded profile for installation on a suspended ceiling. A locking arrangement includes bendable tabs which lock the end pieces with respect to the elongated bar thereby placing the hanger assembly into the expanded profile for installation on a suspended ceiling.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to electrical box hanger assemblies for suspended ceilings and specifically to a load bearing hanger assembly that has the flexibility to be reconfigured from a shipping and storage profile to an operational profile as necessary. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electrical box hanger assemblies are commonly used for supporting lighting or fan fixtures from suspended or drop ceilings. The hanger assemblies typically include a hanger bar of sufficient length to span between the T-rail supports of the suspended ceiling, which is typically a distance of two feet. The hanger assemblies also typically include electrical boxes and end plates that extend a significant distance laterally from the hanger bar, making the hanger bar assembly very bulky. 
     Many electrical installation and wiring tasks around the home are now done by the homeowner. Thus, hanger assemblies for electrical boxes are typically marketed and sold by suppliers directly to homeowners through retail establishments such as hardware stores. As they are marketing directly to the homeowner, retailers prefer placing the hanger assemblies in packaging that catches the consumer&#39;s eye but also that minimizes shelf space as much as possible. Thus, for displaying a bulky item such as an electrical box hanger assembly, the more the overall profile of the hanger assembly can be reduced, the easier the retailer will be able to find shelf space for the assembly. Reducing the overall profile of the hanger assembly also leads to significant advantages in storing and shipping also benefits the manufacturer. 
     Thus, in regard to electrical box hanger assemblies in today&#39;s marketplace, one common desire of the manufacturer and retailer is an ability to reduce the overall profile of the hanger assembly for storage, shipping, and shelf display. It is thus an objective of the present invention to provide a reconfigurable electrical box hanger assembly for a suspended ceiling that can be configured to a compact profile for shipping and storage and to an expanded profile for mounting a lighting or fan fixture to the grid supporting structure of a drop ceiling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a reconfigurable electrical box hanger assembly for mounting a lighting or fan fixture to the grid supporting structure of a drop ceiling. The hanger assembly includes a one-piece elongated bar, two end pieces with widely spaced support legs, a turnbuckle, and a center bracket supporting an electrical box. The turnbuckle and end pieces are rotatable with respect to the elongated bar, thereby enabling two configurations of the hanger assembly including a compact profile for storage and shipping and an expanded profile for installation on a suspended ceiling. A locking arrangement includes bendable tabs which lock the end pieces with respect to the elongated bar thereby placing the hanger assembly into the expanded profile for installation on a suspended ceiling. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Several advantages are achieved with the electrical box hanger assembly of the present invention, including:
         (1) The hanger assembly can be reconfigured from a compact profile to an expanded profile as desired to meet shipping and storage requirements or for installation requirements.   (2) The hanger assembly is an assembly of components that can be manufactured at low cost as many of the parts, including the bar, end pieces, and center bracket may be economically stamped and shaped from sheet metal.   (3) Ample clearance is provided between the arms and end plate of each end bracket. This enables rapid placement and mounting of the electrical box hanger assembly over the bulb portions of adjacent T-rails in a drop ceiling.   (4) Many portions of the hanger assembly can be folded against the elongated bar in order to reduce the overall transverse profile of the hanger assembly, including the end pieces and the turnbuckle.   (5) A locking arrangement on the hanger assembly positively locks the end pieces to the elongated bar in the expanded configuration.       

     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 a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a hanger assembly for supporting a lighting or fan fixture on a suspended ceiling according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of an elongated bar, broken away at the middle, that forms a portion of the hanger assembly depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the elongated bar taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an end view of a center bracket that forms a portion of the hanger assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the center bracket of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the center bracket taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a bracket back plate that forms a portion of the hanger assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the back plate taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of one of the end pieces that forms a portion of the hanger assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of the end piece depicted in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of the end piece. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the end piece as viewed from the left side of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an electrical box that forms a portion of the hanger assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 14  is a view of the electrical box of  FIG. 13  from the open end. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the electrical box. 
         FIG. 16  is a sectional view of the electrical box taken along line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 17  is an end view of the hanger assembly of the present invention in two configurations including a compact configuration on the left of the figure and an expanded configuration on the right of the figure. 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the hanger assembly in the compact configuration, with the end pieces folded against the sides of the elongated bar and the turnbuckle folded against the top of the elongated bar. 
         FIG. 19  is a side conceptual view of the hanger assembly of the present invention installed on the grid supports of a suspended ceiling. 
     
    
    
     INDEX TO REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 
     The following is a listing of part numbers used in the drawings along with a brief description: 
     
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Part  
                   
               
               
                 Number 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 20 
                 electrical box hanger assembly 
               
               
                 22 
                 one-piece elongated bar 
               
               
                 24 
                 center bracket 
               
               
                 26 
                 electrical box 
               
               
                 28 
                 end piece 
               
               
                 30 
                 turnbuckle 
               
               
                 32 
                 top wall of bar 
               
               
                 34 
                 side wall of bar 
               
               
                 36 
                 parallel lips 
               
               
                 38 
                 longitudinal slot 
               
               
                 39 
                 channel of elongated bar 
               
               
                 40 
                 bendable locking tab 
               
               
                 41 
                 U-shaped opening 
               
               
                 42 
                 aperture 
               
               
                 44 
                 end of bar 
               
               
                 46 
                 bottom portion of center bracket 
               
               
                 48 
                 bottom wall 
               
               
                 50 
                 side wall 
               
               
                 52 
                 top wall 
               
               
                 54 
                 central channel 
               
               
                 56 
                 wing 
               
               
                 58 
                 gap between wings 
               
               
                 60 
                 aperture in wings 
               
               
                 62 
                 threaded inner bore in center bracket 
               
               
                 64 
                 smooth outer bore in center bracket 
               
               
                 66 
                 end plate portion of end piece 
               
               
                 68 
                 end of end plate 
               
               
                 70 
                 leg 
               
               
                 72 
                 arm 
               
               
                 74 
                 top plate 
               
               
                 76 
                 flange 
               
               
                 78 
                 notch in top plate 
               
               
                 80 
                 aperture in top plate 
               
               
                 82 
                 bore in end plate 
               
               
                 84 
                 bore in arm 
               
               
                 86 
                 back wall of electrical box 
               
               
                 88 
                 sidewall of electrical box 
               
               
                 90 
                 knockout 
               
               
                 92 
                 mounting fastener storage tab 
               
               
                 94 
                 threaded bore 
               
               
                 96 
                 opening 
               
               
                 98 
                 lug 
               
               
                 101 
                 rivet 
               
               
                 103 
                 fitting 
               
               
                 105 
                 flexible jaw 
               
               
                 107 
                 mounting fastener 
               
               
                 108 
                 threaded bores in lugs 
               
               
                 109 
                 positioning fastener 
               
               
                 110 
                 electrical box fastener 
               
               
                 111 
                 bracket back plate 
               
               
                 113 
                 smooth inner bores in back plate 
               
               
                 115 
                 threaded outer bores in back plate 
               
               
                 117 
                 rivet 
               
               
                 119 
                 turnbuckle fastener 
               
               
                 121 
                 compact configuration 
               
               
                 123 
                 expanded configuration 
               
               
                 129 
                 T-rail 
               
               
                 131 
                 horizontal flange of T-rail 
               
               
                 133 
                 outwardly bent bottom portion of end piece leg 
               
               
                 135 
                 chain 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises an electrical box hanger assembly for supporting a lighting or fan fixture on a drop ceiling. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the hanger assembly  20  includes a one-piece elongated bar  22 , a center bracket  24 , an electrical box  26 , two end pieces  28 , and a turnbuckle  30 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2-3 , the elongated bar  22  is includes a top wall  32 , side walls  34 , parallel lips  36  defined by a longitudinal slot  38  extending along the bottom side of the bar  22 , and a channel  39  therein. A bendable locking tab  40 , defined by U-shaped openings  41  in top wall  32 , and an aperture  42  are provided near each end  44  of the elongated bar  22 . U-shaped openings  41  provide open area around each bendable locking tab  40  thereby enabling an installer to grab the locking tab  40  more easily and also enable the tabs  40  to move more freely into the locked position as the U-shaped openings  41  eliminate any obstruction or friction from contact with the surrounding top wall  32  of the elongated bar  22 . 
     to  FIGS. 4-6 , the center bracket  24  includes a substantially tubular bottom portion  46  with a bottom wall  48 , side walls  50 , and top walls  52  defining a central channel  54 . Two wings  56  extending from the top walls  52  of the center bracket  24  include a gap  58  there between and an aperture  60  therein. The bottom wall  48  of the center bracket  24  includes a set or pair of threaded inner bores  62  and a set or pair of smooth outer bores  64  therein. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 9-12 , each end piece  28  includes a planar end plate  66  with two ends  68 , a leg  70  extending from each end  68  of the end plate  66 , an arm  72  extending from the top of each leg  70 , and a top plate  74 . The top plate  74  includes two flanges  76  extending there from, a notch  78 , and an aperture  80  therein. A bore  82  is provided in each leg  70  and a bore  84  is provided in each arm  72 . The bores  82  in each leg  70  are coaxial with the bores  84  in each arm  72 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 13-16 , the electrical box  26  includes a back wall  86 , sidewalls  88 , a plurality of knockouts  90  in the sidewalls  88  and the back wall  86 , a fastener storage tab  92  with two threaded bores  94  therein, openings  96  in the sidewalls  88  and two lugs  98  secured to the sidewalls  88  by rivets  101 . The fastener storage tab  92  is a bent-over portion of the electrical box sidewall  88 . The knockouts  90  in the back wall  86  and the sidewalls  88  enables the use of quick-connect electrical fittings or connectors such as the BLACK BUTTON® push-in connector or fitting  103  for connecting non-metallic cable to the electrical box  26 . The BLACK BUTTON® push-in connector, available from Arlington Industries of Scranton, Pa., is simply pushed into one of the knockouts  90  provided in the back wall  86  or sidewalls  88 . The flexible jaws  105  on the electrical fitting  103  will grip and firmly hold any NM electrical cable (not shown) that is inserted therein. As shown in  FIG. 16 , mounting fasteners  107  for securing a lighting fixture or overhead fan (not shown) to the electrical box  26  are provided with the hanger assembly and are held in the threaded bores  94  in the fastener storage tab  92 . Thus the hanger assembly will include all the hardware required to secure an electrical device to the suspended ceiling. The lugs  98  include threaded bores  108  therein for receipt of mounting fasteners  107 . In operation, when a lighting fixture or electrical fan are secured to the electrical box  26 , mounting fasteners  107 , which are conveniently provided with the hanger assembly and held therein in the threaded bores  94  of fastener storage tab  92 , are moved from the fastener storage tab  92  through the mounting base of the lighting fixture or electrical fan (not shown) and secured into threaded bores  108  of lugs  98  to secure the electrical component to the hanger assembly. 
     With reference to  FIG. 17 , there is shown on the left hand side of the figure the hanger assembly  20  of the present invention in a compact configuration. As shown in the cutaway portion, electrical box  26  and center bracket  24  are held secure to elongated bar  22  by positioning fasteners  109  secured into threaded bores in a bracket back plate  111 . Bracket back plate  111 , as shown in  FIGS. 7-8 , includes a pair of smooth inner bores  113  and a pair of threaded outer bores  115  therein. Referring again to  FIG. 17 , end pieces  28  are secured to elongated bar  22  by rivets  117 . The hanger assembly  20  is placed in the compact configuration by rotating both end pieces  28  to the same side of the assembly and rotating turnbuckle  30  around fastener  119  until it is flush against the top wall  32  of bar  22 . Thus the hanger assembly  20  achieves a compact configuration  121  as shown by phantom lines and the elongated assembly can fit in a box or package of substantially small height and width. The folded or compact configuration is also shown in perspective view in  FIG. 18 . 
     Upon removal from the package, the hanger assembly  20  can be folded into the expanded configuration shown on the right side of  FIG. 17 . Each end piece  28  is folded until end plate  66  is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the elongated bar  22  and turnbuckle  30  is folded until the elongated turnbuckle  30  is substantially orthogonal to the bar  22 . Thus, for installation at the job site, the hanger assembly  20  is placed in an expanded configuration  123  as shown by phantom lines on the right side of  FIG. 17 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , which depicts the hanger assembly  20  in the expanded configuration, when end pieces  28  are folded orthogonal to the bar  22 , notches  78  on end pieces  28  are in alignment with bendable locking tabs  40  of the elongated bar. The end pieces  28  are locked in the expanded configuration by bending locking tabs  40  of elongated bar  22  upward into the notch  78  in the top plate  74  portion of the end piece  28 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , a comparison of phantom lines for the compact configuration  121  and phantom lines for the expanded configuration  123  show the substantial advantage provided by the present invention as a significant reduction can be made in the overall profile of the hanger assembly thereby reducing storage space, the size of the packaging, and the amount of shelf space per unit required at the retailer. 
     For operation of the hanger assembly of the present invention, reference is made to  FIG. 19 . As described hereinabove, the elongated bar  22  includes a longitudinal slot  38  (see  FIG. 3 ) along its bottom side and parallel lips  36  surround the longitudinal slot  38 . In the hanger assembly  20 , the bracket back plate  111  rides within the bar  22  and rests on the lips  36 . Electrical box  26  is held securely to center bracket  24  by electrical box fasteners  110  thereby enabling the electrical box and center bracket to move as a unit. In the hanger assembly  20 , the center bracket  24  and electrical box  26  assembly is held firmly to bar  22  by positioning fasteners  109  extending through smooth outer bores  64  (see  FIG. 6 ) in center bracket  24  and through longitudinal slot  38  in elongated bar  22 . Smooth outer bores  64  in center bracket  24  are oversize bores that are larger than the diameter of positioning fasteners  109 . The installer therefore loosens positioning fasteners  109 , thereby loosening the electrical box  26  and center bracket  24  assembly with respect to the bar  22 , and slides the box and center bracket to the desired position with respect to the bar  22 . Positioning fasteners  109  are then tightened to sandwich the lips  36  of the bar  22  between bracket back plate  111  and bottom wall  48  of center bracket  24  and thereby lock the electrical box  26  and center bracket assembly  26  with respect to the bar  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 19 , for installation on a suspended ceiling the hanger assembly  20  is locked in the expanded configuration by bending locking tabs  40  upward until they engage notches  78  (see  FIG. 1 ) of end piece  28 . Hanger assembly  20  is then placed over the T-rails  129  of a suspended ceiling system. Legs  70  of end pieces  28  rest on the horizontal flanges  131  of the T-rails  129 . Legs  70  include an outwardly bent bottom portion  133  that places pressure against the T-rails  129 . The end portion of the T-rail  129  is thus held within the end plate  66  and arm  72  of each end piece  28 . Turnbuckle  30  is then rotated around fastener  119  and a chain  135  or equivalent flexible support device is attached to the turnbuckle  30  and to an overhead structure to support the hanger assembly  20  and any light fixture or electrical fan attached thereto. The hanger assembly  20  of the present invention is capable of supporting loads up to 50 pounds. 
     Preferably, the material of construction of the one-piece elongated bar  22 , center bracket  24 , bracket back plate  111 , electrical box  26 , lugs  98 , end pieces  28 , and turnbuckle  30  are steel. The elongated bar  22 , center bracket  24 , bracket back plate  111 , and lugs  98  are preferably constructed of American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) grade 1010 steel with a galvanized coating. The electrical box  24  is preferably constructed of 0.063-inch minimum thickness AISI 1010 steel that is galvanized or plate. The turnbuckle  30  is preferably a ¼-inch by 7.75-inch eye/eye turnbuckle constructed of AISI grade 1045 galvanized steel. Preferred thickness of the various other steel components include 0.040-inch minimum thickness for the elongated bar  22 , 0.10-inch minimum thickness for the center bracket  24 , 0.125-inch minimum thickness for the bracket back plate  111  and the lugs  98 . The end pieces  28  are preferably constructed of 14-gage steel. As shown in the compact configuration  121  in the left side of  FIG. 17 , the center bracket  24 , which is thicker than the elongated bar  22 , substantially surrounds the entire outer periphery of the elongated bar  22  thereby significantly strengthening the hanger assembly and rendering it capable of supporting a load, such as an electrical fan, of up to 50 pounds. 
     Having thus described the invention with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited by the description herein but is defined as follows by the appended claims.