Patent ID: 7019211

Claim:
A universal junction box comprising: (a) a continuous peripheral wall forming a top, a bottom and opposite sides of the junction box with the wall having an internal side and an external side, and defining an open planar front facet; (b) an alignment tab ( 41 ) associated with one of the opposite sides, the alignment tab being set back from the open planar front facet and extending out at a right angle from a plane that includes the external side of the peripheral wall such that the alignment tab is oriented in a plane parallel to the planar front facet; and (c) the box further including a plurality of alternative mounting structures for mounting the junction box to a structural member, the alternative mounting structures including at least two of (i) a mounting tab ( 40 ) connected by a frangible seam ( 45 ) to an edge of the box and extending vertically from the external surface in coplanar alignment with one of the opposite sides of the junction box, the mounting tab having openings to allow the passage of a fastener into the structural member, (ii) at least one elongated mounting aperture ( 42 ) in one of the opposite sides of the junction box to allow the passage of a fastener into the structural member, the elongated aperture extending generally normal to the plane of the open front facet of the box, (iii) a cavity ( 109 ) in one of the opposite sides of the junction box obliquely angled from the plane of the one opposite side to allow the angled entry of a fastener through the one opposite side and into structural member, and (iv) nail gripping passages ( 112 , 118 ) in each of the opposite sides of the junction box to allow passage of a nail through the box and into the structural member.