Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/862,379, filed May 23, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,845, issued Oct. 12, 1999, which claims the priority of application Ser. No. 60/023,060, filed Aug. 2, 1996, and which application Ser. No. 08/862,379 claims the priority of application Ser. No. 60/018,227, filed May 24, 1996, and this application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/490,757, filed Jun. 15, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,512, issued Oct. 14, 1997, and this application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/371,695, filed Jan. 12, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,443, issued Dec. 29, 1998, and each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     This application likewise relates to four (4) concurrently filed applications; namely, application Ser. No. 08/905,142, filed Aug. 1, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,981,874, issued Nov. 9, 1999, and application Ser. No. 08/905,077, filed Aug. 1, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,124, issued May 25, 1999, and application Ser. No. 08/904,691, filed Aug. 1, 1997, and application Ser. No. 08/904,869, filed Aug. 1, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,331, issued Mar. 16, 1999, and each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to electrical boxes and methods of producing the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Consumers, updated National Electrical Codes (NEC), and Underwriter Laboratories (UL) requirements all require that electrical boxes be made stronger than in the prior art. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of known electrical boxes. 
     A further object of the invention includes making electrical boxes which use the standard punched-out, stamped electrical boxes in a more intelligent fashion. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to take out the radius of a standard industry size electrical box so that a support for supporting a fixture can be located the proper distance from a second support to meet National Electrical Code (NEC) standards. 
     Another object of the invention is to eliminate the problem of the upper radius between the top wall and side wall of electrical boxes that prevents fixture supports or studs from being fitted next to the inside face of such side walls. 
     Another object of the invention is to achieve a strengthened electrical box with a supplemental support within a standard so-called “4×4” box, while maintaining the near universal 3.5 inch (8.9 cm) spacing between the fixture supports so that the box is usable with standard light fixtures, ceiling fans, and the like. 
     It is likewise an object of the invention to provide supplemental supports in the electrical boxes to enhance the carrying strength of the electrical boxes. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide studs in the electrical boxes which cover the threads of standard screws so that no screw threads are present in the interior of such electrical boxes. 
     A still further object of the invention is to provide an electrical box having a supplemental support with a sufficiently smooth exterior for preventing wear to the plastic coating of plastic-coated electrical wire. 
     It is yet another object of the invention to provide electrical boxes in which added supports, such as studs, are added during the manufacturing process to eliminate problems in prior art electrical boxes, as well as to strengthen the inventive electrical boxes. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a junction box having a supplemental support, yet which requires no welding during assembly thereof. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide an electrical box having components which are easily fabricated, added to the electrical box, and assembled in the final form by the operation of screwing or riveting, yet which do not loosen when subjected to static and/or dynamic loading. 
     A still further object of the invention is to provide a junction box in which the supplemental support for carrying static and dynamic loads automatically engages the side walls of the junction box during assembly and/or in use thanks to the use of cutouts or radiused portions in the top portions of the support and/or thanks to the auxiliary support being configured for engaging the side wall thereof when the auxiliary support is attached and located in its attached, final form ready for use. 
     A still further object of the invention is to provide a junction box capable of carrying static and/or dynamic loads having an auxiliary support and that is assembled with fewer parts and with fewer steps than known devices. 
     It is a yet further object that all the above be carried out with an electrical box which carries the load of supported static and dynamic fixtures better than known electrical boxes. 
     In summary, the present invention is directed to an electrical junction box or mounting assembly which includes a box having a top wall and a side wall. The side wall extends downwardly away from the top wall and defines a cavity therein. A supplemental fixture support is disposed in the cavity. A radiused, cutout, or removed portion is provided in the top portion of the support, and the supplemental fixture support may abut the inner side wall of the box and/or the fixture support may abut some or all of the radiused portion of the box between the side wall and top wall of the box. A threaded hole may be provided on the supplemental fixture support. The supplemental fixture support may be a rivet. Preferably, the supplemental fixture support has a sufficiently smooth exterior for preventing wear to plastic-coated electrical wire which engages exposed surfaces of the fixture support. 
     These objects and advantages as well as others will be readily apparent from a review of the following description and drawings. 
     The drawings show a variety of embodiments of the invention, as will be clear from reading the description below. 
     It is important to note that the use of relative terms such as “up” and “down”, and “left” and “right” is for convenience only and is not intended to be limiting. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a PRIOR ART electrical junction box having an inwardly extending ear E with a face plate attachment hole F provided therein; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of an electrical junction box according to the invention showing the use of fasteners to secure a supplemental support to the junction box; 
     FIG. 2A a side view of the support of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 2B is a top plan view of the support of FIG. 2A; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment of a junction box according to the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of another preferred embodiment of a support according to the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of yet another preferred embodiment of a support according to the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of yet another preferred embodiment of a support according to the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the support of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 7 of a further preferred embodiment of a support, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of yet another preferred embodiment of a junction box according to the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a top plan view of another preferred embodiment of a box; and 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG.  10 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     FIG. 1 shows a PRIOR ART junction box including a side wall S, an upper wall U, and an ear E extending from a lower portion L thereof. 
     Upper wall U has one or more attachment holes A through which fasteners will be inserted for attaching PRIOR ART electrical box B to an overhead surface, such as to a ceiling joist or piece of plywood extending therebetween. 
     A lower, faceplate attachment hole F is typically provided in inwardly extending ear E. Frequently, faceplate hole F is provided with threads for mating with respective faceplate fasteners when securing an unillustrated faceplate thereto. Such faceplates are used to enclose electrical box B after the wiring inside the electrical box/junction box B has been completed. 
     A drawback of such PRIOR ART electrical boxes E is that they are typically made with stamped sheet metal extensions E; consequently, extensions E are relatively thin (i.e., in the order of about 1 millimeter or less). Such extension or ear E has a width of only a few millimeters, and only extends several millimeters inside box B. Thus, the surface area of ear E, when viewed from below after installation of upper wall U against a typical horizontal ceiling, is often substantially less than one centimeter squared (1 cm 2 ). 
     Consequently, ear E may only carry relatively small vertical loads, when installed against the ceiling, as described above. 
     As a result, local codes frequently allow such PRIOR ART boxes B to be used only for supporting the weight of a faceplate, or of a relatively light static load, such as a small light fixture. 
     Such electrical boxes B are unsuited for supporting large static loads, as well as for supporting large dynamic loads, such as ceiling fans which may weigh twenty-five kilograms or more (25 kg). 
     Thus, there is a need for an electrical box which is suited for carrying relatively large static loads as well as dynamic loads. 
     That need is especially clear, given that many homeowners want to install heavier light fixtures and dynamic loads, such as ceiling fans, than had exhibited such preferences in the past. 
     Furthermore, even if the initial owner/builder of a house or commercial space provides PRIOR ART load-carrying junction boxes B suited for carrying the vertical force of a small light fixture, a subsequent owner/user will often replace the original light fixture with a heavier light fixture, or with a dynamic load; i.e. a ceiling fan. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a load-carrying junction box which is suited for a wide range of static and dynamic loads and, thus, suited for original installation in new construction, given that some users fail to upgrade load-carrying junction boxes when adding heavier static and/or dynamic loads to the box. 
     The electrical box according to the invention has overcome these drawbacks described immediately above, and has achieved the objects of the invention detailed above. Such will be evident when reading the following detailed description of the invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning to FIG. 2, a first preferred embodiment of an electrical box and/or junction box  10  according to the invention will now be described in detail. 
     Junction box  10  includes a top wall  14 , and a side wall  18  extending downwardly therefrom and defining a cavity therein. A radiused portion extends between top wall  14  and side wall  18 , and defines an inner radiused portion  16  facing the interior or cavity C of box  10 . Side wall  18  includes a lower free edge  20 , and top wall  14  includes a lower face  22  and an upper face  23 . 
     Preferably, one or more holes  24  are provided on top wall  14 , for example. In FIG. 2, two (2) holes  24  will be for receiving a fastener  32  therethrough. 
     Additional holes  36  for receiving portions of an electrical fixture, for example, and/or for fasteners which secure junction box  10  to a ceiling, for example, may likewise be provided. 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate supplemental support or stud  40  of FIG. 2 which may be provided for increasing the holding strength of junction box  10 . 
     Supplemental support  40  may be made with a height substantially equal to the distance between lower free edge  20  and lower face  22  of top wall  14 . 
     When increased resistance to inadvertent turning of supplemental support  40  about the longitudinal axis of fastener  32  is desired, supplemental support  40  may be provided with a face  44  configured for engaging with a portion of side wall  18  for restricting rotation of supplemental support  40 . Configured face  44  may be made as a flat face. The non-configured exterior face of supplemental  40  may be made as a rounded face  48 , as shown. 
     Good results have been achieved when a threaded hole  52  is provided extending at least partially through supplemental support  40 . Preferably, threaded hole  52  has threads selected to mate with threads of fasteners from standard fixtures such as lights and ceiling fans. 
     Supplemental support  40  may be attached to box  14  by use of a powered screwdriver driving (i.e., turning) fastener  32  into an upper threaded hole  54 . The threads of threaded hole  52  may extend all the way through support  40 , for example, so that the same threads which attach screw  32  are used to attach the unillustrated fastener of a light fixture or ceiling fan. 
     It is likewise contemplated that threads will only be provided at the top portion of support  40 , at the bottom portion of support  40 , or at both top and bottom portions with an unthreaded region in between. 
     Still further, it is expected that threads  54  for mating with fastener  32  may be of a different size than threads  52  provided for mating with the fasteners which attach the ceiling fan or light fixture to the lower portion of support  40  when in use. 
     Support  40  may have a variety of external configurations as well, such as being a hexagonal supplemental support  40 , a triangular supplemental support  40 , and other configurations which achieve the objects of the invention. 
     Good results have been achieved when an upper portion of supplemental support  40  is removed to define a fitted portion  56 . Fitted portion  56  is sufficiently large so as to not interfere with/engage the inner radiused portion  16  of box  10  when support  40  is installed. In that manner, support  40  may be located substantially adjacent to sidewall  18 , so that sidewall  18  also assists in prevention of outward movement of support  40  that might lead to a loosening of the connection between fastener  32  and top wall  14 , and undesirable loosening of the support  40  relative to box  10 . It is not necessary for support  40  to engage side wall  18 . 
     When two supports  40  are attached to the left and right ones of holes  28 , the provision of fitted portion  56  of support  40  yields the added benefit of achieving a standard center-to-center spacing between respective threads  52  of each of the two supported supports, even when using a “standard” box forming equipment for making a standard box size, as discussed in greater detail below. Such also has the benefit of allowing use of standard equipment for forming holes in a sheetrock ceiling for receiving the box, while maintaining the standard 3.5 inch fixture support. 
     For large-scale production, a powered screwdriver can be used to assist in fabrication by attaching support  40  to the wall of the electrical box  10 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the invention in which a support  60  is attached to top wall  14  by use of fastener  32  in substantially the same manner as in the embodiment of FIG.  2 . 
     Support  60  includes a removed or radiused or rounded portion  66  which allows support  60  to be placed adjacent and/or in direct contact with side wall  18 , top wall  14 , and the inner radius of radius  16  which joins top wall  14  and side wall  18 . 
     Rounded portion  66  may be formed so as to snuggly mate with the inner face of radiused portion  16 . 
     FIG. 4 illustrates yet a further preferred embodiment of a support  70  according to the invention. Support  70  is formed as a truncated, hexagonal pyramid having a top portion  72  and a lower portion  74 . Threads  52  and  54  are provided as in the above-described embodiments. 
     Given that upper portion  72  has a smaller cross-sectional area than lower portion  74 , upper portion  72  being the upper, truncated portion of the illustrated hexagonal pyramid, the outer surfaces of upper portion  72  are disposed inwardly of the outer surfaces of lower portion  74 , with respect to the longitudinal center line of support  70 . Hence, when installed, a tapered side  76  will be selected so as to be sufficiently tapered that upper portion  72  is free of interference with the inner face of radiused portion  16  of junction box  10 . 
     In a similar fashion, FIG. 5 illustrates yet another preferred embodiment of a support  80  according to the invention. Support  80  is in the form of a truncated cone having an upper portion  82  disposed inwardly of the outer extent of a lower portion  84 . Tapered side wall  86  is preferably selected so that upper portion  82  does not engage with the inner face of radiused portion  16 , when support  80  is installed in electrical box  10 . 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another preferred embodiment of a support  90  which has a substantially rectangular cross-section, as best seen in FIG. 7. A top portion  92  is fitted against lower face  22  of box  10  and a bottom portion  94  is substantially aligned with bottom free edge  20  of box  10 , in use. Fastener  32  engages with threads  54  and secures support  90  to box  14 . 
     FIG. 8 shows another preferred embodiment of a support  100  having a substantially square cross section in top plan view, the side elevational view being substantially the same as that shown for the embodiment of FIG.  6 . 
     It will be appreciated that the rectangular and square cross-sectional areas of the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8, for example, must be sufficiently small so as to not interfere with the inner faces of radiused portion  16  of box  10  when in use. However, the cross-sectional areas must be sufficiently large so that the desired holding strength is obtained. One may consider the embodiments of FIGS. 6-8 to have removed portion which extend substantially the entire length (i.e., height) of supports  90  and  100 , respectively. It is also contemplated that other right self-polygonal cylinder, right circular cylinders, and the like, along the lines of the embodiments of FIGS. 6-8 may be used. 
     In addition, removed portions may be defined in any of the above supports  40 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 ,  90  and  100  along the lines of removed portion  56  of support  40  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 9 shows another preferred embodiment of a junction box  190  according to the invention. 
     Junction box  190  includes a piece of double-sided tape  94  on top wall  14  thereof. Double-sided tape  194  may be provided with a protective strip or layer  198  on the outer face thereof, i.e., on the face of double-sided tape  194  that has not been adhered to junction box  190 . Conventional double-sided tape  194  may be used. 
     Alternative means for adhering junction box  190  to a surface may be used, such as spray-on adhesive, a piece of putty and other adhering means. Such adhesive may be as described in my earlier U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/490,757, filed Jun. 15, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,512 and Ser. No. 08/371,695, filed Jan. 12, 1995, each of which is incorporated herein by reference, and such adhesive may be utilized in conjunction with or instead of the double-sided tape  194 . 
     One of the many advantages of junction box  190  is that the user may remove protective layer  198 , and then adhere double-sided tape  194  to the surface to which junction box  190  is to be attached. Double-sided tape  194  is selected and sized so that sufficient holding power for temporarily adhering junction box  190  to the surface is achieved, while the user has both hands free for permanently attaching junction box  190  in the desired location by nails (or shooting screws) through one or more holes  36 . 
     Preferably, the adhesive is sufficiently strong to adhere box  190  to a downwardly facing horizontal surface located above the user&#39;s head. 
     The thickness of double-sided tape  194  is coordinated with the thickness (i.e., height) of head  62  of bolt  32  so that each performs its intended function, when junction box  190  is provided with screw  32  of FIG.  3 . 
     In a like manner, the height of the external portion of other supplemental supports will be coordinated with the thickness of adhesive material or double-sided tape  194 . For example, when screw  32  is used with junction box  190 , the thickness of double-sided tape  194  typically will be selected to be at least as high, and preferably in most cases, higher than such height. 
     Alternatively, when attaching box  190  to a stud having a width less than the distance between left and right heads  62 , double-sided tape  194  need not extend away from top wall  14  a distance greater than the height of heads  62 . That is because the stud would fit in between the offset left and right heads  62 . 
     It will be appreciated that a lock washer may be provided between head  64  and top wall  14  to keep screw  32  from loosening. Such has the further advantage of restricting the tendency of fastener head  62  (and the entire fastener  32  and associated support  60 ) to move within a vertical plane, and helps maintain the integrity of the initial connection between fastener  32  and junction box  190 ; e.g., the connection between both top wall  14  and head  62 , and between both top wall  14  and support  60 . 
     Still further, restricting such tendency of fastener  40  to rotate within a vertical plane helps to ensure that supplemental support  60  extends substantially parallel to side wall  18  of junction box  190  before and during use. Needless to say, all those aspects of fine-tuning of the connection between support  60  and the remainder of junction box  190  are geared for achieving predictability of where lower portion  62  of fastener  40  is, regardless whether support  60  is intended to run parallel to side wall  18  or at an angle relative thereto so that threads  52  are in the proper location. 
     Needless to say, the disclosed connections and configurations act to restrict all movements between support  60  and the remainder of box  190 . The above discussion regarding restriction of movement within a “vertical” plane is merely an example. 
     By restricting movement of support  60 , there is achieved the desired predictability of where the lower portion of female thread  52  is located so that the desired spacing between a left hand one of supplemental support  60  and a right hand one of supplemental support  60  is achieved. Typically, the spacing between the commonly provided two (2) female threads  52  (i.e., left and right ones of supports  60 ) as shown in the side views of FIGS. 2,  3  and  9  will be achieved. Known light fixtures, for example, are provided with respective left and right male fasteners, three-one half (3½) inches on center, which will be mated with such left and right female fasteners  52 , during final use of the illustrated junction boxes. 
     All the advantages described regarding the stabilizing of fastener  52  and, hence, supplemental support  40 , relative to the remainder of junction box  190  hold true for all the other preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate yet another preferred embodiment of a junction box  200  according to the invention. 
     Junction box  200  includes two (2) spaced apart supports  40 , of the type as described above. In addition, there are two (2) additional support  210  spaced apart from supports  40 . Supports  210  have fixture fastener receiving threads at lower portions thereof which preferably have a different thread size than the thread size of thread  52  of support  40 . For example, thread  52  of support  40  may be provided with 8-32 threads and the threads of supports  210  may be provided with 10-32 threads. Those two (2) different thread sizes are typical for use in mounting light fixtures and ceiling fans. For most applications, the supports  210  having the same fixture fastener threads will be located on opposite sides of the box, as shown, and support  40  having the same thread sizes will likewise be located on opposite sides of the box. 
     Alternatively, it is contemplated that, depending on the box configuration, and intended use, one support  210  will be located substantially adjacent one support  40  on one side of the box and the other supports, i.e., the other support  210  and support  40  will be located on substantially the other side of the box, so that the typical spacing of the paired mating fastener threads will be achieved. 
     As to supplemental supports, such as the illustrated supports  40 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 ,  90 ,  100  and  210 , it is likewise contemplated that such supplemental supports will have fully round cylindrical shapes, hexagonal-shapes, square shapes, shapes which are tapered at an upper portion thereof. In addition, frustrums of pyramids and the other shapes are contemplated with truncation taken at angles other than the illustrated angles and removed portions, and other than the illustrated substantially right angle between the top face of respective supplemental supports  40 ,  60 ,  70 ,  80 ,  90 ,  100  and  210  that contacts the lower face  22  of upper wall  14  of the various preferred embodiments of the junction box according to the invention. 
     In addition to the screws used in the embodiments described above, it is expected that bolts or locking coupling nuts will be used to attach supplemental supports to the junction box, as well as any other means of fastening supplemental supports to the junction box in a sufficiently secure manner so as to achieve the objects of the invention. 
     It will be appreciated that these are merely examples of solutions to the problems set forth in my accompanying drawings and description, and, taken in its entirety, it will be appreciated that all the above objects of the invention, as well as many others, have been fulfilled. 
     It will likewise be appreciated that all the components described in the foregoing can be made of a variety of materials, such as steel, zinc, nylon, and other plastics, as the producer and user demand. 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modification, uses and/or adaptations following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosures as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

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