Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Supporting means comprising face plate or closure member for...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-12
2004-01-20
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Supporting means comprising face plate or closure member for...
C174S066000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06679725
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fixture anchoring and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for facilitating connection box assembly.
2. The Background Art
Manually installing screws or other fasteners is often time consuming. Additionally, in certain installations, the installer must employ his or her hands to hold several components as well as rotate a tool transferring rotation to a screw or other type of fastener. Maintaining all of the components in proper alignment is often difficult and requires skill. In any case, the complexity slows the installation process.
Power tools may simplify the installation process by providing the motion (e.g. rotation) necessary to advance or install a fastener. The power tool must, however, be held and positioned in a manner similar to a manual tool. Thus, the use of power tools may not significantly lessen the demands on the installer.
An electrical connection box assembly is one example of a time consuming fastener installation. Once an electrical fixture has been wired, the fixture is typically secured inside a connection box. Securement of the electrical fixture to the connection box often involves the installation of multiple screws. These screws are generally over an inch long and are relatively finely threaded. The length of the screws may be selected to accommodate various connection box placements and wall paneling thicknesses. To complete a conventional electrical connection box assembly, a face plate is secured to the fixture by another screw. Similar problems may be encountered in the installation of connections boxes used for a wide variety of devices and systems, including without limitation telephone, stereo, computer network, information systems, cable television system, and security systems fixtures.
The installation of the connection box screws requires an installer concurrently to hold a fixture, maintain screw alignment, and provide rotation to the screw. Often it is difficult to initiate engagement between the screw and the receiving hole. Such difficulty typically arises because the receiving hole may be obscured by the wall paneling or recessed into the wall. Once the screw is in engagement with the receiving hole, the time consuming and often laborious task of advancing the finely threaded screw remains.
Face plate screws and other securement devices may be unsightly as well as time consuming and laborious to install. Screws used to secure face plates to connection boxes and fixtures are typically painted and are, therefore, exposed to chipping, tarnishing, wear, and oxidation. In certain applications, it may be desirable to use a snap-on face plate to provide fast securement without the use of screws to provide securement.
Fixture installation may consume a large portion of an electrician's time budget for any given project. If the amount of time needed to install electrical fixtures were reduced, both the installer and the financier (e.g. home owner, developer, or the like) may realize large economic rewards.
Attempts have been made to provide quick assembling connection boxes and fixture assemblies. Quick assembling devices typically involve at least some rotation of the fixture screws and, therefore, require the use of tools for installation. Often these devices are limited in how well they are able to engage the threads of the fixture screws. Thus, such devices may not provide a reliable and solid securement between the fixture and connection box.
Typical screwless face plates require additional components to enable securement to the electrical fixture. These additional components increase manufacturing cost as well as installation time.
What is needed is an anchor that provides a strong and reliable securement between a fixture and associated connection box. Such an anchor would also provide for quick and simple installation thereof. Additionally, a screwless face plate that requires no additional components to accomplish a reliable securement would be an advancement in the art. Such a connection box assembly would greatly reduce the time, skill level, and effort required to assemble and complete connection box installation (e.g. electrical fixture installation or the like).
BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method requiring minimal time, effort, and skill to install.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a connection box apparatus and method that may be installed without screw rotation.
Consistent with the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a method and apparatus are disclosed. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention may provide an apparatus for securing a fixture to a connection box. In a factory manufacturing process an anchor may be secured to a fixture. In one embodiment, the anchor is secured to the fixture by a releasable fastener. The anchor may have an engagement mechanism formed therewith.
A connection box may be provided to house lines or wires originiating from a signal source to terminate therein. The lines may provide a connection for the fixture. A receiver may be associated with the connection box. The receiver may have an engagement mechanism formed to receive and retain the engagement mechanism of the anchor. Thus, the anchor and receiver may be intermediaries in the securement of the fixture to the connection box.
In certain applications, screws and other securement devices may be unsightly. In these applications it may be desirable to provide a snap-on face plate to provide fast securement without the use of screws. Face plates are often secured to fixtures to cover and hide the wiring and access holes therebehind. Face plates in accordance with the present invention may have engagement prongs. These prongs may be inserted through apertures in a corresponding fixture to maintain the face plate aligned securely thereagainst.
In selected embodiments in accordance with the present invention, an installer may first connect a fixture to the lines or wires housed in a connection box. A face plate may be installed by simply pressing the engagement prongs through the appropriate apertures in the fixture. Once a fixture has been connected to the lines and a face plate applied, the fixture may be secured to the connection box by inserting one or more of the attached anchors into corresponding receivers associated with the connection box. The anchors may be inserted a selected distance into the receivers until the face plate is properly positioned. Insertion of an anchor into a receiver may be accomplished without the aid of tools.
The method of engagement between the engagement mechanism of the receiver and that of the anchor may be selected to provide a fast, clean securement. In selected embodiments, the engagement mechanism of the receiver may be a barb configured to engage a series of teeth provided as part of the engagement mechanism of the anchor. In other embodiments, the engagement mechanism of the anchor may be a barb configured to engage a series of teeth provided as part of the engagement mechanism of the receiver. The engagement between the anchor and receiver may provide a single or multiple locking positions.
By applying embodiments in accordance with the present invention, a fixture may be secured to a connection box in a comparatively short amount of time. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention may be particularly advantageous when it is desirable to preserve the ability to remove the fixture from the connection box. For example, an electrician or computer network technician may need to remove a fixture to gain access to the lines or wiring tucked therebehind. In such a situation, the face plate may be “popped” off and the fasteners holding the fixture to the anchors may be released, thus freeing the fixture. Each anchor may maintain engagement with its corresponding receiver. After the revisions are complete the fixture
Abrams Neil
Dinh Phuong K T
Pate & Pierce & Baird
Quixemble, Inc.
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