Electricity: conductors and insulators – Overhead – Towers – poles or posts
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-18
2001-03-27
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Overhead
Towers, poles or posts
C052S220800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06207894
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a fixture mounting assembly and a junction box for installation in a wall, floor, or ceiling. In particular, the invention is directed to an electrical box particularly suited for use in concrete and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Junction boxes have long been used for making electrical connections in walls and ceilings. There have even been prior designs for placing an electrical outlet box in concrete, for example.
Conventional junction boxes, however, are typically unsuitable for carrying loads, for being cast directly in concrete, are costly to fabricate, and often have structural features which reduce the effectiveness and ease of use thereof.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,399 to Slater et al. discloses an electrical outlet box having a seal for preventing concrete from entering the Slater box, yet the Slater outlet box is useable essentially only as a junction box, and is not designed for carrying heavy, vibrating loads, such as a ceiling fan.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,603 to Caison et al. is of interest for its disclosure of an electrical junction box for support of a hanging appliance. The Caison et al. device discloses the use of square neck carriage bolts nonrotatably press fitted in the structure for carrying loads. However, loads are carried by the Caison et al. box itself, which hinders the ability of that box to carry relatively large and/or dynamic loads.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,824,708 to Davis et al. illustrates an electrical fixture and fan support which includes a bracket having a depression extending into the interior of the Davis et al. outlet box. The bracket is connected to the Davis et al. box as well as to an exterior header plate by stove bolts. Davis et al. states that a hanger bolt will be secured to the electrical fixture prior to its installation and then the worker will hoist it into position and slide the head of the hanger bolt into a head entrance and drop the hanger bolt down until it rests in a recess of the bracket. Although Davis et al. envisioned providing an extra pair of arms (Davis et al.
FIG. 6
) for carrying the added weight of a ceiling fan, the weight of a fixture, such a ceiling fan, will be transmitted through the single Davis et al. hanger bolt, and then through a number of screws. The reliability of the Davis et al. device is thus dependent on the individual and collective resistance to failure of a plurality of fasteners.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,147 to Reiker is one of my earlier patents for a ceiling fan mounting assembly which works well and meets its intended purpose of resisting high loads and high torques. However, there is still a need for a junction box which is particularly suited for use in materials such as concrete.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical junction box which overcomes the drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art devices.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical junction box which is particularly suited for use in walls, floors, and ceilings made of materials such as concrete.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a junction box which can be inexpensively manufactured.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a junction box which is engineered so that large static and dynamic loads are transferred directly to the medium in which the junction box is installed, as opposed to the junction box itself.
A further object of the invention is to provide a junction box which has multiple spaces therein for accommodating different types of wires and cables concurrently.
A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical junction box which is more resistant to oxidation and rusting than earlier devices.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a junction box which causes the strength of the substrate in which it is installed (such as a floor, wall, or ceiling) to be utilized for carrying the load of a fixture attached to the junction box.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide a junction box which is easier and faster to install and use than conventional boxes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a junction box providing an attachment site to which fixtures can be more readily attached than with conventional boxes.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an electrical fixture mounting assembly having a junction box which prevents the introduction of concrete or water into the junction box cavity during installation thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a junction box in which additional space for communication lines is provided.
A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical fixture mounting assembly which carries the load of a fixture, and is retained in concrete without exerting forces applied by the fixture on an associated junction box.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket for retrofitting a conventional concrete junction box for eliminating the problem of forces applied by an associated mounted fixture being transferred to the junction box.
It is another object of the invention to take advantage of the properties of plastic and metal by having a substantially nonmetallic junction box, such as a plastic junction box, which may include fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) along with metal fastener attachment sites, such “marriage” of plastic and metal yielding a light-weight junction box which has increased carrying capacity, while being environmentally friendly owing to its reduced energy consumption during fabrication and during shipment from the producer to the end user.
Another object of the invention is to provide a plastic junction box which eliminates the need for zinc coating of conventional metallic junction boxes.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an electrical junction box which has a larger usable internal cavity than conventional junction boxes, even when the external volume required for the inventive junction box is the same as conventional junction boxes.
In summary, therefore, the invention is directed to an electrical fixture mounting assembly which is strong, easily and speedily used, and which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art devices.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention a bracket extends outwardly of a junction box, and is configured for engaging concrete and transferring forces thereto. The bracket is configured for transferring forces from a mounted fixture substantially directly to the concrete in which it is installed.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrical fixture mounting assembly includes a junction box having a junction box cavity defined therein, and a mounting bracket disposed on the junction box. There is a fastener attachment site on the mounting bracket along with a fastener disposed thereon. The fastener is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. The fastener is sufficiently long so that it extends outwardly of the junction box cavity when the fastener is in its extended position, and the fastener is contained substantially within the junction box cavity when the fastener is in its retracted position.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrical fixture mounting assembly includes a junction box having a junction box cavity defined therein, and a mounting bracket disposed on the junction box. There is a fastener attachment site on the mounting bracket along with a fastener disposed thereon. The fastener and the fastener attachment site are disposed so that a plastic coating on a plastic-coated wire is not abraded thereby in use.
In a preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention it is provided that when installing an electrical fixture mounting assembly in concrete, said method includes providing a junction box having a top, a bottom, a sidewall extending therebetween, and a junction box cavity therein. There is a further step of providing a mounting bracket having a fastener attachment site thereo
Reichard Dean A.
Reiker Enterprises of Northwest Florida Inc.
Shlesinger & Arkwright & Garvey LLP
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