Adjustable electrical apparatus with hangar bars for installation in a building

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11255497-B2
Application number	US-202117234421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2021
Priority date	Jul 5, 2013
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

A junction box having a cavity to contain electrical wires that provide a connection to a building mains voltage from an electrical system of a building is coupled to a plurality of telescoping hanger bars to hold the junction box in a wall or ceiling in the building. Each telescoping hanger bar is extendible and/or retractable to vary a length of the hanger bar. A position of the junction box is adjustable along the length of each telescoping hanger bar. In one example, the apparatus does not include a can, separate from the junction box, to contain a lighting device of a recessed lighting assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a junction box having a sidewall and a cavity surrounded by the sidewall to contain electrical wires that provide a connection to a building mains voltage from an electrical system of a building; and
a plurality of telescoping hanger bars coupled to the sidewall of the junction box to hold the junction box in a wall or ceiling in the building, each telescoping hanger bar of the plurality of telescoping hanger bars being extendible and/or retractable to vary a length of each telescoping hanger bar,
wherein:
a position of the junction box is adjustable along the length of each telescoping hanger bar; and
the apparatus does not include a can, separate from the junction box, to contain a lighting device of a recessed lighting assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the junction box includes a top side coupled to the sidewall;
the sidewall defines an aperture to the cavity opposite the top side of the junction box; and
a shape of the junction box is at least one of a polyhedron, an ellipsoid, a cone, and a cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the junction box includes one or more mounting tabs to extending inward toward the cavity proximate to the aperture.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the junction box is formed of at least one of:
at least one metal;
at least one polymer;
at least one metal alloy; and
at least one other heat insulating material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an exterior shape of the junction box includes at least eight sides.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the junction box includes at least one knockout to allow passage of the electrical wires from the electrical system of the building into the cavity of the junction box.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hanger bars is coupled to the junction box such that the junction box also is movable along an axis that is not parallel to the length of the plurality of hanger bars.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of hanger holders respectively disposed on opposite sides of the sidewall of the junction box, each hanger holder of the plurality of hanger holders comprising:
a railing structure to hold one telescoping hanger bar of the plurality of telescoping hanger bars and allow the hanger holder to slide with respect to the length of the one telescoping hanger bar; and
an attachment mechanism to couple the hanger holder to the junction box and allow the junction box to be removably coupled to the one telescoping hanger bar.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein for each hanger holder, the attachment mechanism is coupled to the junction box such that the junction box is movable along an axis that is not parallel to the length of each hanger bar.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , in combination with a lighting system disposed in the cavity of the junction box, wherein the lighting system comprises:
a casting containing a light source module; and
a driver including electronic circuitry to provide power to the light source module, the driver being electrically coupled within the cavity of the junction box to the electrical wires from the electrical system of the building.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a junction box having a sidewall and a cavity surrounded by the sidewall to contain electrical wires that provide a connection to a building mains voltage from an electrical system of a building for connecting to the lighting system, wherein:
the junction box is formed of at least one of:
at least one metal;
at least one polymer; and
at least one metal alloy; and

the junction box includes at least one knockout to allow passage of the electrical wires from the electrical system of the building into the cavity of the junction box;

a plurality of telescoping hanger bars coupled to the sidewall of the junction box to hold the junction box in a wall or a ceiling in the building, each telescoping hanger bar of the plurality of telescoping hanger bars comprising a pair of mounting blocks to mechanically couple the telescoping hanger bar to the building, each telescoping hanger bar being extendible and/or retractable to vary a length of each telescoping hanger bar; and
a plurality of hanger holders respectively coupled to opposite sides of the sidewall of the junction box, each hanger holder of the plurality of hanger holders comprising:
an attachment mechanism to couple the hanger holder to the sidewall of the junction box such that the hanger holder is in direct contact with the junction box; and
a railing structure to hold one telescoping hanger bar of the plurality of telescoping hanger bars and allow the hanger holder to slide with respect to the length of the one telescoping hanger bar, wherein a position of the junction box is adjustable along at least a portion of the length of the one telescoping hanger bar.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each mounting block of the pair of mounting blocks includes one or more holes and/or other mechanisms of attachment to facilitate installation of the apparatus in wood joist constructions, metal stud constructions, and t-bar ceiling constructions of the building.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein for each hanger holder, the attachment mechanism is coupled to the junction box such that the junction box is movable along an axis that is not parallel to the length of each hanger bar.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
the junction box includes a plurality of mounting tabs to align with one or more corresponding elements of a lighting system; and
the one or more mounting tabs of the junction box include holes for receiving screws or bolts to couple the lighting system to the junction box.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , in combination with the lighting system disposed in the cavity of the junction box and the electrical wires from the electrical system of the building, wherein the lighting system comprises:
a casting containing a light source module, the casting having the corresponding elements that align with the holes in the plurality of mounting tabs of the junction box; and
a driver including electronic circuitry to provide power to the light source module, the driver being electrically coupled within the cavity of the junction box to the electrical wires from the electrical system of the building.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the electrical wires receive a voltage of at least 120 VAC from the electrical system of the building; and
the driver is electrically coupled within the cavity of the junction box to the electrical wires from the electrical system of the building via at least one of electrical caps and interlocking connectors.

17. An apparatus, comprising:
a junction box having a sidewall that joins a top end, defines a bottom opening, and surrounds a cavity, wherein:
the junction box includes one or more mounting tabs positioned proximate to the bottom opening of the junction box to align with one or more corresponding elements of a light source module;
the shape of the junction box is at least one of a polyhedron, an ellipsoid, a cone, or a cylinder; and
the sidewall of the junction box includes at least one knockout;

a plurality of hanger bar holders disposed on the sidewall of the junction box, each one of the plurality of hanger bar holders being moveably coupled to the sidewall of the junction box through a first attachment mechanism formed on each one of the plurality of hanger bar holders;
a plurality of hanger bars to hold the junction box in a gap be

Assignees

• Dmf Inc

Inventors

• Danesh Michael D

Classifications

• F21S8/02 Primary

  of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters (specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00) · CPC title

• F21Y2115/15

  Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title

• F21V17/12

  by screwing · CPC title

• F21V23/003

  the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array · CPC title

• F21V21/14

  Adjustable mountings · CPC title