Stud-to-stud mounting bracket for electrical or communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11300246-B2
Application number	US-202016927838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2020
Priority date	Jun 6, 2014
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A mounting bracket for a junction box includes a face plate having left and right edge margins and a central opening. The face plate includes a first set of indicia adjacent a top edge of the central opening and a second set of indicia adjacent a bottom edge of the central opening. Each set of indicia includes ruler graduations indicating a distance from the left edge margin of the face plate to the respective ruler graduation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A junction box assembly, the junction box assembly comprising:
a mounting bracket including
a face plate having opposite upper and lower edge margins, opposite left and right edge margins, opposite front and rear faces, and a central opening extending through the opposite front and rear faces,
an upper flange extending rearward from the upper edge margin of the face plate,
a lower flange extending rearward from the lower edge margin of the face plate;

a junction box having a front face defining mounting openings;
mounting screws threadably received in the mounting opening;
an alignment plate having opposite upper and lower edge margins, opposite left and right edge margins, a front face, a rear face, and a central opening, the alignment plate defining fastener openings extending through the front and rear faces, wherein the rear face of the alignment plate opposes and engages the front face of the junction box and the mounting screws are received in the fastener openings of the alignment plate, wherein the front face of the alignment plate opposes and engages the rear face of the face plate of the mounting bracket, the alignment plate being disposed between the upper and lower flanges of the mounting bracket to center and align the junction box on the mounting bracket at the rear face of the face plate; and
a box cover plate having opposite front and rear faces and defining fastener openings extending through the front and rear faces thereof, wherein the rear face of the box cover plate opposes and engages the front face of the face plate of the mounting bracket and the mounting screws are received in the fastener openings of the box cover plate,
whereby the face plate of the mounting bracket is sandwiched between the front face of the alignment plate and the rear face of the box cover plate to thereby secure the junction box to the mounting bracket.

2. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the alignment plate has generally rectangular shape.

3. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the alignment plate includes an upper flange extending rearward from the upper edge margin, and a lower flange extending rearward from the lower edge margin.

4. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 3 , wherein the upper flange of the alignment plate is configured to engage the upper flange of the mounting bracket and the lower flange of the alignment plate is configured to engage the lower flange of the mounting bracket when the alignment plate is inserted between the upper and lower flanges of the mounting.

5. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the alignment plate is a unitary, one-piece construction.

6. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the fastener openings include a set of fastener openings configured to attach the alignment plate to a 4 in×4 in (10.16 cm×10.16 cm) junction box.

7. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the fastener openings include a set of fastener openings configured to attach the alignment plate to a 4 11/16 in×4 11/16 in (11.91 cm×11.91 cm) junction box.

8. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 7 , wherein the fastener openings include a set of fastener openings configured to attach the alignment plate to a 4 in×4 in (10.16 cm×10.16 cm) junction box.

9. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket further includes
a left stud mounting flange extending outward from the left edge margin of the face plate, the left stud mounting flange configured to be attached to a left stud, and
a right stud mounting flange extending outward from the right edge margin of the face plate, the right stud mounting flange configured to be attached to a right stud.

10. The junction box assembly set forth in claim 9 , wherein the left stud mounting flange defines an opening configured to receive a fastener to attach the left stud mounting flange to a left stud, wherein the right stud mounting flange extending outward from the right edge margin of the face plate, the right stud mounting flange defining an opening configured to receive a fastener to attach the right stud mounting flange to a right stud.

11. A method of assembling a mounting bracket assembly for a junction box comprising:
inserting an alignment plate between the upper and lower flanges of the mounting bracket at a rear face of the mounting bracket, wherein the alignment plate defines a fastener opening;
placing a front face of a junction box on a rear face of the alignment plate such that a mounting opening of the junction box is aligned with the fastener opening of the alignment plate;
inserting at least one mounting fastener through the aligned fastener and mounting openings;
placing a rear face of a box plate on a front face of the mounting bracket such that the rear face of the box plate and the front face of the mounting bracket generally oppose one another; and
inserting the at least one mounting fastener through an opening in the box plate.

12. The method of assembly assembling a mounting bracket assembly for a junction box set forth in claim 11 , wherein said inserting the at least one mounting fastener through the opening in the box plate is performed after said inserting at least one mounting fastener through the aligned fastener and mounting openings.

13. The method of assembly assembling a mounting bracket assembly for a junction box set forth in claim 11 , wherein said inserting the at least one mounting fastener through the opening in the box plate is performed before said inserting at least one mounting fastener through the aligned fastener and mounting openings.

14. The method of assembling a mounting bracket assembly for a junction box set forth in claim 11 , further comprising: attaching a left stud mounting flange of the mounting bracket to a left stud; and attaching a right stud mounting flange of the mounting bracket to a right stud.

15. The method of assembling a mounting bracket assembly for a junction box set forth in claim 14 , wherein said attaching a left stud mounting flange of the mounting bracket to a left stud, and said attaching a right stud mounting flange of the mounting bracket to a right stud are performed after i) said inserting at least one mounting fastener through the aligned fastener and mounting openings; ii) said abutting a rear face of a box plate against a front face of the mounting bracket; and iii) said inserting the at least one mounting fastener through an opening in the box plate.

16. The method of assembling a mounting bracket assembly for a junction box set forth in claim 14 , wherein said attaching a left stud mounting flange of the mounting bracket to a left stud, and said attaching a right stud mounting flange of the mounting bracket to a right stud are performed before i) said inserting at least one mounting fastener through the aligned fastener and mounting openings; ii) said abutting a rear face of a box plate against a front face of the mounting bracket; and iii) said inserting the at least one mounting fastener through an opening in the box plate.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Witherbee Martin Lee

Classifications

• H02G3/125

  with supporting bar extending between two separate studs of a wall frame · CPC title

• F16M13/02 Primary

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title