Mounting bracket for electrical boxes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11349289-B2
Application number	US-202017022302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2020
Priority date	Sep 19, 2019
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

A bracket system for mounting an electrical box and other components can include a mounting bracket configured to be removably secured to a support bar or a threaded rod. The mounting bracket can include a plurality of spring arms that can be manually moved towards each other to insert locking profiles of the spring arms into one or more mounting openings of the electrical box. Once the locking profiles are inserted, the spring arms can be released so that they spring resiliently apart from each other and secure the locking profiles against removal from mounting openings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mounting bracket to secure an electrical box to a support bar or a threaded rod, the electrical box including a back wall with first and second mounting openings, the mounting bracket including:
a body;
a first spring arm and a second spring arm that extend integrally from the body, each of the first and second spring arms extending to a free end, the free ends of the first and second spring arms being spaced apart from each other by a first resting distance in a rest orientation and being sized to collectively extend into the first mounting opening of the electrical box, the first resting distance being larger than a width of the first mounting opening; and
a third spring arm and a fourth spring arm that extend integrally from the body opposite the first and second spring arms, each of the third and fourth spring arms extending to a free end, the free ends of the third and fourth spring arms being spaced apart from each other by a second resting distance in a rest orientation and being sized to collectively extend into the second mounting opening of the electrical box, the second resting distance being larger than a width of the second mounting opening;
the first and second spring arms and the third and fourth spring arms, respectively, being collectively and resiliently moveable relative to the body from the respective rest orientations to respective installation orientations and respective installed orientations;
the free ends of the first and second spring arms being spaced apart from each other by a first installation distance in the installation orientation, and the free ends of the third and fourth spring arms being spaced apart from each other by a second installation distance in the installation orientation, the first and second installation distances being smaller, respectively, than the first and second resting distances and smaller, respectively, than the widths of the first and second mounting openings; and
the free ends of the first and second spring arms being spaced apart from each other by a first installed distance in the installed orientation, and the free ends of the third and fourth spring arms being spaced apart from each other by a second installed distance in the installed orientation, the first and second installed distances being larger, respectively, than the first and second installation distances and smaller, respectively, than the first and second resting distances.

2. The mounting bracket of claim 1 further comprising a first support leg that extends integrally from the body, the first support leg angling obliquely relative to the body at a first angle in a rest configuration;
wherein the free ends of the first, second, third and fourth spring arms define an insertion direction relative to the first and second mounting openings; and
wherein the first support leg is configured to resiliently flex between the rest configuration and an installed configuration, via contact with the support bar, to urge the mounting bracket in a direction opposite the insertion direction.

3. The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to:
resiliently flex along an axis that extends between the first and second spring arms as the first and second spring arms are moved from the rest orientation to the installation orientation;
resiliently flex along an axis that extends between the third and fourth spring arms as the third and fourth spring arms are moved from the rest orientation to the installed orientation;
resiliently urge the first and second spring arms apart when the first and second spring arms are in the installation and installed orientations; and
resiliently urge the third and fourth spring arms apart when the third and fourth spring arms are in the installation and installed orientations.

4. The mounting bracket of claim 1 , with the support bar including an elongate channel that includes a base and two legs, at least one leg of the elongate channel including an elongate groove,
wherein a protrusion is included on at least one of the first spring arm, the second spring arm, the third spring arm, the fourth spring arm, or a support leg that is configured to extend into the elongate channel of the support bar, the protrusion being configured to engage the elongate channel when the mounting bracket is installed on the support bar, to secure the mounting bracket to the support bar and guide sliding adjustment of the mounting bracket along the support bar.

5. The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein each of the free ends of at least two of the first, second, third, and fourth spring arm has a rounded profile.

6. The mounting bracket of claim 5 , wherein at least one of:
the rounded profiles of the free ends of the first and second spring arms are configured to partly nest with each other when the first and second spring arms are in the installation orientation, or
the rounded profiles of the free ends of the third and fourth spring arms are configured to partly nest within each other when the third and fourth spring arms are in the installation orientation.

7. The mounting bracket of claim 6 , wherein at least one of:
the rounded profiles of the free ends of the first and second spring arms exhibit opposing curvature relative to each other, or
the rounded profiles of the free ends of the third and fourth spring arms exhibit opposing curvature relative to each other.

8. The mounting bracket of claim 1 , wherein each of the free ends of the first, second, third, and fourth spring arms supports an engagement tab configured for manual engagement to flex the spring arms between the rest and installation orientations.

9. A bracket system for securing an electrical box to a ceiling structure, the electrical box including a back wall with a first mounting opening, the bracket system comprising:
an integrally formed mounting bracket that includes:
a body; and
a first spring arm and a second spring arm, each extending from the body and including a locking profile and an engagement feature;

the first and second spring arms being configured to:
be moved towards each other by simultaneous manual engagement of the engagement features, to align the locking profiles for insertion from a back side of the back wall of the electrical box into the first mounting opening of the electrical box; and
spring resiliently apart from each other, upon release of the engagement features with the locking profiles inserted into the first mounting opening, to secure the locking profiles against removal from the first mounting opening.

10. The bracket system of claim 9 further comprising:
a support bar with an elongate channel that includes a base and two legs and defines an elongate direction;
wherein the mounting bracket is removably securable to the support bar and further comprises at least one support leg that extends from the body and is configured to resiliently bear against one or more inner surfaces of the elongate channel of the support bar, when the locking profiles are secured against removal from the first mounting opening of the electrical box, to urge the back wall of the electrical box, via the first and second spring arms, towards the support bar.

11. The bracket system of claim 10 , wherein the mounting bracket is symmetric about an axis that extends perpendicularly with the elongate direction of the elongate channel of the support bar and includes two support legs, each configured to resiliently bear against the one or more inner surfaces of the elongate channel of the support bar, when the locking profiles are secured against removal from the first mounting opening of the electrical box, to urge the back wall of the box to

Assignees

• Erico Int Corp

Inventors

• Anderson Scott Ernest

Classifications

• H02B1/34

  Racks · CPC title

• H02G3/0437

  Channels · CPC title

• H02G3/105 Primary

  in association with a plinth, channel, raceway or similar · CPC title

• F21V21/048

  Mounting arrangements for fastening lighting devices to false ceiling frameworks · CPC title

• H02G3/20 Primary

  Ceiling roses {or other lighting sets} · CPC title