Junction box assembly having an ancillary box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12107404-B2
Application number	US-202217807766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2022
Priority date	Jun 20, 2022
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

An ancillary box is configured to be mounted to a junction box assembly. The ancillary box is configured to provide housing for an electrical component (e.g., switch assembly). The ancillary box includes a first housing having a first top wall, a first back wall, a pair of first side walls, and a first bottom wall. The first top wall, the first back wall, the pair of first side walls, and the first bottom wall are connected to each other to define an open front. The ancillary box further includes an engagement feature that is disposed on a top surface of the first top wall and centered between the pair of first side walls.

First claim

We claim:

1. A junction box assembly comprising:
a second housing having a second top wall, a second back wall, a pair of second side walls, a second bottom wall and a second front wall coupled together to define a compartment space;
wherein one of the second top wall, the second back wall, the pair of second side walls, the second bottom wall and the second front wall includes a center slot and a pair of side slots space apart from each other, the center slot is disposed between the pair of side slots; and
an ancillary box including:
a first housing having a first top wall, a first back wall, a pair of first side walls and a first bottom wall, the first top wall, the first back wall, the pair of first side walls and the first bottom wall connected to each other to define an open front;
an engagement feature disposed on a top surface of the first top wall and centered between the pair of first side walls, the engagement feature configured to engage the center slot so as to secure the ancillary box to the second housing; and
wherein the ancillary box includes a pair of rails spaced apart from each other, wherein one of the pair of rails is disposed on one of the pair of first side walls and the other of the pair of rails is disposed on the other of the pair of side walls, the pair of rails configured to engage the pair of side slots.

2. The junction box assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a top surface of each of the pair of rails is coplanar with the top surface of the first wall.

3. The junction box assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein each of the pair of rails includes a shoulder portion disposed on a corresponding one of the first pair of side walls, the shoulder portions being integrally formed to the corresponding one of the pair of rails and extending towards the first bottom wall.

4. The junction box assembly as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the engagement feature includes a proximal end opposite of a distal end, the proximal end coplanar with the open front of the first housing.

5. The junction box assembly as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the engagement feature includes a neck member and a lip member, the neck member orthogonal to the first top wall, the lip member orthogonal to the neck member so as to be parallel to the first top wall, the neck member and the lip member configured to be disposed within the center slot.

6. The junction box assembly as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the ancillary box further includes a pair of attachment features disposed on the pair of first side walls, the pair of attachment features disposed beneath the pair of rails.

7. The junction box assembly as set forth in claim 6 , wherein second bottom wall is removably attached to the second top wall, the second back wall, and the pair of first side walls so as to define a lower cover, the center slot and the pair of side slots are disposed on the lower cover.

8. The junction box assembly as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the second bottom wall includes a pair of holes, the center slot and the pair of side slots are interposed between the pair of holes.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Wiring Systems

Inventors

• Hicks Cody
• Carnick Brian

Classifications

• H02G3/081

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title

• H02G3/086 Primary

  Assembled boxes · CPC title

• B60R16/0238 Primary

  Electrical distribution centers · CPC title