Snap-in gangable electrical box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9553433-B2
Application number	US-201514676951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A gangable electrical box includes a U-shaped box member having a generally rectangular back wall including opposed back wall ends. An end wall extends from each of the back wall ends. Each of the end walls has opposed longitudinal edges. The gangable box further includes a pair of generally rectangular side walls where each side wall has opposed side wall ends. The side wall ends are attachable to the U-shaped box member to define an open ended box interior. The longitudinal edges of the end walls and the opposite ends of the side walls include interfitting snap fit connection for toolless attachment of the side walls to the box member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gangable electrical box comprising:
a U-shaped box member having a generally rectangular back wall including opposed back wall ends and end walls extending from said each of said back wall ends, each of said end walls having opposed longitudinal edges;
a pair of generally rectangular side walls, each side wall having opposed side wall ends, said side walls being attachable to said U-shaped box member to define an open ended box interior;
said longitudinal edges of said end walls and said opposed side wall ends of said side walls including an interfitting snap connector for toolless attachment of said side walls to said box member;
wherein interfitting snap components include a plurality of flanges extending along the longitudinal edges of said end wall and said opposed side wall ends; said flanges are arranged in alternately spaced apart parallel planes; said flanges of said end wall are engageable with the flanges of said opposed side wall ends, said flanges of one of said end walls and said opposed side wall ends interdigitate; and said flanges include identically formed dimples each dimple defining both a recess and an opposed protrusion, the recesses and protrusions of the dimples on the interfitting snap connector provide said snap fit.

2. A gangable electrical box of claim 1 wherein said attachment of said side walls to said box member is removable.

3. A gangable electrical box of claim 1 wherein said dimples are generally round.

4. A gangable electrical box of claim 1 wherein said flange including locking elements defining a locking projection and an opposed locking receptacle, the projection and receptacle of the interdigitating flanges form a one-way locking snap fit.

5. A gangable electrical box of claim 1 wherein said U-shaped box member is attached to an identically formed additional U-shaped box member.

6. A gangable electrical box of claim 1 wherein said dimples are generally semi-circular.

Assignees

• Thomas & Betts Int Llc

Inventors

• Lalancette Daniel

Classifications

• H02G3/08

  Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes · CPC title

• H02G3/086 Primary

  Assembled boxes · CPC title