Mounting brace assembly for mounting an electrical box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9899817-B2
Application number	US-201715488617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2017
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A brace assembly is provided having a brace for mounting to a support and a hanger member. The hanger member is coupled to the brace by a bar positioned in a longitudinal slot in the bottom side of the brace. The bar enables the hanger member to slide along the length of the brace. The hanger member has a bottom wall and side walls with a top end for coupling to a support. A mounting bracket is removably coupled to the hanger member for supporting the brace.

First claim

We claim:

1. A brace for supporting an electrical box, the electrical box including an aperture for receiving a mounting fastener, the brace comprising:
an elongated body portion including a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, the body portion including a pair of parallel sides spaced apart from one another, the parallel sides spaced apart from one another by a body width;
a channel extending between the first end and the second end, the channel including a pair of walls spaced apart from one another by a channel width greater than the body width, the channel including a pair of lower return portions positioned adjacent a lower end of the pair of walls; and a slot positioned between the lower return portions and in communication with the channel.

2. The brace of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of prongs protruding from at least one of the first end and the second end, the prongs configured to engage an end bracket.

3. The brace of claim 1 , wherein the channel is configured to slidably receive a bar having a threaded hole for receiving a fastener, wherein the bar and the fastener can be positioned at any point along the channel and slot, respectively.

4. The brace of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sides of the body includes a plurality of marking for indicating a distance from one of the first end and the second end.

5. The brace of claim 1 , wherein an aperture extending transversely through the sides of the body and is configured to receive a nut having an opening aligned with a cavity extending through the body from the first end to the second end.

6. A brace assembly supporting an electrical box, the electrical box including an aperture for receiving a mounting fastener, the brace comprising:
a brace member including a first end and a second end, the brace member including a channel and a slot formed on a lower surface of the brace member, the slot in communication with the channel;
a bar slidably received within the channel, the bar including at least one hole for receiving a fastener, each hole aligned with the slot, each fastener configured to secure the electrical box to the bar; and
at least one spacer slidably positioned between the electrical box and the bar.

7. The brace assembly of claim 6 , wherein the spacer is formed from plastic.

8. The brace assembly of claim 6 , wherein the spacer includes an open slot for each of the at least one hole formed in the bar, each open slot formed along a longitudinal side of the spacer and configured to receive a fastener coupled to the bar.

9. The brace assembly of claim 6 , wherein the at least one spacer includes a plurality of spacers, each of the spacers stacked on top of one another.

10. The brace assembly of claim 6 , wherein, as the fastener is tightened, the at least one spacer is clamped between the electrical box and the bar.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Korcz Krzysztof W
• Ayrton Mahran H

Classifications

• H02G3/08

  Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes · CPC title

• H02G3/10

  for surface mounting on a wall · CPC title

• H02G3/125 Primary

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

• H02G3/081

  Bases, casings or covers · CPC title

• E04B9/006

  with means for hanging lighting fixtures or other appliances to the framework of the ceiling · CPC title