FR2787250A1 - Universal electrical junction box for molded surface wiring conduits - Google Patents

Abstract

The square shaped box has a cover with corner pillars (10,11), a central fixing spindle (5) with hole and at least two lateral faces closed by a removable wall (12) having a cutout (21) for terminating the end of a molded conduit (16), see Fig.8. Each cutout (21) has an edge matching the external shape of the conduit (16), see Fig. 8. The cutout is at one end of the removable wall so that when the wall is fitted into the junction box cover one edge (23) of the cutout is flush with the wall or ceiling on which the box may be fitted. The rear face is a fixed wall (9) which has transversal chamfered edge

Description

The present invention relates to a universal junction box for

  moldings or chutes or other electrical distribution channels whose lateral edge is parallel to and rests on the ceiling or wall. The electrical distribution trunks or moldings protect and hide the cables or the electrical connection wires according to the diagram of the electrical distribution envisaged in the premises thus connected. These troughs or moldings converge towards junction boxes whether they are connections

  main or secondary links.

  In the context of renovation, for example, these boxes are often placed in a high position, for example in the corner of the ceiling with the walls or simply against the ceiling to receive the end of a molding or a trough on each of their

visible sides.

  To make a junction with a minimum of tightness, the wall of each of the faces of these parallelepiped-shaped housings receiving the end of a molding or a trough must have an opening adapted to the dimensions and to the external shapes of cross section. of these bodies

linear.

  For technical reasons of solidity of the body of traditional boxes, the passage opening through the lateral faces cannot be made or extended on each of the rear edges of the box. Thus, the position of the molding or trough can only reveal a play by

compared to the adjacent wall.

  This game is unsightly and constitutes a

  unnecessary volume in which the dust collects.

  Furthermore, the dimensions and the shapes of these moldings or troughs can be multiple and there cannot in practice be as many housings.

  different than types of moldings or trunking.

  This difficulty increases in the case of moldings or trunks of straight section shape with tracing

superior of curvilinear form.

  In addition, the junction boxes placed on the wall in a corner of the ceiling or in any place on the upper part of the wall near the ceiling require to obtain a clearance-free plating of the longitudinal edge of the molding or the trunking at least an offset at the entrance of this molding or trunking towards the wall or ceiling wall. Due to the construction of conventional boxes, this characteristic cannot be obtained except by cutting or cutting the box to make the notches

and necessary accommodation.

  The purpose of the universal junction box for trunking or moldings according to the invention is to remedy these various drawbacks and to provide a backlash without play of the edge or of the longitudinal edge of the molding or trough against the adjacent wall of

wall or ceiling.

  This universal box of generally parallelepipedal shape is remarkable in that the rear edges of the box are free for example by reduction of the longitudinal ends of the rear wall and in that at least two, but preferably three, of its successive side walls are produced in the form of removable obturator planes having an opening of shape and dimensions adapting to those of the external section of the end of each molding or of each chute and of which the terminal part of the edge of contour of each opening of its transverse lateral faces directed towards the rear of the casing comes to cut or tangent the rear wall plane at a level situated below the lower base of the casing in order to leave sufficient free space for the edge or the adjacent longitudinal edge the molding or the trough comes into contact with the wall and / or ceiling wall on which a or two side (s)

side (s) of the housing.

  This box has the following main advantages: it allows a molding or a trough to be pressed perfectly against the adjacent wall or ceiling by its longitudinal edge facing, thus eliminating the previously existing play, the use of removable shutters with well-adapted side faces the type and dimensions of the molding or the trough used provides an appreciable gain in mounting, the removable side wall shutters can be used either on any of the two or three free faces; thus, it suffices simply each time to choose from the set of shutters delivered with the body of the housing that corresponding to the shape and dimensions of the external section of the molding or of the trough used for mounting without having to go and look for '' other pieces or to practice adaptation cuts. Other features and benefits of

  the invention will appear in the description which follows,

  given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the drawing in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 are general perspective views from below of the universal junction box according to the invention each showing one of the removable side wall shutters in the dissociated position, for FIG. 1 the shutter of the front lateral face and for FIG. 2 one of the shutters of the transverse lateral face, FIGS. 3 to 6 are views of the housing without shutters, respectively in cross section along line III-III of the figure 4, from below, from the side and in cross section along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is a side view with a transverse lateral face shutter in place, FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the backlash-free plating of the longitudinal edge of the moldings or troughs against the ceiling wall, FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of an example of mounting in a corner, FIGS. 10 to 14 are perspective views of different side face shutters of the same set of side wall shutters showing some

typical representatives of this game.

  The universal housing according to the invention is in the form of a parallelepipedic body 1 with an upper structure 2 of slightly curvilinear surface. This curvilinear surface is formed for example of four curved slopes joining at a summit or central point 3 having an opening 4

  opening into the interior volume through a conduit

  central guide 5 projecting inside and molded in the mass of the body 1 preferably made of plastic. This opening 4 and this central guide duct which follows it are used for the screw or other fixing element (not shown) for mounting the surface-mounted housing against a wall, for example at

near the ceiling.

  The upper face 2 is delimited by a perimeter border 6 projecting downwards, the

  minus two, but preferably three sides of its sub-

  face 7 are shaped into rectilinear grooves of the type

receiving grooves such as 8.

  The rear face consists of a fixed obscure panel 9 of height less than that of the housing, the transverse ends of which are set back with respect to the rear geometric edges of the housing in order to provide with another characteristic of the invention the necessary offset towards the rear of the housing so that the edge or the adjacent longitudinal edge of the molding or trough comes to rest against the ceiling or wall wall along

which she rode.

  The two front edges of the housing are materialized by posts or pillars 10 and 11 defining between them a space of front side face and between them and the rear wall plane of spaces of transverse side faces which will be occupied by removable shutters such as 12 of transverse lateral faces and such as 13 of lateral face

before.

  The pillars or posts 10 and 11 are in the form of rectilinear elements molded in plastic in one piece with the structure of the upper face 2 of the body 1 of the housing. Placed at the level of the two front edges, they comprise means of assembly or holding with the shutters 13 and 12 respectively on the front side face and on the transverse side faces. For this purpose, they may each have, as illustrated by the figures, longitudinal edges projecting and perpendicular to each other acting as tongues 14 and 15 for mounting and holding the shutters 13 and 12 on the front or transverse lateral face each by its front transverse edge for the shutters 12 of transverse side faces and by the two transverse edges for the shutter 13 of the front side face. One of the main originalities of the universal housing according to the invention resides in the fact of having provided the mounting of shutters 12 and 13 of completely removable side faces at least in two, but preferably, on three of its side faces in order to allow adaptation to different shapes and dimensions of section of trunking or moldings

leading to this box.

  Another originality of the invention relates to the withdrawal of each of the transverse ends of the rear lateral face with respect to the adjacent geometric edge of the body of the housing or other equivalent means. This characteristic makes it possible to obtain a position offset towards the wall or the ceiling of the end and therefore of the bodies of the moldings or troughs to ensure their pressing without play against

the adjacent ceiling or wall.

  It is the same for the front side face in the case of an assembly in the trihedron of the corner defined by the vertical edge of junction between two walls

consecutive and the ceiling.

  The pillar located against the wall must disappear or be removed at least over part of its height from its base to obtain the result aimed by

the invention.

  Thus, the removable side face shutters 12 and 13 are plates or plates coming to rest by mounting in each frame of each open side face of the housing while occupying the space available to form a side wall partially or completely surrounding for the end of a molding or trough 16 and traversed by

this end.

  According to the variant shown for the shutters 12 of transverse lateral faces of wafers, at least two of the successive edges of which have structures complementary to those provided on the housing, for example those of the fixed immobilization system known as

tongue-and-groove designation.

  To do this, the upper edges each have an upper tongue 17 which is received in the corresponding groove 8 on the underside of the perimeter edge of the upper structure, while the lateral edge looking towards the pillar 10 or 11 is shaped according to a groove. 18 which receives one of the tabs 14 or 15 of the pillars, the other tab of the pillars being received in the corresponding groove 19 or 20 of lateral edge

  end of the shutter 13 from the front side face.

  In order to receive the troughs or moldings 16 leading to the housing, these shutters 12 and 13 removable from the side faces each have a junction opening such as 21 suitably located and offset to the wall or the ceiling for simple junction or for engagement with the end of the trunking body or molding leading to the

housing by this face.

  The shape of these junction openings 21 corresponds to the outer section shape of the type of

  moldings and troughs 16 that are used.

  These junction openings 21 can have different and varied shapes so as to cover all the existing types of moldings or troughs. Each junction opening 21 is as defined by a contour edge 22 which follows the outside contour of cross section of the trough or molding 16. In the case of the variant shown, it is only a part of the contour of cross section namely the perimeter fraction which develops upwards or the whole perimeter less

the base.

  According to another important characteristic of the invention, the end portion 23, directed towards the rear of the housing, of the contour edge 22 of the junction opening 21 of each shutter 12 of transverse lateral face comes to cut or tangent the plane of rear face to offset the opening of junction wire 21 towards each of the rear geometric edges of the housing and this up to the rear face plane in order to allow the playless molding of the molding or trough 16 against the adjacent ceiling or wall by its edge or its longitudinal edge 24. The shutter 13 of the front side face also includes a junction opening 21 offset towards the wall of the wall or the ceiling to allow the contact support of the edge or of the longitudinal edge 24

  of the corresponding molding or trough 16.

  It should be observed at this level that the offset of the junction opening 21 towards the rear and the engagement of the front end of the molding or trough is obtained by means of a shoulder configuration 25 formed on each side by the side edge set back from the rear wall 9 and the border

  6 projecting from the upper structure.

  In the embodiment shown corresponding to moldings or troughs with a curvilinear section, the contour edge 22 of the junction opening 21 is interrupted at about mid-height to allow the edge or longitudinal edge of the molding or trough 16

  to come into contact with the ceiling or with the wall.

  The invention is independent in its inventive principle of the particular and precise shape of the troughs or moldings 16 and of the exact shape of the layout of the terminal part of the contour edge 22 of the junction opening 21 which may vary depending

  shapes of trunking or moldings 16.

  The most common mounting examples are those with two or three trunks as illustrated by Figures 8 and 9 respectively applied on the wall and against the ceiling and in the corner of the walls and

from the ceiling.

  It is noted in these figures that the moldings or troughs running along the walls are attached to the

  facing wall by their edge or longitudinal edge 24.

  Figure 8 relates to a ceiling mounting in any location away from corners while the

  Figure 9 refers to a specific corner arrangement.

Shoot- -

Claims (10)

  1. Universal junction box for moldings, trunking, plinths or other protective channels or profiles, in particular for electrical distribution, to which at least one molding or trunking leads, said box having a generally parallelepipedal shape characterized in that at least two of its faces successive sides are each closed by a removable shutter comprising an opening (21) for joining the end of a molding or trough (16) leading to this face, each opening (21) being delimited by a contour edge (22) according to a layout adapted to that of the cross-section outside of the molding or chute leading to this housing, contour edge (22) whose end portion (23) directed towards the rear of the housing or towards the side wall of the molding or chute just cut or tangent the rear face plane or the framing element adjacent to the housing at a level located below the lower base of the housing in view of leaving a sufficient free space for offset so that each molding or chute concerned comes into contact contact with at least the adjacent wall or ceiling wall by its edge or edge (24) adjacent longitudinal. 2. Universal junction box according to claim 1 characterized in that the rear face is a fixed wall (9) and has edges of transverse ends slightly recessed relative to the geometric edge adjacent to the box so as to leave free on each side the area corresponding edge.   3. Universal junction box according to the preceding claim characterized in that the fixed rear wall (9) is a wall of smaller height than removable shutters.   4. Universal junction box according to claim 1 characterized in that the removable plugs are plates held in the frame of the housing.   5. Universal junction box according to the preceding claim characterized in that the shutters are held in the frame of the housing by means to commitment.   6. Universal junction box according to the preceding claim characterized in that the engagement means are each a couple of a groove and a tongue facing one on the   case and the other on the shutter or vice versa.   7. Universal junction box according to the preceding claim characterized in that each shutter (12) or (13) has a tongue (17) on its upper longitudinal edge and at least one groove (18), (19) or (20).   8. Universal junction box according to claim 1, 5 or 6 characterized in that the frame of the box comprises two pillars (10) and   (11) at the front at the front edges.   9. Universal junction box according to the preceding claim characterized in that the front pillars each have two longitudinal planar edges perpendicular to each other shaped as a tab for holding the shutters   removable from lateral transverse face.   10. Universal junction box according to the preceding claim characterized in that the upper face of the box has a perimeter edge (6) whose underside is shaped into a groove (8) to the right of each side face.