GB2556022A

GB2556022A - Electrical socket box

Info

Publication number: GB2556022A
Application number: GB1613610.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Noves Steve
Original assignee: Dsn Innovate Ltd
Current assignee: Dsn Innovate Ltd
Priority date: 2016-08-09
Filing date: 2016-08-09
Publication date: 2018-05-23

Abstract

An electrical socket box comprising: sidewalls 12 extending upwardly from a base (10, figure 2) towards an open face 14 thereof. The socket box includes one or more adjustable clamping means (40, figure 4) for locating the socket box within an opening formed in a cavity wall. The clamping means comprise a locating member 44 positioned alongside the outer face of a side wall of the socket box and connected through a bridging member 30 to a flexible strap member 42 positioned alongside the inner face of said side wall. The bridging member passes through a slot 20 which is formed in said side wall and which extends between the base and the open face of the socket box. A second embodiment details how trap member moves the clamping means to engage with the internal border of a cavity wall to locate the back-box in the cavity wall. A third embodiment defines a lip 16 to engage the border of a cavity wall with the clamping means. Preferably the strap may include ridges 50 to retain the strap in place within the pattress box.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

DSN Innovate Limited (Incorporated in the United Kingdom) Maidstone Enterprise Centre, 1st Floor, Medvale House, Mote Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6AH, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Steve Noves (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

Agile IP LLP

Airport House, Purley Way, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 0ΧΖ, United Kingdom (51) INT CL:

H02G 3/12 (2006.01) H02G 3/08 (2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:

EP 2056418 A2 EP 1850435 A1

EP 0875975 A1 US 5628419 A

US 20140224533 A1 (58) Field of Search:

INT CL H02G

Other: EPODOC, WPI, Internet (54) Title of the Invention: Electrical socket box

Abstract Title: Electrical socket box with adjustable clamping mechanism (57) An electrical socket box comprising: sidewalls 12 extending upwardly from a base (10, figure 2) towards an open face 14 thereof. The socket box includes one or more adjustable clamping means (40, figure 4) for locating the socket box within an opening formed in a cavity wall. The clamping means comprise a locating member 44 positioned alongside the outer face of a side wall of the socket box and connected through a bridging member 30 to a flexible strap member 42 positioned alongside the inner face of said side wall. The bridging member passes through a slot 20 which is formed in said side wall and which extends between the base and the open face of the socket box. A second embodiment details how trap member moves the clamping means to engage with the internal border of a cavity wall to locate the back-box in the cavity wall. A third embodiment defines a lip 16 to engage the border of a cavity wall with the clamping means. Preferably the strap may include ridges 50 to retain the strap in place within the pattress box.

Fig. 1

1/5

Fig. 1

2/5

Fig. 2

3/5

ο

LT>

Fig. 3

4/5

Fig. 4

5/5

ELECTRICAL SOCKET BOX

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to electrical socket boxes for location within cavity walls. In some embodiments, the invention may also relate to electrical socket boxes for location within cavity walls and solid walls.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

In- wall socket boxes (also known as pattress boxes, dry lining boxes and back boxes) for connecting appliances such as televisions and other electrical appliances to mains wiring of a property are well known. These generally comprise a box-like structure which locates within an opening formed in a cavity wall and is secured to an over-sized face plate positioned on the exposed surface of the cavity wall by elongate screws which project through the face plate to engage fixings located within the box-like structure. Tightening of the screws draws the socket box towards and into contact with the underside of the face plate side or the inner surface of the cavity wall inner which borders the opening through which the socket box was introduced into the cavity wall. This way of securing known in-wall socket boxes can be fraught with difficulties.

The face plates of known socket boxes commonly protrude a distance approaching lcm beyond the adjacent wall surface and are generally unsightly. In use the face plates commonly include female terminals to receive pins of electrical plugs for connecting appliances to the mains. With plugs attached, the aforementioned distance is increased to around 4cm which, in addition to being unsightly, prevents electrical appliances such as TV sets being fitted flush to a wall surface.

Electrical socket boxes in accordance with the invention overcome many of the disadvantages of presently available socket boxes and preferably include plain faceplates which lie generally flush with the walls in which they are positioned and which can readily be decorated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect the invention provides an electrical socket box which comprises sidewalls extending upwardly from a base towards an open face thereof, said socket box including an adjustable clamping means for locating the socket box within an opening formed in a cavity wall, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of a side wall of the socket box and connected through a bridging member to a flexible strap member positioned alongside the inner face of said side wall, said bridging member passing through a slot which is formed in said side wall and which extends between the base and the open face of the socket box.

The socket box preferably includes two adjustable clamping means, one located alongside each of two opposed side walls of the socket box.

Preferably, each flexible strap member is of a length greater than the depth of the socket box.

The or each slot maybe partially closed on one side by a guide member which is formed with inwardly projecting side walls and an inner wall, said side and inner walls defining an upwardly extending channel across which extends said bridging member.

The/ or each strap member may be formed on one or each side with a plurality of transverse ridges.

The/ or each locating member may include a stop member which, in use of the socket box, locates against an inner surface of a cavity wall in which the socket box is located.

In another aspect, the invention provides an electrical socket box which includes adjustable clamping means for locating the box within an opening formed in a cavity wall, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of each of two opposed walls of the box and a flexible fixing strap member positioned alongside the inner face of each such wall, and a bridging piece which joins each locating member and strap member together and which extends through an upwardly extending slot formed in each cavity wall to enable the clamping means to be moved by the strap members towards the open face of the socket box to position the locating members in engagement with the internal border of said cavity wall opening.

Each locating member may include a stop member which, in use of the socket box, locates against an inner surface of a cavity wall in which the socket box is located.

Each slot maybe partially closed by a guide member which protrudes into the socket box interior, each said guide member being open on its outermost side and including inwardly extending side walls and an inner wall.

In a further aspect, the invention provides an electrical socket box whose open face is bordered by an outwardly extending lip and which includes adjustable clamping means for locating the box within an opening formed in a cavity wall with said lip in contact with the external border of said opening, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of each of two opposed walls of the box and each movable by a flexible strap member positioned alongside the inner face of each said wall towards said lip to engage, in use, the internal border of said cavity wall opening.

The socket box may be adaptable for use also with a solid wall, e.g. by means of the clamping means being removable and/or the lip being removable. The lip may be connected to the rest of the socket box by a region of weakness to allow the lip to be removed by hand or using pliers or the like.

The flexible strap member(s) may be arranged in use to be folded back and passed through an opening or slot in a sidewall of the socket box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:Figure l is an isometric view of a socket box in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the socket box illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of the illustrated socket box;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a clamping member which forms part of the illustrated socket box;

Figure 5 are is an isometric view of the illustrated socket box with the clamping member illustrated in Figure 4 removed; and

Figures 6a - 6c are isometric views of the socket box with the strap of the clamping members turned back on themselves and located within part of a slot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The electrical socket box illustrated in the drawings is for location within a cavity wall and is employed to connect appliances such as televisions and other electrical appliances to mains wiring of a property. In some embodiments, the electrical socket box maybe modified for location within a solid, e.g. brick, wall.

The socket box includes a base io, side walls 12 and an open top 14 which, in use, is covered by a plain, relatively thin cover plate (not shown). The cover plate is generally formed with an inwardly projecting lip which, in use, clips over a complementary lip 16 of each side wall 12 and lies relatively flush with the surface of the wall in which it is located. The side walls may comprise two lengthwise walls (upper and lower) and two shorter, widthways, walls which connect between the lengthwise walls.

Several ports 18 are provided in the base and side walls of the socket box to facilitate connection to mains wiring of the respective property. As shown, some ports 18 are closed by a removable rubber grommet. The rubber grommets provide a seal, designed to reduce noise should the socket box be installed between internal walls.

As will be seen from the drawings, opposed side walls 12 of the socket box each include a slot 20 which extends upwards from the base 10 and is partially closed on one side by a guide member 22 which protrudes into the box interior. Each guide member 22 is open on its outermost side and includes inwardly projecting side walls 24 and an inner wall 26.

The side and inner walls of each guide member 22 together define an upwardly extending channel 28 across which extends a bridging piece 30. The upper end of the inner wall 26 of each channel member comprises a flexible end piece 32 which is connected along its sides to the respective side walls 24 and includes an inwardly extending ridge 34 whose function will be described below.

Extending inwardly from the lower part of each inner wall 26 are upstanding pieces 36 which together define a slot to receive a bridging member 38 which extends across the full width of the box interior.

A clamping member 40 for locating the socket box within a cavity wall is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. As will be seen from Figure 1, two such clamping members are provided, one alongside each longer side wall of the box.

Each clamping member 40 includes an elongate flexible strap 42 which extends over the full height of the box to a position above the lip 16, and a locking member 44 of generally “U” shape on the upper ends of which are feet 46. The upper surface of each foot preferably includes a series of raised ridges 48.

As will be seen from the drawings, the flexible straps 42 of the clamping members are positioned alongside the internal surfaces of the opposed side walls, and the locking members 44 are positioned alongside the external surfaces of these walls.

Each flexible strap 42 passes behind one of the two bridging pieces 30 and between the respective ridge 34 and the opposed side wall of the cavity box. The inwardly facing side of each strap 42 is formed with a plurality of transverse ridges 50 which act with the ridges 34 of the flexible end pieces of the walls 26 as ratchets to allow movement of the straps, and therefore the feet 46, towards the open side of the socket box, but prevent or inhibit movement of the straps in the opposite direction. The transverse ridges 50 maybe asymmetric in profile.

In some embodiments, the or each clamping member 40 maybe moved in the opposite direction by means of the flexible end piece 32 being resiliently movable (inwardly of the box) away from the flexible strap 42 by user force so that the ridge 34 of the clamping member disengages the transverse ridges 50 of the strap. The or each clamping member 40 can be completely withdrawn from the box whilst user force is applied in this way. In use, the illustrated socket box is located within a suitably shaped and sized opening formed in one surface of a cavity wall and required connections are made to the mains wiring of the respective property and female terminals of a socket plate which locates above the bridging member 38. The flexible straps 42 are then drawn by hand towards the open side of the socket box until the raised ridges of the feet 46 make firm contact with inner cavity wall surfaces alongside the opening formed in the cavity wall.

In some embodiments, each slot 20 is arranged with an open section 51 between the bridge member 30 and the front terminating edge 52 of the slot. In use, and as indicated in Figure 6a, when the or each flexible strap 42 has been drawn towards the open side of the socket box to fix it in position, the free-end of the strap can be folded back as indicated by the arrows and pushed into the open section 51 which may hold the or each strap in position. The strap(s) 42 may therefore be concealed substantially within the interior of the cavity box. For example, the strap(s) 42 may be retained in place by the front terminating edge 52 engaging one of the transverse ridges 50 of the strap. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 6b, the strap(s) 42 may be drawn almost entirely through the open section 51 and backwards so that maximum space is left within the box interior. Figure 6c is a partial view from within the socket box interior showing one of said straps 42. Both options also remove the need to cut the strap(s) 42, allowing the clamping member 40 to be remain in one-piece and its reuse subsequently.

Male pins of electrical sockets of electrical appliances to be connected to the mains supply can then be inserted into the female terminals after which the socket box is closed by the cover plate which, as mentioned previously, lies generally flush with the external surface of the cavity wall.

In some embodiments, the clamping members 40 maybe configured to be completely removable from the remainder of the socket box to allow the socket box to be located in a solid, e.g. brick wall.

Further, in some embodiments, the lip 16 is also configured to be removable from the remainder of the socket box’s side walls 12 to permit location of the socket box in a solid wall. For example, the lip 16 maybe connected to the side walls 12 by regions 50 of relative weakness to permit the lip 16 to be torn-off by hand or using pliers. Other methods to make the lip 16 frangible from the side walls 12 may be employed. As shown in Figure 2, in some embodiments, a generally rectangular region 50 of weakness may comprise the connection between the lip 16 and the side walls 12 so that the lip can be removed by hand or using pliers or the like.

In a preferred arrangement, the electrical sockets are positioned behind the cover plate.

Ί

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is exemplary of electrical socket boxes in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An electrical socket box which comprises sidewalls extending upwardly from a base towards an open face thereof, said socket box including an adjustable clamping means for locating the socket box within an opening formed in a cavity wall, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of a side wall of the socket box and connected through a bridging member to a flexible strap member positioned alongside the inner face of said side wall, said bridging member passing through a slot which is formed in said side wall and which extends from the base towards the open face of the socket box.

2. A socket box as claimed in claim l which includes two adjustable clamping means, one located alongside each of two opposed side walls of the socket box.

3. A socket box as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the or each flexible strap member is of a length greater than the depth of the socket box.

4. A socket box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each slot is partially closed on one side by a guide member which is formed with inwardly projecting side walls and an inner wall, said side and inner walls defining an upwardly extending channel across which extends said bridging member.

5. A socket box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the/or each strap member is formed on one or each side with a plurality of transverse ridges.

6. A socket box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each locating member includes a stop member which, in use of the socket box, locates against an inner surface of a cavity wall in which the socket box is located.

7- An electrical socket box which includes adjustable clamping means for locating the box within an opening formed in a cavity wall, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of each of two opposed walls of the box and a flexible fixing strap member positioned alongside the inner face of each such wall, and a bridging piece which joins each locating member and strap member together and which extends through an upwardly extending slot formed in each cavity wall to enable the clamping means to be moved by the strap members towards the open face of the socket box to position the locating members in engagement with the internal border of said cavity wall opening.

8. An electrical socket box as claimed in claim 7 in which each locating member includes a stop member which, in use of the socket box, locates against an inner surface of a cavity wall in which the socket box is located.

9. An electrical socket box as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein each slot is partially closed by a guide member which protrudes into the socket box interior, each said guide member being open on its outermost side and including inwardly extending side walls and an inner wall.

10. An electrical socket box whose open face is bordered by an outwardly extending lip and which includes adjustable clamping means for locating the box within an opening formed in a cavity wall with said lip in contact with the external border of said opening, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of each of two opposed walls of the box and each movable by a flexible strap member positioned alongside the inner face of each said wall towards said lip to engage, in use, the internal border of said cavity wall opening; wherein the clamping means and/or the lip are removable from the socket box.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1613610.3 Examiner: Mr Tobias Tribe

10. An electrical socket box whose open face is bordered by an outwardly extending lip and which includes adjustable clamping means for locating the box within an opening formed in a cavity wall with said lip in contact with the external border of said opening, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of each of two opposed walls of the box and each movable by a flexible strap member positioned alongside the inner face of each said wall towards said lip to engage, in use, the internal border of said cavity wall opening.

11 04 17

Amendments to the claims have been made as follows:

1. An electrical socket box which comprises sidewalls extending upwardly from a base towards an open face thereof, said socket box including an adjustable clamping means for locating the socket box within an opening formed in a cavity wall, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of a side wall of the socket box and connected through a bridging member to a flexible strap member positioned alongside the inner face of said side wall, said bridging member passing through a slot which is formed in said side wall and which extends from the base towards the open face of the socket box; wherein the clamping means is removable from the socket box such that the socket box is able to be located in a solid wall.

11 04 17

7. An electrical socket box which includes adjustable clamping means for locating the box within an opening formed in a cavity wall, said clamping means comprising a locating member positioned alongside the outer face of each of two opposed walls of the box and a flexible fixing strap member positioned alongside the inner face of each such wall, and a bridging piece which joins each locating member and strap member together and which extends through an upwardly extending slot formed in each cavity wall to enable the clamping means to be moved by the strap members towards the open face of the socket box to position the locating members in engagement with the internal border of said cavity wall opening; wherein the clamping means is removable from the socket box.