GB2570096A

GB2570096A - Dry wall electrical box

Info

Publication number: GB2570096A
Application number: GB1702385.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Strong Adrian
Original assignee: Fire Pro Ltd
Current assignee: Fire Pro Ltd
Priority date: 2017-02-14
Filing date: 2017-02-14
Publication date: 2019-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-14
Also published as: GB201702385D0; GB2570096B

Abstract

A dry wall electrical box 10 comprises an open-topped generally rectangular back box (12, Figure 2) including at least one internal upstanding wall member (22, Figure 2), and a bezel plate (16, Figure 4) including at least one pair of downwardly extending flexible arms 34. The flexible arms extend over and grip the upstanding wall member to secure the bezel plate to the back box. The bezel plate is preferably annular and may have a diameter less than the major axis of the rectangular back box. A cover plate (14, Figure 3), comprising an upstanding generally annular wall (28, Figure 3) over which the bezel plate locates, may be located over the back box. A dry wall box comprising a bezel plate securable to the internal wall member of the box by one or more clip members secured to the rear face of the bezel plate is also disclosed.

Description

(57) A dry wall electrical box 10 comprises an open-topped generally rectangular back box (12, Figure 2) including at least one internal upstanding wall member (22, Figure 2), and a bezel plate (16, Figure 4) including at least one pair of downwardly extending flexible arms 34. The flexible arms extend over and grip the upstanding wall member to secure the bezel plate to the back box. The bezel plate is preferably annular and may have a diameter less than the major axis of the rectangular back box. A cover plate (14, Figure 3), comprising an upstanding generally annular wall (28, Figure 3) over which the bezel plate locates, may be located over the back box. A dry wall box comprising a bezel plate securable to the internal wall member of the box by one or more clip members secured to the rear face of the bezel plate is also disclosed.

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DRY WALL ELECTRICAL BOX

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to dry wall electrical boxes.

Dry wall electrical boxes are employed inter alia to connect a wall or ceiling mounted electrical component or appliance to a mains circuit of a building or like structure. Such boxes are also referred to in the relevant trade as dry wall electrical boxes, dry lining back boxes and cable management boxes. For the sake of simplicity, all such boxes are referred to below simply as dry wall boxes.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Conventional dry wall boxes suffer from a number of disadvantages, these including a tendency to be relatively complex and expensive to produce. In addition, such boxes can only generally be installed through a suitably sized hole formed in a completed wall or ceiling. Once installed, the dry box terminals must be connected correctly to the appropriate wires or cables of the ring main circuit, after which the exposed open face of the box is closed by a face plate which is held in place by screws which pass into receptors located in the box.

Connection of the ring mains wires or cables to the terminals of a conventional dry wall box when in situ in a ceiling or wall can be difficult particularly in cases where multiple mains connections are to be made.

Dry wall boxes in accordance with this invention do not suffer from, or at least alleviate, these and other disadvantages of presently known dry wall boxes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention provides a dry wall box which comprises an open-topped generally rectangular back box and a bezel plate, said back box including at least one internal upstanding wall member and said bezel plate including at least one pair of downwardly extending flexible arms which, on assembly of the dry wall box, extend over said upstanding wall to secure the bezel plate to the back box.

The bezel plate may be annular, square-shaped or rectangular.

The dry wall box may also include a cover plate which, on assembly of the dry wall box, locates over the back box and includes an upstanding wall over which the bezel plate locates and through which the flexible arms of the bezel plate extend.

In another aspect the invention provides a dry wall box which comprises an open-topped generally rectangular back box and a separable cover plate for location on one side of a wall or ceiling panel or tile, and a bezel plate for positioning on the other side of said wall or ceiling panel or tile, said back box including one or more upstanding internal wall members over which, on assembly of the dry wall box, locate one or more clip members secured to the rear face of the bezel plate thereby to releasably secure the bezel plate to the back box.

In a preferred arrangement the bezel plate is ring-shaped and includes a downwardly extending wall from which said clip members extend.

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 1 is an isometric view of one example of a dry wall box in accordance with the invention; and

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively isomeric views of a back box, cover plate and front bezel which form parts of the dry wall box shown in Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An assembled dry wall box 10 in accordance with the invention is illustrated in Figure 1. The dry wall box 10 comprises a back box 12 as illustrated in greater detail in Figure 2 for location within an opening formed in a wall or ceiling, a cover plate 14 as illustrated in Figure 3 which is in use supported by the sides of the back box, and a bezel plate 16 as illustrated in Figure 4 which locates over the cover plate and is releasably connected to the back box 12.

The back box 12 is open on one side and includes upstanding side walls 18 and a base 20. The shape of the back box is generally rectangular and the box is open on its face opposite the base. Upstanding from the base 20 are two inwardly extending upstanding internal walls 22 each attached at its

face remote	from	the	respective	side wall	to an	upstanding
pillar	24 .
In use	the	back	box	is positioned within	a wall '	or ceiling
cavity	with	its open	face facing	the cavity	opening	. The base

includes removable pieces to create openings through which mains wiring can extend for connection to terminals (not shown) located in the box. The dimensions of the wall or ceiling opening though which the box need be only slightly greater than the width of the box, the box then being turned through 90 degrees.

The cover plate 14 includes a base dimensioned to locate on or just within the of the back box, and an upstanding generally circular

Spaced projections 30 depend from the underside of the cover plate and locate over the upper edges of the internal walls of the back box.

generally ring shaped and comprises a circular upper surface formed with a downwardly extending rim 32 which, in use, projects into the upstanding lip 28 of the cover plate 14 and defines a generally tight fit therewith.

Two pairs of flexible locating arms project downwardly from opposite sides of the rim

32, each pair locating over one of the two internal walls 22 of the back box . The spacing between each arm pair is less than the width of the respective internal wall whereby they flex as they pass over the respective wall to define a firm grip therewith.

In an unillustrated embodiment, rectangular .

In use, the dry wall box 10 can example, a ceiling tile and the bezel plate is square or readily be assembled onto, for the appropriate electrical connections made before assembly into the fabric of the ceiling. Thus, once the electrical cabling is in place within the back box 12, the cover plate 14 can be assembled onto the back box by locating the projections 30 over the internal walls 22 of the back box. This assembly is then held against the internal face of the tile and the bezel plate is assembled onto the outer face of the tile by locating the arms 34 over the internal walls 22 of the back box and then pushing the bezel plate 16 towards the back plate 12 to cause the arms 34 to grip the sides of the internal walls 22.

This way, the back box can be quickly and reliably located within a wall or ceiling opening.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of a dry wall box in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made to the described dry wall box without departing from the invention disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A dry wall box comprises an open-topped generally rectangular back box and a bezel plate, said back box including at least one internal upstanding wall member and said bezel plate including at least one pair of downwardly extending flexible arms which, on assembly of the dry wall box, extend over the or each upstanding wall to releasably secure the bezel plate to the back box.

2. A dry wall box as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bezel plate is annular and has a diameter less than the major axis of the rectangular back box.

3. A dry wall box as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further including a cover plate which, on assembly of the dry wall box, locates over the back box and includes an upstanding generally annular wall over which the annular bezel plate locates and through which the flexible arms of the bezel plate extend.

4. A dry wall box which comprises an open-topped generally rectangular back box and a separable cover plate for location on one side of a wall or ceiling or wall or ceiling panel or tile, and a bezel plate for positioning on the other side of said wall or ceiling, said back box including one or more upstanding internal wall members over which, on assembly of the dry wall box, locate one or more clip members secured to the rear face of the bezel plate thereby to releasably secure the bezel plate to the back box.

5.

A dry wall box as claimed in claim 4 wherein the bezel plate is ring-shaped and includes a downwardly extending wall from which said clip members extend.