NZ243677A - Bracket to mount electrical switch or socket in wall - Google Patents

Description

24367 P.F.5 Code 1050 Fee $260 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 - 5 JUL1993". 0 ; No. 243677 Priority Date: 22 July 1992 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL CONTROL WALL MOUNTING DEVICE WE GARTNER SUPERLUX LIMITED of 11 Mahunga Drive, Mangere Bridge, Auckland, New Zealand, a New Zealand company, do hereby declare the invention for which WE pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 245677 This invention relates to a wall mounting device for an electrical control unit such as a flush mounted switch or flush mounted power outlet plug.

Mounting boxes or plates enabling the so-called flush mounting of switches or power outlets plugs are known. Typically they are fixed to a framing element, such as a stud, of a wall by nails or screws. Some mounting devices include a box structure at the rear to enclose 10 the rear of the unit mounted thereto in particular the connection of electrical cables to and from the unit. Generally with mounting of such a device a front face or flange thereof seats at the rear of lining fixed to the wall. It can prove awkward to affix such mounting 15 devices particularly where the lining has already been fixed.

A first intention of this invention is to provide a wall mounting device of this type adapted for affixing in situ 20 from either the side or the front. A further intention is to provide a wall mounting device which integrally incorporates attachment means. It is envisaged that these features together with other features of the device will alleviate the aforesaid problems or at least provide 25 a useful choice. A further object of this invention is to provide a non-boxed form of such a mounting device which integrally incorporates an electrical cable 24 3 G retention fastener.

According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit characterised by the integral incorporation of an electrical cable retention element in a body thereof, said retention element being in the form of a tongue like projection extending from said body so as to be bendable relative thereto.

According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit, wherein the body is a substantially planar unitary body formed with control unit mounting means including a receiving aperture therethrough to receive a control unit and associated attachment fastener receiving means incorporated in the body, rearwardly extending locating tabs provided at at least two adjacent sides of the receiving aperture and at least two adjacent tabs of those tabs including means to receive fasteners therethrough; means to enable front mounting being provided on the body at two adjacent sides of the receiving aperture adjacent the tabs, whereby a locating tab can be disposed substantially in abutment with a side of an in situ fixture with a part of the body adjacent the locating tab partly overlapping an associated obverse face of the fixture and either the side or front mounting means then utilised to mount the device to the fixture. > According to a third aspect of this invention there is provided a non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit as defined in the preceding paragraph wherein the receiving aperture is off-set from a central position in the body whereby the sides of.the body provided with the front mounting means are wi&Hr1' ell 21 June 1995/A786ACP.695/03 395 2 4 3 6 4- opposing sides and the front mounting means comprise integrally formed prongs extending rearwardly of the body.

According to a fourth aspect of this invention there is provided a non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit as defined in either of the preceding paragraphs wherein the locating tabs are formed by a substantially continuous rearwardly disposed lip bordering the receiving aperture.

According to a fifth aspect of this invention there is provided a non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit as defined in any one of the four preceding paragraphs integrally incorporating, by way of a frangible join, an electrical cable retention element extending, in a manufactured mode, into the receiving aperture.

In further describing the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein; Fig 1 is a plan, or front view of the device, and Fig 2 is a side view of the device, and Fig 3 is a front view depicting a typical side mounting of the device behind in situ lining, and Fig 4 is a front view depicting a typical front mounting of the device.

A non-boxed wall mounting device 1 preferably comprises a unitary body 2 cut and pressed from suitable gauge sheet metal. Referring in particular to Fig 1, the body 2 is substantially planar and preferably of a rectangular shape 2? June 199S/A78CACP.695/gg 2 4 3 6 7 7 and incorporates a rectangular control unit receiving aperture 3 therein. The receiving aperture 3 is sized to correspond with standard electrical switches and power J outlet plugs (neither depicted) with the body 2 incorporating screw-threaded apertures 4 at each end of the receiving aperture 3 to enable mounting of such an electrical unit in'conventional manner. If desired a box (not depicted) can be attached to the rear of the device 1 10 to enclose an electrical unit mounted thereto.

Rearwardly extending locating tabs 7 are formed on the body 2 to border at least two adjacent sides of the receiving aperture 3. Preferably the locating tabs 7 are 15 formed by a continuous rearwardly disposed lip 7a bordering the receiving aperture 3. The provision of a locating tab 7 on each side of the receiving aperture 3 facilitates positioning, in situ, of the device in readiness for mounting. Referring to Figs 3 and 4, a 20 locating tab 7 at a required side can be disposed substantially in abutment with a side 8 of an in situ fixture, such as a stud 9, with a part of the body 2 adjacent the locating tab 7 partly overlapping an associated front or obverse face 10 of the fixture stud 9. 25 Affixing or mounting elements 11, 12 can then be utilised to fasten the device 1 as hereinafter described.

Two sets of in situ mounting means 5, 6 are provided for the body 2, a first mounting means 5 enabling the fixing 30 of the device 1 from the side and the second mounting means 6 from the front. The elements of a set of mounting means 5, 6 are provided on adjacent sides of the receiving aperture 3, the side mounting means 5 being provided on sides opposite the side mounting means 6.

It is to that end that locating tabs 7 are provided on at ,\ £ N />-, 27 JUlM 1995/A786AC?. 655/80 1995 '*'if 243 677 least two adjacent sides of the receiving aperture 3. At least each of those particular tabs 7 preferably incorporates apertures forming the side mounting means 5 5 enabling, for example, screws 11 to be inserted therethrough to sideways mount the device 1 to a stud 9 or similar in situ fixture.

The front means 6 of the mounting device 1 preferably 10 comprises integrally formed prongs 12 extending rearwardly of the body 2. These avoid the need for separate mounting screws or nails. Preferably the receiving aperture 3 is off-set from the centre of the body 2 whereby the sides of the body 2 incorporating the prongs 12 are wider than the 15 opposing sides. This provides sufficient metal from which the prongs 12 can be cut and pressed in manufacture.

Preferably the prongs 12 are arranged in groups of three, one group 12a being at the corner common to the adjacent 20 sides with groups 12b also being provided adjacent the opposing ends of each of those sides. Thus, referring in particular to Fig 4, as an alternative to the sideways mounting as aforesaid the mounting device 1 can be front mounted by insertion of at least two sets of the prongs 12 25 into a front or obverse face 10 of an in situ element such as a stud 9.

Referring in particular to Fig 4, in a modification of a non-boxed form of the device 1 which it is envisaged would 30 also be useful on known similar mounting devices,is a cable 17 retention element 13. The cable 17 retention element 13 is integrally incorporated in the body 2 and is preferably readily detachable. The cable 17 retention element 13 is particularly intended for use with a 35 pre-wiring operating enabling electrical cables 17 to a particular mounting device 1 to be anchored H^Uttachment -A\ - - - Ci; 27 don* 1995/A786ACP. 693/gg - 1395 2 4 3 S 7 7 to the retention element 13.

Preferably the retention element 13 comprises a tongue 14 5 like projection extending from the body 2 into the receiving aperture 3. The tongue 14 incorporates an aperture 15 sized to accommodate several electrical cables therethrough. Cables 17 may be anchored to the retention element 13 such as by knotting and/or clamping thereover. 10 Preferably a frangible join 16 is provided between the retention element 13 and the parent body 2 of the mounting device 1 enabling its articulation and/or ready removal (depicted schematically in Fig 3) when no longer required. 21 Juiw 1995/A786ACP. 695/go 1095 *j; . J' 2 4 3 6 7 7 -8

Claims (7)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical 5 control unit characterised by the integral incorporation of an electrical cable retention element in a body thereof, said retention element being in the form of a tongue like projection extending from said body so as to be bendable 10 relative thereto.

2. A non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit according to claim 1, wherein said body v. is a substantially planar unitary body formed with 15 control unit mounting means including a receiving aperture therethrough to receive a control unit and associated attachment fastener receiving means incorporated in the body, rearwardly extending locating tabs provided at at least two adjacent sides 20 of the receiving aperture and at least two adjacent tabs of those tabs including means to receive fasteners therethrough; means to enable front mounting being provided on the body at two adjacent sides of the receiving aperture adjacent the tabs, 25 whereby a locating tab can be disposed substantially in abutment with a side of an in situ fixture with a part of the body adjacent the locating tab partly overlapping an associated obverse face of the fixture and either the side or front mounting means then 30 utilised to mount the device to the fixture.

3. A non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the device is pressed from sheet metal. 35

4. A non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical 27 June 1995/A786ACP. 695/gg " ■ - C'; 1325 "f ..<v/ 2 4.' 6 9 control unit as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the receiving aperture is off-set from a central position in the body whereby the sides of the body provided with the front mounting means are wider than the opposing sides and the front mounting means comprise integrally formed prongs extending rearwardly of the body.

5. A non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit as claimed in any one of claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein the locating tabs are formed by a substantially continuous rearwardly disposed lip bordering the receiving aperture.

6. A non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims integrally incorporating, by way of a frangible join, the electrical cable retention element extending, in a manufactured mode, into the receiving aperture.

7. A non-boxed wall mounting device for an electrical control unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. JAMBS W PIPER & CO Attorneys for the Applicants GARTNER SUPERLUX LIMITED v £ & / x 21 June 199S/A?86ACP»695/99