US20200161846A1 - Junction Boxes with Wrap-Around Compartments - Google Patents
Junction Boxes with Wrap-Around Compartments Download PDFInfo
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- US20200161846A1 US20200161846A1 US16/773,047 US202016773047A US2020161846A1 US 20200161846 A1 US20200161846 A1 US 20200161846A1 US 202016773047 A US202016773047 A US 202016773047A US 2020161846 A1 US2020161846 A1 US 2020161846A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- junction box
- driver
- sidewalls
- base
- driver cap
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
- H02G3/02—Details
- H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
- H02G3/081—Bases, casings or covers
- H02G3/083—Inlets
- H02G3/085—Inlets including knock-out or tear-out sections
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G15/00—Cable fittings
- H02G15/08—Cable junctions
- H02G15/10—Cable junctions protected by boxes, e.g. by distribution, connection or junction boxes
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
- H02G3/02—Details
- H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
- H02G3/088—Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings or inlets
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G3/00—Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles
- H02G3/02—Details
- H02G3/08—Distribution boxes; Connection or junction boxes
- H02G3/14—Fastening of cover or lid to box
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V23/00—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices
- F21V23/003—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
- F21V23/007—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array enclosed in a casing
- F21V23/008—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array enclosed in a casing the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V23/00—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices
- F21V23/02—Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
- F21V23/023—Power supplies in a casing
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Connection Or Junction Boxes (AREA)
- Casings For Electric Apparatus (AREA)
Abstract
Junction boxes and partitions for junction boxes are disclosed. The junction boxes have a central area for installation of a driver or another such component and at least one wrap-around compartment in which wire connections can be made. In many cases, the junction box may have two wrap-around compartments, often mirror images of one another, that provide separate spaces for high- and low-voltage wire connections. The interior walls or partitions that create the compartments may be carried by and arise from the base of a junction box, or they may be carried by a separate piece that inserts over the driver, fully encloses or caps it, and also carries partition portions to create fully-divided compartments when used in combination with a junction box base that has no partitions of its own.
Description
- This patent application is a continuation-in-part of PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/US2018/52629, filed Sep. 25, 2018, which designated the United States and, with respect to the United States, is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/017,588, filed Jun. 25, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,116,127. U.S. application Ser. No. 16/017,588 claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/597,541, filed Dec. 12, 2017; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/614,191, filed Jan. 5, 2018; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/620,809, filed Jan. 23, 2018. All of those patent applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
- In general, the invention relates to junction boxes for making connections to drivers.
- Junction boxes are enclosures that protect electrical connections, for example, from foreign matter and contaminants that could dislodge or jeopardize the connection. In case of a fire, the junction box acts as a fire enclosure that serves to contain the fire.
- Junction boxes are required by building and electrical codes in many jurisdictions and, in their basic form, are familiar and age-old electrical components. Often viewed as a commodity component, most junction boxes are little more than metal or plastic boxes with holes—or knock-outs for holes. While traditional junction boxes work quite well for high-voltage connections, technology has changed, and many construction projects now use low-voltage power in addition to high-voltage.
- The definition of low voltage varies depending on the source one consults, but for purposes of this description, voltages under about 50V may be considered low voltage. Low voltage power may be used for solid-state lighting (i.e., lighting based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs)), it may be used for control and automation, or it may be used for other kinds of household and commercial building systems.
- Most low-voltage components require a separate driver to be installed. In broad terms, a driver is a transformer-rectifier that converts high-voltage alternating current (AC) power to low-voltage direct current (DC) power. For example, a driver may convert from 110 or 277 VAC to 12 V or 24 VDC. A typical driver has a set of high-voltage inputs and a set of low-voltage outputs. The inputs and outputs are usually in the form of wires, although terminal blocks and other structures may be used.
- Regulations in at least some jurisdictions require that a driver be enclosed, and that high-voltage connections be separated from low-voltage connections. Thus, a number of manufacturers have created junction boxes that have space and mounting structures for a driver, as well as compartments to separate high- and low-voltage connections.
- U.S. Pat. No. 9,951,934, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, is the work of the present assignee and describes junction boxes that are suitable for use with a wide variety of different drivers. These junction boxes feature an open central area and two identical compartments, one on each end of the central area. The central area provides ample space and mounting structures for securing drivers, and the two compartments provide separate spaces for making high- and low-voltage connections. The presence of two identical compartments gives the junction box symmetry, so that either compartment can serve as the high-voltage compartment and either can serve as the low-voltage compartment. The junction boxes disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,951,934 have a number of advantages, including ease of access and ease of driver installation.
- Over the last few years, drivers have gotten considerably smaller as some manufacturers have perfected techniques for miniaturizing the necessary components. Unfortunately, junction box technology has not advanced at the same rate, and most available junction boxes are much larger than the smallest drivers. Yet making a junction box smaller is not a trivial exercise—for example, regulatory requirements may specify that the compartments for making electrical connections must have at least a certain minimum volume.
- One aspect of the invention pertains to a junction box. The junction box has a base and a cover. The base has a sidewall and an internal partition or partitions that divide it into a central area, suitable for housing an AC-to-DC converter and driver, and at least one wrap-around compartment that provides a separate space for making high- or low-voltage wire connections. For example, the internal partition or partitions may divide the base of the junction box into a central area and two wrap-around compartments. Those compartments may be, e.g., U-shaped or L-shaped, and they may be mirror images of one another in some embodiments. The interior walls may have U-shaped cut-outs that allow wires to pass from the central area into the compartments, and the sidewall generally has at least one opening or knock-out per compartment that allows wires to enter and leave the junction box.
- Another aspect of the invention also relates to junction boxes. Junction boxes according to this aspect of the invention have a base and a cover, but unlike the junction boxes described above, have an undivided central space and carry no internal partitions of their own. Instead, a driver cap is provided that encloses a driver on five sides. The driver cap carries partition portions that are designed to extend to the sidewall or sidewalls of the base, thereby creating at least one wrap-around compartment for making high- or low-voltage connections. A driver cap with the form of a rectangular prism may, for example, have two partition portions attached along opposite diagonal corners and arranged to extend outwardly from the driver cap.
- Yet another aspect of the invention relates to partitions for junction boxes. A driver cap, as described above, may be used in some cases as a retrofit partition for a conventional junction box that was not originally designed to house an AC-to-DC driver.
- A further aspect of the invention also relates to junction boxes. In junction boxes according to this aspect of the invention have a base and a cover. Like the junction boxes described above, these junction boxes have a driver cap. The driver cap is installed abutting or nearly abutting one of the sidewalls of the base. A single partition extends from the driver cap to another sidewall of the base. This divides the base into two L-shaped compartments that are mirror images of one another across the longitudinal extent of the driver cap.
- Other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows.
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FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a junction box according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the junction box ofFIG. 1 with the cover removed; -
FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the junction box ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a junction box according to another embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the junction box ofFIG. 4 ; -
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the junction box ofFIG. 4 with the cover removed; -
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the junction box ofFIG. 4 ; -
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a junction box similar to the junction box ofFIG. 4 showing additional means of securing the driver; -
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a junction box according to yet another embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the junction box ofFIG. 9 with the cover removed; -
FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of the junction box ofFIG. 9 ; -
FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the junction box ofFIG. 9 ; -
FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a junction box according to yet another embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the junction box ofFIG. 13 with the cover removed; -
FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the junction box ofFIG. 13 ; -
FIG. 16 is a long-side elevational view of the junction box ofFIG. 13 ; -
FIG. 17 is a short-side elevational view of the junction box ofFIG. 13 ; -
FIG. 18 is a top plan view of a junction box according to a further embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a junction box according to another further embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the interior of a junction box according to another further embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 21 is an exploded view of the junction box ofFIG. 20 ; and -
FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the junction box ofFIG. 20 . -
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a junction box, generally indicated at 10, according to one embodiment of the invention. Thejunction box 10 is shown with adriver 12. As shown inFIG. 1 ,junction box 10 is a five-sided rectilinear enclosure with twolong walls 14, twoshort walls 16, and aflat bottom 18. Aremovable cover 20 covers and closes the enclosure, givingjunction box 10 the overall shape of a rectangular prism. Thecover 20 of the illustrated embodiment has a dependinglip 22 that extends down over the tops of thewalls cover 20 and thewalls -
FIG. 2 is a top plan view ofjunction box 10 with thecover 20 removed. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 ,junction box 10 has acentral area 24 in which thedriver 12 is installed. Thecentral area 24 is bordered by two mirror-imageinterior walls 26 that, in the illustrated embodiment, are generally U-shaped, withtransverse portions 28 that connect with and terminate along thelong sidewalls 14. Theinterior walls 26 divide thecentral area 24 from two mirror-image compartments 30 that, because of the shape of theinterior walls 26, are themselves U-shaped. Thecompartments 30 extend around three sides of thedriver 12 when it is installed in thecentral area 24. Atransverse area 32 extends acrossjunction box 10 between thetransverse portions 28 of theinterior walls 26, to provide more access to thecentral area 24 and more ability to manipulate thedriver 12 within it. - While there are two mirror-image
interior walls 26 injunction box 10 ofFIG. 1 , a junction box according to an embodiment of the invention may need only onecompartment 30, in order to separate high voltage from low voltage. If that is the case, then only oneinterior wall 26 may be needed. Of course, any number of shorter walls may be connected together to form theinterior wall 26. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , each of theinterior walls 26 has a U-shaped cut out 34 along its short side nearest theshort walls 16 ofjunction box 10. The cut-outs 34 allow an installer to pass wires from thedriver 12 to thecompartments 30 without having to pull wires through an opening. Thecut outs 34 need not be located in the place shown inFIG. 1 in all embodiments; instead, they may be located anywhere along theinterior walls 26. Some embodiments ofjunction box 10 may include multiple cut-outs 34 in theinterior walls 26. Of course, while cut-outs 34 are advantageous in that they prevent an installer from having to pull wires through openings, some embodiments may use openings in place of cut-outs 34. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 1 , the locations of the interior wall cut-outs 34 are coordinated with the locations of knock-outs oropenings 36 in theexterior walls Junction box 10 may have any number of openings or knock-outs 36 in itsexterior walls out 36, as the term is used here, is a pre-defined frangible portion of anexterior wall outs 36 are round and create round openings, although they may be of any shape. Some knock-outs may have multiple, individually removable frangible pieces to make either round openings of various sizes or openings of various shapes. -
Junction box 10 ofFIG. 1 has two knock-outs oropenings 36, oneopening 36 centered along eachshort wall 16. The cut-outs 34 in each of theinterior walls 26 are directly in line with theopenings 36 so that wires from thedriver 12 can extend relatively straight. As shown inFIG. 3 , theopenings 26 allowjunction box 10 to connect with, for example, type NM in-wall wire, plenum-rated wire, or metal or plastic conduit. While not shown in the figures, and not critical to the invention itself, connections between thedriver 12 and the wire that exits thejunction box 10 may be by twist-on wire nuts, lever nuts, or any other conventional wire connecting mechanism. In some embodiments, thedriver 12 itself may include a terminal block for making wire connections. - In addition to the knock-outs or
openings 36, junction boxes according to embodiments of the invention may be perforated so as to increase ventilation and decrease internal temperatures.Junction box 10 has four groups of perforation holes 38 on itscover 20, and one group of perforation holes 38 in the center of eachlong wall 14. - As for the
driver 12 itself, any number of mechanisms may be used to secure it within thecentral area 24, depending on the configuration of thedriver 12 and a number of other factors. U.S. Pat. No. 9,951,934 describes a number of ways in which drivers may be secured to junction boxes, and any of those methods may be implemented. InFIG. 2 , thedriver 12 has aflange 40, threaded rods are secured to the bottom 18, and thumbscrews or coupling nuts are secured over theflange 40 to secure thedriver 12. Thejunction box 10 may also have mounting holes provided in the bottom 18. - In some cases, the
cover 20 may act to secure thedriver 12. More specifically,junction box 10 may be dimensioned such that there is only a small clearance, or no clearance, between thecover 20 and thedriver 12. In that case, thecover 20 helps to hold thedriver 12 in place. Thecover 20 itself may be secured to thejunction box 10 in any number of ways, more of which will be shown and described below. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-3 , thecover 20 is secured by a tight fit, but it may be secured with screws or other fasteners. -
Junction box 10 may be made of metal or plastic. If it is made of metal, it may be, for example, cast, machined from a block of material, or made of sheet metal. Sheet metal may be a particularly cost-effective material from which to makejunction box 10. If needed for ingress protection, adjacent panels of bent sheet metal may be welded together to eliminate gaps. However, if completely seamless construction or thicker walls are needed, it may be useful to cast ormachine junction box 10. It may also be useful, e.g., for corrosion protection, to protect at least the outer surfaces ofjunction box 10 by anodizing, galvanizing, powder coating, or some similar protection or passivation technique. In some embodiments, a material like stainless steel that is naturally resistant to corrosion and other environmental effects may be used. - Plastic versions of
junction box 10 may be made, e.g., by injection molding or resin casting, to name two possible techniques. The particular plastic and the additives that are included may be chosen based on the environment in which the junction box is to be used. Suitable plastics include, but are not limited to, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), and polycarbonate. The plastics in question may have to meet certain regulatory standards, e.g., as to flame rating, melting point, etc., and those standards may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. As those of skill in the art will understand, virtually any plastic that can pass the necessary flame testing can be used. - Composite resin-impregnated materials may also be used. For example, resin-impregnated glass-fiber composites, carbon-fiber composites, and resin laminates may also be used. These materials are usually formed by using an oriented or woven mat of material that is impregnated with resin. In many cases, multiple layers may be used. For example, if laminated with resin and treated for flame resistance, even paper may be a suitable material. Composite plastic resins may also be used. For example, polymers filled with short or long glass fibers, short or long carbon fibers, or similar may be used. Glass-filled nylon, for example, may be suitable in some embodiments.
- Thus, as is apparent from
FIGS. 1-3 and the above description, injunction box 10, the two mirror-image compartments 30 “wrap around” thedriver 12. The phrase “wrap around,” as used here, refers to compartments that extend around at least portions of at least two sides of a driver, if the driver is rectilinear in shape. If the driver in question has a curved outer sidewall, then “wrap around” refers to a compartment with at least one wall that substantially matches the curvature of the driver sidewall, or to a compartment that geometrically circumscribes the driver. Although thecompartments 30 ofjunction box 10 are equal in size and are mirror images of one another, neither of those things need be true in all embodiments. For example, one compartment could be substantially smaller than the other. - Although regulatory standards often require compartments of at least a minimum volume in order to make electrical connections, those standards do not usually dictate how that volume should be arranged. Wrapping compartments around the driver may prevent the junction box from getting too large in any one dimension.
-
Junction box 10 also has certain other advantages. For example, its symmetry may make installation easier and the junction box itself more versatile. - The U-shaped compartments of
junction box 10 are only one possible shape and configuration for a junction box with wrap-around compartments. As might be appreciated from the description above, there are a number of ways that compartments might wrap around a driver, and a number of ways of defining and separating those compartments from the driver.Junction box 10 may carry partitions of other shapes. -
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of ajunction box 100 according to another embodiment of the invention. Thejunction box 100 has two L-shapedcompartments 102 that wrap around the perimeter of thedriver 12 and meet at opposite ends to form an enclosure that has a rectilinear shape overall. Whereasjunction box 10 is a unitary, single enclosure that is internally divided into acentral area 24 and twoU-shaped compartments 30, the two L-shapedcompartments 102 ofjunction box 100 are essentially separate containers that are secured together around thedriver 12. (Although thedriver 12 injunction box 100 is assumed to have the same characteristics as thedriver 12 installed injunction box 10, that need not be the case in all embodiments.) - As shown in
FIG. 4 , acover 104 extends over bothcompartments 102 to closejunction box 100. Thecover 104 is a flat, generally rectangular piece with a number of outwardly protrudingtabs 106, one on each short side and two on each long side, that insert into correspondinghorizontal slots 108 in the upper sidewalls of thecompartments 104 to secure thecover 104 to thejunction box 100. - The
cover 104 of the illustrated embodiment has a rectangularopen area 110 in its center, which exposes the majority of the top face of thedriver 12 when thecover 104 is installed. Thecover 104 also has at least two screw holes, through which screws 112 extend to secure thecover 104 to thecompartments 102 of thejunction box 100. As shown inFIG. 4 , eachcompartment 102 has a horizontally-extendingflange 114 with a threadedhole 116 that receives one of thescrews 112. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of thejunction box 100. As shown inFIG. 4 , the short end wall of the long side of eachcompartment 102 has a knock-out 118 to allow wires to enter and leave thejunction box 100. InFIG. 5 , the knock-out 118 has been removed, leaving an opening. Aclamp 120 is secured within the opening inFIG. 5 . In the illustrated embodiment, theclamp 120 secures a type NM plenum-rated cable. Of course, metal conduit may be used in some applications, and any appropriate conduit or wire may be used in other applications. -
FIG. 6 is a top plan view ofjunction box 100 without itscover 120. At the respective ends of thedriver 12, a single wall is missing from eachcompartment 102, which allowswires 122 to extend throughrespective openings 124 into theseparate compartments 102. Instead of a missing wall, a half-wall, or a wall with an opening or cut-out may be used in other embodiments. - The two
compartments 102 may be secured together in any number of ways, including welding, brazing, riveting, bolting, and other forms of fastening. In the illustration ofFIG. 6 , asingle screw 126 is secured over theflange 40 on thedriver 12, thus securing the driver, and transits the dividing wall between the twocompartments 102 to secure the twocompartments 102 together. The twocompartments 102 may be secured by additional screws or other means over their lengths. This differs somewhat from the arrangement in thejunction box 10 described above: thedriver 12 is essentially mounted on its side injunction box 100. -
FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of thejunction box 100.FIG. 7 best illustrates one of the differences betweenjunction box 10 and junction box 100: injunction box 100, thedriver 12 is not secured to the bottom. Rather, the bottom ofjunction box 100 actually has acentral opening 128, similar to thecentral opening 110 in thecover 104. This configuration, in addition to saving material and makingjunction box 100 easy to assemble by securing twocompartments 102 together end-to-end, may increase airflow to the driver. It may also be helpful with drivers that already have a high ingress protection rating, and thus, do not require much additional ingress protection from the junction box. For fire protection purposes, however, it may be helpful to see that thejunction box 100 is dimensioned such that thedriver 12 fits snugly against both thecover 104 and the bottom, so that there are no gaps. - In some cases, additional structure may be needed to secure the
driver 12 within thejunction box 100. As one example, of additional means that may be taken to secure adriver 12 within a junction box,FIG. 8 is a top plan view of ajunction box 150 that is similar to thejunction box 100 described above in many respects. On one side, ascrew 126 is inserted over theflange 40 of thedriver 12 and transits the dividing wall between the twocompartments 102, just as in thejunction box 100 described above. However, unlike injunction box 100, injunction box 150, the other side of thedriver 12 is also secured. Specifically, thedriver 12 is secured by a screw or bolt 152, but since the location of the nearest wall ofjunction box 152 is opposite that of the other side, thebolt 152 is inserted from the other side, such that the head of the screw or bolt 152 bears against the underside of theflange 40. The screw or bolt 152 is considerably longer than itscounterpart 126 on the other side, and it goes through a stand-off orsleeve 154 that extends between theflange 40 of thedriver 12 and the wall between the twocompartments 102. The stand-off orsleeve 154 provides a bearing surface for the screw or bolt 152 and allows it to be secured. - Thus,
junction boxes - As an example of this,
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a junction box, generally indicated at 200, according to yet another embodiment of the invention.Junction box 200 ofFIG. 9 has wrap-around compartments, but those compartments are defined in a completely different way than in the embodiments described above. -
Junction box 200 has abase 202, which is a five-sided rectilinear enclosure with pairs of long andshort sidewalls sidewalls base 202 is such that it may be molded, cast, or bent out of sheet metal, to give but a few examples. Notably, the base 202 itself has no internal partitions—it is simply a large area surrounded bysidewalls base 202 does have a series of knock-outs 210, one in eachlong wall 204 and two in eachshort wall 206. The predefined positions of the knock-outs 210 anticipate the locations of the compartments. As will be explained below in more detail, because thebase 202 has no internal partitions of its own, the partitions that create compartments are carried by other components of thejunction box 200. -
Junction box 200 also includes adriver cap 212. Thedriver cap 212 is another five-sided rectilinear enclosure in the illustrated embodiment that has a top 212 and long andshort sidewalls driver cap 212 is intended to fit directly over thedriver 12 and is sized and otherwise adapted to do so. In the illustrated embodiment, thedriver cap 212 is made from folded sheet metal, and the long andshort sidewalls driver cap 212 may be made in any number of ways, e.g., by casting, machining, injection molding, etc. Each of theshort sidewalls 218 has anopening 220 to permit the passage of wires from thedriver 12. - Depending on the embodiment, the
driver cap 212 may be dimensioned to fit thedriver 12 almost exactly, or there may be some extra space in at least one dimension. For example, while it may be helpful for thedriver cap 212 to have a similar length and width as thedriver 12 that it secures, thedriver cap 212 may have additional height relative to thedriver 12. - Each
long sidewall 216 carries apartition portion 222. Eachpartition portion 222 extends outwardly from thedriver cap 212 in generally the same direction as thelong sidewall 216. In the embodiment ofFIG. 9 , there are twopartition portions 222, one associated with and extending in generally the same direction as eachlong sidewall 216. The twopartition portions 222 are essentially at opposite corners of thedriver cap 212 from one another, and extend in opposite directions from one another. When thedriver cap 212 is installed in thebase 202, thesidewalls partition portions 222 define two L-shaped compartments in cooperation with thesidewalls base 202. More specifically, thepartition portions 222 are sized so that they extend the distance between thedriver cap 212 and theshort sidewalls 206 of thebase 202, so that thedriver cap 212 with itspartition portions 222 completely partitions two L-shaped wrap-around compartments 224. In the illustrated embodiment, thepartition portions 222 are straight extensions of theirrespective sidewalls - The
compartments 224 that are created by thedriver cap 212 in cooperation with the base 202 are best seen inFIG. 10 , a top plan view of thejunction box 200 without the cover installed. As was described briefly above, thepartition portions 222 divide the base 202 into two L-shapedcompartments 224 which, like the L-shaped compartments ofjunction box 100, are arranged long end to short end. Thecap 212 rests on theflanges 40 of thedriver 12 to secure the driver itself.Slots 226 in the bottom of the base 202 receive depending tabs 228 that extend down from the bottom edge of thedriver cap 212, thereby securing thedriver cap 212 in place. Thedriver cap 212 is also secured in place by thecover 230 of thejunction box 200, which in the illustrated embodiment is itself secured in place by four screws orbolts 232 that pass through openings in thecover 230 and are received by threadedholes 234 in four horizontal, inwardly-extendingflanges 236 provided along the top of thelong sidewalls 204 of thebase 202. - For ease and convenience in manufacturing, the
partition portions 222 may be formed or attached in a variety of ways. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, although thepartition portions 222 serve essentially as extensions of thelong sidewalls 216 of thedriver cap 212, eachpartition portion 222 is actually a flap of material that is contiguous with the adjacentshort sidewall 218 of thedriver cap 212 and is bent to extend in the same direction as thelong sidewall 216. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, thepartition portions 222 are contiguous with the respectiveshort sidewalls 218, rather than thelong sidewalls 216. Regardless of the precise points of attachment of thepartition portions 222, in cooperation with thebase 202, thedriver cap 212 as a whole provides a continuous barrier betweencompartments 224, of which both thelong sidewalls 216 andshort sidewalls 218 form a part. -
FIGS. 11 and 12 are end and side elevational views of thejunction box 200, illustrating the locations of the knock-outs 210 in thesidewalls FIG. 11 , the position of apartition portion 222 is shown in phantom. As shown, the knock-outs 210 are arranged such that each compartment has a knock-out 210 along eachshort wall 206, and each compartment has a knock-out 210 along each long wall. This gives installers choices as to where the wires are to enter and leave thejunction box 200. -
FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a junction box, generally indicated at 300, according to yet another embodiment of the invention.Junction box 300 is similar in many respects to thejunction box 200 described above; thus, elements not described here may be assumed to be the same as, or similar to, the corresponding components ofjunction box 200. -
Junction box 300 has a base 302 that forms a five-sided enclosure withlong sidewalls 304 andshort sidewalls 306. Thebase 302 is open and does not have any internal partitions. As withjunction box 200, adriver cap 308 has a top 309 and depending long andshort sidewalls driver 12 along its top and sides. Thedriver cap 308 carriespartition portions 314 that are arranged much as thepartition portions 222 injunction box 200 are arranged. Along with thedriver cap 308, thepartition portions 314 divide the base 302 into two L-shapedcompartments -
Junction box 300 differs in several respects from thejunction box 200 described above. For example, thecover 316 attaches to the base 302 differently. More specifically, one of thelong sidewalls 304 of thebase 302 and bothshort sidewalls 306 have inwardly-extendinghorizontal lips junction box 300. (Thelips 320 on theshort sidewalls 306 havebreaks 321 that allow for the insertion of thedriver cap 308.) Thecover 316 has a thickness that is dimensioned to fit within the channel, and slides into it. Along its front edge, thecover 316 has a bent-downvertical flange 322. Theflange 322 carries asingle screw 324, which inserts into a corresponding threadedhole 326 in the forwardlong sidewall 304 of thebase 302. Thescrew 324 is captured by theflange 322; it can turn, but it cannot come free from theflange 322. Both thecover 316 and thedriver cap 308 haveventilation holes 328 to increase airflow to thedriver 12. -
FIG. 14 is a top plan view ofjunction box 300 with thecover 316 removed. Compared withjunction box 200, thedriver cap 308 ofjunction box 300 has elongatedhorizontal flanges 330 contiguous with the bottoms of theshort sidewalls 312 of thedriver cap 308. These longhorizontal flanges 330 extend over theflanges 40 on thedriver 12 and are secured down by screws, bolts, coupling nuts, or othersuch fasteners 332. In some cases, thefasteners 332 may serve as grounding terminals for ground wires. - As with
driver cap 212,driver cap 308 includesopenings 334 in itsshort sidewalls 312 to allow thewires 122 from thedriver 40 to pass. In order to make it easier to place thedriver 12 within thedriver cap 308, aslot 336 extends down from eachopening 334, so that thewires 122 from thedriver 12 can be slid in instead of being threaded through theopening 334. As shown inFIG. 14 , theslots 336 may extend down into theflanges 330. - High-voltage wiring entering the
junction box 300 typically includes a high-voltage wire, a neutral wire, and a ground wire. Thedriver 12 itself typically includes at least a high-voltage wire and a neutral wire and may or may not include its own separate ground wire. For various reasons, it may be necessary or desirable to connect thejunction box 300 itself to ground. Thus,junction box 300 includes agrounding terminal 338 in the floor of onecompartment 303. Thegrounding terminal 338 is a raised feature or mound that arises from the floor of thecompartment 303. At the center of thegrounding terminal 338, ascrew 340 is provided, under which a grounding wire can be secured. Thescrew 340 may be captured in thegrounding terminal 338 so that it can turn but cannot come free of thegrounding terminal 338. While there is agrounding terminal 338 in only one of the twocompartments other compartment 305, if desired, in order to preserve symmetry. - In
junction box 300, the placement of knock-outs 342 is slightly different than in thejunction boxes FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of thejunction box 300. The knock-outs 342 and resulting openings are best seen inFIGS. 13-15 .Junction box 300 has two knock-outs 342 along eachlong sidewall 304 and one knock-out 342 along eachshort sidewall 306. The knock-outs 342 are arranged such that on opposite corners, the knock-out 342 on thelong sidewall 304 and the knock-out 342 on theshort sidewall 306 are adjacent one another. However, in addition to the knock-outs 342 on thesidewalls FIG. 15 , thejunction box 300 includes two knock-outs 342 along the bottom 344, arranged one per compartment at opposite corners of thejunction box 300. This allows a user to make connections through thebottom 344 of thejunction box 300 as well as through thesides FIG. 13 shows two rigid, 90°elbows 346 connected to thejunction box 300.)FIGS. 16 and 17 are long-side elevational and short-side elevational views of thejunction box 300, illustrating the placements of the knock-outs 342. - In addition to the knock-
outs 342,junction boxes bottom 344 of thejunction box 300 includes four keyhole-style mounting openings 346. As is well-known in the art, keyhole-style mounting openings 346 have a round portion that is large enough to pass a fastener head and a narrower slit portion that is not large enough to pass a fastener head. -
FIG. 15 also illustrates the position of theslots 348 in thebottom 344 of the base 302 that receive the dependingprojections 350 from thedriver cap 308. Because thedriver cap 308 is secured with screws orother fasteners 332 that extend through itsflanges 330, theslots 348 andprojections 350 primarily serve a locating function in thejunction box 300. -
FIG. 18 is a top plan view of a junction box, generally indicated at 400, according to a further embodiment of the invention. All of thejunction boxes Junction box 400 is round, but could be oval, triangular, or essentially any other shape. The view ofFIG. 18 shows thebase 402 ofjunction box 400 only; the cover is omitted, but may be assumed to be similar, except in shape, to thecover 316 ofjunction box 300. - Like the
junction boxes base 402 ofjunction box 400 alone is undivided; thebase 402 has no internal partitions of its own.Junction box 400 is divided by adriver cap 404 and itspartition portions compartments partition portions round sidewall 414 of thejunction box 400. In the illustrated embodiment, approximately half of the upper circumference of thesidewall 414 has alip 416, which forms a channel to secure a cover, much like injunction box 300. However, the cover ofjunction box 400 may be secured in any number of ways. Like the others,junction box 400 may have any number of knock-outs 418 along its sidewalls or bottom. In the view ofFIG. 18 , two knock-outs 418 are provided in the bottom, one in eachcompartment outs 418 may be provided in sections of thesidewall 414 but are not shown in the view ofFIG. 18 .Junction box 400 also includes keyhole-style mounting openings 420 arranged diagonally with respect to one another on the bottom, one percompartment - One advantage of driver caps 212, 308, 404 that carry their own partitions is that a
driver cap driver cap driver cap - Thus, one embodiment of the invention relates to driver caps 212, 308, 404 with
partition portions driver 12 already installed. If so, all that an installer would need to do would be to place the driver-carryingdriver cap - In the embodiments described above, a
driver cap driver 12 and to create partitions. However, in many cases, fully enclosing thedriver 12 within an already fully-enclosed junction box is not necessary. Rather, a five-sided driver cap driver 12 is merely surrounded, and not covered. -
FIG. 19 is a top plan view of a junction box, generally indicated at 500, that illustrates this principle.Junction box 500 has most of the features ofjunction box 400 and differs only in how thedriver 12 is surrounded and how partitions are made. More specifically, thedriver 12 is surrounded by a four-sided enclosure 502 with twolong walls 504, twoshort walls 506, and no top. Thus, thedriver 12 is exposed along its top face. The long andshort walls sidewall 414 ofjunction box 500 in order to provide a complete partition. Like the driver caps 212, 308, 404, theenclosure 502 hasflanges 508 that secure thedriver 12, and includespartition portions 510 that extend outwardly from theenclosure 502 to partitionjunction box 500 into two wrap-aroundcompartments partition portions 510 are straight and in line with thelong sidewalls 504 of the enclosure, they need not be in all embodiments. - The
enclosure 502 may be made in any number of ways, including with sheet metal or by casting or molding, and it may be made of metal or plastic. If adriver cap 404 orenclosure 502 is added to ajunction box driver cap 404 orenclosure 502 would typically be of at least the same type of material as thejunction box junction box driver cap 404 orenclosure 502 would also be made of metal. - Thus, there are a number of ways in which
junction boxes driver 12 and, potentially, minimize the size of thejunction box driver cap enclosure 502 may be used to retrofit an existingjunction box -
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a junction box, generally indicated at 600, according to a further embodiment of the invention.Junction box 600 is shown in the view ofFIG. 20 without itscover 602.Junction box 600 has a base 604 that is a five-sided rectilinear enclosure with a bottom 606 and foursidewalls base 604 of the illustrated embodiment is square or nearly square, although it may be more rectangular in other embodiments. The tops of two of thesidewalls slot 616 that allows for the insertion of thecover 602. Three of thesidewalls outs 618 for openings; thefourth sidewall 608 has none. However, in some embodiments, allsidewalls outs 618. - As shown in
FIG. 20 and in the exploded perspective view ofFIG. 21 ,junction box 600 uses adriver cap 620 that inserts over adriver 622. As shown, thedriver cap 620 includes dependingtabs 624, and the bottom 606 has correspondingslots 626 to accept thetabs 624. -
Junction box 600 differs from those described above primarily because thedriver cap 620 is off-center: it abuts or is very close tosidewall 608, rather than being centered on the bottom 606. Because thedriver cap 620 is very close tosidewall 608, only asingle partition 630, which in this case extends forwardly from thedriver cap 620 towardsidewall 610, is necessary to dividejunction box 600 into two L-shapedcompartments compartments driver cap 620 anddriver 622, and meet at thepartition 630. Thepartition 630 in the illustrated embodiment is an outwardly folded extension of theforward sidewall 636 of thedriver cap 620. In the illustrated embodiment, theforward sidewall 636 is discontinuous, comprised of apiece 637 that folds inwardly from theleft sidewall 638, ultimately folding outwardly again to form thepartition 630, and apiece 642 that folds inwardly from theopposite sidewall 640 of thedriver cap 620. Of course, these are the sorts of bends and folds that may be made ifjunction box 600 is made with sheet metal; ifjunction box 600 is cast or molded, the appropriate features could simply be cast or molded in. -
FIG. 22 , a top plan view of the base 604 with no cover, shows the two L-shapedcompartments FIG. 22 , there is a small gap between the sidewall of thedriver cap 620 and thesidewall 608 of thebase 604. The extent of that gap may depend, at least in part, on the requirements of local safety regulations. As was described above, thedriver cap 620 may be made to abut thesidewall 608. - The arrangement of
junction box 600 is particularly well suited fordrivers 622 in which both input and output leads extend from the same face of thedriver 622. As can be seen most clearly inFIG. 21 , anotch 644 is cut at the bottom of theforward sidewall 636 to allow sets ofwires forward sidewall 636 to enter thecompartments partition 630 has asimilar notch 650. In other embodiments, instead ofnotches sidewall 636 andpartition 630, other types of penetrations could be used. - As shown particularly in
FIG. 22 , one set ofwires 646 goes into onecompartment 632; the other set ofwires 648 goes into theother compartment 634. Thedriver 622 of the illustrated embodiment has two two-wire sets 646, 648. In other words, thisparticular driver 622 does not have a separate ground wire on the high-voltage side. If needed, various other techniques may be used to ground thedriver 622. - The
base 604 anddriver cap 620 may also have other features to facilitate wiring and connection. For example,compartment 634 has a raisedmound 652 with anopening 654 for a grounding screw. - The bottom 606 has
typical openings 628 for fasteners to mountjunction box 600 to a surface. However, asFIG. 22 shows, there are two sets offastener openings 628, and each set offastener openings 628 has a different orientation. This allows the base 604 to be mounted in different orientations. Ajunction box 600 may be mounted in any of several different orientations in order to provide better access to the exiting wires, in order to orient thebase 604 for better protection against the elements, or for other reasons. - While the
driver cap 620 is shown as being particularly adapted for itsbase 604, driver caps similar todriver cap 620 may be made for installation in any kind of junction box or junction box base, as was described above. If thedriver cap 620 is adapted for use in other junction boxes or other junction box bases, it may have flanges or other such structures to secure it to that base. - Ultimately, the shape and features of any driver cap will depend on the driver that it is designed to cover. As shown in
FIG. 21 , thedriver 622 is rounded along one edge. Especially if it is made by molding, thedriver cap 620 may have a corresponding shape. - Although portions of this description focus on AC-to-DC drivers, junction boxes according to embodiments of the invention may house a variety of electronic equipment and need not be limited to AC-to-DC drivers. For example, a junction box may house an AC-to-AC transformer or converter. Junction boxes may also house other types of components, such as color controllers and network interfaces.
- While the invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting. Modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
Claims (14)
1. A junction box, comprising:
a base having a bottom and a sidewall or sidewalls arising from the bottom;
a driver cap, the driver cap having
a top,
sidewalls depending from the top, and
a partition portion extending outwardly from one of the sidewalls of the driver cap, the partition portion being arranged so as to extend to the sidewall or sidewalls of the base and thereby divide the base into at least two compartments that wrap around the driver cap; and
a cover sized and adapted to engage the base and to form a closed enclosure with the base.
2. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the base is rectangular and the sidewall comprises opposed pairs of sidewalls.
3. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the driver cap comprises opposed pairs of long and short sidewalls.
4. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the partition portion extends in line with long axes of the long sidewalls of the driver cap.
5. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the driver cap further comprises at least one locating or engaging feature, and the base further comprises a complementary locating or engaging feature.
6. The junction box of claim 5 , wherein the locating or engaging feature comprises sets of depending tabs and the complementary locating or engaging feature of the base comprises complementary sets of slots adapted for the sets of depending tabs.
7. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the driver cap is installed in the base such that it is closer to one of the sidewalls of the base than to the other sidewalls of the base.
8. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the driver cap abuts or nearly abuts the one of the sidewalls of the base.
9. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the one of the sidewalls of the driver cap from which the partition extends is notched along a bottom thereof.
10. The junction box of claim 1 , wherein the partition is notched along a bottom thereof.
11. A partition for a junction box, comprising:
a driver cap including
a top;
sidewalls depending from the top; and
a partition portion extending outwardly from a sidewall.
12. The partition of claim 11 , wherein the sidewalls comprise two long and two short sidewalls arranged such that the driver cap has a generally rectangular perimeter.
13. The partition of claim 11 , wherein the partition portion is oriented generally vertically and extends outwardly in generally the same direction as the sidewalls.
14. The partition of claim 19, further comprising at least one notch or penetration allowing wires from a driver to leave the driver cap.
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US16/826,855 US10873179B2 (en) | 2017-12-12 | 2020-03-23 | Junction boxes with wrap-around compartments |
PCT/US2020/042477 WO2021154330A1 (en) | 2017-12-12 | 2020-07-17 | Junction boxes with wrap-around compartments |
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US16/017,588 US10116127B1 (en) | 2017-12-12 | 2018-06-25 | Junction boxes with wrap-around compartments |
PCT/US2018/052629 WO2019118044A1 (en) | 2017-12-12 | 2018-09-25 | Junction boxes with wrap-around compartments |
US16/773,047 US10644489B1 (en) | 2017-12-12 | 2020-01-27 | Junction boxes with wrap-around compartments |
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-
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- 2018-06-25 US US16/017,588 patent/US10116127B1/en active Active
- 2018-09-25 CA CA3083580A patent/CA3083580C/en active Active
- 2018-09-25 WO PCT/US2018/052629 patent/WO2019118044A1/en unknown
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WO2019118044A1 (en) | 2019-06-20 |
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