Flush floor service hideaway universal box assembly
View Patent ↗A universal floor box assembly is provided including a universal box having a bottom wall, and front, rear right side and left side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The front, rear, right side and left side walls each define a respective upper terminal edge. At least one of the front, rear, right side and left side walls define an aperture formed therein. Desirably, an electrical, a telephonic and/or a data cable is/are receivable within the universal box. The universal box assembly further includes an electrical, telephonic and/or data interface selectively front loaded in the aperture of the backing member. The at least one electrical, telephonic and data interface are selectively connectable to a transition block assembly of the power cable.
1. A universal floor box assembly, for receiving an undercarpet power cable or routing of in-floor and/or sub-floor installation, the power cable or routing including a transition block assembly, the universal floor box assembly comprising:
a universal box including a bottom wall, front and rear walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, right side and left side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, wherein the front, rear, right side and left side walls each define a respective upper terminal edge, at least one of the front, rear, right side and left side walls define an aperture formed therein, wherein at least one of an electrical, telephonic and data cable is receivable within the universal box;
a power and activation plate assembly selectively connectable to the universal box, the plate assembly including a backing member defining at least one aperture therein; and
at least one of an electrical, telephonic and data interface selectively front loaded in the aperture of the backing member, wherein the at least one electrical, telephonic and data interface are selectively connectable to a transition block assembly of the power cable disposed within the universal box.
2. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a trim and lid assembly selectively connectable with universal box, the trim and lid assembly including a shroud having a perimetral flange and a perimetral rim extending substantially orthogonally from the perimetral flange.
3. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the shroud is configured and dimensioned to rest atop flanges extending orthogonally outward from the front, rear, left side, and right side walls of the universal box.
4. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a hatch assembly selectively operatively connectable to the perimetral flange of the shroud, the hatch assembly including:
a bezel configured and adapted to overlie and snap-fit engage the perimetral flange, wherein the bezel defines a window; and
a cover pivotably connected to the bezel, the cover being pivotable between a first position in which the window of the bezel is open and a second position in which the window of the bezel is closed.
5. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the cover defines a finger-hold to facilitate moving of the cover between the first and second positions in order to open and close the universal box.
6. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover plate sized to rest atop the upper terminal edges of the front, rear, left side and right side walls of the universal box, the cover plate being selectively securable to the upper terminal edges of the universal box.
7. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 6 , further comprising a gasket disposed between the cover plate and the upper terminal edges of the universal box when the cover plate is secured to the universal box.
8. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the gasket includes at least one tab extending from a surface thereof for occluding a respective cut-out formed in a respective front, rear, left side and right side wall of the universal box.
9. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at least one cut-out is formed in at least one of the front, rear, left side and right side walls of the universal box, wherein the cut-out extends through an upper terminal edge of the respective front, rear, left side and right side walls.
10. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 1 , comprising flanges extending substantially orthogonally and outwardly from the upper terminal edges of the front, rear, left side and right side walls of the universal box.
11. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising knock-out plates configured and dimensioned to cover each aperture formed in each of the front, rear, left side and right side walls of the universal box.
12. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the universal box includes leveling brackets extending therefrom.
13. A method of load balancing electrical, telephonic and data conduits at an interface point, comprising the steps of:
providing a universal box assembly including:
a universal box configured to receive electrical, telephonic and data conduits therein;
a power and activation plate assembly selectively connectable to the universal box, the plate assembly including a backing member defining at least one aperture therein; and
at least one of an electrical, telephonic and data interface selectively front loaded in the aperture of the backing member, wherein the at least one electrical, telephonic and data interface are selectively connectable to a transition block assembly of a power cable;
disassociating at least one of the electrical, telephonic and data interfaces from the backing member; and
balancing an electrical load at the site of the universal box.
14. A universal floor box assembly, for receiving an undercarpet power cable or routing of in-floor and/or sub-floor installation, the power cable or routing including a transition block assembly, the universal floor box assembly comprising:
a universal box including a bottom wall, front and rear walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, right side and left side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, wherein the front, rear, right side and left side walls each define a respective upper terminal edge, at least one of the front, rear, right side and left side walls define an aperture formed therein and a cut-out extend through a respective upper terminal edge thereof, wherein at least one of an electrical, telephonic and data cable is receivable within the universal box; and
a trim and lid assembly selectively connectable with universal box, the trim and lid assembly including:
a shroud including a perimetral flange configured and dimensioned to rest atop flanges extending orthogonally outward from the front, rear, left side, and right side walls of the universal box; and
a hatch assembly selectively operatively connectable to the perimetral flange of the shroud, the hatch assembly including a bezel configured and adapted to overlie and snap-fit engage the perimetral flange.
15. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a power and activation plate assembly selectively connectable to the universal box, the plate assembly including a backing member defining at least one aperture therein; and
at least one of an electrical, telephonic and data interface selectively front loaded in the aperture of the backing member, wherein the at least one electrical, telephonic and data interface are selectively connectable to a transition block assembly of the power cable.
16. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 15 , further comprising:
a cover plate sized to rest atop the upper terminal edges of the front, rear, left side and right side walls of the universal box; and
a gasket disposed between the cover plate and the upper terminal edges of the universal box when the cover plate is secured to the universal box, the gasket including at least one tab extending from a surface thereof for occluding a respective cut-out formed in a respective front, rear, left side and right side wall of the universal box.
17. A universal floor box assembly, for receiving an undercarpet power cable or routing of in-floor and/or sub-floor installation, the power cable or routing including a transition block assembly, the universal floor box assembly comprising:
a universal box including a bottom wall, front and rear walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, right side and left side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, wherein the front, rear, right side and left side walls each define a respective upper terminal edge, at least one of the front, rear, right side and left side walls define an aperture formed therein, wherein at least one of an electrical, telephonic and data cable is receivable within the universal box;
a cover plate sized to rest atop the upper terminal edges of the front, rear, left side and right side walls of the universal box; and
a gasket disposed between the cover plate and the upper terminal edges of the universal box when the cover plate is secured to the universal box, the gasket including at least one tab extending from a surface thereof for occluding a respective cut-out formed in a respective front, rear, left side and right side wall of the universal box.
18. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a trim and lid assembly selectively connectable with universal box, the trim and lid assembly including:
a shroud including a perimetral flange configured and dimensioned to rest atop flanges extending orthogonally outward from the front, rear, left side, and right side walls of the universal box; and
a hatch assembly selectively operatively connectable to the perimetral flange of the shroud, the hatch assembly including a bezel configured and adapted to overlie and snap-fit engage the perimetral flange.
19. The universal floor box assembly according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a power and activation plate assembly selectively connectable to the universal box, the plate assembly including a backing member defining at least one aperture therein; and
at least one of an electrical, telephonic and data interface selectively front loaded in the aperture of the backing member, wherein the at least one electrical, telephonic and data interface are selectively connectable to a transition block assembly of the power cable.