Electrical accessories and associated methods of use and manufacture
Electrical accessories and associated methods of use and manufacture are provided. In one embodiment, an electrical accessory can be provided. The electrical accessory can include an electrical junction box having a first side wall. The electrical accessory can also include an adjustable bracket coupled to the electrical junction box. The adjustable bracket can include a sliding plate and a mounting plate. The sliding plate can be positioned adjacent the first side wall and can be removably coupled to the electrical junction box. The adjustable bracket can also include a mounting hole axially aligned with the mounting hole of the first side wall of the junction box. The axially aligned mounting holes can be configured to receive a screw such that rotation of the screw moves the sliding plate and electrical junction box in relation to the mounting plate.
1. In an electrical accessory comprising:
a frame comprising:
a first side wall and a second side wall in parallel relation to each other; and
a first end wall and a second end wall in parallel relation to each other and disposed between the first and second side walls; and
a rear wall coupled to the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls;
wherein the first and second side walls and the first and second end walls define an opening configured to receive an electrical device;
a first receptacle mount opening disposed in the frame adjacent the opening, the first receptacle mount opening comprising a first cavity having a first longitudinal axis and extending from a first end adjacent the opening to a second end towards the rear wall, the first receptacle mount opening configured to receive a first fastener for the electrical device;
the improvement comprising:
a cylindrically-shaped shield comprising:
a first shield end directly coupled to the first receptacle mount opening;
a distal second shield end;
an outer surface having a first diameter extending from the first shield end to the second shield end;
a groove disposed along the outer surface of the shield, the groove reducing the first diameter of the outer surface along a portion of the shield between the first shield end and the second shield end;
a second cavity having a longitudinal axis, wherein the first longitudinal axis of the first cavity and the longitudinal axis of the second cavity are axially aligned;
wherein the shield extends from the second end of the first receptacle mount opening towards the rear wall,
wherein the shield is removably coupled to the first receptacle mount opening and, wherein the groove is configured to facilitate decoupling of the shield from the second end of the first receptacle mount opening.
2. The electrical accessory of claim 1 , further comprising a first coverplate mounting hole disposed in the frame adjacent the opening, the first coverplate mounting hole comprising a third cavity extending from the opening towards the rear wall, the first coverplate mounting hole configured to receive a first fastener for a coverplate, wherein the first coverplate mounting hole is disposed adjacent to the first receptacle mount opening.
3. The electrical accessory of claim 2 , wherein the first coverplate mounting hole and the first receptacle mount opening are aligned along a vertical axis of the frame.
4. The electrical accessory of claim 2 , wherein the first coverplate mounting hole and the first receptacle mount opening are disposed in the first end wall.
5. The electrical accessory of claim 4 , further comprising a knockout disposed on the first end wall and positioned adjacent the shield.
6. The electrical accessory of claim 4 , further comprising:
a second receptacle mount opening disposed in the second end wall and adjacent the opening, the second receptacle mount opening comprising a fourth cavity having a second longitudinal axis and extending from a first end adjacent the opening to a second end towards the rear wall, the second receptacle mount opening configured to receive a second fastener for the electrical device;
a second coverplate mounting hole disposed in the second end wall adjacent the opening and the second receptacle mount opening, the second coverplate mounting hole comprising a fifth cavity extending from the opening towards the rear wall, the second coverplate mounting hole configured to receive a second fastener for the coverplate; and
a second cylindrically-shaped shield extending from the second end of the second receptacle mount opening towards the rear wall, the second cylindrically-shaped shield comprising:
a third shield end directly coupled to the second receptacle mount opening;
a distal fourth shield end;
a second outer surface having a second diameter extending from the third shield end to the fourth shield end; and
a sixth cavity having a third longitudinal axis,
wherein the second longitudinal axis of the fourth cavity and the third longitudinal axis of the sixth cavity are axially aligned and wherein the second cylindrically-shaped shield is removably coupled to the second receptacle mount opening.
7. The electrical accessory of claim 6 , wherein the third cavity of the first coverplate mounting hole and the fifth cavity of the second coverplate mounting hole are each substantially covered along respective longitudinal axes and configured to shield the respective first and second fasteners for the coverplate received therein.
8. The electrical accessory of claim 6 , wherein the first end wall comprises a top surface and a bottom surface and wherein the second end wall comprises a top surface and a bottom surface;
wherein the first receptacle mount opening and the first cavity are disposed along the top surface of the first end wall;
wherein the first coverplate mounting hole is disposed adjacent the bottom surface of the first end wall;
wherein the second receptacle mount opening and the fourth cavity are disposed along the bottom surface of the second end wall; and
wherein the second coverplate mounting hole is disposed adjacent the top surface of the second end wall.
9. The electrical accessory of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of a first outer surface of the first coverplate mounting hole comprises a first protrusion that extends below the bottom surface of the first end wall and wherein at least a portion of a second outer surface of the second coverplate mounting hole comprises a second protrusion that extends above the top surface of the second end wall.
10. The electrical accessory of claim 6 , wherein the second cylindrically-shaped shield further comprises:
a second groove disposed along the second outer surface, the second groove reducing the second diameter of the second outer surface along a first portion of the second cylindrically-shaped shield between the third shield end and the fourth shield end,
wherein the second groove is configured to facilitate decoupling of the second cylindrically-shaped shield from the second end of the second receptacle mount opening.
11. In an electrical junction box comprising:
a frame comprising:
at least one side wall; and
a rear wall coupled to the at least one first side wall;
wherein the at least one side wall defines an opening configured to receive an electrical device;
a first receptacle mount opening disposed in the frame adjacent the opening, the first receptacle mount opening comprising a first cavity having a first longitudinal axis and extending from a first end adjacent the opening to a second end towards the rear wall, the first receptacle mount opening configured to receive a first fastener for the electrical device;
the improvement comprising:
a cylindrically-shaped shield extending from the second end of the first receptacle mount opening towards the rear wall, the shield comprising:
a first shield end directly coupled to the first receptacle mount opening;
a distal second shield end;
a cylindrically-shaped outer surface having a first diameter extending from the first shield end to the second shield end;
a groove disposed along the outer surface of the shield, the groove reducing the first diameter of the outer surface along a portion of the shield between the first shield end and the second shield end; and
a second cavity having a longitudinal axis, wherein the first longitudinal axis of the first cavity and the longitudinal axis of the second cavity are axially aligned,
wherein the shield is removably coupled to the first receptacle mount opening, and
wherein the groove is configured to facilitate decoupling of the shield from the second end of the first receptacle mount opening.
12. The electrical junction box of claim 11 , further comprising a first coverplate mounting hole disposed in the frame adjacent the opening, the first coverplate mounting hole comprising a third cavity extending from the opening towards the rear wall, the first coverplate mounting hole configured to receive a first fastener for a coverplate, wherein the longitudinal axis of the second cavity of the shield is not axially aligned with the third cavity of the first coverplate mounting hole.
13. The electrical junction box of claim 11 , wherein the first coverplate mounting hole and the first receptacle mount opening are disposed in a first wall of the at least one side wall.
14. The electrical junction box of claim 13 , wherein the first wall comprises an exterior surface and an interior surface;
wherein the first receptacle mount opening and the first cavity are disposed along the interior surface of the first wall; and
wherein the first coverplate mounting hole is disposed adjacent the exterior surface of the first wall.
15. The electrical junction box of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the first coverplate mounting hole comprises a first protrusion that extends outward from the exterior surface of the first wall.
16. The electrical junction box of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second receptacle mount opening disposed in the second end wall and adjacent the opening, the second receptacle mount opening comprising a third cavity having a second longitudinal axis and extending from a first end adjacent the opening to a second end towards the rear wall, the second receptacle mount opening configured to receive a second fastener for the electrical device;
a second coverplate mounting hole disposed in the second end wall adjacent the opening and the second receptacle mount opening, the second coverplate mounting hole comprising a fourth cavity extending from the opening towards the rear wall, the second coverplate mounting hole configured to receive a second fastener for the coverplate; and
a second cylindrically-shaped shield extending from the second end of the second receptacle mount opening towards the rear wall, the second cylindrically-shaped shield comprising:
a third shield end directly coupled to the receptacle mount opening;
a distal fourth shield end;
a second outer surface having a second diameter extending from the third shield end to the fourth shield end;
a second groove disposed along the second outer surface, the second groove reducing the second diameter of the second outer surface along a first portion of the second cylindrically-shaped shield between the third shield end and the fourth shield end;
a fifth cavity having a third longitudinal axis,
wherein the second longitudinal axis of the third cavity and the third longitudinal axis of the fifth cavity are axially aligned and wherein the second cylindrically-shaped shield is removably coupled to the second receptacle mount opening, and
wherein the second groove is configured to facilitate decoupling of the second cylindrically-shaped shield from the second end of the second receptacle mount opening.
17. The electrical accessory of claim 11 , further comprising at least one punch out disposed on the at least one side wall and positioned adjacent the shield.
18. In an electrical junction box comprising:
at least one side wall; and
a rear wall coupled to the at least one first side wall;
wherein the at least one side wall defines an opening configured to receive an electrical device;
a first receptacle mount opening disposed in the frame adjacent the opening, the first receptacle mount opening comprising a first cavity having a first longitudinal axis and extending from a first end adjacent the opening to a second end towards the rear wall, the first receptacle mount opening configured to receive a first fastener for the electrical device;
the improvement comprising:
a cylindrically-shaped shield directly coupled to and extending from the second end of the first receptacle mount opening towards the rear wall, the shield comprising:
a first shield end directly coupled to the second end of the first receptacle mount opening;
a distal second shield end;
a cylindrically-shaped outer surface having a first diameter extending from the first shield end to the second shield end;
a groove disposed along the outer surface of the shield, the groove reducing the first diameter of the outer surface along a portion of the shield between the first shield end and the second shield end; and
a second cavity having a longitudinal axis,
wherein the first longitudinal axis of the first cavity and the longitudinal axis of the second cavity are axially aligned and wherein the groove facilitates decoupling of the shield from the first receptacle mount opening.