Electrical countertop box with trapdoor cover
An electrical box assembly for mounting an electrical component in a countertop. The assembly includes an electrical box with an enclosure adapted to receive electrical wiring. A sidewall on the electrical box includes one or more channels each including a channel bottom, a ramp, and a channel cover with a slot. A mounting bracket includes a base and two arm members and is loosely assembled to the electrical box with the mounting fasteners. A cover bracket is secured in each of the slots. A cover provides access to the electrical component and includes a cover plate, a cavity for housing an electrical component, and a snap-engagement latch for selectively latching the electrical component outward of the cover plate or inward within the electrical box enclosure. Installation time and effort are minimized as site preparation requires only a single hole that may be made with a standard size hole-saw.
1. An electrical box assembly to mount an electrical component to a countertop having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a hole therein, comprising:
an electrical box including a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upward from said bottom wall to form an electrical enclosure;
a bracket including a base having apertures and a plurality of arms extending from said base, said arms to extend through the hole in the countertop;
mounting fasteners for securing said electrical box to said countertop, said mounting fasteners extending through said bottom wall of said electrical box and into said apertures in said base of said bracket;
a cover plate to attach to said electrical box and seat against the countertop;
an opening in said cover plate in communication with said electrical enclosure, said opening including an edge;
a cover assembly including a lid and the electrical component, said cover assembly hinged to said cover plate and rotatable from a closed position on said electrical enclosure to an open position to provide access to the electrical component above the countertop; and
a recessed area in said cover plate surrounding said opening, said recessed area for flush closure of said lid with said cover plate;
a plurality of channels in said sidewall of said electrical box, each of said channels adapted to accommodate a corresponding one of said arms of said electrical box upon insertion of said electrical box through the countertop;
a channel cover on each of said channels of said electrical box;
a slot in each of said channel covers;
a ramp secured to said electrical box in each of said channels;
a cover bracket in each of said channels;
an opening in each of said cover brackets for snap engagement to said ramps to lock said cover brackets to said electrical box;
said cover brackets including a tab having an aperture, said aperture in said tab to accept cover fasteners for securing said cover assembly to said electrical box; and
said cover plate including apertures in said recessed area to obscure said cover fasteners when said lid is in the closed position.
2. An electrical box assembly to mount an electrical component to a countertop having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a hole therein, comprising:
an electrical box including a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upward from said bottom wall to form an electrical enclosure;
a bracket including a base having apertures and a plurality of arms extending from said base, said arms to extend through the hole in the countertop;
mounting fasteners for securing said electrical box to said countertop, said mounting fasteners extending through said bottom wall of said electrical box and into said apertures in said base of said bracket;
a cover plate to attach to said electrical box and seat against the countertop;
an opening in said cover plate in communication with said electrical enclosure, said opening including an edge;
a cover assembly including a lid and the electrical component, said cover assembly hinged to said cover plate and rotatable from a closed position on said electrical enclosure to an open position to provide access to the electrical component above the countertop; and
a recessed area in said cover plate surrounding said opening, said recessed area for flush closure of said lid with said cover plate;
opposing sides on said base of said bracket;
an arcuate cutout on each of said opposing sides of said base of said bracket.
3. An electrical box assembly to mount an electrical component to a countertop having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a hole therein, comprising:
an electrical box including a bottom wall and a sidewall extending upward from an outer periphery of said bottom wall to form an electrical enclosure;
a bracket including a base having apertures and a plurality of arms extending from said base, said arms to extend through the hole in the countertop;
mounting fasteners for securing said electrical box to said countertop, said mounting fasteners extending through said bottom wall of said electrical box and into said apertures in said base of said bracket;
a cover plate to attach to said electrical box and seat against the countertop;
an opening in said cover plate in communication with said electrical enclosure, said opening including an edge;
a cover assembly including the electrical component, said cover assembly hinged to said cover plate and rotatable from a closed position within said electrical enclosure to an open position outside said electrical enclosure; and
a plurality of channels in said sidewall of said electrical box, each of said channels adapted to accommodate a corresponding one of said arms of said electrical box upon insertion of said electrical box through the countertop.
4. The electrical box assembly of claim 3 , further comprising:
a channel cover on each of said channels of said electrical box; and
a slot in each of said channel covers.
5. The electrical box assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a ramp secured to said electrical box in each of said channels.
6. The electrical box assembly of claim 5 , further comprising:
a cover bracket in each of said channels; and
an opening in each of said cover brackets for snap engagement to said ramps to lock said cover brackets to said electrical box.
7. The electrical box assembly of claim 6 , wherein each of said cover brackets comprise:
a tab; and
an aperture in said tab of said cover brackets, said aperture in said tab to accept cover fasteners for securing said cover assembly to said electrical box.
8. An electrical box assembly to mount an electrical component to a countertop having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a hole therein, comprising:
an electrical box including a bottom wall, a sidewall extending upward from an outer periphery of said bottom wall to form an electrical enclosure, and a rim;
a bracket including a base having apertures and a plurality of arms extending from said base, said arms to extend through the hole in the countertop;
mounting fasteners for securing said electrical box to said countertop, said mounting fasteners extending through said bottom wall of said electrical box and into said apertures in said base of said bracket;
a cover plate to attach to said electrical box and seat against the countertop;
an opening in said cover plate in communication with said electrical enclosure, said opening including an edge;
a cover assembly including the electrical component, said cover assembly hinged to said cover plate and rotatable from a closed position within said electrical enclosure to an open position outside said electrical enclosure;
a plurality of channels in said sidewall of said electrical box, each of said channels adapted to accommodate a corresponding one of said arms of said electrical box upon insertion of said electrical box through the countertop; and
channel covers extending from said rim of said electrical box to cover said channels.
9. The electrical box assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a cover bracket in each of said channels for securing said cover assembly to said electrical box.
10. The electrical box assembly of claim 9 , further comprising:
a ramp secured to said electrical box in each of said channels; and
a slot in each of said channels.