Granted Patent B2

US 12,331,533 · App. 18/101,585 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventor: Adrian Shaun MacDonnell (Abbotsford, CA)

E04G17/00H02G3/08

Abstract

Claims (25)

1. An apparatus for facilitating installing electrical boxes in a structure, wherein the structure is constructed of construction material poured against surfaces of construction forms, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a stand configured to be secured in at least one location on at least one surface of at least one construction form used for constructing the structure, wherein the stand extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the stand defines an interior space, wherein the first end of the stand is shaped to define an opening leading into the interior space, wherein the second end of the stand is configured to be attached to the at least one surface in the at least one location; and

an extendable member movably disposed in the interior space, wherein the extendable member extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the extendable member comprises a platform comprised in the first end of the extendable member, wherein the platform comprises a base wall and at least one side wall, wherein a first end of the at least one side wall is peripherally attached to the base wall and extends vertically from the base wall forming an electrical box having a box interior space, wherein a second end of the at least one side wall is shaped to define a box opening leading into the box interior space, wherein the extendable member is retractably extendable from the opening for retractably extending the platform from a first position to at least one second position in relation to the opening, wherein a depth of the extendable member is adjustable based on the retractably extending of the platform from the first position to the at least one second position, wherein the stand secured in the at least one location on the at least one surface locates the platform in at least one platform location in the structure and is configured to maintain the at least one platform location of the platform while the construction material is being poured against the at least one surface of the at least one construction form and while the construction material is being cured.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one electrical box configured to be attached to the platform using at least one attaching element, wherein the platform located in the at least one platform location locates the at least one electrical box in at least one box location in the structure, wherein the stand secured in the at least one location maintains the at least one box location of the at least one box.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the platform comprises a lid, wherein the lid is configured to be detachably attached to the second end of the at least one side wall for openably closing the box opening, wherein the lid attached to the second end of the at least one side wall closes the box opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the platform comprises at least one mount, wherein the at least one mount is disposed in the box interior space and attached to at least one inner wall surface of the at least one side wall, wherein the at least one mount comprises at least one mounting hole, wherein the lid comprises at least one mounting element, wherein the at least one mounting element is configured to be disengageably engaged with the at least one mounting hole to detachably attach the lid to the second end of the at least one side wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one mount comprises at least one additional mounting hole for mounting at least one device to the electrical box.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one side wall comprises at least one conduit opening, wherein the at least one conduit opening allows connecting at least one electrical conduit to the electrical box.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stand comprises at least one body opening leading into the interior space, wherein the at least one body opening allows the construction material to enter into the interior space.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extendable member is removably disposed in the interior space of the stand.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second position corresponds to at least one amount of the depth of the platform, wherein the extendable member is configured to be resistively moved from the first position and fixed to the stand in the at least one second position.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the extendable member is configured to be detachably attached to the stand in the at least one second position using at least one attachment element for fixing the extendable member to the stand in the at least one second position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stand comprises a plurality of stand leg portions extending between a first leg portion end and a second leg portion end, wherein the plurality of stand leg portions are spaced apart and interconnected using a plurality of interconnecting stand portions of the stand, wherein the plurality of stand leg portions and the plurality of interconnecting portions defines the interior space, wherein the interior space extends from the first leg portion end of the plurality of stand leg portions to the second leg portion end of the plurality of stand leg portions, wherein the first leg portion end of the plurality of stand leg portions defines the opening.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the extendable member comprises a plurality of leg portions extending between a first leg portion end and a second leg portion end, wherein the platform is attached to the first leg portion end of the plurality of leg portions.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the plurality of stand leg portions comprises a plurality of first protrusions disposed on an inner stand leg surface of at least one of the plurality of stand leg portions, wherein the plurality of first protrusions consecutively extends from the first leg portion end and the second leg portion end of at least one of the plurality of stand leg portions defining a plurality of grooves, wherein each of the plurality of grooves is disposed between each of two first protrusions of the plurality of first protrusions, wherein at least one of the plurality of leg portions comprises a second protrusion disposed on an outer leg surface proximal to the second leg portion end of at least one of the plurality of leg portions, wherein the second protrusion is configured to be disengageably engaged with at least one of the plurality of grooves.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a first groove corresponding to the first position and at least one second groove corresponding to the at least one second position, wherein the extendable member retractably extends from the first position to the at least one second position in relation to the opening based on a disengagement of the second protrusion from the first groove and an engagement of the second protrusion to the at least one second groove.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the disengagement of the second protrusion from the first groove requires at least one external action on the extendable member in relation to the stand, wherein the engagement of the second protrusion to the at least one second groove fixes the extendable member to the stand in the at least one second position.

16. An apparatus for facilitating installing electrical boxes in a structure, wherein the structure is constructed of construction material poured against surfaces of construction forms, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a stand configured to be secured in at least one location on at least one surface of at least one construction form used for constructing the structure, wherein the stand extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the stand defines an interior space, wherein the first end of the stand is shaped to define an opening leading into the interior space, wherein the second end of the stand is configured to be attached to the at least one surface in the at least one location; and

an extendable member movably disposed in the interior space, wherein the extendable member extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the extendable member comprises a platform comprised in the first end of the extendable member, wherein the platform comprises a base wall and at least one side wall, wherein a first end of the at least one side wall is peripherally attached to the base wall and extends vertically from the base wall forming an electrical box having a box interior space, wherein the at least one side wall comprises at least one conduit opening, wherein the at least one conduit opening allows connecting at least one electrical conduit to the electrical box, wherein a second end of the at least one side wall is shaped to define a box opening leading into the box interior space, wherein the extendable member is retractably extendable from the opening for retractably extending the platform from a first position to at least one second position in relation to the opening, wherein a depth of the extendable member is adjustable based on the retractably extending of the platform from the first position to the at least one second position, wherein the stand secured in the at least one location on the at least one surface locates the platform in at least one platform location in the structure and is configured to maintain the at least one platform location of the platform while the construction material is being poured against the at least one surface of the at least one construction form and while the construction material is being cured.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the platform comprises a lid, wherein the lid is configured to be detachably attached to the second end of the at least one side wall for openably closing the box opening, wherein the lid attached to the second end of the at least one side wall closes the box opening.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the platform comprises at least one mount, wherein the at least one mount is disposed in the box interior space and attached to at least one inner wall surface of the at least one side wall, wherein the at least one mount comprises at least one mounting hole, wherein the lid comprises at least one mounting element, wherein the at least one mounting element is configured to be disengageably engaged with the at least one mounting hole to detachably attach the lid to the second end of the at least one side wall.

19. An apparatus for facilitating installing electrical boxes in a structure, wherein the structure is constructed of construction material poured against surfaces of construction forms, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a stand configured to be secured in at least one location on at least one surface of at least one construction form used for constructing the structure, wherein the stand extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the stand defines an interior space, wherein the first end of the stand is shaped to define an opening leading into the interior space, wherein the stand comprises a plurality of stand leg portions extending between a first leg portion end and a second leg portion end, wherein the plurality of stand leg portions are spaced apart and interconnected using a plurality of interconnecting stand portions of the stand, wherein the plurality of stand leg portions and the plurality of interconnecting portions defines the interior space, wherein the interior space extends from the first leg portion end of the plurality of stand leg portions to the second leg portion end of the plurality of stand leg portions, wherein the first leg portion end of the plurality of stand leg portions defines the opening, wherein the second end of the stand is configured to be attached to the at least one surface in the at least one location; and

an extendable member movably disposed in the interior space, wherein the extendable member extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the extendable member comprises a platform comprised in the first end of the extendable member, wherein the extendable member comprises a plurality of leg portions extending between a first leg portion end and a second leg portion end, wherein the platform is attached to the first leg portion end of the plurality of leg portions, wherein the extendable member is retractably extendable from the opening for retractably extending the platform from a first position to at least one second position in relation to the opening, wherein a depth of the extendable member is adjustable based on the retractably extending of the platform from the first position to the at least one second position, wherein at least one of the plurality of stand leg portions comprises a plurality of first protrusions disposed on an inner stand leg surface of at least one of the plurality of stand leg portions, wherein the plurality of first protrusions consecutively extends from the first leg portion end and the second leg portion end of at least one of the plurality of stand leg portions defining a plurality of grooves, wherein each of the plurality of grooves is disposed between each of two first protrusions of the plurality of first protrusions, wherein at least one of the plurality of leg portions comprises a second protrusion disposed on an outer leg surface proximal to the second leg portion end of at least one of the plurality of leg portions, wherein the second protrusion is configured to be disengageably engaged with at least one of the plurality of grooves, wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a first groove corresponding to the first position and at least one second groove corresponding to the at least one second position, wherein the extendable member retractably extends from the first position to the at least one second position in relation to the opening based on a disengagement of the second protrusion from the first groove and an engagement of the second protrusion to the at least one second groove, wherein the disengagement of the second protrusion from the first groove requires at least one external action on the extendable member in relation to the stand, wherein the engagement of the second protrusion to the at least one second groove fixes the extendable member to the stand in the at least one second position, wherein the stand secured in the at least one location on the at least one surface locates the platform in at least one platform location in the structure and is configured to maintain the at least one platform location of the platform while the construction material is being poured against the at least one surface of the at least one construction form and while the construction material is being cured.

Continuity (1)

References Cited (12)