Retrofit Drywall Mounting Frame

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mounting a wiring device and more particularly,to a bracket mounted on a drywall to which the wiring device is attached, especially during retrofit procedures.

In houses and similar structures, it is common practice to install the wiring in the frame of the structure prior to placement of the drywall on the framing. In this construction, the wiring is connected to terminals and outlets in a wall or outlet box which is nailed to a stud.

In an intelligent wiring system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,386, a convenience outlet assembly having a wall box includes a mounting bracket assembly attachable to a stud and a wall box which can be attached to the mounting bracket. The assembly can be used with both power and signal conductors.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,431 discloses a fixture for securing an electrical connector such as an outlet plate to a wall. A flange on the fixture is disposed on the front face of the wall about an opening in the wall. Legs connected to the flange are bent within opening in the wall so that the legs are against the rear face of the wall.

A wall bracket for mounting an electrical connector to an aperture in a wall panel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,212. A sheet metal front face mounting flange has tabs which are bent rearwardly through the aperture to the rear face of the wall. Screws are disposed through the flange to connect with the bent tabs.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,825 discloses an electrical fixture for mounting over a wall opening which eliminates the necessity for an outlet box. The fixture has a rectangular plate with an opening therein. Flanges perpendicular to the rectangular plate positions the plate with respect to the wall opening. Deformable fingers extend from the top and bottom of the plate so that the fingers can be bent inwardly against the back face of the wall.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,596 discloses a wall outlet box which has a frame portion mounted on the outer face of the wall. The frame has inwardly recessed portions which extend into the wall opening. A slot is provided on each vertical sidewall of the frame and a Z-shaped clip is provided to fit in each slot. Screws are used to mount the box to the wall.

Thus, although devices for mounting outlets in a wall are known, the devices are supported by a frame mounted on the outer face of the wall or by a bracket connected to a stud within the wall.

The present invention provides a retrofit drywall mounting frame which mounts on the rear face of the drywall and is not mounted on a stud within the wall.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a mounting bracket for a wiring device. The mounting bracket is mounted on a wall having substantially planar front and rear faces and further having an opening therebetween, such that mounting to a stud is not necessary. The mounting bracket includes a bracket having at least one side member. The side member has at least a first portion abutting against the rear face of the wall. The first portion of the side member has a mounting boss formed thereon. A clip has a body portion abutting against the opening in the wall. An ear is carried by the body portion of the clip and engages the first portion of the side member of the bracket. A flange carried by the body portion of the clip abuts against the front face of the wall, thereby sandwiching the wall between the flange on the clip and the first portion of the side member of the bracket. The flange on the clip has an opening formed therein. A fastener passes through the opening in the flange, through the wall, and into the mounting boss on the first portion of the side member of the bracket, thereby securing the bracket to the wall.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the present invention and an opening in the wall board with a wiring device mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional exploded view of the bracket, the wall board with an opening therein and a pair of clips.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the bracket abutting the rear face of the wall board and the ear on each clip engaging the bracket.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the bracket abutting the rear face of the wall board and the fastening means passing through the clip and into the mounting boss on the bracket.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the present invention mounted in an opening in the wall board with the fastener not shown.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken across the lines 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken across the lines 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention to accommodate a single type receptacle and with the clips offset with respect to one another.

With reference to the figures, there is shown a mounting bracket 10 for a wiring device 11. The mounting bracket 10 is mounted in an opening 12 a wall 13 such as a drywall or panelled wall. The wall 13 is substantially planar and has a front face 14 and a rear face 15. The mounting bracket 10 has a bracket 16 which is formed from plastic which may be molded, or formed from metal. The bracket 16 has at least one side member 17 which has at least a first portion 18 which abuts the rear face 15 of the wall 13. The bracket 16 preferably is a square or rectangle which has two pairs of substantially parallel side members 17, each of which has a first portion 18 abutting the rear face 15 of the wall 13. Preferably, the bracket 16 further has at least one second portion 19 which is substantially perpendicular to the respective first portion 18 and abuts the opening in the wall 12 between the front face 14 and the rear face 15 of the wall 13.

Each first portion 18 of respective side member 17 has a pair of spaced-apart recesses 20 formed therein. Between each pair of recesses 20 on each first portion 18, there is formed a mounting boss 21.

A mounting clip 25 has a body portion 26, at least one ear 27 connected to the body portion 26 at one side thereof, and a flange 28 connected to the opposite side of the body portion 26. The mounting clip 25, preferably is formed from a stamped sheet metal. As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the mounting clip 25 is disposed in the opening in the wall 12 wherein the at least one ear 27 engages the respective recess 20 in the first portion 17 of the side member 17 of the bracket 16. Preferably, two ears 27 are provided on each mounting clip 25 and are engaged in the two spaced-apart recesses 20 in the first portion 17. Substantially arcuate-shaped ears 27, which are bent back towards the flange 28, facilitate engagement of the recesses 20. When so disposed, the body portion 26 of each mounting clip 25 abuts against the opening in the wall 12. For those brackets 16 having a second portion 19 of the side member 17, the body portion 26 of each mounting clip 25 abuts against the respective second portion 19. The flange 28 on each mounting clip 25 abuts against the front face of the wall 14 such that the wall 13 is sandwiched between the flange 28 on the mounting clip 25 and the first portion 18 of the side member 17 of the bracket 16 (FIGS. 6 and 7). The flange 28 further has an opening formed therein. A fastener 30, such as a threaded screw, passes through the opening in the flange 29, through the wall 13 and into the mounting boss 21 on the first portion 18 of the side member 17 of the bracket 16. In this manner, the bracket 16 is secured to the wall 13. Preferably, two mounting clips 25 are connected to opposite side members 17 of the bracket 16. The mounting clips 25 may be diametrically opposed to one another (FIG. 5) or may be offset (FIG. 8).

The bracket 16 further has a plurality of spaced-apart auxiliary bosses 31 formed on the side member 17 which is substantially perpendicular to the side member 17 to which the mounting clip 25 is engaged. A wiring device is connected to the bracket 16 by means of a threaded screw (not shown) or similar fastener from the standard fixture, through the wall 13 and into the auxiliary boss 31. The wiring device 11 may be an electrical toggle switch, an electrical convenience outlet, a data conductor, etc. carrying a signal over a wire as defined by the National Electric Code. The spacing between the auxiliary bosses 31 on the side member 16 coincides with the spacing of the fasteners in the wiring device 11 so that the wiring device 11 may be securely connected to the mounting bracket 16.

The method of mounting the bracket 16 for a wiring device 11 into an opening in a wall 12, is to insert the bracket 16 through the diagonal dimension of the opening 12 and to turn the bracket 16 within the opening 12. In this manner, the bracket 16 is positioned with the first portion 18 of the side member 17 disposed abutting, and flush with, the rear face 15 of the wall 13 and the second portion 19 of the side member 17 abutting the opening in the wall 12. The ears 25 on each mounting clip 25 are engaged with the respective recesses 20 in the first portion 18 of the side member 17 and each mounting clip 25 is pivoted such that each body portion 26 is substantially flush against the respective second portion 19 of the side member 16 within the opening in the wall 12. Each flange 28 on the respective mounting clip 25 is substantially flush with the front face 14 of the wall 13. A fastener 30 is inserted through the opening in the flange 29 of each mounting clip 25. Each fastener 30 passes through the mounting clip 25, through the wall 13 and into the mounting boss 21. In this manner, the mounting bracket 16 is secured to the wall 13 at any desired location without being attached to a stud in the wall 13. The use of two mounting clips 25, each with two ears 27, secures the mounting bracket 16 within the opening in the wall 13 and prevent lateral and/or vertical movement of the bracket 16. This method is particularly advantageous for retrofit of drywalls but is also useful in new construction in these situations where a wiring device is to be located at a distance from a stud in the wall.

A wiring device 11 is connected to the mounting bracket 16 by placing the wiring device 11 against the flange 28 on the respective mounting clips 25 on the front face of the wall 14. A fastener (not shown) is inserted through an opening in the wiring device 11, through the wall 13 and into the auxiliary boss 31 on the first portion 18 of the side member 17 adjacent to the rear face 15 of the wall 13. Most wiring devices 11 have four fasteners so that the wiring device 11 is securely connected to the bracket 16 and most wiring devices 11 extend partially into the opening 12 in the wall 13.

Obviously, many modifications may be made without departing from the basic spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described herein.