Angled Electrical Box Assembly for Shallow Wall Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical box assemblies are inadequate for managing high and low voltage connections for modern devices like flat panel televisions, as they protrude from the wall, making them susceptible to damage and difficult to mount close to the wall, especially in shallow wall cavities common in recreational vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A shallow depth electrical device mounting assembly with a mounting frame that recesses high and low voltage components behind the wall surface, featuring a duplex receptacle mounted at a 45° angle to minimize depth, integrated low voltage mounts, and rotatable clamp arms for easy installation, allowing for flush mounting of devices and efficient cable management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional electrical boxes are used to mount high and low voltage connections, then the connections are easily accessible, but the plugs and connectors protrude from the wall making it difficult to mount devices close to the wall and susceptible to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent angles the mounting surface of the electrical box at approximately 60 degrees relative to the front face, changing the dimensional orientation of component mounting. This angular configuration allows plugs and connectors to be recessed within the wall cavity rather than protruding outward, eliminating susceptibility to damage while maintaining accessibility through the angled access points.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If electrical boxes are designed to recess cable ends within the wall, then protection from damage is improved, but the depth of the mounting assembly increases making it unsuitable for shallow wall cavities
Solution Approach 1:
By angling the mounting surface at 60 degrees, the patent utilizes the wall cavity depth more efficiently. The angled configuration allows the horizontal projection of the recessed components to fit within shallow cavities while still providing adequate recess depth for cable protection, effectively transforming the depth problem into a manageable spatial arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mounting angle parameter from the conventional 0 degrees (flush mounting) to approximately 60 degrees. This parameter change allows the same electrical box to provide cable end protection while maintaining a reduced depth profile suitable for shallow wall cavities such as those in recreational vehicles.
3Length of stationary object
If the mounting assembly is designed to fit within shallow wall cavities, then the depth is reduced, but the space available for mounting both high and low voltage components is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The 60-degree angled mounting surface creates three-dimensional space utilization that allows multiple components to be mounted in a compact footprint. The angle enables components to be arranged both along the angled surface and in the horizontal plane, maximizing the use of available space within shallow wall cavities while accommodating both high and low voltage components.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical box is divided into distinct mounting zones: a first mounting surface for high voltage components and a second mounting surface for low voltage components. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized independently for its specific component type while maintaining overall compactness suitable for shallow installations.
4Reliability
If electrical boxes provide separate mounting surfaces for high and low voltage components, then isolation and organization are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple mounting functions into a single electrical box assembly with integrated mounting surfaces. Rather than using separate boxes for high and low voltage components, the design merges both mounting capabilities into one unitized structure, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the isolation and organization benefits of separate mounting zones.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical device mounting assembly adapted for mounting of power and low voltage components in a shallow wall cavity to supply a television or similar electronic device. The mounting assembly recesses all high and low voltage components behind the wall surface to render them unobtrusive and out of the way. The mounting assembly includes a mounting frame with a peripheral flange, sidewalls, and a rear wall. A corner of the mounting frame is adapted to mount a duplex receptacle at an oblique angle with respect to the sidewalls. The mounting frame includes cable tie-offs for routing cables and at least one low voltage mount for the mounting of low voltage components. The mounting assembly enables consolidation of all power and signal hookups for TV or home entertainment systems in a single assembly that is recessed within the wall and allows flush wall mounting of a flat panel TV.