Drop Ceiling Brace Bracket for Fastener-Free Electrical Box Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounting assemblies for electrical boxes are cumbersome to install and often lack sufficient support for the intended devices, requiring additional fasteners that can interfere with electrical components.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece mounting brace with U-shaped brackets that connect to an electrical box without additional fasteners, utilizing feet and tabs to securely support the weight of the box by hooking into pre-existing openings and applying a clamping force to the mounting brace, allowing for easy installation and secure anchoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional mounting assemblies are used, then the electrical box can be mounted to ceiling supports, but additional fasteners are required that interfere with electrical components and complicate installation
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket integrates multiple functions into a single component: the U-shaped body provides structural support, the feet extend through mounting openings to anchor the box, and the tabs engage with the brace to secure the connection. This eliminates the need for separate fasteners and simplifies installation while avoiding interference with electrical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket is designed to be self-installing through its unique features: the feet automatically extend through the mounting openings when the bracket is positioned, and the tabs engage with the brace through elastic deformation and friction. The design allows the bracket to secure itself without requiring additional fasteners or complex assembly steps.
2Strength
If traditional mounting assemblies are used, then the electrical box can be supported, but the assembly is cumbersome and requires multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket combines multiple support functions into a single integrated component. The U-shaped body provides the main structural framework, the feet provide anchoring through the mounting openings, and the tabs provide engagement with the brace. This single component replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate fasteners and support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
While the bracket is a single component, it is functionally segmented into distinct regions: the U-shaped body for structural support, the feet for anchoring, and the tabs for engagement. This functional segmentation allows each part to perform its specific support function efficiently while maintaining overall simplicity.
3Reliability
If additional fasteners are used to secure the mounting bracket, then the connection is more secure, but the fasteners interfere with electrical components inside the electrical box
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts the fastening function from separate fastener components and integrates it into the mounting bracket itself. The tabs on the bracket engage with the brace through elastic deformation and friction, eliminating the need for additional fasteners that would extend into the electrical box and potentially interfere with electrical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket acts as an intermediary between the electrical box and the ceiling brace. The tabs engage with the brace through elastic deformation, creating a secure connection without requiring fasteners that would penetrate into the electrical box interior. This intermediary design isolates the connection mechanism from the electrical components.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket for mounting an electrical box to a brace includes a body portion with a first end, a second end, and a channel disposed between the first end and the second end that extends along a channel axis. A first foot extends from the first end in a direction substantially perpendicular to the channel axis. A second foot extends from the second end in a direction substantially perpendicular to the channel axis. A first tab extends from the channel in a first tab direction substantially perpendicular to the channel axis. The first foot and the second foot can be received within the electrical box and support a weight of the electrical box without any additional fasteners. The first tab is bendable to a second tab direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first tab direction and to the channel axis.