Electrical Box Leveling Ring With Legs For Concrete Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical boxes placed in concrete pours often shift due to the weight of the concrete, leading to misalignment, and existing leveling rings with arcuate surfaces have minimal adhesive contact, causing them to loosen and fail to securely mount electrical components.
Innovation Solution
An electrical box assembly with a leveling ring featuring legs extending outward for increased adhesive contact and a slide member to subdivide the enclosure into high and low voltage compartments, accommodating both flat and pop-up covers, and a leveling ring adapter for wider enclosures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an arcuate leveling ring is used to enable leveling in any desired direction, then the versatility of leveling is improved, but the amount of adhesive contact surface between the ring and the electrical box inner wall is minimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional arcuate surface to a three-dimensional structure by adding legs that extend downward from the ring. This vertical extension creates additional bonding surface area while preserving the arcuate configuration's leveling versatility. The legs project into the space between the ring and the box bottom, effectively utilizing the third dimension to increase adhesive contact without compromising the ring's ability to level in any direction.
2Reliability
If the concrete pour forces the electrical box out of alignment, then the electrical box shifts from plumb vertical orientation, but the structural integrity of the box remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the electrical box assembly dynamic by introducing adjustable legs with varying lengths. Instead of a fixed rigid structure that maintains perfect alignment, the legs can be adjusted to different lengths to compensate for shifts caused by concrete pouring forces. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to misalignment while maintaining structural integrity, transforming a static precision problem into a dynamic compensation solution.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single electrical box is used for concrete floors, then the simplicity of installation is improved, but the capability to mount both high and low voltage components is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single electrical box interior into separate compartments using a divider. This segmentation allows different voltage components (high voltage and low voltage) to be mounted in separate sections within the same box. The divider creates distinct spaces that maintain electrical isolation while preserving the overall simplicity of using a single box assembly, thus resolving the contradiction between installation simplicity and component versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The assembly provides secure mounting of electrical devices, maintains alignment with the concrete surface, and allows for the installation of both high and low voltage components, ensuring reliable and versatile electrical service in concrete floors.
Implementation Method 1
the outer surface of the adhesive attached leveling rings is arcuate in shape... the amount of surface available for adhesive contact of the ring with the inner wall of the electrical box is minimal
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical box assembly for concrete pours that includes an improved leveling ring and can be adapted to mount either high or low voltage components or a combination of high and low voltage components. The leveling ring for leveling an electrical component with respect to the concrete surface includes one or more legs extending outward of the ring's periphery for improving adhesion of the ring with the inner surface of the electrical box. The versatility of the electrical box is improved by a slide member that can be inserted within the enclosure of the electrical box in order to subdivide the enclosure into high and low voltage compartments. Leveling rings are provided in two embodiments for mounting conventional electrical box covers, one for mounting a flat electrical box cover and one for mounting a pop-up electrical box cover.