Ceiling Fan Brace Bracket With Pre-Aligned Box Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Installing electrical boxes to ceiling fan braces is challenging due to difficulty in aligning brackets and screws, especially in low-light conditions, and existing solutions increase abrasive surfaces within the electrical box, reducing wiring space and causing wear on wires.
Innovation Solution
A ceiling fan brace bracket assembly with a channel-shaped bracket, angled sides for grip, and press-fit screws with teeth for alignment, along with a nut for secure attachment, reduces abrasive surfaces and facilitates easy installation by aligning screw holes without rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional brackets with multiple screws are used to attach electrical boxes to ceiling fan braces, then the electrical box can be securely attached, but the alignment of screw holes becomes difficult and time-consuming, especially in low-light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is pre-configured with alignment features including a channel that fits over the brace and positioning elements that pre-align the screw holes before the actual attachment process begins. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for time-consuming alignment adjustments during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel-shaped bracket acts as an intermediary component between the ceiling fan brace and the electrical box. The channel fits over the brace and provides a guided path that naturally aligns the screw holes, serving as a mediator that simplifies the attachment process.
2Ease of operation
If the user works from above in the attic to align and install the bracket, then the screw holes can be seen and aligned more easily, but the lighting conditions are poor and it remains difficult to see the holes
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket incorporates high-visibility color features and reflective surfaces that enhance the visibility of screw holes and alignment features. These visual enhancements allow installers to easily see and align the holes without requiring bright lighting conditions in the attic space.
3Reliability
If multiple screws protrude into the electrical box during installation, then the electrical box can be securely attached, but the available space for wiring is reduced and abrasive surfaces increase causing wire wear
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts the screw heads from the interior space of the electrical box by using a bracket configuration where screws are driven from the outside. This removes the protruding screw heads that would otherwise occupy valuable wiring space and create abrasive surfaces inside the electrical box.
Data Source
AI summary
A ceiling fan brace bracket assembly with a bracket, at least two holes, at least one first screw, and at least one second screw. The bracket has a channel that opens toward a bottom of the bracket and at least one lip that extends along the channel. The channel is sized and shaped to extend around a ceiling fan brace. The at least two holes extend through the at least one lip, and each of the at least two holes is configured to align with a corresponding screw hole in an electrical box. The at least one first screw is a press-fit screw and is configured to extend downward through a first hole of the at least two holes. The at least one second screw is configured to extend upward through a second hole of the at least two holes.