Retractable Clamp Arms for Rapid Electrical Box Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical mounting devices with rotatable arms require extensive wall preparation, including enlarging holes to accommodate the arms, leading to lengthy installation times and increased costs due to the need for skilled labor.
Innovation Solution
An electrical mounting device with retractable clamp arms that can be rotated to fit within a standard-sized hole-saw opening, allowing for quick installation by simply drilling a circular hole, reducing the time and effort required for mounting electrical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flip-out arms are used, then the electrical box can be secured to the wall, but the hole must be enlarged to accommodate the arms, increasing installation time and labor cost
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp arms are designed to be rotatable between an extended position (for mounting) and a retracted position (for insertion). This dynamic configuration allows the arms to be rotated out of the way during installation, eliminating the need to enlarge the hole, and then extended afterward to secure the electrical box to the wall
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting function is separated into two distinct phases: insertion with arms retracted, and mounting with arms extended. This segmentation allows the same component to serve different functions at different times, resolving the contradiction between needing secure mounting and minimizing installation complexity
2Reliability
If flip-out arms are used, then the electrical box can be mounted to the wall, but the arms must extend outward requiring larger hole preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable clamp arms transition from a static extended configuration to a dynamic system where arms can be rotated to a retracted position parallel to the wall surface, allowing insertion through standard-sized holes without requiring enlargement
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of extending arms outward from the electrical box (conventional approach), the arms are rotated to extend parallel to the wall surface and retract within the plane of the electrical box, effectively inverting the traditional arm configuration to solve the hole size problem
3Reliability
If conventional mounting methods are used, then electrical boxes can be secured to studs, but substantial sheetrock replacement is required
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is extracted from the stud-dependent method and reconfigured to mount directly to the wall surface using clamp arms that secure to the back of the sheetrock, eliminating the need to remove sheetrock around studs
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp arms serve as an intermediary mechanism between the electrical box and the wall, providing a new mounting interface that eliminates the need for traditional stud-based installation and sheetrock replacement
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical mounting device for securing an electrical component or fixture on a wall. The mounting device includes a front plate with an opening therein and a rearward extending portion surrounding the opening. The rearward extending portion may be in the form of a peripheral wall with an open back or a peripheral wall with a rear wall defining an enclosure therein. Bosses with oversize apertures are provided in the plate for accommodating mounting fasteners. Clamp arms are secured rigidly to the ends of the mounting fasteners. The peripheral wall is dimensioned slightly less than the diameter of a standard size hole-saw. The clamp arms can be adjusted to a retracted position for insertion on a wall or to an extended position for securing the electrical mounting device to a wall. The electrical mounting device significantly reduces the time required for mounting an electrical component on a wall.