Shallow Surface Mount Electrical Box for RV and Block Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical boxes are unsuitable for shallow wall cavities, such as those found in recreational vehicles and concrete block walls, as they require a stud for installation and cannot accommodate large electrical components like GFCIs in retrofit situations.
Innovation Solution
A surface mount electrical box with a shallow design and two fastening arrangements: one for securing to wall coverings capable of holding fasteners and another for substrates like concrete blocks, allowing direct mounting and accommodating bulky components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional electrical box is used, then it can accommodate large electrical components such as GFCIs, but it cannot be installed in shallow wall cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical box transitions from a deep cavity-mount design to a shallow surface-mount design, changing the mounting dimension from within the wall cavity to the wall surface. This allows the box to maintain adequate internal volume for GFCIs while reducing depth to fit shallow wall cavities of 1.5 inches or less.
Solution Approach 2:
The box is divided into distinct functional segments: a shallow outer frame for mounting to the wall surface, and an integrated deeper box member for housing electrical components. This segmentation allows the mounting portion to be shallow while the component-housing portion provides sufficient volume.
2Strength
If a conventional electrical box is used, then it can be securely mounted to walls with studs, but it cannot be installed in walls without studs such as RV walls or block walls
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical box incorporates multiple mounting mechanisms to accommodate different wall types: tabs with holes for stud-mounted walls allowing screw attachment, and bosses for adhesive mounting on non-stud walls like RV paneling or block walls. This multi-functionality enables secure installation across diverse wall constructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting parameters are changed by providing different attachment methods (mechanical fastening via tabs/holes for studs, chemical adhesion via bosses for non-stud walls) rather than relying on a single mounting approach. This allows adaptation to various wall types without compromising mounting strength.
3Length of moving object
If the electrical box depth is reduced to fit shallow wall cavities, then it can be installed in RVs and block walls, but it becomes difficult to accommodate bulky electrical components
Solution Approach 1:
The box utilizes the wall surface dimension rather than relying solely on wall cavity depth. By mounting to the surface and extending outward, the box achieves sufficient internal volume for GFCIs without requiring deep wall cavities, effectively trading wall depth for surface mounting space.
Solution Approach 2:
The box structure separates the mounting function (shallow outer frame) from the component-housing function (deeper box member), allowing the overall depth to be reduced for shallow wall installation while maintaining adequate internal volume within the box member for bulky electrical components.
Data Source
AI summary
A surface mount electrical box for mounting on walls with shallow wall cavities. The surface mount electrical box includes an outer frame with shallow sidewalls and a peripheral wall extending orthogonally from the sidewalls. Box sidewalls extend orthogonally from the peripheral wall and are closed by a back wall to form an electrical enclosure therein. Component connection points for an electrical component are included on the outer frame. A first fastening arrangement includes bosses on the outer frame for accepting fasteners therein for securing the surface mount box directly to the wall covering surrounding a shallow wall cavity. A second fastening arrangement includes apertures in the back wall for accepting fasteners therein for securing the surface mount box directly to the substrate underlying a shallow wall cavity.