# US 2013/0153256 A1 · Electrical box wtih fitting flanges, and method of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153256 A1 - Document ID: US20130153256A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,639 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: ERICO International Corporation - Inventors: Raymond S. Laughlin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153256A1 ## CPC - H02G 3/081: {Bases, casings or covers} - H02G 3/18: providing line outlets - Y10T 29/49778: with aligning, guiding, or instruction - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An electrical box has four sides that define a rectangular space. The box has flanges extending outward from opposite sides, for mounting the box to a stud or other structure. One of the flanges has one or more tabs, outward protrusion(s) that fit into one or more openings in the flange on the opposite side. The fitting of the one or more tabs into the one or more openings allows two such electrical boxes to be conveniently located at the same height, on opposite sides of the stud. The tab(s) and opening(s) automatically align the boxes with each other. The result is an easier and accurate installation, with less time and effort expended. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical box comprising: four sides defining a substantially rectangular volume, wherein the sides include a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side; a first flange extending outward from the first side; and a second flange extending outward from the second side; wherein the first flange has one or more tabs that correspond in shape to one or more openings in the second flange. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the first side and the second side are opposite one another; and wherein the third side and the fourth side are opposite one another. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrical box of claim 2, wherein the one or more tabs are symmetric about a plane passing through centerlines of the first side and the second side. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the one or more tabs include a pair of separate tabs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the one or more tabs have a pair of holes configured to receive fasteners for coupling the electrical box to a stud. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electrical box of claim 5, wherein the second flange has a pair of holes, on opposite sides of the opening, configured to receive fasteners for coupling the electrical box to a stud or other structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the first side is a split side that includes parts that overlap and are secured together there the parts overlap. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrical box of claim 7, wherein the one or more tabs include a pair of separate tabs that are portions of respective of the parts of the first side. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, further comprising mounting tabs extending from the third side and the fourth side into the substantially rectangular volume. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electrical box of claim 9, wherein the mounting tabs include: a first pair of mounting tabs for mounting and securing a mud ring to the electrical box; and a second pair of mounting tabs for mounting and securing a back plate to the electrical box. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electrical box of claim 10, further comprising a grounding tab bent inward from one of the sides. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the one or more tabs together have a trapezoidal shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrical box of claim 12, wherein the one or more openings is a trapezoidal opening; and wherein the trapezoidal shape of the one or more tabs has a distal edge that is shorter than a proximal length of the trapezoidal shape. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, further comprising: a third flange extending outward from the third side; and a fourth flange extending outward from the fourth side; and wherein the third flange and the fourth flange each have a width that is less than a width of the first flange and the second flange. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electrical box of claim 14, wherein a combined width of the third flange and the fourth flange is substantially the same as a combined width of the first flange and the second flange, when a width of the tab one or more tabs is excluded from the combined width of the first flange and the second flange. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the electrical box is a backless electrical box. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The electrical box of claim 1, wherein the electrical box is made of a single continuous piece of material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electrical box of claim 17, wherein the piece of material is steel. ### Claim 19 A method of coupling a first electrical box and a second electrical box to a stud, the method comprising: attaching the first electrical box to the stud; aligning the second electrical box and the first electrical box, wherein the aligning includes fitting one or more tabs in a flange of one of the boxes, with a correspondingly-shaped one or more openings in a flange of the other of the electrical boxes; and after the aligning, attaching the second electrical box to the stud. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more tabs are trapezoidal; wherein the one or more openings are trapezoidal; and wherein the aligning includes fitting the one or more trapezoidal tabs with the one or more trapezoidal openings.