Receptacle for enclosing low-voltage electronic devices in a building structure

Abstract

A box for receiving an electrical device and preserving the vapor barrier, which may include a wall defining a cavity having an opening, the wall having a perimeter proximate the opening, a base, a first pair of flanges disposed on the perimeter attachable to a first surface of a structural member of a building and a first surface of a second structural member, a pair of flaps disposed on the perimeter, a second set of flanges disposed on the flaps for attachment to the first and second structural member, the second flange attachable to the first surface of the structural member or to a second surface of the structural member different from the first surface when the first flange is attached to the structural member, and a third set of flanges disposed on the flaps. A method of use thereof includes installing the box between two structural members such that the two structural members, the base, the perimeter and the flaps create a cavity for the installation of a low voltage electronic device.

1 . A box for receiving an electrical device and preserving the vapor barrier, comprising: 
 a wall defining a cavity having an opening, the wall having a perimeter proximate the opening;    a first set of flanges disposed on the perimeter attachable to a first surface of a structural member of a building and a first surface of a second structural member; and    a second set of flanges for attachment to the first and second structural member, the second set of flanges attachable to the first surfaces of the structural members or to a set of facing surfaces of the structural members different from the first surfaces, when the first flange is attached to the structural member.    
   
   
       2 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of surfaces are perpendicular to the first surfaces.  
   
   
       3 . The box of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of flaps flexibly attached to the perimeter of the box.  
   
   
       4 . The box of  claim 3 , wherein the second flanges are disposed on the flaps.  
   
   
       5 . The box of  claim 3 , further comprising a third set of flanges, the third set of flanges disposed on the flap.  
   
   
       6 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein the wall comprises a flat base wall surrounded by a perimeter wall.  
   
   
       7 . The box of  claim 6 , further comprising a geometric pattern disposed on the base wall.  
   
   
       8 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein the wall comprises a thermoplastic material.  
   
   
       9 . The box of  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive disposed on the first flange.  
   
   
       10 . The box of  claim 1 , further comprising a length of wire disposed at the receptacle, at least a portion of the length being disposed at the receptacle extending in a first direction and a generally oppositely disposed second direction.  
   
   
       11 . The box of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of removable double-sided adhesive strips.  
   
   
       12 . The box of  claim 1 , wherein the flaps and the flanges are flexibly attached.  
   
   
       13 . The box of  claim 10 , wherein the wire extends in the first and second direction to form a coil.  
   
   
       14 . The box of  claim 10 , wherein the wire extends in the first and second direction to form a zig/zig pattern.  
   
   
       15 . The box of  claim 1 , further comprising a vapor barrier material disposed near the opening.  
   
   
       16 . The box of  claim 15 , further comprising an elongate structural member disposed proximate the perimeter between the opening and the vapor barrier material.  
   
   
       17 . The box of  claim 16 , wherein the vapor barrier is sealed to the elongate structural member.  
   
   
       18 . A method of enclosing a low-voltage device and maintaining the integrity of a vapor barrier, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a receptacle having a base portion, a wall surrounding the base and defining a cavity and a perimeter opening, a first set of flanges attached to the wall on the perimeter opening, and a second set of flanges;    positioning the receptacle within a wall of a building so that a first flange of the first set of flanges is disposed on a first face of a first structural member of the building and a second flange of the first set of flanges is disposed on a first face of a second structural member of a building;    positioning a first flange of the second set of flanges on a second surface of the first structural member;    positioning a second flange of the second set of flanges on a second surface of the second structural member; and    securing the receptacle to the first and second structural member.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a vapor barrier film over the first and second structural members;    sealing the barrier to the receptacle; and    creating a hole within the vapor barrier film proximate the perimeter opening.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming an aperture in the receptacle; and    passing a conductive wire through the receptacle aperture.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 forming a cavity for housing a low-voltage electronic device from the receptacle and the first and second structural members.