Recessed ceiling fixture enclosure

Abstract

An enclosure for use in conjunction with a recessed ceiling fixture is provided which includes a substantially rectangular housing defining a top wall and side walls constructed from a single piece of fire-resistant gypsum wallboard. The housing is fastened to continuous stamped metal support flange depend inwardly from bottom edges of side walls of the housing to facilitate mounting of the housing between spaced apart building joists. The recessed fixture is mounted to the interior of the support flange after installation of the housing between the building joists.

1 . A method of fabricating a five-sided rectangular gypsum wallboard box from a single piece of gypsum wallboard comprising the steps of: 
 a. CNC machine router cutting a 45 degree inside corner groove by cutting through the front paper face of the gypsum wallboard through the gypsum wallboard core to a point adjacent to the back paper face to form a living hinge, said top and plurality of sidewalls have exterior and interior wall surfaces;    b. folding said wallboard to form a box and fastening said corners to each other via a mechanical fastener;    c. mounting said wallboard enclosure to a continuous sheet metal flange via a mechanical fastener;    d. wrapping the exterior of said enclosure with a continuous tape with an inwardly facing pressure-sensitive adhesive coating which applies pressure to the open joints and forms a corner of continuous gypsum wallboard material;    e. mounting said enclosure and flange between spaced apart building joists adjacent said ceiling penetration, such that said enclosure defines a fire stop system prior to installation, and once installed, limits the spread of fire, flame or hot gases through said ceiling penetration;    f. emplacing a recessed fixture within said wallboard enclosure.    
     
     
         2 . A method for installing a recessed fixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting said enclosure between spaced apart building joists comprises positioning said housing between joists spaced at 16.0 inch centers.  
     
     
         3 . A method for installing a recessed fixture according to  claim 1  wherein the step of mounting said enclosure an engineered wood joist spaced at 24.0 inch centers.  
     
     
         4 . A method of installing a recessed fixture according to  claim 1  comprising the step of passing electrical conduit and or electrical wiring through an aperture formed on at least one side wall of the enclosure.  
     
     
         5 . A method for installing a recessed fixture according to  claim 1  further comprising the step of sealing the aperture described in  claim 4  with a fire resistant material.  
     
     
         6 . A five-sided rectangular gypsum wallboard box for use as a recessed ceiling fixture enclosure and formed from a single piece of gypsum wallboard comprising; 
 a single piece of gypsum wallboard, said wallboard cut to the configuration for forming a five-sided structure, including top wall, said top wall having four side edges around its perimeter, a series of side walls, one of each side wall being integrally connected to the top wall along one of its side edges, the edge between the top wall and each side wall being routed, so that the side walls can be turned approximately 90° to form an integral enclosure for a recessed lighting fixture, each of the side walls having side edges, and each of the side edges of the side walls being routed, so that when each side wall is folded relative to the top wall, and enters into contiguity with the side edge of the adjacent side wall, it forms a mated connection thereat, tape means extending along select of the formed edges to provide sealing between adjacent side walls when formed into a recessed ceiling fixture enclosure.    
     
     
         7 . The recessed ceiling fixture enclosure of  claim 6  and including a flanged means cooperating with those edges of the side walls displaced from the top wall to provide means for mounting of the fixture enclosure to ceiling joist.  
     
     
         8 . The recessed ceiling fixture enclosure of  claim 7  including a lighting fixture cooperating with and mounting to the flange means when mounting the ceiling fixture within the enclosure.  
     
     
         9 . The recessed ceiling fixture enclosure of  claim 6  wherein said edges are routed an approximate 45° angle.