초록 ▼

An electrical conduit to junction box connection system is designed connect conduit to junction boxes. The system incorporates a compression nut and a body. The body includes a box engagement region, a nut engagement region, and a conduit engagement region. The box engagement region includes a radia

An electrical conduit to junction box connection system is designed connect conduit to junction boxes. The system incorporates a compression nut and a body. The body includes a box engagement region, a nut engagement region, and a conduit engagement region. The box engagement region includes a radially extending leading and follower tab, a root surface, a tab centering ledge, and a tab centering flank. The nut engagement region includes a nut engagement region thread that cooperates with the compression nut. The conduit engagement region includes a conduit compression system. During installation, the leading tab is inserted into the knockout. An edge of the knockout is positioned in contact with the root surface. The body is reoriented which positions the follower tab inside the junction box. The compression nut is manipulated to compress the junction box between the compression nut and the leading and follower tabs.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. An electrical conduit to junction box connection system for releasably connecting a junction box and a conduit, wherein the junction box has a box interior surface, a box exterior surface, a box thickness, and is formed with a knockout extending from the box interior surface to the box

I claim: 1. An electrical conduit to junction box connection system for releasably connecting a junction box and a conduit, wherein the junction box has a box interior surface, a box exterior surface, a box thickness, and is formed with a knockout extending from the box interior surface to the box exterior surface having a knockout diameter and a knockout edge, and the conduit has a conduit interior surface, a conduit exterior surface, a conduit thickness, and a conduit leading edge, comprising: a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a body exterior surface, and a body interior surface, wherein the body interior surface defines an inlet diameter, an outlet diameter that is coaxial with the inlet diameter, and wherein the body includes a box engagement region that cooperates with the junction box, a nut engagement region, and a conduit engagement region that cooperates with the conduit, wherein: (a) the box engagement region has a leading edge and a secondary edge, with a root surface, a leading tab, and a follower tab located between the leading edge and the secondary edge, wherein: (i) the root surface defines a root surface diameter that is not coaxial with the body inlet diameter or the body outlet diameter; (ii) the leading tab has a leading tab perimeter edge, a leading tab primary contact surface, a leading tab centering ledge, and a leading tab centering flank extending from the root surface to the leading tab centering ledge at a flank angle, measured from the leading tab centering ledge to the leading tab centering flank, that is between approximately ninety-one degrees and approximately one hundred and seventy-nine degrees; (iii) the follower tab has a follower tab perimeter edge and a follower tab primary contact surface, wherein the leading tab perimeter edge and the follower tab perimeter edge define a tab perimeter diameter that is larger than the knockout diameter; (b) the nut engagement region has a nut engagement region proximal end, a nut engagement region distal end, and a plurality of nut engagement region threads; and (c) the conduit engagement region has a conduit compression system that frictionally secures a portion of the conduit within the body; and a compression nut having a nut interior surface having a plurality of nut threads that cooperate with the nut engagement region threads, a nut exterior surface, a nut contact edge having a nut contact surface, and a nut free edge, wherein after insertion of the leading tab and the follower tab through the knockout by angling the body such that a central axis is not orthogonal to the knockout and then passing the leading tab through the knockout and bringing the knockout edge in contact with the root surface so that the follower tab can pass through the knockout, the body is drawn tight to the junction box by rotating the compression nut such that cooperation of the nut threads and the nut engagement region threads force the compression nut toward the leading tab and the follower tab so that the leading tab centering flank directs the knockout edge onto the leading tab centering ledge thereby substantially centering the central axis in the knockout and pinching the junction box between the compression nut and the leading tab and follower tab thus releasably securing the body to the junction box. 2. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, further including a conduit stop that projects from the body interior surface a conduit stop projection distance thereby limiting the distance that the conduit leading edge can extend into the body. 3. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the root surface diameter has a root surface central axis that is offset from the central axis by at least 8% of the tab perimeter diameter. 4. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 3, wherein the offset is toward the follower tab. 5. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the distance from the leading tab primary contact surface to the body distal end is greater than 150% of the box thickness and the leading tab centering ledge has a ledge width which is substantially equal to or less than the box thickness. 6. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the root surface has a minimum root surface width which is the smallest distance between the box engagement region secondary edge and an intersection between the leading tab centering flank and the root surface and where the minimum root surface width is at least 150% of the box thickness. 7. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the follower tab has a follower tab centering ledge and a follower tab centering flank extending from the root surface to the follower tab centering ledge at a flank angle, measured from the follower tab centering ledge to the follower tab centering flank, that is between approximately ninety-one degrees and approximately one hundred and seventy-nine degrees, and wherein the body is drawn tight to the junction box by rotating the compression nut such that cooperation of the nut threads and the nut engagement region threads force the compression nut toward the leading tab and the follower tab so the follower tab centering flank directs the knockout edge onto the follower tab centering ledge thereby substantially centering the central axis in the knockout and pinching the junction box between the compression nut and the leading tab and follower tab thus releasably securing the body to the junction box. 8. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the nut contact edge has a grip enhancing feature such that when the nut contact edge forcibly engages the box exterior surface the grip enhancing feature keeps the compression nut in contact with the box exterior surface by substantially preventing rotation of the compression nut. 9. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 8, wherein the grip enhancing feature is a gripping projection. 10. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the leading tab primary contact surface has a leading tab grip enhancing feature and the follower tab primary contact surface has a follower tab grip enhancing feature so when the leading tab primary contact surface and the follower tab primary contact surface come into contact with the box interior surface, the leading tab grip enhancing feature and the follower tab grip enhancing feature substantially prevent rotation of the body. 11. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 10, wherein the leading tab grip enhancing feature is a leading tab gripping projection, and the follower tab grip enhancing feature is a follower tab gripping projection. 12. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 10, wherein (a) the leading tab grip enhancing feature is a leading tab gripping projection, and the follower tab grip enhancing feature is a follower tab gripping projection, and when the leading tab grip enhancing feature and the follower tab grip enhancing feature come into contact with the box interior surface, the frictional forces between the box interior surface and the leading tab and the follower tab are generally improved; (b) the compression nut has a gripping projection that contacts the box exterior surface, which increases the frictional forces between the box exterior surface and the compression nut; and (c) the leading tab gripping projection, the follower tab gripping projection, and the compression nut gripping projection substantially prevent the compression nut and the body from rotating relative to one another thereby keeping the body rigidly attached to the junction box. 13. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the conduit compression system is a setscrew cooperating with a setscrew receiver, formed in the conduit engagement region, extending from the body interior surface to the body exterior surface where the conduit leading edge is inserted into the body proximal end past the setscrew receiver so that when the setscrew is rotated through the setscrew receiver, the setscrew contacts the conduit exterior surface rigidly holding the conduit to the body. 14. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 2, wherein the conduit stop is located a conduit insertion distance from the proximal end and the conduit insertion distance is at least 50% of the distance from the distal end to the proximal end. 15. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 2, wherein the outlet diameter is smaller than the inlet diameter by at least 50% of the conduit thickness. 16. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 15, wherein the body exterior surface at the conduit engagement region defines a body exterior surface inlet diameter and the root surface diameter is less than the body exterior surface inlet diameter. 17. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the body interior surface has a plurality of internal body threads and the conduit engagement region has a removable conduit engagement region having a threaded connector that cooperates with the internal body threads. 18. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the nut engagement region threads and the compression nut threads are left handed threads. 19. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 1, wherein the nut engagement region includes a nut stop at the nut engagement region proximal end to prevent travel of the compression nut toward the conduit engagement region beyond a predetermined location. 20. The electrical conduit to junction box connection system of claim 2, wherein the conduit stop projection distance is between approximately 25% and approximately 100% of the conduit thickness. 21. An electrical conduit to junction box connection system for releasably connecting a junction box and a conduit, wherein the junction box has a box interior surface, a box exterior surface, a box thickness, and is formed with a knockout extending from the box interior surface to the box exterior surface having a knockout diameter and a knockout edge, and the conduit has a conduit interior surface, a conduit exterior surface, a conduit thickness, and a conduit leading edge, comprising: a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a body exterior surface, a body interior surface, wherein the body interior surface defines an inlet diameter and an outlet diameter that is coaxial with the inlet diameter and wherein the outlet diameter is smaller than the inlet diameter by at least 50% of the conduit thickness, and a conduit stop projects from the body interior surface a conduit stop projection distance, wherein the conduit stop projection distance is between approximately 25% and approximately 100% of the conduit thickness thereby limiting the distance that the conduit leading edge can extend into the body, and wherein the body includes a box engagement region that cooperates with the junction box, a nut engagement region, and a conduit engagement region that cooperates with the conduit, wherein: (a) the box engagement region has a leading edge and a secondary edge, with a root surface, a leading tab, and a follower tab located between the leading edge and the secondary edge, wherein: (i) the root surface has a minimum root surface width and the root surface defines a root surface diameter that is not coaxial with the body inlet diameter or the body outlet diameter; (ii) the leading tab has a leading tab perimeter edge, a leading tab primary contact surface, a leading tab centering ledge, and a leading tab centering flank extending from the root surface to the leading tab centering ledge at a flank angle, measured from the leading tab centering ledge to the leading tab centering flank, that is between approximately ninety-one degrees and approximately one hundred and seventy-nine degrees, wherein the distance from the leading tab primary contact surface to the body distal end is greater than 150% of the box thickness and the leading tab centering ledge has a ledge width which is substantially equal to or less than the box thickness, and wherein, the minimum root surface width, which is the smallest distance between the box engagement region secondary edge and an intersection between the leading tab centering flank and the root surface, is at least 150% of the box thickness; (iii) the follower tab has a follower tab perimeter edge and a follower tab primary contact surface, wherein the leading tab perimeter edge and the follower tab perimeter edge define a tab perimeter diameter that is larger than the knockout diameter, and the root surface diameter has a root surface central axis that is offset from a central axis by at least 8% of the tab perimeter diameter; (b) the nut engagement region has a nut engagement region proximal end, a nut engagement region distal end, a plurality of left-handed nut engagement region threads, and a nut stop at the nut engagement region proximal end; and (c) the conduit engagement region has a conduit compression system that frictionally secures a portion of the conduit within the body, wherein the conduit compression system is a setscrew cooperating with a setscrew receiver, formed in the conduit engagement region, extending from the body interior surface to the body exterior surface where the conduit leading edge is inserted into the body proximal end past the setscrew receiver so that when the setscrew is rotated through the setscrew receiver, the setscrew contacts the conduit exterior surface rigidly holding the conduit to the body; and a compression nut having a nut interior surface having a plurality of nut threads where the nut threads are left-handed threads that cooperate with the nut engagement region threads, a nut exterior surface, a nut contact edge having a nut contact surface, and a nut free edge, wherein after insertion of the leading tab and the follower tab through the knockout by angling the body such that the central axis is not orthogonal to the knockout and then passing the leading tab through the knockout and bringing the knockout edge in contact with the root surface so that the follower tab can pass through the knockout, the body is drawn tight to the junction box by rotating the compression nut such that cooperation of the nut threads and the nut engagement region threads force the compression nut toward the leading tab and the follower tab so that the leading tab centering flank directs the knockout edge onto the leading tab centering ledge thereby substantially centering the central axis in the knockout and pinching the junction box between the compression nut and the leading tab and follower tab thus releasably securing the body to the junction box. 22. An electrical conduit to junction box connection system for releasably connecting a junction box and a conduit, wherein the junction box has a box interior surface, a box exterior surface, a box thickness, and is formed with a knockout extending from the box interior surface to the box exterior surface having a knockout diameter and a knockout edge, and the conduit has a conduit interior surface, a conduit exterior surface, a conduit thickness, and a conduit leading edge, comprising: a body having a distal end, a proximal end, a body exterior surface a body interior surface, wherein the body interior surface defines an inlet diameter and an outlet diameter that is coaxial with the inlet diameter and wherein the outlet diameter is smaller than the inlet diameter by at least 50% of the conduit thickness, and a conduit stop projects from the body interior surface a conduit stop projection distance, wherein the conduit stop projection distance is between approximately 25% and approximately 100% of the conduit thickness thereby limiting the distance that the conduit leading edge can extend into the body, and wherein the body includes a box engagement region that cooperates with the junction box, a nut engagement region, and a conduit engagement region that cooperates with the conduit, wherein: (a) the box engagement region has a leading edge and a secondary edge, with a root surface, a leading tab, and a follower tab located between the leading edge and the secondary edge, wherein: (i) the root surface has a minimum root surface width and the root surface defines a root surface diameter that is not coaxial with the body inlet diameter or the body outlet diameter; (ii) the leading tab has a leading tab perimeter edge, a leading tab primary contact surface, a leading tab centering ledge, and a leading tab centering flank extending from the root surface to the leading tab centering ledge at a flank angle, measured from the leading tab centering ledge to the leading tab centering flank, that is between approximately ninety-one degrees and approximately one hundred and seventy-nine degrees, wherein the distance from the leading tab primary contact surface to the body distal end is greater than 150% of the box thickness and the leading tab centering ledge has a ledge width which is substantially equal to or less than the box thickness, and wherein, the minimum root surface width, which is the smallest distance between the box engagement region secondary edge and an intersection between the leading tab centering flank and the root surface, is at least 150% of the box thickness; (iii) the follower tab has a follower tab perimeter edge, a follower tab primary contact surface, a follower tab centering ledge, and a follower tab centering flank extending from the root surface to the follower tab centering ledge at a flank angle, measured from the follower tab centering ledge to the follower tab centering flank, that is between approximately ninety-one degrees and approximately one hundred and seventy-nine degrees, wherein the leading tab perimeter edge and the follower tab perimeter edge define a tab perimeter diameter that is larger than the knockout diameter, and the root surface diameter has a root surface central axis that is offset from a central axis by at least 8% of the tab perimeter diameter; (b) the nut engagement region has a nut engagement region proximal end, a nut engagement region distal end, a plurality of nut engagement region threads, and a nut stop at the nut engagement region proximal end; and (c) the conduit engagement region has a conduit compression system that frictionally secures a portion of the conduit within the body, wherein the conduit compression system is a setscrew cooperating with a setscrew receiver, formed in the conduit engagement region, extending from the body interior surface to the body exterior surface where the conduit leading edge is inserted into the body proximal end past the setscrew receiver so that when the setscrew is rotated through the setscrew receiver, the setscrew contacts the conduit exterior surface rigidly holding the conduit to the body; and a compression nut having a nut interior surface having a plurality of nut threads that cooperate with the nut engagement region threads, a nut exterior surface, a nut contact edge having a nut contact face, and a nut free edge, wherein after insertion of the leading tab and the follower tab through the knockout by angling the body such that the central axis is not orthogonal to the knockout and then passing the leading tab through the knockout and bringing the knockout edge in contact with the root surface so that the follower tab can pass through the knockout, the body is drawn tight to the junction box by rotating the compression nut such that cooperation of the nut threads and the nut engagement region threads force the compression nut toward the leading tab and the follower tab so that the leading tab centering flank directs the knockout edge onto the leading tab centering ledge thereby substantially centering the central axis in the knockout and pinching the junction box between the compression nut and the leading tab and follower tab thus releasably securing the body to the junction box.