U.S. patent number 3,698,780 [Application Number 04/875,250] was granted by the patent office on 1972-10-17 for under-cabinet radio.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sears, Roebuck and Co.. Invention is credited to Edward C. Collins, Eugene C. Hittle.
United States Patent |
3,698,780 |
Collins , et al. |
October 17, 1972 |
UNDER-CABINET RADIO
Abstract
A radio receiver specially designed for support on the lower
surface of a cabinet, such as a so-called hanging kitchen cabinet,
in combination with mounting means therefor. Downwardly projecting
pins are detachably secured to the bottom wall of the cabinet while
the radio housing is provided with female means adapted to receive
said pins together with manually operable means for detachably
engaging said pins. Provision is made for selectively locating the
radio at a predetermined elevation relative to the bottom wall of
the cabinet.
Inventors: |
Collins; Edward C. (Deerfield,
IL), Hittle; Eugene C. (Columbus, IN) |
Assignee: |
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
(Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
25365457 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/875,250 |
Filed: |
November 10, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/245;
248/222.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
77/02 (20130101); A47B 96/06 (20130101); H04B
1/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
77/02 (20060101); A47B 96/06 (20060101); H04B
1/08 (20060101); A47b 067/02 (); F16f 015/00 ();
A47f 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/245
;248/223,224,225,25,361 ;24/211K |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gilliam; Paul R.
Claims
We claim:
1. In combination, a radio receiver and mounting means therefor
adapted for mounting said receiver on the underside of a
cabinet,
a. said mounting means comprising
i. plate means attachable to a downwardly facing surface and
ii. at least one male support member detachably mounted on said
plate means in a downwardly extending position, said male support
member provided with a plurality of longitudinally equispaced
detents, and
b. said radio receiver comprising a housing having
i. socket means for receiving said downwardly extending male
support member,
ii. engaging means carried by said housing for detachably engaging
said male support member received within said socket means by
engaging at least one of the plurality of detents therein by moving
said engaging means horizontally into engagement therewith, and
iii. manually operable means also carried by said housing connected
to said engaging means for releasing said engaging means from
engagement with said male support member upon actuation
thereof.
2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein said engaging means is
spring-biased into normal locking relation with said support member
with said engaging means being urged into engagement with said one
of the plurality of detents of said support member.
3. A combination as in claim 1 wherein said mounting means has stop
means adjustably positioned on said support member for selectively
limiting the vertical positioning of said receiver relative to said
cabinet.
4. A combination as in claim 1, wherein
a. said mounting means comprises a plurality of male support
members provided with a plurality of longitudinally equi-spaced
detents, said members depending from said plate means, and
b. said engaging means comprises a spring-biased horizontally
slidable release plate normally urged into locking engagement with
an adjacent pair of said detents on each support member.
5. A combination as in claim 1, wherein
a. said male support member is eccentric in cross-sectional
configuration, and
b. said engaging means is shaped to mate with said support member,
whereby relative rotation therebetween is inhibited.
6. A combination as in claim 1, wherein
a. said male support member is generally polygonal in cross
section
b. said equi-spaced detents being provided on three sides thereof.
Description
Our invention relates to portable household radio receivers, and
has to do more particularly with a portable radio receiver housing
specially designed to be detachably mounted on the under face of an
elevated cabinet, such as a kitchen cabinet of the "hanging" wall
type.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
There is a desire on the part of many housewives for a portable
radio which may be used in a kitchen and, when desired, carried
into another room for disposition on a table or cabinet. However,
in the modern kitchen, surface space is at a premium when the
housewife is at work preparing food, and little or no area is
available for even a small portable radio. Furthermore, if placed
on a working surface adjacent a food-preparation area, there is a
risk that food may be inadvertently splattered onto the radio
housing, which must then be laboriously cleaned.
It accordingly occurred to us that this need may be satisfied by
providing a portable radio receiver and mounting means therefor
whereby the receiver may be detachably mounted on the under face of
a so-called hanging wall cabinet as commonly employed in modern
kitchens. The receiver is thus disposed in a position elevated
above the working area and will be out of the way of the housewife
in the course of preparing food.
It is accordingly an object of our invention to provide a new and
improved housing for a portable radio receiver specially designed
for detachable mounting on an under surface, such as that of a
hanging cabinet, in combination with mounting means designed for
detachably securing such a housing to the cabinet undersurface.
Another object is to provide a combination of such a housing and
mounting means for same which is simple and inexpensive in
construction, attractive in appearance, adapted to be conveniently
set up by a mechanically unskilled person without tools, and
conveniently detachable when it is desired to move the radio to
another room or to remove same for cleaning.
Although my invention is particularly described and illustrated in
connection with mounting a radio receiver on a kitchen cabinet, it
will of course be understood that our invention is not limited to
such an environment, it being within the purview of my invention
that a radio receiver and mounting means for same may readily be
mountable to any suitable undersurface.
Various other objects and advantages will no doubt suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art as the description
proceeds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the drawings forming a part of this specification
and illustrating a preferred embodiment of our invention,
FIG. 1 is a more or less schematic section-elevation showing a
portable radio receiver and mounting means for same attached to the
lower surface of a wooden type of hanging kitchen cabinet;
FIG. 2 is a similar view on a larger scale in conjunction with a
metal cabinet, the mounting means being shown in somewhat greater
detail;
FIG. 3 is an exploded front perspective view of the elements of the
combination seen in FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a mounting plate constituting one of the
mounting elements;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale,
taken substantially along line 5--5 of FIG. 2, showing certain
details of the mounting means;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a somewhat reduced scale
from that of FIG. 5, along a line 6--6 of FIG. 3, normal to FIG.
5;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, partially exploded perspective view from
the rear with parts cut away for added clearness, showing parts of
the radio housing in combination with the mounting means;
FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are fragmentary plan views of a portion of a
slide bracket constituting part of the mounting means at various
stages of engagement with the supporting means;
FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view showing another preferred
embodiment of my invention;
FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of the same;
FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 are sectional views taken substantially along
lines 13--13, 14--14 and 15--15, respectively, of FIG. 11;
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line
16--16 of FIG. 11;
FIG. 17 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the radio
housing top plate of FIG. 11, and
FIG. 18 is a plan view of the latch slide of FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
C and C' represent so-called hanging cabinet of wood and steel
types, respectively, in current fashion for kitchens, disclosed in
elevated relation to a waist-high cabinet or table B, on the top
surface of which may be disposed any desired appliance A for
handling or operating upon food.
A suitable radio receiver R is mounted on the lower surface S of
cabinet C. The housing for radio R which may be specially designed
for purposes of our invention may be of molded plastic or other
suitable material. Said housing is preferably relatively thin in
its vertical dimension and the entire receiver is preferably of
relatively light weight for convenient disposition under cabinet
C.
Our invention is applicable to a cabinet C, C' formed of either
wood or metal. If of metal, a pad 10, provided with so-called
"self-sticking" adhesive of a character well known in the art may
be applied directly to the lower surface S of cabinet C', and a
mounting plate 12 attached thereto. Said pad 10 may conveniently be
of generally triangular configuration, although not necessarily so,
and may be formed of any suitable material such as fiber board or
any other suitable composition.
In case cabinet C should be of wood, or at least the bottom wall
thereof, wood screws 15 (FIG. 3) may be employed for direct
attachment of plate 12.
Mounting plate 12, in the embodiment shown, likewise may be
triangular, conforming in shape and size to pad 10.
A templet T may be supplied to the customer to facilitate
attachment of the mounting means to the hanging cabinet.
Mounting plate 12 is provided with a plurality of female,
interiorly threaded bosses 20 for the purpose of receiving and
retaining threaded ends 22 of mounting pins or studs 25.
It will be noted that pins 25 are provided with a plurality of
equi-spaced annular grooves 27 which serve as detents to retain a
split stop ring 30, formed of resilient metal, which may be snapped
into engagement on a selected one of said grooves 27 for limiting
the upward movement of radio housing R with reference to mounting
plate 12, in order to insure a space between the top of said
housing R and the bottom surface of cabinet C. Thus, adequate space
is provided for manipulation of the cabinet door, for the operation
of the radio controls, etc. Also, in case it is desired to mount
the radio under a wooden cabinet, a depending lip is usually found
on such cabinets under the door, which requires spacing the radio
below the bottom face of the cabinet a distance at least equal to
the depth of such lip.
Radio receiver housing R, if molded as in our preferred embodiment,
comprises a lower portion 35 and a mating upper portion 36 (FIGS. 6
and 7), said elements having interengaging rabbeted portions 39.
Lower housing portion 35 is provided with socket elements 42,
preferably molded integrally therein, and of such size and
proportions as to receive pins 25, and having a shoulder 43. Upper
housing portion 36 has circular bosses 47 keyed to said socket
elements 42.
A portion of socket members 42 is cut away to provide a horizontal
slot 45 adjacent shoulder 43 to receive a locking plate 48, said
plate being disposed between the mating housing members 36 and 38
and riding on shoulders 43. Said plate has attached thereto at the
rear of the radio housing a manipulating member 55, top housing
member 38 being cut out as at 57 to provide space receiving said
manipulating member.
A resilient ring 60 is secured on each of said socket members 42
immediately above locking plate 48, so as to retain the latter
firmly in position against shoulders 43.
Adjacent each of said socket members 42, said locking plate 48 is
eccentrically perforated, approximately one-half of said
perforation, as indicated at 57, conforming approximately to a
semi-circumference of upper portion 44 of socket member 42, the
opposite portion 58 of said perforation being recessed
approximately in conformity with the circumference of one of the
grooves 27 of pin 25.
Locking plate 48 is spring-biased normally into locking condition
with regard to pins 25 by means of a coil spring 62, one end of
which is attached to said plate as at 65, the other end being
secured to a post 68 which may be molded integrally with lower
housing portion 35.
To install the device, as stated above, mounting plate 12 will be
secured in the desired position on the lower face of the
overhanging cabinet either by screws, if desired, in case the
cabinet is of wood, or by use of an adhesive pad 10, a templet T
being used to facilitate this operation if desired.
The studs or pins 25 are screwed into the socket portions 20 of the
mounting plate. Stop rings 30 are then secured at the desired level
on pins 25 to adjust the level of the radio receiver.
The radio receiver is then lifted by both hands, a finger of one
hand reacting against manipulating member 55 to urge locking plate
48, against the action of spring 62, into a position of
disengagement from pins 25. The receiver is then brought into a
position where pins 25 will register with the openings in bosses 47
of top member 36, and the receiver is then moved upwardly until
stopped by rings 30, whereupon pressure is released from member 55,
allowing spring 62 to move locking plate 48 into locking engagement
with pins 25. The radio receiver is now securely retained in
position under the cabinet.
To remove the radio receiver, a reverse of the sequence of steps
just described will be performed, whereupon the receiver may
conveniently be carried to any other desired location for
disposition on a table or other suitable supporting surface.
Referring now to FIGS. 11-18, inclusive, I show here another
preferred embodiment of my invention which incorporates the same
principles as the embodiment described hereabove, in this case
using a single supporting stud.
To hanging cabinet C is attached, as by screws or other suitable
means, a supporting plate 12' from which depends a stud-like member
indicated generally by numeral 70. Stud 70 and plate 12' may be
molded integrally from a suitable synthetic resin plastic, hard
rubber or other suitable material.
It will be noted (FIG. 12) that stud 70 is eccentric in
cross-section, i.e., polygonal, preferably rectangular, and may be
largely hollow for the sake of economy of material. As in the case
of studs 25 of the previously described embodiment, stud 70 is
provided with a series of spaced rib-like detents 72 on the rear
face and teeth 72' at the front corners for the same purpose as the
detents formed on studs 25. A reinforcing transverse bar 73 is
molded integrally in stud 70 approximately mid-way of the length
thereof. (FIGS. 11, 14.)
A suitable stop disc 75 is arranged on stud 70, as in the
first-described embodiment, for fixing the upper limit in
positioning the radio receiver on the stud. Said disc 75 has a slot
therein whereby it may be slipped into one of the grooves between a
pair of detent ribs 72 and teeth 72'.
A suitable latch means is provided on the under face of top wall 77
of the radio receiver housing, to engage detachably with stud 70,
as in the first-described embodiment. Such latch means comprises a
horizontally slidable latch member 78 having a manipulating member
80 extending rearwardly of the radio receiver housing so as to be
readily accessible for grasping by the operator, said latch member
being secured to the inner top wall of the housing as by straps 82,
82'.
Carried by latch member 78 is a plate 85 having a generally T
shaped cavity 87 therein, said cavity being so formed as by neck 88
and notches 89 as to cooperate with ribs 72 and teeth 72' of stud
70 to provide a three-point support.
Latch member 78 is spring biased outwardly by means of a
compression spring 90 disposed in a cavity formed in latch member
78 and seated in a socket 91 formed on the latch member and
abutting against strap 82, said spring being retained by a pin
93.
It will be understood that spring 90 normally urges latch member 78
into locking engagement with stud 70, whereby the radio receiver
will be fixedly secured on said stud at the desired level under the
cabinet. When it is desired to attach or to disengage the radio
receiver from the stud, latch member 78 will be urged outwardly (to
the right in FIGS. 11 and 12) against the action of spring 90, in
which position plate 85 will be free to clear the detents and teeth
of the stud member.
The eccentric character of stud 70 results in a positive
positioning thereon of the radio, with no tendency to rotate, thus
serving as effectively as a plurality of studs, as in the first
embodiment. Thus, I may employ a single supporting post, or a
plurality thereof.
Various changes coming within the spirit of our invention may
suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not
wish to be limited to the specific embodiment shown and described
or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the
scope of our invention being limited only by the appended
claims.
* * * * *