U.S. patent number 3,794,278 [Application Number 05/216,400] was granted by the patent office on 1974-02-26 for instrument supporting device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Bourns, Inc.. Invention is credited to Sydney W. Frey, Jr., Donald L. Gaa.
United States Patent |
3,794,278 |
Frey, Jr. , et al. |
February 26, 1974 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
INSTRUMENT SUPPORTING DEVICE
Abstract
An instrument supporting device adapted to be pressed directly
into a hole or aperture in a panel of any of a plurality of
thicknesses and secure therein or thereto any of a variety of
instruments, the support device automatically compensating for wear
caused by vibration or repetitive removal and reinsertion into the
hole in the panel, and permitting easy removal of the support from
the panel without twisting or turning. A plurality of stepped
resilient fingers or limbs are resiliently stressed inwardly as the
support enters the aperture, and spring outwardly to engage the
aperture-edge of the panel at the rear thereof and retain a portion
of the support tightly against the front face of the panel. Key
means may engage in a seat in the panel edge to preclude rotation
of the support in the aperture. Preferably the resilient limbs are
provided in two or more sets, each set being of different
configuration whereby to accommodate a wider variety of panel
gages.
Inventors: |
Frey, Jr.; Sydney W. (Upland,
CA), Gaa; Donald L. (Riverside, CA) |
Assignee: |
Bourns, Inc. (Riverside,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
22806922 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/216,400 |
Filed: |
January 10, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/27.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16L
5/00 (20130101); H05K 7/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05K
7/12 (20060101); G12b 009/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/27,205,DIG.6
;339/128 ;211/86,96 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schultz; William H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Becker; William G.
Claims
Having disclosed a preferred embodiment of our invention in detail,
we claim:
1. An instrument supporting device for detachably supporting an
instrument in an aperture in a panel, said device comprising:
a front rim portion to abut against the front face of a panel
adjacent an aperture in the panel;
a body portion integral with said rim portion, of configuration
complementary to the aperture and dimensioned to extend through and
rearwardly beyond the aperture, the body portion terminating at a
rear end and having a plurality of longitudinally-extending
spaced-apart interruptions therein between the front rim portion
and the rear end; and
a plurality of resilient cantilever limbs spaced around said body
portion and each integral with said body portion at a respective
location rearwardly from said rim portion and extending forwardly
from that location and outwardly away from the body portion toward
said rim portion and each having a free end rearwardly of said rim
portion;
said body portion having interruptions therein for accommodating
radial inward movement of the free ends of respective ones of said
resilient limbs incident to movement of the body portion into and
through the aperture in a panel,
and said resilient limbs each having a plurality of inclined steps
on the free end thereof positioned and shaped to present a
forwardly and inwardly inclined surface to the rear marginal edge
at the aperture in a panel of any of a plurality of different
thickness dimensions, and said limbs comprising at least first and
second sets thereof each of the sets comprising at least two limbs
and the inclined steps of the limbs of any set thereof differing in
dimensional spacing from said rim portion from the dimensional
spacing of the inclined steps of the limbs of another set
thereof,
whereby said device may be quickly, easily and firmly attached and
removed from apertured panels of various different thicknesses.
2. An instrument supporting device as defined in claim 1, in which
said device is of generally circular configuration and thereby
adapted to be mounted in a circular aperture in a panel.
3. An instrument supporting device as defined in claim 1, in which
said limbs are uniformly spaced around the circumference of said
body portion, and in which said interruptions are in the form of
longitudinally-extending openings in said body portions.
4. An instrument supporting device for detachably supporting an
instrument in an aperture in a panel, said device comprising:
a front rim portion to abut against the front face of a panel
adjacent an aperture in the panel;
a body portion integral with said rim portion, of configuration
complementary to the aperture and dimensioned to extend through and
rearwardly beyond the aperture, the body portion terminating at a
rear end and having a plurality of longitudinally-extending
spaced-apart interruptions therein between the front rim portion
and the rear end; and
a plurality of resilient cantilever limbs spaced around said body
portion and each integral with said body portion at a respective
location rearwardly from said rim portion and extending forwardly
from that location and outwardly away from the body portion toward
said rim portion and each having a free end rearwardly of said rim
portion;
said body portion having interruptions therein for accommodating
radial inward movement of the free ends of respective ones of said
resilient limbs incident to movement of the body portion into and
through the aperture in a panel,
said resilient limbs each having a plurality of inclined steps on
the free end thereof positioned and shaped to present a forwardly
and inwardly inclined surface to the rear marginal edge at the
aperture in a panel of any of a plurality of different thickness
dimensions;
and said rear end of said device being in the form of a base
parallel to said rim portion, said base having apertures therein
for reception of attachment means for an instrument, and said body
portion being of spatial configuration adapted to receive and
support an instrument attached to said base.
whereby said device may be quickly, easily and firmly attached and
removed from apertured panels of various different thicknesses.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATIONS
In respect of certain details of the disclosure herein contained,
this disclosure is related to that comprised in application for
Letters Patent of Sydney W. Frey, Jr. entitled DIGITAL INDICATING
KNOB-ENCLOSED MULTI-TURN POTENTIOMETER, Ser. No. 216,520, filed
concurrently herewith, to which reference may be made as may be
required.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
a. The Prior Art
There are known in the prior art a number of so-called "snap-in"
mounting devices, either formed integrally with an instrument
housing or support, or formed as a separate device adapted to have
an instrument or the like secured thereto, and all devised to be
pressed into an aperture in a flat thin panel and be therein
retained by hooks or claws or the like that engage the rear face of
the panel. An example of such devices, adapted to support a
variable resistor or the like, is disclosed in U. S. Pat. No.
3,500,282. The prior-art devices were each designed to be used with
a panel of a single specific thickness and were unsatisfactory for
use with panels of other thickness. Further, there was no provision
for compensation due to wear that occurred in instances wherein the
panel was subject to vibration. It is evident that it would be of
value if a device of the noted character could be used with a panel
of any of several standard thicknesses, and of further value if any
wearing of the device at the region of contact with the panel were
automatically compensated.
B. The Present Invention
As illustrated herein in a preferred exemplary embodiment, the
invention is used to support a multi-turn precision potentiometer,
which is a typical panel-mounted instrument. The invention is in
the form of a cup-like device adapted to encircle and protect a
portion of the supported device, and in the preferred form, support
the instrument by attachment of the base or floor of the cup-like
instrument supporting device to the base of the supported
instrument, which in the illustration is a knob-enclosed
potentiometer. Other modes of attachment may be employed as will
become evident as the description proceeds. The generally
cylindrical body portion of the device or cup terminates at its
forward end in a peripheral rim or flange that is dimensioned and
shaped to abut against the front face of a panel adjacent the
aperture. The cup body is interrupted at spaced locations to
provide longitudinal openings or recesses between the base and rim
of the device, to provide clearance for respective limbs comprised
in sets of resilient limbs spaced around the body and each integral
with the base and extending forwardly toward the rim and outwardly,
and having at its forward end distant from the base a set or series
of inclined steps or panel-engaging surfaces each adapted to coact
with a panel inside and immediately to the rear of an aperture in
the panel and to cooperate with the rim to grip therebetween a
portion of the panel adjacent the aperture. In the preferred form
the device is shaped for attachment in a circular aperture in a
panel, but the aperture and supporting device may be of other
mutually complementary configurations.
The resilient limbs of the device are integral with the body of the
device at the base and are so formed and constructed as to diverge
outwardly away from the longitudinal openings or interruptions in
the body of the device when free, whereby when the device is
forced, base first, through the receiving aperture in a panel, the
limbs are forced or cammed inwardly toward the axis of the
aperture, and stressed, by cam action of the aperture wall on the
inclined outer surfaces of the limbs, until one or more of
shoulders of the steps at the ends of the limbs pass through the
aperture and are free to spread outwardly to the extent permitted
by the next step of the series. The device is thus pressed or
forced inwardly into the panel aperture until the flange or rim
contacts the front face of the panel. At the termination of that
movement, one of the inclined faces of the steps on the outer face
of each of the limbs of at least one set of limbs engages the rear
corner edge of the panel at the aperture. The engaged curved faces
of the steps of the limbs exert forces on the panel that tend to
pull or draw the device rearwardly, and hence serve to insure that
the rim is firmly seated against the face of the panel. Further,
since the risers and treads of the steps are not right-angled, but
are inclined relative to both the axis through the aperture and the
rear face of the panel, the limbs not only effect a secure locking
of the device in the aperture but also automatically accommodate
the limbs to a panel of any of a plurality of thicknesses or gages.
Further, due to the continuing stress set up in the limbs during
the insertion of the device into the aperture, the limbs
automatically spring outwardly and compensate for any wearing at
the risers or treads of the steps due to contact with the panel.
Additionally, since the corners or lines of any particular juncture
between the riser and tread portions of a selected step on each of
the limbs coincide with a circle only when the limbs are fully
splayed out and free, the rear marginal corner of the panel at the
aperture is not engaged by the entire arc of the riser or tread of
the step, but is engaged at spaced-apart regions by only the
endmost portions of the step, due to the inward displacement of
each of the limbs.
Preferably the limbs are formed in a plurality of different sets,
each set comprising at least two limbs equally spaced around the
body, and the limbs of each set differing from those of the other
set or sets insofar as the riser-and-tread spacing and inclination
of the steps are concerned. Thereby the device is effective for use
with a greater variety of panel thicknesses, each set of limbs
being individually designed and adapted for accommodation of any
panel comprised in a respective family of panel thicknesses or
gages between a designed minimum and maximum limits. However, as
will be evident, a single set of two or three limbs is sufficient
to provide for secure snap-in attachment of an instrument to a
panel of any of a variety of gages. Further, while the inclined
risers and treads of the resilient limbs are preferably formed
along arcs of circles all of diameter greater than the diameter of
the aperture in the panel, that is, formed along arcs coincident
with circles when the limbs are in outermost and fully splayed
positions, the limbs may be formed in position in their respective
body openings or interruptions and with the step surfaces on arcs
of circles of larger diameter than that of any aperture in which
the device is to be used, and the limbs subsequently deformed
outwardly under influence of heat and force so as to occupy
positions outside the circular outline of any such aperture, it is
evident that most superior results are attained with the preferred
form of the device herein disclosed in detail and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
The preceding brief summary description makes it evident that it is
a principal object of the invention to provide improvements in
instrument supporting devices for attaching or mounting an
instrument to an instrument panel.
It is another object to provide an instrument supporting device of
inexpensive one-piece construction capable of use in mounting an
instrument on any panel of several different thickness gages.
Another object of the invention is to provide an instrument
supporting device adapted to support an instrument in an aperture
in any of panels of differing thicknesses.
Another object of the invention is to provide a readily-removable
snap-in instrument supporting device for mounting an instrument in
an aperture in a panel, which device automatically compensates for
wearing incident to moving contact with the panel.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an instrument
supporting device comprising a rim portion for abutting the front
face of a panel adjacent an aperture in the panel and having a
rearwardly-extending body with forwardly-extending free-ended
resilient cantilever limbs, the forward ends of which are stepped
to engage the panel at the rear edge of the aperture and draw the
rim portion snugly against the face of the panel irrespective that
the panel may be of any of several different thicknesses.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be
set out or made evident in the appended claims and detailed
description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view, to no specific scale, depicting the
presently-preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of the invention depicted in
FIG. 1, with portions sectioned and with an instrument nested in
and supported by the device, the scale being somewhat enlarged and
one feature exaggerated in the interest of clarity;
FIG. 3 is a rear face view of the device depicted in FIG. 1, to
enlarged scale;
FIG. 4 is a front face view of the device depicted in FIG. 1, to
enlarged scale;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, greatly enlarged, showing a
detail of the stepped end of a resilient limb of the device
depicted in FIG. 1, with other portions of the device; and
FIG. 6 is a fragementary enlarged sectional view illustrating
details of the coaction of the device of the invention with a
portion of an instrument supporting panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The device according to the invention, depicted in a preferred form
in the drawings, and therein denoted generally by the number 10, is
preferably formed of glass-fiber filled thermoplastic synthetic
resinous material such as nylon or polytetrafluorethylene or
similar material, by injection-molding techniques well known in the
plastics molding industry. The device 10 is formed with a flange or
rim 10f of outer dimension or diameter somewhat in excess of the
dimension or diameter of the panel aperture or hole into which the
device is to fit, for example, one and one-eighth inch diameter in
the case of a 1-inch diameter panel aperture. As is indicated in
FIG. 2, the rear face of the flange or rim of the exemplary device
is adapted to repose in intimate contact with the front face of a
panel P. The device 10 comprises a body portion 10c that terminates
at its rear in a base 10b. The body portion is formed with sets of
longitudinally-extending interruptions herein shown as openings,
such as 10e, preferably uniformly spaced apart around the body.
Aligned with respective ones of the interruptions and partly
extending thereinto, are resilient cantilever limbs such as 10w,
10x, 10y, and 10z, which as indicated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 merge at
their rear ends with the body portion 10c and base 10b. The
resilient limbs shown are comprised in sets, limbs 10x and 10z in
one set and 10w and 10y in another set. Excepting their
specially-shaped forward ends, all of the limbs may be otherwise
identical. Each of the limbs is of width less than the opening or
interruption into which it may be pressed or forced in the manner
of a cantilever beam spring anchored at its rear end; each of the
openings such as 10e being dimensioned to comfortably receive its
respective cantilever limb without frictional contact. As will be
made evident, all of the limbs may be identical and thus be
comprised in only one set of limbs; or, as is preferred and shown,
are paired into two sets in each of which sets the limbs are alike
but different from those of the other set.
As is indicated in the drawings and previous summary, the body 10c
of the device 10 is adapted to be pressed into an aperture such as
that indicated at A in FIG. 2, the limbs resiliently entering into
their respective interruptions or openings 10e as their curved
outer surfaces contact and are cammed inwardly by the surface or
edge corner of the panel in the aperture. The aperture A is shown
exaggerated in diameter, in he interest of clarity. It is made only
slightly greater in outline dimension or diameter than the outer
outline dimension or diameter of the body 10c of the device
immediately rearwardly of rim or flange 10f.
The forward ends of the resilient cantilever limbs are each formed
with a plurality of steps the risers and treads of which are
inclinded relative to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the
device and are inclined also relative to the rear surface of the
panel with which the limbs are in part adapted to coact, as is
indicated in FIGS. 2, 5 and 6. The principles of coaction of the
steps of the limbs with the corner or marginal edge of the panel
around the aperture are substantially the same for all the limbs,
hence the relationship of only one will be described in detail. As
the device is pressed or forced home in aperture A of panel P (FIG.
6), in the direction indicated by the arrow in that figure, the
panel surface in the aperture is engaged by the curved or sloping
outer surface S of the limb; and the free forward end of each limb
is thus by cam action forced radially inwardly, setting up stresses
in the limb tending to return the free stepped end of the limb
outwardly. As the device continues inwardly into the aperture in
the panel, one or more of the treads and risers such as R1, R2 or
R3 of the stepped outer end surfaces of the limbs move clear of the
aperture and permit partial outward movement of the limbs. The
action continues until flange 10f contacts the panel. At that stage
of the movement, one or another of the inclined surfaces such as
R1, R2, etc. is left in contact with the rear corner edge of the
panel at the aperture, as shown, for example in FIG. 6 wherein the
inclined riser R2 of a step is in contact with the corner edge of
the panel P at aperture A. The limb 10z, there shown in fragmentary
form, is urged radially outwardly (downwardly in the figure), and
hence acts to lock the device with the flange or rim seated against
the front face of the panel. The locking effect is illustrated in
FIG. 2. As is indicated in FIG. 6, while a different one of the
inclined faces of the steps will become the active locking surface
is different thicknesses of panel, such as of minimum thickness T2,
or maximum thickness T3, or any intermediate thickness, e.g., T1,
are encountered, the action is the same.
As is evident, with different sets of the resilient limbs formed
with respectively differently dimensioned step formations, a
greater range of panel gages can be accommodated by the device. For
example, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, if one set of the limbs, such
as 10x and 10z, is formed with steps as indicated in solid lines in
FIG. 5 and another set such as 10w and 10y is formed with steps as
indicated in dash lines, either set is adequate to lock the device
to a panel, and a larger range of gages or thicknesses of panels
may be accommodated. Obviously, in some instances limbs of both
sets may concurrently act to lock or secure the device on the
panel, and it is evident that, for example, the step formations on
all of the limbs of the device may be identical.
While two sets of limbs, each set comprising a plurality of limbs,
have been illustrated, it is evident that a single set of three
identical limbs will effectively act to secure the device to a
panel, as would two sets each comprising three limbs, or other
plural-limb sets. A single set of two limbs has been found to be
effective, since the flange 10f is effective to prevent wobbling of
the device in the aperture.
It will be noted that with the limbs free, as depicted in FIG. 1,
and with the face corners of the risers and treads formed to
coincide with respective circles of progressively changing
diametral dimensions indicated, the limbs and steps when forced
inwardly will not present to the rear corner edge of the panel at
the aperture, step surfaces of the same radii as that of the
aperture, since the radial distance of the step from the axis has
decreased. As a consequence, each limb will contact the panel only
at and immediately adjacent its side edges, such as at the
locations indicated at E1 and E2 in FIG. 1, and not at any portion
of the riser or tread of the step between those locations. Thus, as
possible wearing and abrasions occurs, as may be caused by frequent
removal and replacement of the device in the aperture, the wear
occurs at the locations such as E1 and E2 and the contacting
surface area of the riser or tread of the step merely becomes
somewhat wider but does not adversely affect the locking action of
the inclined-step resilient limbs.
To aid in orienting the device and an attached instrument in a
particular desired attitude relative to the panel, the device is
formed with an external key or ridge 10n (FIG. 1), dimensioned to
be snugly received in an appropriately located notch in the
periphery of aperture A in the panel. Additionally, the base 10b is
formed with a central aperture 10p for accommodation of electrical
terminals or leads, or other means extending from the instrument to
be supported. Also, the base is formed with specially located
and/or specially shaped and spaced-apart key holes, such as 10k,
adapted to receive complementary and complementarily spaced-apart
rearwardly-extending fastener pins protruding from the rear of the
instrument case. The pins may be specially oriented as shown in
FIG. 3 and may be thermoplastic and thus may be heat-swaged over
the base 10b adjacent the respective key holes, to firmly secure
the instrument I (FIG. 2) to the device 10, as shown and described
more completely in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 216,520
now U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,732 of Sydney W. Frey, Jr. Thus an
instrument, which may snugly fit inside the body of the device, may
be firmly but removably affixed to the panel by merely pressing the
device home in the aperture. As is evident, the instrument I may be
permanently affixed to device 10 as indicated, or by other means
such as adhesive, prior to insertion of the device into the
aperture in the panel. Thus affixing the instrument to a panel in a
desired oriented attitude, secure against loosening by vibration,
etc., is reduced to the simple act of pressing the assembled
instrument and mounting device 10 into the aperture in a panel.
Removal of the device from the panel is easily accomplished by
pressing a cylindrical tube, of internal diameter or area and
dimensions equal to that of the aperture A, forwardly over the
resilient limbs so as to move the stepped ends inwardly out of
contact with the panel, and pulling the instrument and device
forwardly out of the tube and panel aperture.
* * * * *