U.S. patent number 3,639,745 [Application Number 05/045,646] was granted by the patent office on 1972-02-01 for mounting arrangement for electrical device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.. Invention is credited to Mitsuyuki Shiki.
United States Patent |
3,639,745 |
Shiki |
February 1, 1972 |
MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR ELECTRICAL DEVICE
Abstract
A mounting arrangement for an electrical device in which a
housing therein accommodating a pushbutton-type actuator unit is
detachably arranged at a predetermined position in the mounting
opening on a panel through resilient legs integrally formed at one
end of resitient plate units of which resilient mounting members at
its other end are detachably inserted in the corresponding slits
formed in the sidewalls of said housing.
Inventors: |
Shiki; Mitsuyuki (Kyoto-fu,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.
(Kyoto, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
13018535 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/045,646 |
Filed: |
June 12, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 13, 1969 [JA] |
|
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44/56132 |
Jun 13, 1969 [JA] |
|
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44/56138 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
200/311; 174/58;
248/27.1; 200/314 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02B
1/048 (20130101); H01H 13/023 (20130101); H01H
2009/183 (20130101); H01H 2013/026 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H02B
1/048 (20060101); H02B 1/015 (20060101); H01H
13/02 (20060101); F21v 033/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/2,2S,2SP,8.14,8.16,52.1 ;200/167,167A ;248/27,DIG.6
;174/52,58 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Capozi; Louis J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination comprising
a panel having a mounting opening,
a housing formed to be mounted in said mounting opening for
operatively accommodating an actuator unit associated with a switch
mechanism secured to said housing,
plural pairs of slits formed on sidewalls of said housing, and
at least one pair of resilient plate units, each being provided at
one end with a resilient leg and at the other end with a mounting
member to be detachably inserted in said slit,
said housing being, after said plate units are engaged to said
housing through their resilient mounting members inserted in the
corresponding slits, arranged at a predetermined position in said
mounting opening through said legs of which the resiliency acts to
resiliently detachably secure said housing in contact with said
panel.
2. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination comprising
a panel having a mounting opening,
a housing formed to be mounted in said mounting opening and
provided with a switch mechanism,
an actuator unit operatively associated with said switch mechanism
and movably accommodated within said housing,
plural pairs of slits formed on sidewalls of said housing,
at least one pair of resilient plate units, each being provided at
one end with a resilient leg and at the other end with a mounting
member to be detachably inserted in said slit, and
a plurality of engaging members integrally formed with said housing
for detachably engaging actuator unit to said housing,
said engaging member being so arranged as to permit said actuator
unit within said housing to move in a predetermined range of
distance, said housing being, after said plate units are engaged to
said housing through their resilient mounting members inserted in
the corresponding slits arranged at a predetermined position in
said mounting opening through said legs of which the resiliency
acts to resiliently detachably secure said housing in contact with
said panel.
3. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 2, wherein
said engaging members are integrally formed with said plate units
and,
a plurality of slots for passing said engaging members are provided
in sidewalls of said housing,
said engaging member being, after said plate units are engaged to
said housing through their resilient mounting members inserted in
the corresponding slits and then their resilient engaging members
are inserted in the corresponding slots, so arranged as to permit
said actuator unit within said housing to move in a predetermined
range of distance, and said housing being arranged at a
predetermined position in said mounting opening while said legs of
said plate units resiliently detachably secure said housing in
contact with said panel.
4. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination comprising
a panel having a mounting opening,
a housing formed to be mounted in said mounting opening for
operatively accommodating an actuator unit associated with a switch
mechanism secured to said housing,
a holding member so designed as to provide a plurality of slits
between said holding member and the surrounding sidewalls of said
housing when said holding member is inserted over said housing,
at least one pair of resilient plate units, each being formed at
one end with a resilient leg and at the other end with a mounting
member to be inserted in said slit, and
a plurality of engaging members integrally formed with said holding
member for resiliently detachably engaging said actuator unit to
said housing through slots formed in sidewalls of said housing in a
manner as to permit said actuator unit to move in a predetermined
range of distance within said housing,
said housing being, after said plate units are engaged to said
housing through their resilient mounting members inserted in said
corresponding slits, arranged at a predetermined position in said
mounting opening through said legs of which the resiliency acts to
resiliently detachably secured said housing in contact with said
panel.
5. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination comprising
a panel having a mounting opening,
a housing provided with a switch mechanism and formed to be mounted
in said mounting opening,
an actuator unit operatively associated with said switch mechanism
and movably accommodated within said housing,
display means provided within said actuator unit and including at
least one lamp electrically associated with said switch mechanism
to indicate operating of said switch mechanism,
a plural pairs of slits formed on sidewalls of said housing,
at least one pair of resilient plate units, each being provided at
one end with a resilient leg and at the other end with a mounting
member to be detachably inserted in said slit, and
a plurality of engaging members integrally formed with said housing
for resiliently detachably engaging said actuator unit to said
housing in a manner as to permit said actuator unit to move in a
predetermined range of distance within said housing,
said housing being, after said plate units are engaged to said
housing through their resilient mounting members inserted in the
corresponding slits arranged at a predetermined position in said
mounting opening through said legs of which the resiliency acts to
resiliently detachably secure said housing in contact with said
panel,
said display means being provided for visual representation of
switching patterns of said switch mechanism operatively associated
with said actuator unit.
6. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 5, wherein
said actuator unit includes
a lamp support block for detachably holding at least one lamp
thereon,
an operating rod integrally formed with a lower portion of said
lamp support block for actuating the switch mechanism, and
a pushbutton member and detachably positioned above an upper
portion of said lamp support block so as to cover over said lamp,
whereby when the switch mechanism is operated by the depression of
said pushbutton member, said lamp is turned on to indicate the
switching pattern of said switch mechanism through said pushbutton
member.
7. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 5, wherein
said actuator unit includes
a lamp support block for detachably holding at least one lamp
thereon,
an operating rod integrally formed with a lower portion with said
lamp supporting block for actuating the switch mechanism,
at least one pair of stems integrally formed with an upper portion
of said lamp support block at respective position about corners of
said lamp support block, and
a pushbutton member made of transparent material and detachably
positioned above an upper portion of said lamp support block so as
to cover over said lamp,
and said display means includes
said lamps detachably fitted to said lamp support block and
a display screen mounted between said stems and said pushbutton
member,
whereby when the switch mechanism is operated by the depression of
said pushbutton member, said lamp is turned on to indicate the
switching pattern of said switch mechanism through said display
screen.
8. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 5, wherein
said actuator unit includes
a lamp support block for detachably holding a plurality of lamps
thereon,
an operating rod integrally formed with a lower portion of said
lamp support block for actuating the switch mechanism,
at least one partition integrally formed with an upper portion of
said lamp support block for forming a plurality of lamp chambers
for said lamps, and
a pushbutton member made of transparent material and detachably
positioned above an upper portion of said lamp support block so as
to cover over said lamps,
and said display means includes
said lamps detachably fitted to said lamp support block and
a display screen having a plurality of display sections to be
illuminated by the corresponding lamps below said display sections,
said display screen being mounted between said partitions and said
pushbutton member,
whereby when the switch mechanism is operated by the depression of
said pushbutton member, one of said lamps representative of the
switching pattern of the switch mechanism through the corresponding
display section of said display screen.
9. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 5, wherein
said actuator unit includes
a lamp support block for detachably holding a plurality of lamps
thereon,
an operating rod integrally formed with a lower portion of said
lamp support block for actuating said switch mechanism,
at least one pair of stems integrally formed with an upper portion
of said lamp support block at respective position about
corresponding corners of said lamp support block,
at least one partition integrally formed with an upper portion of
said lamp support block for forming a plurality of lamp chambers
for said lamps, and
a pushbutton member made of transparent material and detachably
positioned above an upper portion of said lamp support block so as
to cover over said lamps,
and said display means includes
said lamps detachably fitted to said lamp support block and
a display screen having a plurality of display sections to be
illuminated by the corresponding lamps below said display
sections,
said display screen being mounted among said stems, partition and
said pushbutton member,
whereby when the switch mechanism is operated by the depression of
said pushbutton member, one of said lamps representative of the
switching pattern of the switch mechanism through the corresponding
display section of the display screen.
10. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 5, further comprising
a pillar or cutout portion provided at a predetermined position
within said housing and
a cutout portion or pillar provided at a predetermined position in
said actuator unit in register with said pillar or said cutout
portion, respectively,
whereby engagement between said actuator unit and said housing can
be fixed as predetermined.
11. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination comprising
a panel having a mounting opening;
a housing formed to be mounted in said mounting opening with a
switch mechanism secured thereto,
a pushbutton-type actuator unit operatively associated with said
switch mechanism and movably accommodated within said housing,
display means provided within said actuator unit and including at
least one lamp electrically associated with said switch mechanism
to indicate operating of said switch mechanism,
a holding member so designed as to provide a plurality of slits
between said holding member and the surrounding sidewalls of said
housing when said holding member is inserted over said housing,
at least one pair of resilient plate units, each being formed at
one end with a resilient leg and at the other end with a mounting
member to be detachably inserted in said slit, and
a plurality of engaging members integrally formed with said holding
member for resiliently detachably engaging said actuator unit to
said housing through slots formed in sidewalls of said housing in a
manner as to permit said actuator unit to move in a predetermined
range of distance within said housing,
said actuator unit including
a lamp support block for detachably holding at least one lamp
thereon,
an operating rod integrally formed with a lower portion of said
lamp support block for actuating the switch mechanism and
a pushbutton member made of transparent material and detachably
positioned above an upper portion of said lamp support block so as
to cover over said lamp;
said housing being, after said plate units are engaged to said
housing through their resilient mounting members inserted in said
corresponding slits, arranged at a predetermined position in said
mounting opening through said legs of which the resiliency acts to
resiliently detachably secure said housing in contact with said
panel whereby, when the switch mechanism is operated by the
depression of said pushbutton member, said lamp is turned on to
indicate the switching of said switch mechanism through said
pushbutton member.
12. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 11, wherein
said actuator unit includes
a lamp support block for detachably holding a plurality of lamps
thereon,
an operating rod integrally formed with a lower portion of said
lamp support block for actuating the switch mechanism,
at least one pair of stems integrally formed with an upper portion
of said lamp support block at respective position about
corresponding corners of said support block,
at least one partition integrally formed with an upper portion of
said lamp support block for forming a plurality of lamp chambers
for said lamps, and a pushbutton member made of transparent
material and detachably positioned above an upper portion of said
lamp support block so as to cover over said lamps and
said display means includes
said lamps detachably fitted to said lamp support block and
a display screen having a plurality of display sections to be
illuminated by the corresponding lamps below said display
sections,
said display screen being mounted among said stems, said partition
and said pushbutton member,
whereby, when the switch mechanism is operated by the depression of
said pushbutton member, one of said lamps representative of the
switching pattern of the switch mechanism through the corresponding
display section of the display screen.
13. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 12, further comprising
a pillar or cutout portion provided at a predetermined position
within said housing and
a cutout portion or pillar provided at a predetermined position in
said actuator unit in register with said pillar or said cutout
portion, respectively,
whereby engagement between said actuator unit and said housing can
be fixed as predetermined.
14. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination comprising
a panel having a mounting opening,
a plurality of housings to be mounted in said mounting opening,
each having a switch mechanism secured thereto,
a pushbutton type actuator unit operatively associated with said
switch mechanism and movably accommodated within each of said
housing,
a plurality of slits formed on sidewalls of each of said
housings,
at least one pair of resilient plate units provided, each being
provided at its one end with a resilient leg and at the other end
with a mounting member to be detachably inserted in said slit for
resiliently securing said housings in said mounting opening,
and
at least one barrier member formed at its lower portion with a
mounting member to be detachably inserted in said slit of said
housing, said barrier member being interposed between said housings
while the respective mounting member of said barrier member being
inserted in the corresponding slit of each of said housing, and
said housing being detachably arranged in said mounting opening at
a predetermined position through said legs of which the resiliency
acts to resiliently detachably secure said housings in contact with
said panel.
15. In a mounting arrangement for an electrical device, the
combination according to claim 14,
wherein said barrier is provided at its lower portion with a pair
of left-hand and right-hand mounting members, one of which being
inserted in the corresponding slit in one of said housings while
the other of which being inserted in the corresponding slit in the
other of said housing to straddle said housing,
whereby said housings connected by said barrier can be detachably
arranged in the mounting opening at a predetermined position
through said legs of which the resiliency acts to resiliently
detachably secure said housings in contact with said panel.
Description
The present invention relates to a mounting arrangement for an
electric device, such as a switch mechanism, of the type wherein
independent mounting members are arranged to straddle the device
and further are arranged to be fastened thereto by means of a
detent fastening arrangement and whereby the resulting unitary
structure can be disposed in a mounting opening in a panel by means
of a detent arrangement associated with the unitary structure
without conventional fastening means being associated with the
electric device per se and without the necessity of utilizing tools
of any kind.
The electric device of the above type is accommodated in a housing
10, for instance of the form of rectangular container, which is in
turn longitudinally or transversely mounted in the mounting opening
2 in a panel 1 as shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, in order to render
said housing 10 to be disposed longitudinally or transversely as
desired, it is preferable that any plate units 60 for resiliently
securing the housing 10 in the mounting opening 2 of a panel 1 be
so designed as to be detachably engaged to any pair of opposed
sidewalls of said housing 10. To resiliently secure the housing 10
in the mounting opening 2, the only pair of said plate units 60 is
sufficient, but must be so designed as to engage any pair of the
opposed sidewalls of the housing whereby said housing 10 can be
disposed in any mounting positions in the mounting opening 2.
In the present invention, the resilient plate unit 60 is provided
as being formed at its one with resilient legs of which the
resiliency acts to secure the housing in the mounting opening and
at its other end with a mounting member to be inserted in a
corresponding slit formed on the sidewall of said housing whereby
the housing can be resiliently detachably disposed in the mounting
opening. A plurality of said slit are provided preliminary
arrangements on the sidewalls of the housing which may be various
in form such as cylindrical container, rectangular container and so
on.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a
mounting arrangement for an electric device of a novel design
characterized in the provision of a housing for operatively housing
a pushbutton-type actuator unit associated with a switch mechanism
secured to said housing, a plurality of slits formed in sidewalls
of said housing, at least one pair of resilient plate units, each
being formed at one end with resilient legs and at the other end
with a mounting member, and a panel having a mounting opening in
which said housing with the actuator unit therein can be received,
said housing with said actuator unit therein being, after said
plate units are engaged to said housing through their resilient
mounting members inserted in the corresponding slits of said
housing, arranged at a predetermined position in said mounting
opening on said panel while said legs of said plate units
resiliently detachably secure said housing in contact with the
opposed side faces of said opening.
In the mounting arrangement for an electric device as hereinbefore
described, in the sidewalls of said housing is provided with a
plurality of engaging members for operatively and detachably
engaging the actuator unit to and within the housing in such a
manner as to permit the actuator unit to move in a predetermined
range of distance to actuate the switch mechanism. Therefore, it
will be understood that any type of actuator unit can be
operatively movably engaged within the housing so long as the
dimensions of the housing allows the latter to accommodate the
actuator unit.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting
arrangement for an electric device of the above construction
wherein each of said resilient plate units is integrally formed as
a resilient plate unit with said engaging member whereby the
actuator unit within the housing can be movably engaged to said
housing. If said engaging member is formed integrally as a
intermediate leg with the resilient plate unit, after inserting the
mounting member of said resilient plate unit into the corresponding
slit of the housing and then engaging the engaging member of said
resilient plate unit with actuator unit accommodated in the
housing, the housing can be resiliently secured in said mounting
opening through the resilient legs of said resilient plate unit on
both sides of said intermediate leg. At this time said resilient
legs are resiliently contacted to the adjacent side faces of the
mounting opening. However, the intermediate leg may be
independently formed from the resilient plate unit, for example,
integrally formed with the housing.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
mounting arrangement for an electric device of a novel design
characterized in the provision of a housing for operatively housing
a pushbutton-type actuator unit associated with a switch mechanism
secured to said housing, a holding member so designed as to provide
a plurality of slits between said holding member and the
surrounding sidewalls of said housing when said holding member is
engaged to the housing, at least one pair of resilient plate units,
each being formed at one end with resilient legs and at the other
end with a mounting member to be inserted in said slit, a plurality
of fingers integrally formed with said holding member for
resiliently and detachably engaging said actuator unit to said
housing in a manner as to permit said actuator unit to move in a
predetermined range of distance within said housing, and a panel
having a mounting opening in which said housing with said actuator
unit therein can be received, said housing with said
pushbutton-type actuator unit therein being, after said plate units
are engaged to said housing through their resilient mounting
members inserted in the corresponding slits formed between said
housing and said holding member attached to said housing thereby to
detachably engage said actuator unit to said housing by means of
said engaging member, disposed at a predetermined position in said
mounting opening on said panel while said legs of said plate units
resiliently detachably secure said housing in contact with the
opposed side faces of said opening.
The present invention will be hereinafter fully described with
reference to preferred embodiments thereof shown in the attached
drawings, in which;
FIG. 1 is a view, in section, of a mounting arrangement according
to the present invention, showing a housing for an electrical
device mounted to the mounting panel to which it is mounted,
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical device shown in
FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the electrical
device,
FIG. 4 is an exploded view, in perspective on an enlarged scale, of
a portion of the electrical device,
FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 2, but showing another preferred
embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 6 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the electrical
device shown in FIG. 5,
FIG. 7 is an exploded view, in perspective, of a part of the
mounting arrangement in a modified embodiment of the present
invention, and
FIG. 8 is a similar view to FIG. 7, but showing a further modified
embodiment of the present invention.
Referring now to the attached drawings, particularly to FIG. 1
through FIG. 4, a mounting arrangement for an electrical device
according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 can be
disassembled into a housing unit 10 in the form of a substantially
rectangular container with four sidewalls and one base, an actuator
unit 30 accommodated within said housing unit, and a pair of
resilient plate units or plate spring units 60 for fastening said
housing unit with respect to the mounting panel 1 to which it is
mounted.
The actuator unit 30 may be further disassembled into, as shown in
FIG. 3, a pushbutton member 51 in the form of a substantially
rectangular cap provided on its upper surface with a transparent or
translucent viewing portion 52 and a display screen 53 positioned
below said viewing portion 52, and a lamp support block 31 in the
form of a rectangular plain plate member.
The housing 11, which may be formed by molding plastic material, is
formed at its upper end with a four-sided flange 12. The base of
said housing 11 is secured at its exterior surface with a switch
mechanism 13 for controlling an external electric circuit (not
shown) and at its interior surface with a plurality of pairs of
resilient coiled lines 14, 15 of different diameter, each in the
form of coil spring, two pairs of which being shown in FIG. 2. One
of the coiled lines or a large diameter coil spring 14 connects
between a terminal 16 to a contact 42 of corresponding one of lamps
40 and the other coiled line or a small diameter coil spring 15
connects between another terminal 17 to another contact 43 of the
same lamp 40. This housing 11 is also formed at its four sidewalls
with a plurality of radiator holes 18 for heat exhaust and slots 19
for detachably receiving therein respective engaging members 71 of
the plate spring units 60 which will be later mentioned, each of
said sidewalls being formed at its lower portion with a slit 20,
that is four slits of two pair, for detachably receiving therein a
corresponding end or mounting member 61 of each of said plate
spring units 60. Provided at one interior corner of said housing 11
is a restricting pillar 21 the function of which will be later
mentioned in connection with the actuator unit.
The pushbutton member 51 included in the actuator unit is provided
at its upper surface with the transparent or translucent viewing
portion 52 and the display screen 53 inserted therein. The
pushbutton member 51 is also provided at its four sides with two
pairs of downwardly extending arms 54 and 55, each of said arms of
two pairs being formed at its lower portion with a guide opening
56. However, of them, the only one pair of said opposed arms 54 is
additionally provided with perforations 57 below the adjacent guide
opening 56 for receiving therein corresponding projection 32 on the
lamp support block 31 for detachably holding at least one lamp
which will be later mentioned.
The lamp support block 31 is in the form of a substantially
rectangular plain plate member formed by molding plastic material
or other suitable member and includes a crossed partition 33 of
opaque material, four stems 34 disposed on its upper surface about
the four corners thereof, an operating rod 35 projecting from its
undersurface downwardly for actuating the switch mechanism 13, and
in the instance as shown, four lamps 40 and their sockets 44.
Referring now to FIG. 4 in which a portion of the lamp support
block 31 is shown on an enlarged scale, the support block 31 is, as
hereinbefore described, provided for each lamp 40 with an opening
45 in which the socket 44 constructed in a hereinbelow described
manner can be received. This opening 45 is in turn formed with a
reduced diameter portion 46. The socket 24 is formed by rolling to
give the cylindrical shape a strip of metal having upper and lower
tongues 47, 48, each of the upper tongues being bent to form a fin
portion 49 prior to insertation of said rolled metal strip in said
opening 45. When these fin portions 49 are to be formed, each of
the remaining portions of the upper tongues 47 is somewhat radially
inwardly biased to elastically, steadily receive a stem 41 of the
lamp 40. This socket 44 thus constructed is in turn inserted in the
opening 45, the fin portions 49 are restricted by the reduced
diameter portion 46 while the lower tongues 48 are then radially
outwardly bent at the back of the lamp support block 31 whereby the
socket 44 is nondetachably held in the opening 45 without
necessitating a connecting procedure, such as by means of brazing.
Of course, the lower tongues 48 are always contacted with the
coiled line 14 while these lower tongues 48 serve to electrically
connect between the contact 42 of the lamp 40 and the terminal 16
through said line 14.
Referring back to FIG. 3, this lamp support block 31 itself is
provided at its four side with two pairs of recesses 36 and 37
engageable to the corresponding pairs of the guide openings 56 on
the arms 54 and 55 of the pushbutton member 51. However, the
opposed recesses 36 of one pair is provided with the projections 32
engageable to the perforations 57 on the arms 54 of the pushbutton
member 51 for restricting an accidental detachment of the latter
from the lamp support block 31. This lamp support block 31 is also
formed on its upper surface with a crossed groove 38 for rigidly
receiving therein a lower end of the crossed partition 33 of opaque
material for the prevention of interference of light of the lamps
40 with respect to the display screen 53. One of the four corners
of the lamp support block 31 is cutout to form a cutout portion 39
in register with the restricting pillar 21 provided at the
corresponding corner of the housing 11 as hereinbefore described
thereby actuator unit 30 being put into the housing 11 at the
predetermined position. Alternatively, a pillar or cutout portion
provided at a predetermined position within said housing 11 can be
registered with a cutout portion or pillar provided at a
predetermined position in said actuator unit respectively, whereby
engagement between said actuator unit and said housing can be fixed
as predetermined.
Still referring to FIG. 3, the display screen 53 when the actuator
unit is assembled is, in the instance as shown, divided into four
screen sections by the crossed partition 33 for forming a plurality
of lamp chambers as indicated by 53a, 53b, 53c and 53d, each being
associated with the corresponding lamps 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d.
These screen sections 53a through 54d bear on their respective
surface numera-characters or color signs representative of the
switching patterns of the switch mechanism 13. Therefore, it will
be evidently understood by those skilled in the art that, when one
switching pattern is fixed by driving the switch mechanism 13, the
associated one of the lamps 40 is lightened to illuminate a screen
section representative of the same switching pattern. It should be
noted that the screen sections 53a through 53d may be individually
provided, although in the instance as shown the screen 53 is
divided into them by the partition 33, and that the number of
display screen 53 may be changed as desired.
The display screen 53 can be steadily rested over the upper ends of
said stems 34 disposed about the four corners on the upper surface
of the lamp support block 31 while being sandwiched between said
lamp support block 31 and the transparent or translucent viewing
portion 52 of the pushbutton member 51. In addition, the screen 53
can rest on the upper end of the crossed partition 33. It will be
thus understood that the display screen 53 can be steadily held
within the actuator unit 30, but easily replaced if the latter is
disassembled.
A unitary structure of the actuator unit 30 can be formed by
covering the pushbutton member 51 over the lamp support block 31
with the display screen 53 and the crossed partition 33 being
accommodated therebetween. At this time, it is necessary to pull
the only pair of the arms 54 outwardly to render projections 32 to
pass through the perforations 57 in its assembled condition. Due to
the intrinsic resiliency of each of the arms 54 of one pair, as the
arms 54 are released from their pulled position, the perforations
57 can be rigidly engaged by the projections 32. However, it should
be noted that, if separation therebetween is desired, it can be
easily performed by a reverse procedure, i.e., by pulling the arms
54 outwardly to permit the projections 32 to disengage from the
perforations 57.
In this instance, so long as the arms 55 of one pair are designed
to have different width and correspondingly the recesses 37 of the
associated pair are designed to have different width, mounting of
the pushbutton member 51 with respect to the lamp support block 31
is fixed. In other words, in FIG. 3, the right-hand arm 54 cannot
be engaged in the recess opposite to the right-hand recess 36
because of difference in width. This ensures the reliable
prevention of false illumination on the display screen 53 when the
mounting arrangement of the present invention is assembled to its
completion.
The actuator unit 30 thus constructed as hereinbefore fully
described is then mounted in the housing 11. In this instance, so
long as the restricting pillar 21 of the housing 11 is fixed into
the cutout portion of one corner of the lamp support block 31,
mounting of the actuator unit 30 with respect to the housing unit
10 is right. In other words, the other corner of the lamp support
block 31 except of the cutout corner cannot be engaged with but
collide with the restricting pillar 21 of the housing 11. This
ensures the reliable prevention of false connection between lamps
40 and terminals 16, 17 through coiled lines 14, 15 when the
mounting arrangement of the present invention is assembled to its
completion. When the actuator unit 30 is mounted in the housing
unit 10, the condition as illustrated in FIG. 2 is established.
Nevertheless, the contacts 42, 43 of each of the lamps 40 are
respectively automatically engaged to the adjacent ends of the
coiled lines 16, 17 and the operating rod 35 is also extended down
into the switch mechanism 13 in position to operate the switch
mechanism 13 upon depression of the pushbutton member 51. Of
course, the lamps 40 are operatively associated with said switch
mechanism to indicate what type of switching pattern is fixed in
the switch mechanism 13.
Detachable engagement between the actuator unit 30 and the housing
unit 10 accommodating therein said actuator unit 30 is effected by
means of the pair of plate spring units 60 of the same size and
construction, one of which will be hereinafter described for
simplification.
Each plate spring unit is made of a substantially E-shaped
resilient plate material generally indicated by 60 in a lower
portion of FIG. 3. This plate material 60 includes a mounting
member 61 at a lower portion thereof to be detachably inserted in
said slit 20, a pair of outwardly channel shaped detents 62 on the
both sides thereof, a pair of resilient legs 63 on the both sides
thereof above the respective detents 62, each of said legs 63 being
provided at its upper end with a shoe portion 64, and an
intermediate resilient leg 72 having an engaging member 71 and an
inwardly curved free portion 73.
This plate material or unit 60 can be engaged to the housing 11 in
such a manner as to insert the mounting member 61 in the
corresponding one of the opposed slits 20 formed on the opposed
sidewalls of the housing 11. Since the mounting member 61 is
slightly curved as shown in FIG. 2, this can be steadily
elastically held in the slit 20 without any fastening means.
While this plate material 60 is thus mounted in the slit 20 through
the mounting member 61, the engaging member 71 is elastically
received in the corresponding slot 19 with its curved portion 73
projecting through the corresponding guide opening 56 of the
pushbutton member 51 whereby rigid engagement between the actuator
unit 30 and the housing unit 10 is ensured. At this time, the
actuator unit 30 can be depressed vertically in a predetermined
range of distance because each of the guide openings 56 is provided
with a sufficient clearance with respect to the curved portion 73
of the plate unit 60. The actuator unit 30 that has been depressed
can be instantaneously returned to its original or inoperative
position by the action of the coiled lines 14, 15 and is always
maintained in said position. While in the inoperative position, the
curved portion 72 is, of course, engaged to a lower portion of the
guide opening 56.
It should be noted that the plate unit 60 is preferably designed so
as to render it to be mounted in any of the slits 20 so that any
positioning of the mounting arrangement for the electrical device
of the present invention with respect to the mounting panel 1 to
which it is mounted can be appreciated.
The pushbutton-type electrical device of one unitary structure
comprising the actuator unit 30, the housing unit 10 and the plate
spring units 60 as hereinbefore fully described can be mounted in a
mounting opening 2 formed in a panel 1 in such a manner as to
insert said electrical device in said opening 2 against the
composite resilient force of the plate units 60, whereby the
housing unit 10 accommodating said pushbutton-type actuator unit 30
operatively associated with said switch mechanism 13 therein is
arranged at a predetermined position in said opening 3 on said
panel 1 through said resilient legs of which the resiliency acts to
resiliently detachably secure said housing 11 in contact with the
side faces of said panel 1. So long as the composite resilient
force of the plate units 60 is alive, the mounting arrangement can
be rigidly held in said mounting opening 2. Moreover, when the
composite resilient force of the resilient legs 63 of the plate
spring units 60 is alive between the housing unit 10 and the
mounting opening 2 of the panel 1, the engaging member 71 of the
intermediats resilient leg 73 is deeply inserted into the slot 19
of the housing 11 and the guide opening 56 of the pushbutton member
51 in comparison with the condition of that when the plate spring
unit 60 is free from the panel 1. If two pair of plate units 60 are
provide on all sidewalls of the rectangular housing 11, the housing
11 may be engaged more securely in the mounting opening 2 through
said plate units 60 of which resiliency acts to resciliently
detachably secure said housing 11 in contact with said panel 1.
To remove said mounting arrangement from the opening 2 of the panel
1, it is merely necessary to pull said electrical device out of
said opening 2.
The mounting arrangement constructed as hereinbefore described in
accordance with the present invention is, in brief, characterized
wherein a portion of each of the plate units 60 is provided with
the curved portion 72 which is in turn engaged through the
corresponding guide opening 56 in the actuator unit 30 to restrict
the free detachment of the latter from the housing unit 10.
Accordingly, it will be clearly understood that without any
fastening means the overall size of the mounting arrangement can be
advantageously reduced.
Alternatively, the pushbutton type electrical device of the present
invention can be engaged in the mounting opening 2 of the panel 1
in such a manner as to first insert the housing unit 10 with the
plate units 60 on the both sides thereof in said mounting opening 2
and then to insert the actuator unit 30 in said housing unit 10,
and thus the mounting procedure completes, whereby when the switch
mechanism 13 is operated by the depression of said pushbutton
member 51, one of said lamps representative of the switching
pattern of the switch mechanism 13 that has been set in is turned
on to indicate its switching pattern to the human eyes through the
corresponding display section of said display screen 53 and thus
said pushbutton member.
Although in this instance as hereinbefore described the
substantially E-shaped plate units have been employed, it should be
noted that various modification may be made by those skilled in the
art, some of which will be hereinafter described with reference to
FIG. 5 through FIG. 8.
In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the intermediate legs 73 that have been
formed integrally in the plate units 60 in the previous instance
are omitted. Instead, a four-sided holding member 80 integrally
formed with a plurality of fingers 81 corresponding to said
intermediate legs 73 is provided on the lower portion of the
housing 11 as shown in FIG. 5. Accordingly, the plate unit 60 has
no intermediate leg and is provided at its mounting member 61 with
a notched portion 65 in register with the root of each of the
fingers 81 integral with the holding member 80. These fingers 81
may be of the same shape as the intermediate legs 73 shown in FIG.
3.
The holding member 80 is designed such that, when said holding
member is inserted over the four-sided outer periphery of a lower
portion of the housing 11, said holding member can provide four
slits 82 shown in FIG. 5 between its four sided upper edge and the
surrounding sidewalls of said housing for receiving therein the
mounting member 61 of the plate unit 60.
It will thus be understood that the actuator unit 30 can be rigidly
held within the housing 11 in the same or similar manner as
hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 2 through FIG. 4.
Although not shown in the attached drawings, it should be noted
that the intermediate leg 73 or finger 81 may be integrally formed
within the housing 11. In this case, it may be possibly
contemplated that the housing 11 and the holding member 80 are
integrally formed each other with the slits 20 or 82 being
reserved. However, the details thereof are set forth in the
appended claims.
In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a barrier is shown by 90 for connecting two
or more electrical device assemblies shoulder to shoulder in a
single mounting opening 2 formed in a panel board 1. This barrier
90 is formed at its upper portion with a pair of opposed grooves 91
for receiving therein the flange 12 of the adjacently positioned
housings 11. This barrier 90 is also formed at its bottom with one
of or a pair of opposed mounting member 92 or 92, 93 outwardly
slanting with respect to each other, through which the barrier 90
can be detachably inserted in the slit 20 or 82.
The difference between the barrier shown in FIG. 7 and that shown
in FIG. 8 resides in its body portion, that is to say, the barrier
shown in FIG. 7 has the rigid body with one of mounting member 92
at its one side, while the barrier shown in FIG. 8 has the recessed
body with a pair of mounting members 92, 93 at its both sides, one
of which being inserted in the corresponding slit in one of said
housings while the other of which being inserted in the
corresponding slit in the other of said housings to straddle said
housing, whereby said housings connected by said barrier can be
detachably arranged in the mounting opening at a predetermined
position through said legs of which the resiliency acts to
resiliently detachably secure said housings in contact with said
panel. In a mounting arrangement for the electrical device as
showing in FIG. 7 the combination comprises a panel having a
mounting opening, a plurality of housings to be mounted in said
mounting opening, each having a switch mechanism secured thereto, a
pushbutton-type actuator unit operatively associated with said
switch mechanism and movably accommodated within each of said
housing, a plurality of slits formed on sidewalls of each of said
housings, at least one pair of resilient plate units provided, each
being provided at its one end with a resilient leg and at the other
end with a mounting member to be detachably inserted in said slit
for resiliently securing said housings in said mounting opening,
and at least one barrier member formed at its lower portion with a
mounting member to be detachably inserted in said slit of said
housing said barrier member being interposed between said housings
while the respective mounting member of said barrier member being
inserted in the corresponding slit of each of said housing, and
housings being detachably arranged in said mounting opening at a
predetermined position through said legs of which the resiliency
acts to resiliently detachably secure said housings in contact with
said panel.
It will be thus understood from the foregoing description of the
present invention, that the mounting arrangement can be practised
without necessitating any fastening members such as screw or bolt
and nut. Moreover, if desired, the electrical device assembly
fabricated in accordance with the present invention can be easily
disassembled. Furthermore, positioning of the actuator unit with
respect to the housing unit and positioning of the pushbutton
member with respect to the lamp support block can be ensured as
predetermined without any failure.
* * * * *