TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to audio annunciators such as door bells and door chimes.
BACKGROUND
Audio annunciators of various kinds are known in the art. Examples include door bells and door chimes (wherein door bells typically refer to an annunciator that produces a sound by mechanical means and wherein door chimes typically refer to an annunciator that produces a sound by electrical means), alarms (such as fire alarms, smoke alarms, or intrusion alarms), and so forth.
In many cases these audio annunciators comprise a housing that is configured to be operationally mounted to a wall. This housing typically contains the sound-producing mechanism of choice and may also house other components such as a power supply, a user interface (to facilitate, for example, selecting from amongst a plurality of available annunciation sounds), and so forth.
For a variety of reasons such a housing often works in conjunction with a removable cover. In some cases the removable cover eases the task of installing the housing on the wall. In other cases the removable cover makes it possible for the user to access a user interface from time to time. In yet other cases the removable cover paradigm makes it possible for the user to select from amongst a plurality of available cover options to best suit their corresponding aesthetic needs.
Annunciator designers are therefore faced with a variety of utilitarian and aesthetic design requirements in these regards, many of which tend to be contrary to one another. The market for such products tends to be highly competitive and therefore such designs are highly cost sensitive. The cover should also tend to remain in place during use; many simple cover designs are readily subject to dislodging during simple and non-aggressive housecleaning activities. Other cover designs involve considerable effort, time, and/or tools to facilitate the removal and installation process. Such obstacles can greatly frustrate the end user and can discourage the user from such an activity. This, in turn, can deny the user from receiving the benefits associated with a removable cover.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the apparatus pertaining to a cover-attachment assembly for use with an audio-annunciator housing described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 comprises a perspective view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 2 comprises a rear-elevational view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 3 comprises a top-plan detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 4 comprises a top-plan detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 5 comprises a perspective detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 6 comprises an angled front-elevational detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 7 comprises a side-elevational view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 8 comprises a front-elevational view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 9 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 10 comprises a block diagram view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 11 comprises a perspective detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 12 comprises a perspective detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 13 comprises a perspective detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 14 comprises a top plan detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 15 comprises a perspective detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 16 comprises a perspective detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 17 comprises a side-elevational detail view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 18 comprises a perspective view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 19 comprises a front-elevational schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 20 comprises a front-elevational schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 21 comprises a front-elevational schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and
FIG. 22 comprises a front-elevational schematic view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, a cover-attachment assembly works in conjunction with an audio-annunciator housing that is configured to operationally mount to a wall. This audio-annunciator housing can have one or more arcuately-shaped tracks and one or more snap interfaces. The cover-attachment assembly comprises at least one arcuately-shaped guide surface that is shaped, sized, and positioned to fit within the arcuately-shaped track when pivotally attaching the cover-attachment assembly to the audio-annunciator housing. The snap interface, in turn, is shaped, sized, and positioned to lockingly mate with the audio-annunciator housing snap interface to hold the cover-attachment assembly in an installed position with respect to the audio-annunciator housing.
By one approach, the audio-annunciator housing has two of the aforementioned arcuately-shaped tracks that are located on, and at least partially open on, opposing sides of the housing. By one approach these arcuately-shaped tracks have their entrance opening disposed at an edge where a top side of the housing meets a front side thereof.
By one approach the audio-annunciator housing snap interface comprises an exterior feature of the housing and may further comprise an inflexible component. The cover-attachment assembly's snap interface, on the other hand, can comprise a flexible, resilient component. So configured, these snap interfaces will readily facilitate hand moving the cover-attachment assembly from an installed position to a non-installed position with respect to the audio-annunciator housing.
These teachings will readily accommodate integrally combining the cover-attachment assembly with a corresponding cover. These teachings will also accommodate, as desired, non-integrally combining these components.
These teachings will also accommodate providing the cover-attachment assembly with a cover-attachment sensor actuator that is configured to be sensed by a corresponding cover-attachment sensor when the cover-attachment assembly is in the installed position. This, in turn, can serve to aid in ensuring the proper installation of the cover-attachment assembly with respect to the housing.
So configured, those skilled in the art will appreciate that these teachings present a highly cost-effective mechanism for temporarily yet reliably securing a cover to an audio-annunciator housing. These teachings are also highly flexible and scalable and will accommodate a wide variety of functional and aesthetic requirements. Use of components that correspond with these teachings tends to be highly intuitive and can be readily and reliably implemented and used by a variety of end users including relatively unskilled persons in these regards.
These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, an audio-annunciator housing 100 can comprise a box-like housing comprised of any suitable material (such as plastic and/or metal). This housing 100 serves to contain some or all of the components (not shown) of the audio annunciator itself. This can include, but is not limited to, a mechanical or electronic audio transducer of choice along with a corresponding mechanical or electronic driver, respectively. Such components may also include part or all of a power supply, a user interface (such as one or more switches, buttons, screw terminals, patch cables, displays, and so forth), and the like. Those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that the specifics of this example serve an illustrative purpose only and are not offered with any suggestion or intent that these specifics comprise an exhaustive listing of all such possibilities in this regard.
This audio-annunciation housing 100 is configured to be operationally mounted to a wall 101. (As used herein, a “wall” will be understood to refer to a vertically-disposed surface. Examples include, but are not limited to, a wall in a residential or business setting (such as a hallway wall, a foyer wall, and so forth).) Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are a variety of known ways to effect such functionality. By one approach, and referring momentarily to FIG. 2, the backside 201 of the housing 100 can have one or more traps 202 disposed thereon to be placed over and to partially captivate, for example, the driver end of a screw, bolt, nail, or the like. Various approaches are known in the art in this regard. As these teachings are not overly sensitive to any particular selection in this regard, for the sake of brevity and the preservation of clarity, further elaboration in this regard will not be presented here.
In a typical application setting this housing 100 may have one or more doors or other mechanisms to permit access to the interior of the housing 100. As such accoutrements are not especially important here, for the sake of clarity and brevity such features are not shown here.
Referring again to FIG. 1, this housing 100 further comprises a front side 102, a top and bottom side 103 and 104, and two edge sides 105 and 106. These sides will be referred to further herein as appropriate.
This audio-annunciator housing 100 further comprises, in this illustrative example, two arcuately-shaped tracks 107 and 108. Referring momentarily to both FIGS. 1 and 3, a first one of these arcuately-shaped tracks 107 is formed at a corner where the front side 102, the top side 103, and the right-edge side 106 meet, with the entrance opening 109 being disposed at the edge where the top side 103 meets the front side 102. In this particular illustrative example this arcuately-shaped track 107 is also open on and through the aforementioned right-edge side 106 of the housing 100. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other possibilities are available with respect to such features as desired. The arcuately-shaped track 107 itself, in this example, is without any substantial non-arcuate discontinuity.
The second arcuately-shaped track 108 is somewhat similarly formed and situated opposite the first arcuately-shaped track 107 such that its entrance opening 110 is also disposed at the same edge where the top side 103 meets the front side 102. Here, however, this second arcuately-shaped track 108 is open on and through the aforementioned left-edge side 105 of the housing 100. In this example, these two arcuately-shaped tracks 107 and 108 are essentially vertically parallel to one another and share the same radius of curvature. These teachings will accommodate small discrepancies in these regards, and the lengths of these two tracks 107 and 108 may also differ from one another if desired in order to suit some particular need or opportunity as tends to characterize a particular application setting.
In the examples just provided the tracks 107 and 108 are open at their sides through the corresponding proximal edge side 106 and 105, respectively. So configured, the thickness of the edge side itself comprises, in whole or in part, the arcuately-shaped track itself. As shown in FIG. 4, this can be supplemented by additional track material 401 formed further to the interior of the housing 100. By using the material of the edge sides themselves as at least a part of the arcuately-shaped tracks, however, manufacturing complexity can be reduced. These open tracks can also serve to increase the ease by which the cover can eventually be installed as described below.
As alluded to earlier, these teachings will accommodate using a sensor to detect proper installation of a cover. To exemplify this concept by way of a non-limiting example, and referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the housing 100 can further comprise a notch 501 that is, in this illustrative example, contiguous with the opening 110 to one of the aforementioned arcuately-shaped tracks 108. This notch 501 through the housing provides physical access to a cover-attachment sensor 601 that is, in this example, mounted on a circuit board 602 that is itself installed within the interior of the housing 100. Various sensors will work and can vary with the needs and/or opportunities as tend to characterize a given application setting. Examples for this sensor 601 include, but are not limited to, electrical switches that are responsive to physical contact with an actuating member, optically-based sensors, capacitively-based sensors, and magnetically-based sensors. Those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that these examples are intended to serve only in an illustrative capacity and are not intended to comprise an exhaustive listing of all possibilities in this regard.
Referring now to both FIGS. 1 and 7, the housing 100 can further comprise one or more snap interfaces 111. In this illustrative example, both edge sides 105 and 106 have a snap interface 111 as an exterior feature of the housing 100 itself that is located towards the bottom side 104 of the housing 100. In this illustrative example, the housing snap interface 111 comprises an inflexible component and includes a first inclined surface 112 and a corresponding stop 113. Further discussion regarding these snap interfaces 111 appears below in conjunction with an explanation of the interaction between these snap interfaces 111 and their counterparts on a cover-attachment assembly.
Those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that these various described features of the audio-annunciator housing 100 do not unduly compromise the general form factor and footprint of the housing 100 itself. It will further be noted that these features can all comprise an integral part of such a housing. For example, when using injection molding techniques to form the housing 100, these features can all be readily formed by and during such a process. It will further be noted that none of these features, in this illustrative example, make use of removable components. This, in turn, contributes to reliability, durability, cost effectiveness, and ease of manufacture.
Referring now to FIG. 8, a corresponding cover-attachment assembly 800 will be described. This cover-attachment assembly 800 generally serves to facilitate attaching a cover to the aforementioned audio-annunciator housing 100. With this in mind, and referring momentarily to FIG. 9, this cover-attachment assembly 800 can comprise an integral part of such a cover 900 if desired. (As used herein, this reference to “integral” shall be understood to a combination of elements that is intended to be permanent during the useful lifetime of the resultant item. By one approach, this occurs when the two elements are formed as common parts of a single item (such as an injection-molded part). By another approach, and as another illustrative example in these regards, this occurs when the two elements are joined using an attachment mechanism such as a non-temporary adhesive, screws, or the like.). It should also be understood, however, that the cover-attachment assembly 800 can comprise a discrete component with respect to the cover 100 as illustrated in FIG. 10 and can be coupled to one another during use on a more temporary basis and where separation of the two elements is anticipated and expected during the ordinary operational lifetime of the resultant item.
Referring again to FIG. 8, the cover-attachment assembly 800 comprises, in this illustrative example, a frame 801 that forms a hollow rectangle. Such a frame 801 can be formed using any of a wide variety of technologies. For the purposes of this illustrative example it will be presumed that the frame 801 comprises an injection-molded part formed of plastic. For strength this frame 801 has a brace member 802 disposed in each of its corners. If desired, and referring momentarily to FIG. 11, one or more of these brace members 802 can further comprise a stop 1101. This stop 1101, in turn, can cooperate with a catch mechanism on a cover to permit the latter to be temporarily and non-integrally connected to the cover-attachment assembly 800. As but one of many optional alternatives to such an approach, and referring again to FIG. 8, tabs 803 can be provided on the frame 801 to accommodate the use of a corresponding screw, bolt, or the like (not shown) to integrally couple the cover-attachment assembly 800 to a cover.
The cover-attachment assembly 800 also comprises one or more arcuately-shaped guide surfaces. These arcuately-shaped guide surfaces, in turn, are shaped, sized, and positioned to fit within the aforementioned arcuately-shaped tracks when pivotally attaching the cover-attachment assembly 800 to the audio-annunciator housing 100 as described below. Referring to both FIGS. 8 and 12, a first one of these arcuately-shaped guide surfaces is denoted by reference numeral 804. In this illustrative example, the arcuately-shaped guide surface 804 attaches via an intervening member 1201 to the frame 801 and also to one of the aforementioned brace members 802.
Referring now to both FIGS. 8 and 13, a second arcuately-shaped guide surface 805 is similarly situated in an opposing corner of the frame 801 and again connects to the frame 801 via an intervening member 1301 and to a corresponding brace member 802. In this example, the two arcuately-shaped guide surfaces 804 and 805 are presumed to be essentially parallel to one another with respect to their arcuate surfaces. These teachings will readily accommodate other variations, however. As but one example in these regards, the second arcuately-shaped guide surface 805 is wider than the first arcuately-shaped guide surface 804.
In this illustrative example, intended for use with a housing 100 having a notch 501 such as that described above with respect to FIG. 5, the cover-attachment assembly 800 also includes a cover-attachment sensor actuator 806 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 13. In this example, the aforementioned cover-attachment sensor 601 comprises an electrical switch and therefore this cover-attachment sensor actuator 806 comprises a tab that will contact that switch when the cover-attachment assembly 800 is installed on the audio-annunciator housing 100 as described herein.
Referring now to both FIGS. 8 and 14, the cover-attachment assembly 800 also comprises, in this illustrative example, two snap interfaces 807 that are disposed in the remaining corners of the frame 801. These snap interfaces 807 are shaped, sized, and positioned to lockingly mate with the aforementioned audio-annunciator housing snap interfaces 111 when the cover-attachment assembly 800 is installed with respect to the audio-annunciator housing 100. As noted earlier, in this illustrative example, the audio-annunciator housing snap interfaces 111 are inflexible components. In this case, the cover-attachment assembly snap interfaces 807 comprise flexible, resilient components to facilitate a desired reversible mating interaction between these snap interfaces. Further details in this regard appear below where appropriate.
So configured, the cover-attachment assembly 800 can be readily, easily, and quickly installed on an audio-annunciator housing 100 that is itself mounted to a wall. In particular, and referring now to FIG. 15, the cover-attachment assembly 800 can be placed at approximately a 90 degree angle to the audio-annunciator housing 100 and the arcuately-shaped guide surfaces 804 and 805 positioned proximal to the corresponding arcuately-shaped tracks 107 and 108, respectively, as comprise a part of the audio-annunciator housing 100. The former can then easily slide into and along the latter as the cover-attachment assembly 800 is gently pivoted downwardly as suggested by the arrow denoted by reference numeral 1501.
It may be noted that, in this illustrative example, this engagement mechanism provides for some captivation of the arcuately-shaped guide surfaces in that they prevent the upper portion of the cover-attachment assembly 800 from falling further forward but that there is no catch mechanism to specifically retain these guide surfaces within their corresponding tracks. So configured, these guide surfaces can be easily removed from the tracks by simply reversing their direction of movement. It may also be noted in this illustrative embodiment that this comprises a relatively loose fit such that the cover-attachment assembly 800 will not hold itself in a partially-installed position where the latter is cantilevered outwardly of the housing 100. Instead, if the user were to release the cover-attachment assembly 800 at such a point, the cover-attachment assembly 800 would continue to pivot downwardly on its own.
As the cover-attachment assembly 800 pivots downwardly and approaches its final installed position, and referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, the cover-attachment assembly snap interface 807 moves into a snap-fitting mating engagement with the audio-annunciator housing snap interface 111. In particular, the former 807 flexes as its end 1601 contacts and cams along the inclined surface 112 of the latter. At the conclusion of the inclined surface 112, the former 807 then resiliently moves inwardly towards the housing 100 to provide the desired snap fit.
This fit can be sufficient to hold the cover-attachment assembly 800 in an installed position as shown in FIG. 18. Those skilled in the art will further recognize and appreciate that the cover-attachment assembly 800 can be readily and easily uninstalled by simply grasping the lower portion of the cover-attachment assembly 800 and moving its bottom portion outwardly to disengage the snap interfaces from one another. Once disengaged, the cover-attachment assembly 800 can be pivoted upwardly to essentially reverse the described installation procedure. This will permit the user to have easy access to the audio-annunciator housing 100 to change batteries, reprogram the device, or conduct other maintenance. This will also permit the user to easily exchange one cover for another to suit whatever current aesthetic needs the user may have.
A comparison of FIG. 15 with FIG. 18 also illustrates that the cover-attachment sensor actuator 806 also pivots from a beginning position to an installed position within the notch 501 provided in the audio-annunciator housing 100. This, in turn, serves to move the cover-attachment sensor actuator 806 into contact with the previously-described sensor switch 601 to thereby indicate to the audio annunciator that the cover-attachment assembly 800 is, in fact, properly installed. In the absence of such an indication, if desired, the operation of the audio annunciator can be modified to prevent the apparatus, for example, from operating in a normal state when a cover may be inappropriately installed and hence at risk of falling or the like.
Those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that these teachings provide an easily understood, essentially intuitive mechanism for installing and removing a cover from a wall-mounted audio annunciator. This mechanism is easily manufactured and is usable by a relatively untrained individual without any tools being required to effect either installation or removal. The cover-attachment assembly 800 itself is useful with a wide variety of cover designs and form factors.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.
As but one example in these regards, as described above the aforementioned track elements and their corresponding guide surfaces are located on the audio-annunciator housing 100 and the cover-attachment assembly 800. If desired, however, and referring now to FIGS. 19 and 20, one can readily essentially reverse this paradigm by equipping the cover-attachment assembly 800 with arcuately-shaped guide surfaces 1901 and the housing 100 with the corresponding arcuately-shaped tracks 2001. Similarly, the features of the described snap interfaces could be reversed as between the housing and the cover-attachment assembly.
In a similar vein, and referring now to FIGS. 21 and 22, these teachings will also readily accommodate equipping the cover-attachment assembly 800 with both an arcuately-shaped guide surface 1901 and an arcuately-shaped track 2001 while configuring the housing 100 to have a complimentary arcuately-shaped track 2001 and an arcuately-shaped guide surface 1901, respectively.
Patent Application
20110116676
