Patent Grant
9288924
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to desktop receptacles, and, more particularly, to desktop receptacles that are mounted with plates.
2. Description of the Related Art
Desktop receptacles are commonly employed in or on desk surfaces to provide data and power connections to electrical devices that are used on the desk surface. Many varieties of desktop receptacle can be employed including built-in receptacles and removable receptacles. Removable desktop receptacles are desirable because they can be taken out of the work surface and replaced with different receptacles that offer different features. Since removable desktop receptacles are not built-in as part of the work surface, they can require additional support to keep the desktop receptacle attached to the work surface. The additional support gives the desktop receptacle stability and keeps the receptacle from easily detaching from the work surface, but can be difficult to attach to the desktop receptacle.
What is needed in the art is a desktop receptacle assembly that can be easily attached to a work surface.
The present invention provides a desktop receptacle assembly with a bottom surface having one or more fingers attached that can slide in and out of corresponding finger openings formed through a mounting plate.
The invention in one form is directed to a desktop receptacle assembly that includes a box having a bottom surface; an electrical connection assembly held within the box; a first finger connected to the bottom surface that has a first portion connected to the bottom surface and a second portion connected to the first portion, the first portion having a first width and the second portion having a second width that is greater than the first width; and a mounting plate associated with the bottom surface and including at least one bracket and a first finger opening associated with the first finger. The first finger opening has a first opening width corresponding to the first width of the first finger and a second opening width corresponding to the second width of the first finger.
The invention in another form is directed to a desktop receptacle assembly that includes a box having a bottom surface; an electrical connection assembly held within the box; a first finger connected to the bottom surface that has a first portion connected to the bottom surface and a second portion connected to the first portion, the first portion having a first width and the second portion having a second width that is greater than the first width; and a mounting plate associated with the bottom surface and including at least one bracket and a first finger opening associated with the first finger. The first finger opening has a first opening width corresponding to the first width of the first finger.
An advantage of the present invention is that the finger(s) on the bottom of the box can slide in and out of the finger opening(s) on the mounting plate, providing an easy way to attach or detach the box from the mounting plate.
Another advantage is that the mounting plate can be kept attached to the work surface after removing the box and used to support a different box with a finger on the bottom.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
Referring now to the sole Figure, there is shown a desktop receptacle assembly 10 which generally includes a box 12 with a bottom surface 14, an electrical connection assembly 16 held within the box 12, fingers 18, 20, 22 and 24 connected to the bottom surface 14 of the box 12, and a mounting plate 26 associated with the bottom surface 14 of the box 12. As can be seen, the box 12 has a generally rectangular shape and can include a cover 28 opposite the bottom surface 14. The cover 28 can sit flush with a desk surface (not shown) to hide the electrical connection assembly 16 within the box 12 from sight. The box 12 can also have a cutout 30 formed in its bottom surface 14 that allows the electrical connection assembly 16 to be accessible to electrical connections from the bottom. The electrical connection assembly 16 can be any assembly that allows for electrical power or data connections to be formed between a power or data source and a power or data receiver. A wide variety of such electrical connection assemblies can be used in the present invention. It is contemplated that the box 12 could have many different shapes and sizes, depending on the desktop receptacle assembly 10's application, and the shown box 12 is for illustrative purposes only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Similarly, the box 12 can be made from a large variety of materials, with polymers being a useful material due to their low weight and ease of manufacturing.
Fingers 18, 20, 22 and 24 are connected to the bottom surface 14 of the box 12. Each finger 18, 20, 22 and 24 can be arranged on the bottom surface 14 as desired. While four fingers 18, 20, 22 and 24 are shown in
A mounting plate 26 is associated with the bottom surface 14 of the box 12 and has finger openings 32, 34, 36 and 38 that are associated with respective fingers 18, 20, 22 and 24 and brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 that will allow the mounting plate 26 to be connected to a desk surface. As can be seen, finger openings 32 and 34 have respective opening widths OW1 and OW2 that only correspond to the first widths FW1 and FW2 of fingers 18 and 20, while finger openings 36 and 38 have respective first opening widths OW3 and OW4 that correspond to the first widths FW3 and FW4 of fingers 22 and 24 as well as respective second opening widths OW5 and OW6 that correspond to the second widths SW3 and SW4 of fingers 22 and 24. As used throughout, “corresponds” refers to the opening width being approximately equal to that of its corresponding width on the finger, so that the finger opening allows for tight sliding of the finger within the finger opening. It should be appreciated that the term “width” is a subset of the broader term “dimension,” which can refer to widths, heights, lengths, etc. Mounting plate 26 can have an edge 48 with cutout 50 formed into the edge 48. The cutout 50 can be sized and shaped to surround cutout 30 formed in the bottom surface 14, so that the mounting plate 26 does not obstruct the cutout 30 formed in the bottom surface 14.
The finger openings 32 and 34 can extend to the edge 48, or possibly other edges of the mounting plate 26, so that the mounting plate 26 can slide on to fingers 18 and 20 without the need to line up a second width of the finger openings 32 and 34 with fingers 18 and 20. In contrast, the finger openings 36 and 38 must be aligned with the bottom surface 14 so that the second opening widths OW5 and OW6 overlap the second widths SW3 and SW4 of fingers 22 and 24. Once the second widths SW3 and SW4 overlap their corresponding second opening widths OW5 and OW6, the mounting plate 26 can slide so that the first portions 18A, 20A, 22A and 24A get at least partially held within their corresponding first opening widths OW1, OW2, OW3 and OW4. This allows for the mounting plate 26 to be held by the fingers 18, 20, 22 and 24 and associated with the bottom surface 14, adding support to the box 12. Much like the fingers 22 and 24, it is useful if finger openings 36 and 38 are mirror images of each other to more securely hold the mounting plate 26. Finger opening 32 can also be coaxial to finger opening 34 and/or finger opening 36 can be coaxial to finger opening 38. Other arrangements of the finger openings 32, 34, 36 and 38 are also contemplated, so long as they line up with their respective fingers 18, 20, 22 and 24 and allow for the bottom surface 14 to be slidingly associated with the mounting plate 26. As previously described, the bottom surface 14 can have only one finger or multiple fingers. The mounting plate 26 should have as many corresponding finger openings as the bottom surface has fingers so that the mounting plate 26 can be slidingly associated with bottom surface 14 without the fingers interfering with the mounting plate's 26 association.
The mounting plate 26 includes brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46. As can be seen, the brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 form supports for the box 12 and associated mounting plate 26 when they are attached to a surface, such as the bottom of a desk surface (not shown). The brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 are spaced apart so that a bracket is located at each corner of the mounting plate 26, to provide better load distribution between the brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46. Other arrangements of brackets are contemplated, with the number and location of brackets being adjustable as desired. The brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 can also act to further constrain the box's 12 movement relative to the mounting plate 26, making it easier to properly align the fingers 18, 20, 22 and 24 with the finger openings 32, 34, 36 and 38 and associate the mounting plate 26 with the bottom surface 14. Each bracket 40, 42, 44 and 46 can have a respective base 40A, 42A, 44A and 46A that extends from a main surface 52 of the mounting plate 26 and a respective bearing surface 40B, 42B, and 44B (bracket 46's bearing surface is not shown) that can engage a surface to provide support to the mounting plate 26. Each bracket 40, 42, 44 and 46 can also have an opening formed through its bearing surface that allows fixation screws 54 to bring the bearing surfaces into contact with a support surface. Although the brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 are shown as L-shaped brackets, other bracket shapes are also contemplated as being used. Further, the brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 could be formed as an integral part of the mounting plate 26 or could be separate pieces that are attached to the mounting plate 26, if desired. The mounting plate 26 and brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 can be formed of any material, such as metals due to their strength characteristics, and in any fashion. Similarly, it is contemplated that the mounting plate 26 and brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46 can be adapted to mount to many different surfaces by changing the shape of the mounting plate 26 and/or brackets 40, 42, 44 and 46.
Referring now to
As can be seen, the hooks 66, 68, 70, 72 are not connected to the bottom surface 64 of box 62, but held to the box 62 by a cosmetic surround 75. As shown, the cosmetic surround 75 is connected to the box 62 by set screws, but could be connected to the box 62 in other ways if desired. The cosmetic surround 75 has side surfaces 76 that extend past the bottom surface 64 of the box 62. The hooks 66, 68, 70, 72 are shown as being formed at an end 78 of the cosmetic surround 75 that extends past the bottom surface 64, but could also be connected to the end 78. Each hook 66, 68, 70, 72 has a respective first portion 66A, 68A, 70A, 72A and second portion 66B, 68B, 70B, 72B. The first portions 66A, 68A, 70A, 72A each have respective first dimensions D1, D2, D3, D4, shown here as a length, and second portions 66B, 68B, 70B, 72B each have respective second dimensions D5, D6, D7, D8, also shown as lengths, that are greater than their respective first dimensions D1, D2, D3, D4. Although the first dimensions D1, D2, D3 and D4 and second dimensions D5, D6, D7 and D8 are shown as lengths, they could also be other types of dimensions such as width and thickness. When the first portions 66A, 68A, 70A and 72A and second portions 66B, 68B, 70B and 72B extend in the same direction, holding edges 66C, 68C, 70C and 72C (shown in
As shown in
While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7265292 | Greenfield | Sep 2007 | B2 |
| 7947903 | Peck | May 2011 | B2 |
| 8053671 | Shotey | Nov 2011 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160037666 A1 | Feb 2016 | US |
