Patent Application
20070164178
1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure is generally related to support structures for hubs for plugging in electrical, electronic, and communications devices and, more specifically, to modular securement of interchangeable hubs for plugging in electrical, electronic, and communications devices.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As computer and communication technology advance, more varieties of peripheral devices are developed. The consumer market for these various computer, communication and peripheral devices is very large and many consumers own one or more of such devices. As the consumer acquires such devices, storage becomes problematic, especially because such devices often need to communicate with one another and thus are usually stored in close proximity to each other so as to be connected together for communication and/or integration.
Often, the most logical location to store such devices is on a desktop or at a workstation. Because a computer is usually a primary device, most consumers store the computer on a desk. While a desk provides a comfortable workstation, a desk top is limited in storage space. Often a monitor and keyboard may require most of the desktop space.
To solve this problem, many storage devices have been developed, for example, trays, sorters, shelves, stands, bridges, towers, risers, organizers, etc. While most of these products at least partially solve the storage space problem, most often by stacking elements on top of one another, these same products create problems of accessibility. Because most computer products and peripherals are communicatively connected with wires, these computers and peripherals have ports or connections for the wires. The recent proliferation of rechargeable and data sharing devices, such as digital cameras, cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDA's), and the like, has compounded the problem of accessibility to the ports. Typically, the ports on computers are on the back of the computer, or in other locations of limited access, such as in a compartment of a central processing unit (CPU) computer tower, and the primary power source (i.e., electrical outlet) is commonly on a wall or floor adjacent to a back of the desk.
This orientation of ports and power sources (i.e., on the back of devices or along a wall or floor behind the desks, or other locations of limited access) creates problems when connecting or disconnecting devices to a computer. The user must pull the computer or device away from the back of the desk to access the ports. Additionally, the user may even have to pull the entire desk away from the wall, or crawl under the desk to access the primary power source.
Some attempts have been made to place power outlets and phone jacks in more accessible locations. For example, some hotel lamps now incorporate the power outlet and phone jacks into a base of the lamp. These lamps, while providing a more accessible outlet or jack, lack versatility, inasmuch as the outlet and/or jack cannot be changed without purchasing an entirely new lamp. Additionally, these lamps do not facilitate connecting peripheral devices to a computer.
Mounting receptacles are disclosed, each of which selectively receives an interchangeable hub having one or more ports therein, each port including an interface plug for plugging in electrical, electronic, and communications devices. Each of the mounting receptacles is installed in an opening in an article, such as an organizational device, and when a hub is selectively received in the mounting receptacle, the ports of the hub are accessible from an exterior of the organizational device, at an easy-to-reach location.
A mounting receptacle is provided that includes a faceplate having at least two legs and a cross bar. The cross bar may be along the top of the mounting receptacle, with the cross bar and side legs cooperating to at least partially define a window aperture. Additionally, a plurality of flanges extend from a rear surface of the faceplate and generally perpendicular to the rear surface of the faceplate. At least one of the flanges includes a feature for releasably securing a hub to the mounting receptacle. One such flange may extend from each of the side legs. Although directional terms, such as top, bottom, front, rear, upper, lower, beneath, below,under, over, and above, are used for reference purposes in the present disclosure, it will be understood that these terms are not limiting of the orientation of the structural elements disclosed.
As shown in
The face plate 22 includes first and second legs 24, 26 and a cross-bar member 28 extending between the first and second side legs 24, 26. A first surface 30 of the face plate 22 can be seen in the front perspective view of
The cross-bar member 28 and the first and second side legs 24, 26 cooperate to at least partially define a window aperture 40. The flanges 34, 36 may be located along an innermost edge 42 of their respective legs 24, 26, on the second surface 32 of the face plate 22, such that the flanges 34, 36 are immediately proximate the window aperture 40.
The face plate 22 may include a plurality of openings 44 for receiving fasteners, such as screws, tacks, nails, or the like. The fasteners may be used to attach the mounting receptacle 20 to an inside surface of an article, such as an organizational device (not shown in
The front hub plate 48 has a larger length dimension Lp than the length dimension La of the window aperture 40. As shown in
The hub 46 is inserted into the mounting receptacle 20 through an entry passage 53, such as may be provided by a space between a free end of the first and second legs 24, 26, and generally between the flanges 34, 36, until a rear side of the front hub plate 48 is proximate the first surface 30 of the mounting receptacle 20. The flanges 34, 36 generally guide the hub 46 into the window aperture 40 and remain substantially parallel and adjacent to first and second side walls 54, 56 of the hub body 50. As shown in
The front hub plate 48 and rear hub plate 52 extend at least laterally past the first and second side walls 54, 56 of the hub body 50. The rear hub plate 52 is preferably spaced from the rear side of the front hub plate 48 a distance equal to or barely greater than the a depth of the flanges 34, 36. The rear hub plate 52 has a greater length Lr dimension than the length dimension La of the window aperture 40, and therefore extends past rear edges of each of the flanges 34, 36. Thus, as the hub 46 is inserted into the window aperture 40, the flanges 34, 36 and face plate 22 of the mounting receptacle 20 are press fit or friction fit between the front hub plate 48 and the rear hub plate 52.
This press fit or friction fit facilitates maintaining perpendicularity or alignment of the hub 46 as it progressively engages with the mounting receptacle 20. When the hub 46 is fully engaged with the mounting receptacle 20, the front hub plate 48 provides adequate support and rigidity to the hub 46 to withstand at least some pushing force applied to the front hub plate 48 while inserting a plug into one or more of the ports 62, 64 provided on the hub 46. The press fit or friction fit also provides an advantage in that upon removal of a plug from one or more of the ports 62, 64 provided on the hub 46, the rear hub plate 52 cooperates with the flanges 34, 36 to provide adequate support and rigidity to the hub 46 to withstand at least some pulling force applied to the front hub plate 48 while removing a plug from one or more of the ports 62, 64 provided on the hub 46.
To facilitate and ensure proper alignment of the hub body 50 relative to the mounting receptacle 20, at least one corner of the window aperture 40 of the mounting receptacle 20 may be a slanted corner 41, and the hub body 50 may be provided with a complementary notch 43, as shown in
The hub 46 includes a securement feature that cooperates with the slots 38 of the flanges 34, 36, in the form of securement devices 58, such as, for example, spring clips, provided on the side walls 54, 56 of the hub body 50. Each of the spring clips is provided with at least one outwardly-projecting ridge or bump 60, which is sized to be received within one of the slots 38. The closer the ridge or bump 60 is positioned to the apex 61 of the spring clip, the more difficult it is to withdraw the ridge or bump 60 from the slot 38.
The hub body 50 may be removed from the mounting receptacle 20 by gripping the front hub plate 48 and rear hub plate 52 in one hand, and rocking the hub body 50 while gently pulling the hub body 50 in a direction generally parallel to the first surface 30 of the mounting receptacle 20 and away from the entry passage 53. Such motion and pulling force is sufficient to overcome the securement of the engagement between each of the ridges or bumps 60 and the corresponding slot 38. The ridges or bumps 60 may be contoured to facilitate their removal from the corresponding slot 38 upon exertion of such motion and pulling force.
As discussed in greater detail below, as an alternate mechanism for facilitating removal of the hub body 50 from the mounting receptacle 20, extension portions 74 may be provided at the lower ends of the spring clip, which extend below the side walls 54, 56 of the hub body 50. Such extension portions may be pressed together to remove the ridge or bump 60 from the slot 38, thereby enabling removal of the hub 46 from the mounting receptacle 20 upon pulling the hub body 50 in a direction generally parallel to the first surface 30 of the mounting receptacle and away from the entry passage 53.
The hub 46 may include one or more ports 62, 64. The ports 62, 64 of a given hub 46 may be the same as one another, or different than one another. For example, one or more of the ports 62, 64 of the hub 46 may be an AC power supply, a USB connection port, a coaxial cable plug, an infrared receiver, a fiber-optic cable jack, a telephone jack, a high speed Ethernet connection jack, an RCA jack, S-video jack, etc. Also, where the ports 62, 64 are both of the same type, the ports 62, 64 may have the same orientation as one another or may have different orientations from one another within a given hub 46.
Any wiring or circuitry required to allow devices plugged into any of the ports 62, 64 to communicate with one or more wires (not shown) leading from the hub 46 to, for example, a power supply, a computer, or another device, is contained within the hub body 50, with the exception of extension cords or other wiring as may be required to connect the hub 46 to a power supply or other peripheral, jack, or apparatus, which may extend from a top, rear, and/or bottom of the hub 46.
The hub 46 is removable and interchangeable with similar hubs 46. Other hubs 46 having different selections and/or configurations of ports 62, 64, but substantially the same outer dimensions and securement devices, may be placed into the mounting receptacle 20. The modular nature of the hubs 46 facilitates interchanging hubs 46 when different requirements, such as technological advancements, make alternative ports 62, 64 within the hub 46 desirable within a given article, such as an organizational device.
The securement devices 58, 66, or spring clips, each have an extension portion 74 at a free end, which extends beyond the ridges or bumps 60, 70. When received on a hub 46, the extension portions 74 of the securement devices 58 or 66 on either side of the hub 46 may extend beyond a bottom 76 of the hub 46. When fully engaged with a mounting receptacle 20, the extension portions 74 of the securement devices 58 or 66 may still be accessible, so that an individual can squeeze the spring clips 58 or 66 inwardly, toward one another, thereby withdrawing or substantially withdrawing the ridges or bumps 60 or 68 from the slots 38 of the flanges 34, 36, to facilitate disengagement of the hub 46 from the mounting receptacle 20.
Each of the securement devices 58 or 66 is secured to the side walls 54, 56 of the hub body 50 by a tongue 71 received in a complementary tongue receiving slot 73 provided in each of the side walls 54, 56. Each of the side walls 54, 56 is further provided with an outwardly-projecting post 75. Each of the securement devices 58, 66 is provided with a post-receiving aperture 78. The post-receiving aperture 78 may be formed at the time of manufacture by cutting, punching, or otherwise forming one or more biting flanges forming teeth 79 in the securement device 58, 66, each of such teeth 79 remaining connected to the securement device 58, 66 along one edge thereof, such that each of such teeth 79 is in immediate proximity to the post-receiving aperture 78. The teeth 79 may bite into the post 75 to help retain the securement device 58 or 66 on the hub body 50.
It is desirable to protect the post 75 from damage so as to preserve the integrity of the retention of the securement devices 58 or 66 on the hub body 50. One manner of protecting the post 75, as shown in
Each of the flanges 84, 86 is provided with a slot 90 sized to accommodate an outwardly-projecting ridge or bump 60 of a spring clip or other resilient securement device 58 provided on the hub 46. As illustrated in
Turning to
Like the mounting receptacle 20, described above, the face plate 102 includes first and second legs 104, 106 and a cross-bar member 108 extending between the first and second side legs 104, 106. Each of the side legs may further include a pedestal or foot 105 to raise the face plate 102 up off the work surface, and to impart an upward tilt to the front hub plate 48 of the hub 46, such that the ports 62, 64 are displayed at an angle relative to the work surface. This angled orientation of the ports 62, 64 relative to the work surface facilitates insertion of plugs into the ports 62, 64 by providing increased room between an underside of such plugs and the top of the work surface to accommodate a person's fingers.
A first surface 110 of the face plate 102 can be seen in the front perspective view of
A window aperture 120 is provided in the mounting receptacle 100. The window aperture 120 is defined by the cross-bar member 108 and the first and second side legs 104, 106. The flanges 114, 116 are spaced laterally outwardly of an innermost edge 122 of their respective legs 104, 106, on the second surface 112 of the face plate 102. Thus, the flanges 114, 116 are spaced laterally outwardly of the window aperture 120.
As shown in
When the hub 46 at least partially engages the mounting receptacle 100, the rear hub plate 52 rides against the anterior legs 126, 128, and the front hub plate 48 rides against the first surface 110 of the front legs 104, 106. The relative arrangement of the front legs 104, 106, the anterior legs 126, 128, and the depth of the flanges 114, 116 complement the front hub plate 48, the rear hub plate 52, the sidewalls 54 of the hub body 50, and the spring clips 58 provided on the sidewalls 54, to ensure perpendicularity of the hub 46 and the mounting receptacle 100 as they are engaged with one another. When fully engaged, the uppermost ridge or bump 68 of each of the spring clips 58 are received in the respective slots 118 in the flanges 114, 116.
When it is desired to remove the interchangeable hub 46 from the mounting receptacle 100, the hub 46 may be disengaged by gripping the front hub plate 48 and rear hub plate 52 in one hand, and rocking the hub body 50 while gently pulling the hub body 50 in a direction generally parallel to the first surface 110 of the mounting receptacle 100 and away from an entry passage of the window aperture 120. Such motion and pulling force is sufficient to overcome the securement of the engagement between each of the ridges or bumps 60 and the corresponding slot 118. The ridges or bumps 60 may be contoured to facilitate their removal from the corresponding slot 118 upon exertion of such motion and pulling force.
Turning to
The hub 46 itself may be quickly and easily replaced if a different selection or configuration of ports 62, 64 is required. For example, a user may require a telephone jack and a power supply in a particular hub 46. If the user subsequently purchases a peripheral device that requires a USB port and no longer has a need for a telephone jack, only a new hub 46 having a USB port need be purchased instead of an entirely new organizational device 132, 134.
Using a mounting receptacle 20 of the present disclosure, wires may be routed from the hub 46 to a connection through an associated organizational device 66, 68 on a semi-permanent basis. This feature facilitates substantially inconspicuous organization of wires and prevents fouling and entangling of wires as peripheral devices are added or replaced.
The mounting bracket 20 may also be interchangeable with other organizational devices 66, 68. For example, the mounting bracket 20 installed in a particular organizational device 66 may be removed and placed in another organizational device 68 (e.g., a stand having a shelf) in the event the user decides that a particular organizational device 68 would be more beneficial than a previous organizational device 66, in conjunction with components requiring the same selection and configuration of ports 62, 64.
Alternatively, the user may decide that a new color or finish for the organizational device 132, 134 is more appropriate for a particular environment. This interchangeability feature provides the user with a significant savings, inasmuch as only the relatively inexpensive new organizational device 132, 134 needs to be obtained by a user who already possesses a hub 46 and moutning receptacle 20. The relatively more expensive hub 46 may be reused. If the mounting receptacle 20 itself is removable from the organizational device 132 or 134, then the mounting receptacle 20 may also be transferred to another compatible organizational device 132 or 134.
By contrast, as shown in
The article 142 may be made of wood or a wood-like material. The interior wall 138 may be a recessed portion of a wall of the article 142. As in the previous embodiments, the mounting receptacle 136 cooperates with the rear hub plate 52 to maintain perpendicularity or alignment as the hub 46 is engaged with the mounting receptacle 136. More specifically, the rear hub plate 52 rides along a rear edge 154 of each of the flanges 150, 152 during insertion of the hub 46 into the mounting receptacle, until the ridge or bumps 60 of the spring clips or other securement devices provided on the hub 46 are received in slots 156 in the flanges 150, 152. The front hub plate 48 and rear hub plate 52 form a press fit with the wall 140 and the mounting receptacle 136.
Variations may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein that are still considered within the scope of the appended claims. Also, as discussed above, while relative directional modifiers are used herein, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to particular orientations of the mounting receptacle and hub arrangements disclosed.
