Deflecting securement anchor for electrical fixtures

• US 20030109173A1
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cheetah USA Corp
• Original Assignee: Quixemble, Inc.
• Inventors: Kidman, Brent L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,840,800 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/535
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/73 Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/086 Assembled boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

An anchoring assembly for securing an electrical fixture to a connection box. The assembly may include a receiver having a first engagement mechanism. The receiver may be formed to receive an anchor exclusively by translation in the longitudinal direction. The anchor may have a second engagement mechanism formed as a cantilever extending in substantially the longitudinal direction. The second engagement mechanism may support at least one engagement location. Additionally, the second engagement mechanism may be arranged to deflect when, upon insertion, an engagement location of the at least one engagement position passes the first engagement mechanism.

Claims

1. An anchoring assembly defining longitudinal, lateral, and transverse directions, the anchoring assembly comprising:

a connection box comprising a receiver having a first engagement mechanism therein.

an anchor formed to be received within the receiver exclusively by translation in the longitudinal direction and having a second engagement mechanism formed with at least one engagement location to engage the first engagement mechanism;

at least one of the first and second engagement mechanisms formed as a cantilever and arranged to deflect when, upon insertion, an engagement location of the at least one engagement position passes the first engagement mechanism.

2. The anchoring assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a channel extending in the longitudinal direction

3. The anchoring assembly of claim 2, wherein the first engagement mechanism comprises a barb extending in the lateral direction into the channel.

4. The anchoring assembly of claim 3, wherein an engagement location of the at least one engagement location comprises a tooth shaped to engage the barb.

5. The anchor assembly of claim 4, wherein the second engagement mechanism being formed as at least two cantilevers extending in substantially the longitudinal direction each cantilever of the at least two cantilevers supporting at least one engagement location.

6. The anchor assembly of claim 5, where a cantilever of the at least two cantilevers has a length, width, and thickness are balanced and selected to provide a spring constant.

7. The anchor assembly of claim 6, wherein the spring constant is selected to provide a minimum engagement strength between the first and second engagement mechanisms.

8. The anchor assembly of claim 7, wherein a cantilever of the at least two cantilevers supports at least two engagement locations.

9. The anchor assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least two cantilevers comprise two cantilevers positioned in parallel to be mirror images of each other.

10. The anchor assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least two cantilevers comprise two cantilevers positioned so each extends in substantially the longitudinal direction along a common line.

11. The anchor assembly of claim 10, wherein a first cantilever of the two cantilevers supports three engagement locations while a second cantilever of the two cantilevers supports at least four engagement locations.

12. The anchor assembly of claim 11, the anchor further comprising an insertion stop to resist insertion of the anchor into the receiver past a selected depth.

13. The anchor assembly of claim 12, the anchor further comprising a deflection stop positioned to limit the deflection of a cantilever of the at least two cantilevers.

14. The anchor assembly of claim 13, the anchor further comprising a biasing member providing additional resistence to the deflection the second engagement mechanism.

15. The anchor assembly of claim 1, the anchor further comprising an insertion stop to resist insertion of the anchor into the receiver past a selected depth.

16. The anchor assembly of claim 1, the anchor further comprising a deflection stop positioned to limit the deflection of the cantilever.

17. The anchor assembly of claim 1, the anchor further comprising a biasing member providing additional resistence to the deflection of the cantilever.

18. The anchor assembly of claim 1, wherein the second engagement mechanism comprises at least two cantilevers extending in substantially the longitudinal direction each cantilever of the at least two cantilevers supporting at least one engagement location.