Arrangement for connecting a device's front panel

• US 20060201073A1
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kirner, Herbert, Paucker, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 7,575,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/79.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0047 using hidden fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like

Abstract

According to the invention, several outward-projecting tongues are formed on the built-in housing part of a parallelepipedal built-in unit and a frame whose inner width is greater than the mounting dimension of the built-in housing, is configured on the front panel that is to be fixed on the built-in housing part. Grooves which are allocated to the tongues and corresponding sliding surfaces are formed on the interior of the frame, the grooves and surfaces cooperating with certain elasticity in the frame to form a one-way snap-on connection

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. A device front panel connection arrangement comprising:

a housing for accommodating said device therein, said housing including walls defining an internal cavity and front opening, said front opening defining a perimeter;

a number of elevated tabs affixed to and extending away from said perimeter at substantially right angles; and

said panel comprising a frame, said frame being wider than said perimeter and comprising a number of grooves for accommodating said tabs, said grooves being sized to mate with said tabs.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said number of grooves equals said number of elevated tabs.

8. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said perimeter includes a top and a bottom wall extending at substantially right angles away from said perimeter.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said tabs are affixed to said top wall and said bottom wall.

10. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said frame includes a number of sliding surfaces located proximate to said grooves so as to facilitate accommodating of said tabs within said grooves.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said sliding surfaces are upstream from said grooves in an installation direction.

12. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said housing comprises metal and said tabs comprise plastic.

13. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said tabs further comprising locking flanks arranged at substantially right angles to an installation direction, said flanks facilitating locking of said frame to said housing via said tabs.

14. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said device is a tachograph.

15. The arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said panel further comprises a number of front openings for accommodating an elongated clamp therein, said openings providing access to locking members for locking said device within said housing.

16. The arrangement according to claim 15, wherein said locking members comprises a U shaped component, said housing comprises a number of component grooves equal to a number of U shaped components, and said U shaped components are accomodated within said component grooves when said device is locked within said housing.