Sensor mounting structure with snapping feature

• US 20070074583A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Santos, Roberto, Mackey, Dennis, Schladenhauffen, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,415,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/856
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/048 Snap mounting

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a sensing device mounting mechanism allowing for a sensing device to be mounted in relation to a supporting structure. The sensing device mounting mechanism comprises a housing portion having a snapping mechanism. The snapping mechanism allows the housing portion to be coupled to at least one of the supporting structure, the sensing device, and an additional portion of the sensing device mounting mechanism.

Claims

1. A sensing device mounting mechanism allowing for a sensing device to be mounted in relation to a supporting structure, the sensing device mounting mechanism comprising:

a housing portion having a snapping mechanism,

wherein the snapping mechanism allows the housing portion to be coupled to at least one of the supporting structure, the sensing device, and an additional portion of the sensing device mounting mechanism.

2. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes a stem portion and a flange portion extending from the stem portion and wherein the housing can be positioned onto the supporting structure by passing the stem portion through an orifice in the supporting structure until the flange portion substantially abuts the supporting structure.

3. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes a snapping mechanism for securing at least one of the housing to the supporting structure and the sensing device within the housing via snap-fit engagement.

4. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes a stem portion and a flange portion extending from the stem portion, and wherein the mounting mechanism further comprises at least one snapping mechanism that extends from at least one of the flange portion and the stem portion.

5. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 4 wherein the snapping mechanism includes at least one ramped surface portion having at least one ramped surface.

6. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the snapping mechanism is sized to correspond to at least one dimension of the supporting structure.

7. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the sensing device is positioned to abut the snapping mechanism when the housing is mounted to the support structure so as to create a force that locks the snapping mechanism into place.

8. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing further includes a stem portion and a flange portion extending from the stem portion, the stem portion having an end that is distal from the flange portion, and wherein the mounting mechanism further comprises at least one snapping mechanism that extends from at least one of the flange portion toward the distal end and from a location on the stem portion toward the flange portion away from the distal end.

9. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the sensing device includes a surface having a toothed profile, and the snapping mechanism includes a surface having a toothed profile that is complementary to the sensing device surface having the toothed profile.

10. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a substantially cylindrical interior having a central axis that is angularly offset from a perpendicular axis to the supporting structure.

11. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the snapping mechanism includes a surface contoured to facilitate insertion of the sensing device into an interior of the housing.

12. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein a flanged portion of the housing includes at least one stop to at least partially position and secure the sensing device into the interior.

13. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the snapping mechanism is at least one of substantially arrow shaped and substantially dumb-bell shaped.

14. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the snapping mechanism is a protrusion on the exterior surface of the housing that is substantially fixed in position.

15. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the snapping mechanism engages an orifice in the housing to at least in part secure the housing to the supporting structure.

16. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mounting mechanism includes at least one of a piece of foam, a piece of rubber, a compressible material and a spring to permit adjustment of a distance between the housing the supporting structure based on a gauge thickness of the supporting structure.

17. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises multiple housing portions and a swivel ball is located internally with respect to at least one of the multiple housing portions, the sensing device being mounted on the swivel ball.

18. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 where the housing includes an interior ridged surface portion for engaging a complementary ridged surface portion of the snapping mechanism.

19. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the sensing device is rotatably coupled to the housing or the housing is rotatably mounted to the supporting structure.

20. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein sensing device is coupled to the housing using at least one of a slidable coupling, a rotatable coupling, a snap-fit, an adhesive, a screw, and a bolt.

21. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing is configured to be connected to the supporting structure via at least one of the following:

a snapping mechanism, an adhesive, a screw, a bolt, Velcro®

, a dove tail, a slot, a recess, and a pair of appendages that clamp onto the supporting structure.

22. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a flange portion and the sensing device is rotatably coupled to the flange portion.

23. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the housing further comprises a stem portion having a plurality of interior snapping mechanisms and a flange portion having a plurality of interior snapping mechanisms, and wherein the stem portion interior snapping mechanisms and the flange portion interior snapping mechanisms engage complementary notches formed in the sensing device so as to secure the sensing device within the interior of the housing.

24. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 23 further comprising a spring positioned in overlay relationship with respect to the sensing device, and wherein the spring, when compressed, pushes the stem portion away from the supporting structure, and acts as a tensioning device to hold, in cooperation with the interior snapping mechanism, the sensing device and housing in a mounted position.

25. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a slip nut for engaging a catch mechanism coupled to the sensing device to secure the sensing device in a mounted position with respect to the supporting structure.

26. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 1 wherein the snapping mechanism function both to receive and engage the sensing device in a mounted position with respect to the supporting structure and to couple the housing to the supporting structure.

27. An assembly comprising:

a sensing device having an outer surface that includes at least one recess; and

a sensing device mounting mechanism, the mounting mechanism comprising;

a housing portion that at least partially surrounds the sensing device, the housing portion including an insert portion that protrudes into the recess of the sensing device when the sensing device is at least partially received and supported within the housing portion.

28. The assembly of claim 27 wherein the protrusion is a snapping mechanism.

29. The sensing device mounting mechanism of claim 27, further comprising a mounting flange for securing the housing portion to the supporting structure.

30. The assembly of claim 27 wherein the protrusion is a dove tail.

31. A sensing device mounting mechanism in combination with a sensing device, the combination comprising:

a sensing device; and

a sensing device mounting mechanism comprising;

a housing mountable to a support structure, the housing defining an interior for receiving and supporting a sensing device, and

means for providing snapping engagement of at least one of the housing to the supporting structure, and the housing to the sensing device.

32. The combination of claim 31 wherein the housing further includes a stem portion and a flange portion extending from the stem portion and wherein the mounting device housing can be coupled to the support structure by passing the stem portion through an orifice in the support structure until the flange portion substantially abuts the supporting structure.

33. The combination of claim 31 wherein the housing further comprises a stem portion having a plurality of interior snapping mechanisms and a flange portion having a plurality of interior snapping mechanisms, and wherein the stem portion interior snapping mechanisms and the flange portion interior snapping mechanisms engage complementary notches formed in the sensing device so as to secure the sensing device within the interior of the housing.

34. A method of attaching a sensing device in relation to a supporting structure, the method comprising:

providing a housing portion; and

snapping the housing portion in relation to at least one of the sensing device, the supporting structure and another mounting mechanism portion.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the snapping involves snapping the housing portion in relation to the supporting structure, and further comprising positioning the sensing device within an interior portion of the housing portion.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein upon the positioning of the sensing device within the interior portion, the sensing device tends to block a movement of a snapping structure.