Control panel for vehicle entertainment service systems

• US 4,177,498 A
• Filed: 03/10/1978
• Issued: 12/04/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Instrument Systems Corp (Griffon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Instrument Systems Corp (Griffon Corporation)
• Inventors: Weitz, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US05/885,419
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 361/331, 361/334, 361/356-360, 361/346, 361/347, 361/362, 361/350, 174/55, 174/56, 324/156, 248/27.1, 200/296, 200/56 R, 200/51 R, 200/11 TW, 179/1 B, 179/1 D
• US Class Current: 361/647
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/04 Mounting thereon of switches or of other devices in general, the switch or device having, or being without, casing

Abstract

A control panel is provided incorporating a plurality of controls and an arrangement for the rapid mounting and demounting thereof in an aperture of a support. The mounting and demounting arrangement permits the retention of the panel with one side of the opening retained in a slot in a corresponding side of the panel and the other side of the opening being retained between a projection and a displaceable dog on the opposite side of said panel. Said dog is mounted on a bolt threaded in said panel for displacement between a first position in which the dog engages the wall of the opening and a second position wherein the dog is displaced both away from the wall of the opening in the axial direction of the bolt and pivoted by the bolt out of registration of the wall to permit release of the panel. The controls may include diaphragm-type push-button switches, slide switches and rotatable multi-position switches.

Claims

1. A control panel for mounting in an opening in a support defined on at least two sides by first and second rim portions, comprising frame means dimensioned for receipt in the opening and formed with a slot in one side thereof dimensioned for receipt of the first rim portion, said frame means being further formed with a projection on a side thereof positioned for engagement against the front surface of the second rim portion;

circuit means carried by said frame means for performing a control function;

bolt means threadably engaged to said frame means adjacent said projection and formed with a head portion accessable from the front of said control panel for the manual pivoting thereof between first and second positions; and

dog means fixed to said bolt means for displacement in response to the pivoting of said bolt means relative to said frame means between said first position at which said dog means engages against the rear surface of the second rim portion for retaining the second rim portion between said dog means and said projection, and said second position at which said dog means is displaced both axially and pivotably relative to the axis of said bolt means away from and out of registration with the second rim portion, whereby said control panel may be readily removed from the support when said dog means is in said second position.

2. The control panel as recited in claim 1, wherein said dog means is formed from a L-shaped member, one arm of which is secured to said bolt means and the other arm is engageable against said second rim portion.

3. The control panel as recited in claim 2, wherein said frame means is formed with a slot in the side periphery thereof positioned for receipt of said other leg of said dog means at the second position thereof.

4. The control panel as recited in claim 1, including stop means carried by said frame means for limiting the pivotable displacement of said dog means at said first and second positions thereof.

5. The control panel as recited in claim 1, wherein said frame means includes a front frame portion, a rear frame portion secured to said front frame portion, said front and rear frame portions being formed with bores therethrough in registration for the receipt of said bolt means, and nut means secured to one of said front and rear frame portions in registration with said bores for threadably receiving said bolt means, said nut means being mounted to prevent the pivoting thereof relative to said front and rear frame portions.

6. The control panel as recited in claim 1, wherein said circuit means includes a plurality of control means mounted on the front surface of said frame means, said control means including switch means.

7. The control panel as recited in claim 1, wherein said front surface of said control panel is formed with a projecting dial housing portion having a top and a bottom wall, said circuit means including at least one dial switch means including a rotatably mounted dial, said dial housing portion being formed with a window in the top wall thereof in registration with said dial for viewing thereof and an opening in the bottom wall thereof through which a portion of the periphery of said dial extends for the manual manipulation of said dial.

8. The control panel as recited in claim 7, wherein said circuit means includes a plurality of further switch means on said control panel immediately above said dial housing.

9. The control panel as recited in claim 8, further including an acoustic socket means positioned adjacent said switch means above said dial housing portion.

10. A control panel comprising frame means defining a front surface;

means for mounting said frame means with said front surface extending substantially vertically, said frame means front surface being formed with a forwardly projecting dial housing portion having top and bottom walls, said control panel including dial-type switch means including a dial rotatably mounted in said dial housing portion, said dial housing portion being formed with a window in the top wall thereof in registration with the periphery of said dial and an opening in the bottom wall thereof in registration with said dial and dimensioned to permit a portion of said dial to extend therethrough, said dial including position-indicating indicia thereon in registration with said window for viewing from above and means thereon in the portion extending through said opening for engagement by the finger of the user for the manual rotation of said dial.

11. The control panel as recited in claim 10, further including electro-acoustic socket means mounted on said control panel surface adjacent said switches above said dial housing portion.

12. The control panel as recited in claim 10, wherein said control panel further includes a plurality of switch means arranged in side-by-side relation on said front surface immediately above said dial housing portion.

13. A control panel for mounting in an opening in a support defined on at least two sides by first and second rim portions, comprising frame means dimensioned for receipt in the opening and formed with a slot in one side thereof dimensioned for receipt of the first rim portion, said frame means being further formed with a projection on a side thereof positioned for engagement against one surface of the second rim portion;

bolt means threadably engaged to said frame means adjacent said projection; and

dog means fixed to said bolt means for displacement in response to the pivoting of said bolt means relative to said frame means between a first position at which said dog means engages against the other surface of the second rim portion for retaining the second rim portion between said dog means and said projection, and a second position displaced both axially and pivotably relative to the axis of said bolt means away from and out of registration with the second rim portion, said frame means including a front frame portion, a rear frame portion secured to said front frame portion, said front and rear frame portions being formed with bores therethrough in registration for the receipt of said bolt means, and nut means secured to one of said front and rear frame portions in registration with said bores for threadably receiving said bolt means, said nut means being mounted to prevent the pivoting thereof relative to said front and rear frame portions, whereby said control panel may be readily removed from the support when said dog means is in said second position.