Mounting system for installation of communication boxes having a convex bottom post and a rigid top post

• US 5,148,353 A
• Filed: 12/10/1991
• Issued: 09/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enterasys Networks Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bibeau, Lawrence, Morgan, Stuart K., Romm, Michael, Visser, John A., Vacon, Gary V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US07/807,961
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 361/353, 361/355, 361/390, 361/391, 361/392, 361/393, 361/394, 361/395, 439/341, 439/347, 439/928, 211/41, 248/27.3, 248/221.3, 248/221.4, 248/222.1
• US Class Current: 361/726
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/183 Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for printed circuit boards, internal connecting means for buses G06F13/409
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/186 for supporting telecommunication equipment selecting apparatus H04Q1/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/928 Modular electrically interengaging parts, e.g. stove with replaceable heating elements formed on coupling parts

Abstract

A mounting system for the installation of communication termination blocks and communication boxes ("system blocks") on a backplane substantially reduces space requirements for a communications center. The system includes a system block that quickly and removably mounts to a slot in a track. A locking slide either automatically or manually engages the block to hold it securely in place, both mechanically and electrically. Lifting the locking slide releases the block. The block includes an elongated hook that provides lateral support for the block during installation and removal to ensure proper mating of electrical conductors.

Claims

1. A modular, wall-mountable system for mounting system blocks in a computer network, said system comprising:

a. a system block comprising

i. a casing having a face,

ii. a bottom hook being rigidly coupled to the casing and extending outwardly from the casing fae in a given direction, the hook having a downwardly-facing concave pivot surface,

iii. a top post being rigidly coupled to the casing and extending outwardly from the casing face in said given direction, the top post having a retaining surface substantially parallel to the casing face, and

iv. a connector located on the casing face, and

b. a wall-mountable track having a plurality of track slots to accommodate a plurality of system blocks, each track slot comprising

i. a support frame having defined therein a lower mating aperture configured to receive the hook and bounded on a side by a convex upwardly-facing edge of the support frame, the edge being curved to substantially match the pivot surface of the hook,

ii. an upper mating aperture in the support frame configured to receive the post,

iii. a locking slide slidably mounted on the support frame, the locking slide having a first position and a second position, with the locking slide in the first position permitting the insertion of the post into and removal from the upper mating aperture and with the locking slide in the second position preventing the removal of the post from the upper mating aperture by engaging the top post retaining surface,

iv. a biasing spring disposed between the support frame and locking slide, the biasing spring serving to bias the locking slide to the second position and,

v. a complementary connector located on the support frame and being adapted to couple to the connector on the casing face.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the system block is further adapted to receive a plurality of inputs.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the system block is a terminal server.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the system block is a repeater.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the system block is a bridge.

6. A system block for making communications connections to a track slot in a computer network, said system block comprising:

a. a casing having a face,

b. a bottom hook being rigidly coupled to the casing and extending outwardly from the casing face in a given direction, the hook having a downwardly-facing concave pivot surface being adapted to engage an upwardly-facing convex edge defining one side of a first aperture in the track slot,

c. a top post being rigidly coupled to the casing and extending outwardly from the casing face in said given direction, the top post having a retaining surface substantially parallel to the casing face and being adapted to be received within a second aperture in the track slot and to engage a locking slide included in the track slot, and

d. a connector being located on the casing face and being adapted to electrically mate with a corresponding the connector located in the track slot.

7. The system block of claim 6 wherein the system block is a terminal server.

8. The system block of claim 6 wherein the system block is a repeater.

9. The system block of claim 6 wherein the system block is a bridge.

10. A wall-mountable track slot for making connections in a computer network and adapted to detachably couple to a system block having first and second coupling members, comprising

a. a support frame having defined therein a lower mating aperture configured to receive the first coupling member of the system block and being bounded on a side by a convex upwardly facing edge, the support frame also having defined therein an upper mating aperture configured to receive the second coupling member of the system block,

b. a locking slide slidably mounted on the support frame, the locking slide having a first position and a second position, with the locking slide in the first position permitting the insertion of the second coupling member into and removal from the upper mating aperture and with the locking slide in the second position preventing the removal of the second coupling member from the upper mating aperture by engaging the second coupling member,

c. a biasing spring disposed between the support frame and locking slide, the biasing spring serving to bias the locking slide to the second position and

d. a connector being located on said support frame and being adapted to electrically mate with a corresponding connector located on the system block.

11. A system for mounting a system block in a computer network, said system comprising:

a system block being defined by a substantially closed box being generally rectangular in shape and having a mounting surface;

a first coupling member being rigidly coupled to said system block and extending outwardly from said mounting surface in a given direction, said first coupling member having a downwardly-facing concave pivot surface;

a second coupling member being rigidly coupled to said system block and extending outwardly from said mounting surface in said given direction, said second coupling member having a retaining surface;

a first connector being located on said mounting surface;

a wall-mounting plate being adapted to mount to a wall;

a back-mounting plate being adapted to detachably couple to said wall-mounting plate when said wall-mounting plate is mounted to a wall;

a track being coupled to said back-mounting plate, said track having a track slot, said track slot having located thereon a first mating member configured to complementary receive said first coupling member, said first mating member having a convex upwardly-facing portion being curved to substantially match said pivot surface of said first coupling member, said track slot having located thereon a second mating member configured to receive said second coupling member, said second mating member having a locking member being slidably mounted on said track slot, said locking member being slidable moveable between a first position and a second position and being resiliently biased in said second position, such that said locking ember facilitates decoupling between said second coupling member and said second mating member in said first position and hinders decoupling between said second coupling member and said second mating member in said second position, and a second connector located in said slot.