Mounting assembly
First Claim
1. An electrical connection member for mounting on a structural support member, said connection member comprising:
- a housing having at least one outer wall having spaced apart opposite side edges equidistant from a longitudinal centerline of said housing; and
a latch member on said outer wall comprising a cantilever beam extending over a portion of said outer wall and having a proximal end hingedly attached to said outer wall and a free distal end terminating between said centerline and one of said side edges, said cantilever beam comprising;
a hinge section at said proximal end attached to said outer wall adjacent another of said side edges;
a slotted section having continuous opposing side walls and defining a transversely extending channel in said cantilever beam in substantial alignment with said centerline for latching engagement with said support structure;
a first arm section extending between said hinge section and said slotted section and having a first surface adjacent said outer wall and a second surface opposite said first surface, said second surface sloping away from said hinge section and away from said outer wall; and
a second arm section extending away from said hinge section and said slotted section and having a first surface adjacent said outer wall and second surface opposite said first surface of said second arm section, said second surface of said second arm section sloping away from said slotted section and toward said outer surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical junction block mounting assembly includes a cantilever beam formed on an outer wall of the junction block and is provided with a transversely extending channel for engagement with a support structure. The cantilever beam is attached to the junction block by means of a resilient hinge section and is provided with a first arm section extending between the hinge section and the channel and a second arm section extending beyond the channel. The first arm section has a sloping surface sloping away from the outer wall between the hinge section and the channel, and the second arm section has a sloping surface sloping toward the wall beyond the channel. The sloping surfaces will contact a mounting rail or similar support structure during installation of the junction block thereby deflecting the hinged cantilever beam until the rail is in alignment with the channel for engagement with the structural support member.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An electrical connection member for mounting on a structural support member, said connection member comprising:
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a housing having at least one outer wall having spaced apart opposite side edges equidistant from a longitudinal centerline of said housing; and a latch member on said outer wall comprising a cantilever beam extending over a portion of said outer wall and having a proximal end hingedly attached to said outer wall and a free distal end terminating between said centerline and one of said side edges, said cantilever beam comprising; a hinge section at said proximal end attached to said outer wall adjacent another of said side edges; a slotted section having continuous opposing side walls and defining a transversely extending channel in said cantilever beam in substantial alignment with said centerline for latching engagement with said support structure; a first arm section extending between said hinge section and said slotted section and having a first surface adjacent said outer wall and a second surface opposite said first surface, said second surface sloping away from said hinge section and away from said outer wall; and a second arm section extending away from said hinge section and said slotted section and having a first surface adjacent said outer wall and second surface opposite said first surface of said second arm section, said second surface of said second arm section sloping away from said slotted section and toward said outer surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An electrical junction block housing adapted for attachment to a support structure, said housing comprising:
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an outer wall having spaced apart opposite side edges equidistant from a longitudinally extending centerline of said housing; a pair of spaced-apart, substantially L-shaped attachment lugs extending outwardly from said outer wall for engagement with corresponding support brackets on said support structure; and a latch member on said outer wall comprising a cantilever beam extending over a portion of said outer wall and having a proximal end hingedly attached to said outer wall and a free distal end terminating between said centerline and one of said side edges, said cantilever beam comprising; a hinge section at said proximal end and attached to said outer wall adjacent another of said side edges; a slotted section defining a transversely extending channel in said cantilever beam in substantial alignment with said centerline for engagement with a retaining member on said support structure; a first arm section extending between said hinge section and said slotted section and having a first surface adjacent said outer surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, said second surface sloping away from said hinge section toward said slotted section and away from said outer wall; and a second arm section extending away from said hinge section and said slotted section and having a first surface adjacent said outer wall and a second surface opposite said first surface of said second arm section, said second surface of said second arm section sloping away from said slotted section and toward said outer surface. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. An electrical junction block adapted for mounting between spaced-apart, opposing support rails and comprising:
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a housing having first and second opposite outer walls and a rail engaging arrangement on each of said outer walls, said outer walls each comprising first and second opposite side edges equidistant from a longitudinal center line of said housing, said rail engaging arrangement on said first outer wall comprising a cantilever beam extending over a portion of said first outer wall and having a proximal end hingedly attached to said first outer wall and a free distal end terminating between said centerline and one of said side edges of said first outer wall, said cantilever beam comprising; a slotted section defining a transversely extending channel in said cantilever beam in substantial alignment with said centerline for engagement with one of said support rails; a hinge section at said proximal end and attached to said outer wall adjacent another of said side edges of said first outer wall; a first arm section extending between said hinge section and said slotted section and having a first surface adjacent said first outer wall and a second surface opposite said first surface, said second surface sloping away from said hinge section and away from said outer wall; and a second arm section extending away from said slotted section and said hinge section and having a first surface adjacent said first outer wall and a second surface opposite said first surface of said second arm section, said second surface of said second arm section sloping away from said slotted section and said hinge section and toward said first outer wall. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification