Versatile mounting and adjustment system for passive infrared detector

• US 5,782,438 A
• Filed: 01/31/1996
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Pass And Seymour Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Royce, Curtis J., Hubben, Edward B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US08/594,770
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 248/27.1, 248/27.3, 248/342, 248/343, 248/906
• US Class Current: 248/27.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/042 Mounting on perforated supports by means of screws or locking members
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/048 Snap mounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/906 Electrical outlet box support

Abstract

A mounting member for engagement with the housing of a PIR device includes a plurality of elongated, flexible arms for mounting the device in an operative position on a ceiling panel. The arms are hingedly attached to the mounting member and extend to terminal ends which are attached to one another. The arms may be moved toward one another to a flexed position to permit insertion through an opening in the ceiling panel, and return to their unflexed position to engage the panel adjacent the periphery of the opening. A first plurality of relatively short legs having inwardly directed hook portions are provided on the mounting member for engagement with the horizontal flange on an inverted T-shaped track member for supporting ceiling panels. A second plurality of short legs having outwardly directed hooked portions permit engagement of the mounting member with a wall plate having an opening therein. The mounting member and device housing may be jointly rotated about the central axis of the device lens for selective positioning of lens segments in a desired orientation, aided by the presence of fixed indicia on the device housing. Also, the device housing may be rotated with respect to the mounting member and frictionally secured in the desired position.

Claims

1. A PIR device and means for mounting said device comprising:

a) housing means defining an enclosed space containing electrical elements of said device;

b) a lens element having a central axis and mounted upon said housing to focus infrared radiation upon one of said electrical elements;

c) a support member;

d) first means for mounting said housing upon said support member;

e) second means for mounting said support member upon a first type of pre-existing structure; and

f) third means for mounting said support member upon a second type of pre-existing structure, alternatively to said first type of structure.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first type of structure is a ceiling panel having a through opening and said second means includes portions of said support member extending through said opening and engaged with the periphery thereof.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said second type of structure is an inverted T-shaped track member having a horizontally disposed flange for supporting ceiling panels, and said third means includes a pair of elements engageable with opposite edge portions of said horizontally disposed flange.

4. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said second type of structure is a wall plate having a second opening and said third means includes a pair of elements engageable with said wall plate adjacent the periphery of said second opening.

5. The invention according to claim 1 and further including fourth means for mounting said support member upon a third type of pre-existing structure.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said first type of pre-existing structure is a panel of a suspended ceiling having a first, through opening therein, said second type of pre-existing structure is an inverted T-shaped track member having a horizontally disposed flange for supporting ceiling panels, and said third type of pre-existing structure is a wall plate having a second, through opening therein.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said second means includes integral portions of said support member adapted to extend through said first opening from a lower side of said ceiling panel upon which said housing means is positioned to an upper side with said integral portions engaging said ceiling panel adjacent portions of the peripheral edge of said first opening.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said integral portions comprise a pair of flexible arms each extending from anchored positions on said lower side of said ceiling panel to positions on said upper side wherein said arms are spaced more widely than the distance between said positions of said peripheral edge.

9. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said third means comprise a pair of legs extending integrally from said support member, said legs being laterally spaced by a distance substantially equal to the width of said horizontally disposed flange, each of said legs having inwardly directed hook means for engagement over the edges of said flange.

10. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said fourth means comprise a pair of legs extending integrally from said support member, said legs being laterally spaced by a distance substantially equal to a cross-dimension of said second opening, each of said legs having outwardly directed hook means for engagement with said wall plate adjacent the periphery of said second opening.

11. A versatile mounting system for PIR device, said mounting system comprising a member having

(a) integral, first engagement means constructed and arranged for releasable engagement with a suspended ceiling panel having a through opening therein and

(b) integral hook-shaped second engagement means arranged for resilient releasable engagement with an inverted T-shaped track member having a horizontal flange for supporting ceiling panels.

12. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member includes a rigid portion and said first engagement means comprises a pair of elongated, flexible portions affixed to said rigid portion and movable between an unflexed position wherein parts of said flexible portions are laterally spaced from one another by a distance greater than the diameter of said opening, and a flexed position wherein said flexible portions are spaced from one another by less than said diameter along their entire lengths, thereby permitting insertion of said flexible portions through said opening prior to return of said flexible portions to said unflexed position.

13. The invention according to claim 12 wherein said flexible portions are connected to said rigid portion by integral hinge means.

14. The invention according to claim 13 wherein said flexible portions comprise a pair of elongated arms attached to said rigid portion at spaced positions thereon by said hinge means.

15. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member includes a rigid portion and said second engagement means comprises a pair of legs extending from spaced positions on said rigid portion to terminal ends each having a hook portion for engagement over the horizontal flange of said track member.

16. The invention according to claim 15 wherein said legs are positioned on opposite sides of an axis parallel to the centerline of said horizontal flange when said device is mounted upon said track member, and said hook portions extend from said terminal ends toward said axis.

17. The invention according to claim 16 wherein said rigid portion includes a planar surface from which said legs extend, said planar surface lying in a substantially horizontal plane when said device is mounted upon said track member.

18. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member includes a rigid porton and said first engagement means comprises a pair of elongated, flexible portions affixed to said rigid portion and movable between an unflexed position wherein parts of said flexible portions are laterally spaced from one another by a distance greater than the diameter of said opening, and a flexed position wherein said flexible portions are spaced from one another by less than said diameter along their entire lengths, thereby permitting insertion of said flexible portions through said opening prior to return of said flexible portions to said unflexed position.

19. The invention according to claim 18 wherein said flexible portions are connected to said rigid portion by integral hinge means.

20. The invention according to claim 19 wherein said flexible portions comprise a pair of elongated arms attached to said rigid portion at spaced positions thereon by said hinge means.

21. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member includes a rigid portion and said second engagement means comprises a pair of legs extending from spaced positions on said rigid portion to terminal ends each having a hook portion for engagement over portions of said wall plate adjacent the periphery of said second opening.

22. The invention according to claim 21 wherein said legs are positioned on opposite sides of said second opening when said device is mounted upon said wall plate, and said hook portions extend from said terminal ends in outwardly opposite directions.

23. The invention according to claim 22 wherein said rigid portion includes a planar portion from which said legs extend, said planar surface lying in a substantially vertical plane when said device is mounted upon said wall plate.

24. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member includes a rigid portion and said second engagement means comprises a pair of legs extending from spaced positions on said rigid portion to terminal ends each having a hook portion for engagement over portions of said wall plate adjacent the periphery of said opening.

25. The invention according to claim 24 wherein said legs are positioned on opposite sides of said opening when said device is mounted upon said wall plate, and said hook portions extend from said terminal ends in outwardly opposite directions.

26. The invention according to claim 25 wherein said rigid portion includes a planar portion from which said legs extend, said planar surface lying in a substantially vertical plane when said device is mounted upon said wall plate.

27. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member includes a rigid portion and said first engagement means comprises a pair of legs extending from spaced positions on said rigid portion to terminal ends each having a hook portion for engagement over the horizontal flange of said track member.

28. The invention according to claim 27 wherein said legs are positioned on opposite sides of an axis parallel to the centerline of said horizontal flange when said device is mounted upon said track member, and said hook portions extend from said terminal ends toward said axis.

29. The invention according to claim 28 wherein said rigid portion includes a planar surface from which said legs extend, said planar surface lying in a substantially horizontal plane when said device is mounted upon said track member.

30. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member includes a rigid portion and said first engagement means comprises a first pair of legs extending from respective, first spaced positions on said rigid portion to first terminal ends each having a first hook portion for engagement over the horizontal flange of said track member, and said second engagement means comprises a second pair of legs extending from respective, second spaced positions on said rigid portion to second terminal ends each having a second hook portion for engagement over portions of said wall plate adjacent the periphery of said opening.

31. The invention according to claim 30 wherein said first and second legs having outer surfaces spaced a short distance inwardly of said periphery of said opening when said device is mounted upon said wall plate.

32. The invention according to claim 31 wherein said opening is circular and of predetermined diameter, and said outer surfaces of each of said first and second legs lie in a substantially common, cylindrical plane having a diameter a few thousandths of an inch less than said predetermined diameter.

33. The invention according to claim 11 wherein said member further includes integral, third engagement means constructed and arranged for alternate, releasable engagement with a third type of pre-existing structure, different from said first and second types.

34. The invention according to claim 33 wherein said first, second and third types of structure comprise a suspended ceiling panel having a first, through opening therein, an inverted T-shaped track member having a horizontally disposed flange for supporting ceiling panels, and a substantially planar wall plate having a second, through opening therein, respectively.

35. The invention according to claim 34 wherein said member includes a rigid portion and said first, second and third engagement means comprise first, second and third pairs of engagement members, respectively, all of said engagement members extending integrally from said rigid portion at spaced positions thereon.

36. The invention according to claim 35 wherein said rigid portion has a substantially planar surface and said engagement members of each of said pairs extend from said rigid portion at positions on opposite sides of a central axis perpendicular to said surface.

37. The invention according to claim 36 wherein said engagement members of said first pair are greatly elongated with respect to the engagement members of said second and third pairs.

38. The invention according to claim 37 wherein the engagement members of said first pair are each hingedly connected at one end to said rigid portion, and extend to terminal ends having mutually engagable means for selective connection of said terminal ends.

39. The method of mounting a PIR device on a planar panel having front and rear sides, said method comprising:

a) forming a through opening having a predetermined cross-dimension in said panel;

b) providing a pair of elongated, flexible members connected to said device and extending in angularly divergent directions to an unflexed position in which respective portions of said members are laterally spaced from one another by a distance greater than said cross-dimension;

c) exerting a force on said members to effect movement of said portions toward one another to a flexed position wherein said portions are laterally spaced by a distance less than said cross-dimension;

d) moving at least said portions of said members through said opening, from the front to the rear side of said panel, said device remaining on the front side;

e) removing said force to permit said members to return to said unflexed position with said first portions of said members laterally spaced by a distance greater than said cross-dimension on the rear side of said panel and second portions of said members contacting said panel adjacent said opening to support said PIR device in an operative position on the front side of said panel.

40. A PIR device and means for mounting and orienting said device comprising:

a) housing means defining an enclosed space containing electrical elements of said device;

b) a lens element having a central axis and circumferentially alternating segments of different focal angles extending outwardly from said central axis, said lens element being fixedly connected to said housing means to focus infra-red radiation upon one of said electrical elements;

c) means fixedly positioned with respect to said housing means for engagement with a predetermined type of pre-existing structure to support said housing means upon said structure in a manner permitting rotation of said housing means, and thereby said lens element, about said central axis; and

d) indicia fixedly positioned with respect to one of said segments having a known one of said focal angles, whereby the rotational position of said housing means is indicative of the directional orientation of a lens segment of known focal angle.

41. The invention according to claim 40 and further including a mounting member and means for connecting said housing means to said mounting member, said engagement means comprising a plurality of engagement members extending integrally from said mounting member.

42. The invention according to claim 41 wherein pre-existing structure comprises both a ceiling panel having a first opening therein and a wall plate having a second opening therein, and said engagement means comprises a plurality of arms adapted to extend through said first opening and contact said ceiling panel adjacent the periphery of said first opening and a plurality of legs adapted to extend through said second opening and contact said wall plate adjacent the periphery of said second opening.

43. The invention according to claim 40 wherein said indicia is positioned on said housing means radially outwardly of said one of said segments.

44. The invention according to claim 43 wherein said housing means encircles said lens element.

45. The invention according to claim 40 wherein said pre-existing structure is a ceiling panel.

46. The invention according to claim 45 wherein said ceiling panel has a through opening and said engagement means comprise a plurality of arm members extending through said opening and contacting said panel adjacent the periphery of said opening.

47. The invention according to claim 40 wherein said pre-existing structure is a wall plate.

48. The invention according to claim 47 wherein said wall plate has a through opening and said engagement means comprises a plurality of leg members extending through said opening and contacting said wall plate about the periphery of said opening.

49. A mounting member for a PIR device which includes a housing, a substantially hemispherical lens having a central axis fixedly connected to said housing, and a first connecting means, said mounting member comprising:

a) second connecting means for co-operative engagement with said first connecting means to effect mutual connection of said housing and said mounting member;

b) first engagement means for engaging a first type of pre-existing structure to mount said PIR device in an operative position upon said structure and permitting manual, concurrent rotation of said mounting member and said device about said central axis;

c) means for effecting rotation of said housing with respect to said mounting member about a rotational axis to rotate said central axis in a plane perpendicular to said central axis; and

d) means for selectively, releasably fixing the relative positions of said housing and said mounting member with respect to said rotational axis.

50. The invention according to claim 49 wherein said first structure is a ceiling panel having a through opening therein, and said first engagement means comprises a plurality of elongated, flexible arms adapted to extend through said opening and engage said panel adjacent the periphery of said opening.

51. The invention according to claim 50 wherein said mounting member further comprises a rigid portion and said flexible arms are integrally attached to said rigid portion.

52. The invention according to claim 49 wherein said rotational axis is laterally spaced from said central axis.

53. The invention according to claim 52 wherein said fixing means comprises means for effecting frictional engagement of adjacent surfaces of said housing and said mounting means.

54. The invention according to claim 53 wherein said adjacent surfaces are on said first and second connecting means.

55. The invention according to claim 54 wherein said means for effecting frictional engagement comprises a threaded fastener which may be selectively tightened and loosened to maintain said housing and said mounting member in frictional engagement and to permit relative movement thereof about said rotational axis, respectively.

56. The invention according to claim 49 wherein said first structure is a wall plate having a through opening therein, and said first engagement means comprises a plurality of legs adapted to extend through said opening and engage said plate adjacent the periphery of said opening.

57. The invention according to claim 56 wherein said mounting member further comprises a rigid portion and said legs are integrally attached to said rigid portion.

58. The invention according to claim 49 wherein said first structure is a ceiling panel having a first, through opening therein, said first engagement means comprises a plurality of elongated, flexible arms adapted to extend through said first opening and engage said panel adjacent the periphery of said first opening, and said mounting member further comprises second engagement means for engaging a second type of pre-existing structure.

59. The invention according to claim 58 wherein said second structure comprises a wall plate having a second, through opening therein, and said second engagement means comprises a plurality of legs adapted to extend through said second opening and engage said plate adjacent the periphery of said second opening.

60. The invention according to claim 59 wherein said mounting member further comprises a rigid portion and all of said pluralities of arms and legs are formed integrally with and extend from said rigid portion.

61. A mounting member for a PIR device comprising:

a) a substantially rigid, central portion;

b) a plurality of elongated, flexible arms extending from said rigid portion for engagement with a ceiling panel;

c) a plurality of first legs extending from said rigid portion for engagement with an inverted T-shaped track member for supporting ceiling panels; and

d) a plurality of second legs extending from said rigid portion for engagement with a wall plate, whereby said mounting member may be selectively engaged with any of said panel, said track member and said plate to mount said PIR device in an operative position thereon.

62. The invention according to claim 61 wherein said central portion, said arms and said first and second legs are integrally formed.

63. The invention according to claim 61 wherein said central portion has a central axis and each of said arms and said first and second legs are spaced from one another, alternately, about said axis.

64. The invention according to claim 63 wherein said arms are attached to said central portion by respective, integral hinges.

65. The invention according to claim 63 wherein said first legs each have a terminal end with a hook portion directed inwardly with respect to said axis, and said second legs each have a terminal end with a hook portion directed outwardly with respect to said central axis.

66. A mounting member for releasable engagement with a ceiling panel having lower and upper sides and a through, circular opening of predetermined diameter, said mounting member comprising:

a) a substantially rigid central portion having a major surface with a central axis perpendicular thereto and a cross-dimension greater than said predetermined diameter;

b) a plurality of elongated, flexible arms each anchored at a first end to said central portion and extending to a second end; and

c) said arms being movable between an unflexed position wherein portions of said arms intermediate of said first and second ends are spaced by a distance greater than said predetermined diameter, and a flexed position wherein said arms are spaced from one another along their entire lengths by a distance less than said predetermined diameter;

whereby said arms may be moved to said flexed position and inserted through said opening from said lower to said upper side of said panel and, upon return of said arms to said unflexed position, said portions of said arms engage said panel adjacent the periphery of said opening and retain said mounting member upon said panel.

67. The invention according to claim 66 wherein the number of said arms is two, said arms being anchored to said rigid portion on opposite sides of said axis at positions spaced by a distance less than said predetermined diameter.

68. The invention according to claim 67 wherein said arms are anchored to said rigid portion by respective, integral hinges.

69. The invention according to claim 67 wherein said arms include cooperative connecting means at said second ends for joining said second ends to one another.

70. The invention according to claim 69 wherein said connecting means are formed integrally with said arms.

71. The invention according to claim 67 wherein said portions of said arms include a plurality of transversely extending, longitudinally spaced teeth for engagement with the edge of said panel bordering said opening on said upper side of said panel when said arms extend through said opening in said unflexed position.

72. The invention according to claim 71 wherein said major surface is substantially planar and flush with the lower surface of said ceiling panel when said teeth are engaged therewith.