Mounting receptacle for welding apparatus component
First Claim
1. A welding apparatus comprising an enclosure and a molded end panel affixed to the enclosure to form an enclosed area within the enclosure for locating components used in the welding apparatus, the molded end panel having an internal surface facing inwardly toward the enclosed area and an opening formed therein, a receptacle formed on the internal surface surrounding the opening, the receptacle comprised of a plurality of sides extending outwardly from the internal surface forming a polygonal configuration, at least one flexible finger extending outwardly from the internal surface, the at least one flexible finger having a distal end formed into a barb, the receptacle adapted to receive a component having a body shaped in the same polygonal configuration of the receptacle wherein the at least one flexible finger is adapted to fit over the component to retain the component within the receptacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A welding apparatus having a specially designed receptacle that is formed on the rear molded plastic panel that is affixed to an enclosure in assembling the welding apparatus. A gas valve having a hexagonal body fits snugly into a mating hexagonal shaped of the receptacle. A pair of fingers extend outwardly from the rear panel and have distal ends with barbs formed thereon. In the assembly of the welding apparatus, therefore, the gas valve is simply inserted into the complementary shaped receptacle formed in the rear panel and the barbs snap over the external surface of the gas valve to retain the gas in the desired position affixed to the rear panel while automatically aligning a gas inlet port of the gas valve with an opening in the rear panel to allow accessibility of the gas inlet to an external source of gas.
12 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A welding apparatus comprising an enclosure and a molded end panel affixed to the enclosure to form an enclosed area within the enclosure for locating components used in the welding apparatus, the molded end panel having an internal surface facing inwardly toward the enclosed area and an opening formed therein, a receptacle formed on the internal surface surrounding the opening, the receptacle comprised of a plurality of sides extending outwardly from the internal surface forming a polygonal configuration, at least one flexible finger extending outwardly from the internal surface, the at least one flexible finger having a distal end formed into a barb, the receptacle adapted to receive a component having a body shaped in the same polygonal configuration of the receptacle wherein the at least one flexible finger is adapted to fit over the component to retain the component within the receptacle.
- 5. A welding apparatus comprising an enclosure and a molded end panel affixed to the enclosure to form an enclosed area within the enclosure for locating components used in the welding apparatus, the molded end panel having an internal surface facing inwardly toward the enclosed area and an opening formed therein, a receptacle formed on the internal surface surrounding the opening, the receptacle comprised of a plurality of sides extending outwardly from the internal surface forming a polygonal configuration, a pair of flexible fingers extending outwardly from the internal surface and having distal ends formed with barbs, a component having a polygon body adapted to interfit within the receptacle wherein the fingers fit over the component to retain the component within the receptacle.
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11. A method of assembling a component to the surface of a molded plastic end panel of a welding type apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a molded plastic panel having a surface having an opening therein and having a polygonal receptacle extending outwardly from the surface formed by a plurality of sides surrounding the opening, the plastic panel also having at least one finger extending outwardly from the surface and having a distal end formed into a barb, providing a component to be affixed to the end panel having a polygonal body, inserting the component into the receptacle, causing the barb at the distal end of the at least one finger to hook over the component to retain the component within the receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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- 16. A welding type apparatus end panel adapted to be affixed to an enclosure, the end panel comprising a molded plastic body having a surface and an opening formed therein, a receptacle formed on the surface surrounding the opening, the receptacle comprised of a plurality of sides extending outwardly from the surface forming a polygonal configuration, at least one flexible finger extending outwardly from the surface and having a distal end formed with a barb, the receptacle adapted to receive a component having a body shaped in the same polygonal configuration of the receptacle wherein the at least one flexible finger is adapted to fit over the component to retain the component within the receptacle.
Specification