Fixing member for fixing an object to be attached to a plate and clamp with the fixing member

• US 6,923,406 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kitagawa Industries Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kitagawa Industries Company Limited
• Inventors: Akizuki, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Korie
• Application Number:
  US10/701,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20040089770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 248/71, 248/73, 248/74.3, 248/222.12, 248/222.11, 24/16.PB, 242/97, 242/89
• US Class Current: 248/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/26 Installations of cables, lines, or separate protective tubing therefor directly on or in walls, ceilings, or floors by means of insulators H02G3/24; supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing F16L3/00; hose-clips F16L33/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence

Abstract

A clamp detachable by handling from the front side of a plate is provided. When the main body of the clamp is pressed against the plate with an abutting portion elastically deformed and a connecting portion thrust into an attachment hole, and is moved in the direction parallel to the front and reverse surfaces of the plate, a retaining portion is moved to overlap the reverse surface of the plate with a first and a second projections engaged in locating holes formed in the plate. As a result, the main body is pressed against the front surface of the plate, the retaining portion is pressed against the reverse surface of the plate, and the first and second projections engaged in locating holes prevent displacement in the direction parallel to the front and reverse surfaces of the plate, whereby the clamp is fixed to the plate.

Claims

1. A clamp for affixing an electrical component to a plate, the clamp comprising a main body and an integral fixing member;

the main body defining a central axis;

the fixing member comprising of a support protruding from a base of the main body with a disc portion being supported at a remote end of the support;

the support comprising a first curved surface and a second curved surface, with the first and second curved surfaces abutting one another along opposed ridges which define boundaries between the two curved surfaces;

first and second elastically deformable portions extending from the base of the main body, where at least one of the first and second elastically deformable portions has at least one projection at a remote free end thereof, and the first elastically deformable portion extends in a first direction and the second elastically deformable portion extends in a second opposite direction;

wherein at least a portion of the support is coincident with the central axis of the main body and the disc portion defines a disc axis which is offset from the central axis of the main body such that the disc portion is located closer to the first elastically deformable portion than to the second elastically deformable portion.

2. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the main body has a generally c-shaped configuration for supporting the electrical component once the electrical component passes through an opening of the main body.

3. The clamp according to claim 2, wherein the disc portion is circular and the first curved surface has the same curvature as the curvature of the disc portion.

4. The clamp according to claim 3, wherein a portion of the first curved surface is coincident with the central axis of the main body.

5. The clamp according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the second curved surface is coincident with the disc axis of the disc portion.

6. The clamp according to claim 5, wherein both the first and second elastically deformable portions have projections at remote ends thereof.

7. The clamp according to claim 6, wherein both the first and the second elastically deformable portions are substantially planar curved surfaces and each of the curved surfaces defines an arc.

8. The clamp according to claim 6, wherein

in order to attach the cramp to a plate, the first and second elastically deformable portions are elastically deformed, passing the disc portion through a circular attachment hole having an attachment hole axis provided in the plate, once the disc is through the attachment hole the clamp is moved transversely in the first direction to engage one or more projections in one or more corresponding engagement recesses provided in the plate, causing a subsequent reduction of the elastic deformation of the first and second elastically deformable portions;

and

in order to detach the damp from the plate, the clamp is moved relative to the plate in the second direction, causing the first and second elastically deformable portions to elastically deform further as the projection disengage from corresponding engagement recesses provided in the plate, until the dice axis is substantially aligned with the attachment hole axis thereby facilitating removal of the clamp from the plate.

9. The clamp according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the first curved surface is coincident with the central axis of the main body.

10. The clamp according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the second curved surface is coincident with the disc axis of the disc portion.

11. The clamp according to claim 2, wherein both the first and second elastically deformable portions have projections at remote ends thereof.

12. The clamp according to claim 2, wherein both the first and the second elastically deformable portions are substantially planar curved surfaces and each of the curved surfaces defines an arc.

13. The clamp for affixing an electrical component to a plate, the clamp comprising a main body and an integral fixing member;

the main body defining a central axis;

the fixing memory comprising a support protruding from a base of the main body with a disc portion having a disc axis and being supported at a remote end of the support;

the support comprises a first curved surface and a second curved surface with the first and second curved surfaces abutting one another along opposed first and second ridges which define boundaries between the two curved surfaces;

first and second elastically deformable portions extending from the base of the main body, at least one of the first and second elastically deferrable portions having at least one projection at a remote free and thereof, and the first elastically deformable portion extends in a first direction and the second elastically deformable portion extends in a second opposite direction;

wherein at least a portion of the support is coincident with the central axis of the main body and the disc portion defines the disc axle which is offset from the central axis of the main body such that the disc portion is located closer to the first elastically deformable portion than to the second elastically deformable portion; and

in order to latch the clamp from a plate,the main body is rotated about an axis orthogonal to the surface of the plate, where one of the first or second ridge boundaries is coincident to the axis of rotation, and where the first and second elastically deformable portions are further elastically deformed due to the at least one projection on the remote free end leaving a corresponding engagement recess provided in the plate and moving in sliding contact across the surface of the plate, until the clamp is rotated to such a degree that the first or second curved surface is substantially flush with an inner wail of an access hole, facilitating removal of the clamp along the axis of rotation.

14. The clamp according to claim 13, wherein the main body has a generally C-shaped configuration for supporting the electrical component once the electrical component passes through an opening of the main body.

15. The clamp according to claim 14, wherein the disc portion is circular and the first curved surface has the same curvature as a curvature of the disc portion.

16. The clamp according to claim 15, wherein a portion of the first curved surface is coincident with the central axis of the main body.

17. The clamp according to claim 16, wherein a portion of the second curved surface is coincident with the disc axis of the disc portion.

18. The clamp according to claim 13, wherein a portion of the first curved surface is coincident with the central axis of the main body.

19. The clamp according to claim 13, wherein a portion of the second curved surface is coincident with the disc axis or the disc portion.

20. A clamp for affixing an electrical component to a plate, the clamp comprising a main body and an integral fixing member;

the main body defining a central axis;

the fixing member comprising of a support protruding from a base of the main body with a disc portion having a disc axis and being supported at a remote end of the support;

the support comprising a first curved surface and a second curved surface, with the first and second curved surfaces abutting one another along opposed ridges which define boundaries between the two curved surface;

wherein the disc portion is circular and defines the disc axis;

the first arid second curved surfaces have a same curvature as a curvature of the disc portion;

a portion of the first curved surface is coincidental to the central axis;

a portion of the second curved surface is coincidental to the disc axis of the disc portion;

a first and second elastically deformable portions extending from the base of the main body, at least one of the first and second elastically deformable portions having at least one projection at a remote free end thereof, and the first elastically deformable portion extends in a first direction and the second elastically deformable portion extends in a second opposite direction.