Remotely attachable and separable coupling

• US 7,287,738 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2001
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Accessmount LLC
• Original Assignee: Accessmount LLC
• Inventors: Pitlor, Nelson Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman; Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EPPS, TODD MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/007,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20020079412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,155 Days
• Field of Search: 248/206.5, 248/309.4, 248/683, 248/317, 248/339, 248/544, 248/342, 248/343, 248/344, 248/318, 340/628, 340/693.11, 340/693.9, 340/693.6, 340/629, 362/390, 362/147, 362/398, 161/101, 81/531, 811/761.5, 294/19.1, 361/331, 361/380, 361/392, 361/600, 361/679, 361/807, 361/809, 361/825
• US Class Current: 248/544
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/113 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 of fire detection circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/20 Ceiling roses or other lighting sets

Abstract

An article for mounting from or against the ceiling is removably coupled to a base fixedly secured to the ceiling, by a person standing on the floor, supporting the article on an elongated rod, and thrusting the article against the base to couple the article and the secured base. The article is removed by inserting the rod into the article, exerting a force on the rod to uncouple the article from the base, and supporting the article on the rod as the article is lowered. The article is thus positioned on or hung from the ceiling, without being manually contacted by the person. The article may be used to mount other devices, such as a sign, smoke detector, etc. or may include such device as a part of the mount.

Claims

1. A fixture mounting structure, comprising:

a base mountable securely to a support;

a cover attachable to the base;

a magnetic device to support the cover from the base to hold the cover and base together; and

a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, wherein the selectively operable mechanical retainer is cooperatively related to the base and cover to hold together the base and cover in an event that the magnetic device intentionally or unintentionally releases, and the selectively operable mechanical retainer comprises a clip and a retention member, said clip being mounted to the cover and said retention member being mounted to the base, wherein the clip is housed within a clip holder, said clip being retractable within the clip holder by the application of a retracting tool.

2. A fixture mounting structure, comprising:

a base mountable securely to a support;

a cover attachable to the base;

a magnetic device to hold the cover and base together; and

a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, wherein the selectively operable mechanical retainer is cooperatively related to the base and cover to hold together the base and cover in an event that the magnetic device intentionally or unintentionally releases, and the selectively operable mechanical retainer comprises a clip and a retention member, said clip being mounted to the cover and said retention member being mounted to the base, wherein the clip is housed within a clip holder, said clip being retractable within the clip holder by the application of a retracting tool,

wherein the retention member is a retaining ring.

3. The fixture mounting structure of claim 2, wherein the retaining ring is grooved along it'"'"'s the retaining ring'"'"'s outer edge.

4. The fixture mounting structure of claim 3, further comprising a battery operated light fixture.

5. The fixture mounting structure of claim 3, further comprising a smoke detector.

6. A fixture mounting structure, comprising:

a base mountable securely to a support;

a cover attachable to the base;

a magnetic device to support the cover from the base to hold the cover and base together; and

a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, wherein the selectively operable mechanical retainer comprises a clip and a retention member, said clip being mounted to the cover and said retention member being mounted to the base.

7. The fixture mounting structure of claim 6, wherein the clip is housed within a clip holder, said clip being retractable within the clip holder by an application of a retracting tool.

8. A fixture mounting structure, comprising:

a base mountable securely to a support;

a cover attachable to the base;

a magnetic device to support the cover from the base to hold the cover and base together; and

a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, and the base further includes an electrical connection with respect to the cover.

9. The fixture mounting structure of claim 8, wherein the electrical connection provides for a signal coupling between the cover and the base.

10. The fixture mounting structure of claim 8, wherein the cover further comprises a means to couple electrical power from the base to the cover.

11. A fixture mounting structure, comprising:

a base mountable securely to a support;

a cover attachable to the base;

a magnetic device to hold the cover and base together; and

a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, and the base further includes an electrical connection with respect to the cover,

wherein the cover further comprises a means to couple electrical power from the base to the cover, and

wherein the means for coupling the electrical power from the base to the cover comprises a fixed terminal and a conductive ring.

12. The fixture mounting structure of claim 11, further comprising a light fixture.

13. The fixture mounting structure of claim 11, further comprising a smoke detector.

14. A fixture mounting structure, comprising:

a base mountable securely to a support;

a cover attachable to the base;

a magnetic device to support the cover from the base to hold the cover and base together; and

a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, further comprising a tool positionable with respect to the mechanical retainer to operate the mechanical retainer to uncouple the base from the cover.

15. The fixture mounting structure of claim 14, further comprising an elongated member to apply force to uncouple the magnetic device.

16. The fixture mounting structure of claim 15, wherein the elongated member is a pole.

17. A fixture mounting structure, comprising:

a base mountable securely to a support;

a cover attachable to the base;

a magnetic device to support the cover from the base to hold the cover and base together; and

a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, wherein the base further comprises a receiving slot, and a reinforcing plate which includes a means to accept a latching device and the selectively operable mechanical retainer is a latch.

18. A mounting system, comprising:

a base attachable to a support;

a mounting member selectively attachable to the base and removable from the base;

a multi-retention mechanism to hold the base and the mounting member together, including

at least one mechanical attachment that is selectively operable to release and hold and operates using a positive lock, and

a second attachment that is selectively operable to release and hold and operates responsive to a positional relationship, wherein the second attachment includes a magnet and magnetically responsive plate that are cooperative to support the mounting member from the base.

19. The mounting system of claim 18, wherein a smoke detector is attached to the mounting member.

20. The mounting system of claim 19, wherein the smoke detector is battery powered.

21. The mounting system of claim 19, wherein the smoke detector is externally powered.

22. The mounting system of claim 18, wherein a light fixture is attached to the mounting member.

23. The mounting system of claim 22, wherein the light fixture is battery powered.

24. The mounting system of claim 22, wherein the light fixture is externally powered.

25. A method of removing a suspended subassembly that is releasably coupled to a relatively remote secured subassembly by a dual retention mechanism that includes a first holding mechanism, which includes a mechanical retainer to provide retention of the suspended subassembly from the secured subassembly, and a second holding mechanism, which operates based on a positional relationship to support the suspended subassembly from the secured subassembly, comprising the steps of:

coupling a tool to the suspended subassembly to release the first holding mechanism;

applying a force to the tool to release the second holding mechanism that supports the suspended subassembly from the secured subassembly; and

withdrawing the suspended subassembly.

26. A method of releasably coupling a suspended subassembly to a relatively remote secured subassembly by a dual retention mechanism that includes a first holding mechanism, which includes a mechanical retainer to provide retention of the suspended subassembly from the secured subassembly, and a second holding mechanism, which operates based on a positional relationship to support the suspended subassembly from the secured subassembly, comprising the steps of:

coupling a tool to the suspended subassembly to release the first holding mechanism from a retention condition;

using the tool to register the suspended subassembly to the secured subassembly, thereby engaging the second holding mechanism that supports the suspended subassembly from the secured subassembly; and

uncoupling the tool from the suspended subassembly, thereby engaging the first holding mechanism to a retention condition to retain the suspended subassembly from the secured subassembly.

27. A method of decoupling with respect to a support, wherein

a fixture mounting structure includes a base mounted to a support, and a cover that is attachable to the base, a magnetic device to support the cover from the base to hold the cover and base together;

and a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, comprising

positioning a tool with respect to the mechanical retainer to operate the the mechanical retainer to release retention of the cover to the base by the selectively operable mechanical retainer while the magnetic device supports the cover from the base.

28. A method of mounting with respect to a support, wherein

a fixture mounting structure includes a base mounted to such support, a cover attachable to the base, a magnetic device to support the cover from the base to hold the cover and base together;

and a selectively operable mechanical retainer to provide retention of the cover to the base, comprising

positioning a tool with respect to the cover to operate the mechanical retainer to a deactivated condition,

using the tool placing the cover with respect to the base in relation for the magnetic device to support the cover from the base, and

while the magnetic device supports the cover from the base, removing the tool from the cover to permit the mechanical retainer to effect retention of the cover to the base.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising manipulating the tool to remove the cover from the base.