Faceplate attachment system

• US 7,030,319 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap One LLC (Snap One Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Control4 Corporation (Snap One Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Madsen, Brent D., Johnsen, Roger T., Hedderich, Richard C., Dallon, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHIRUBHAI R
• Application Number:
  US11/064,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20050194176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 174/66, 174/67, 220/241, 220/242
• US Class Current: 174/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box

Abstract

A system is disclosed for mounting a faceplate. The system includes a sub-plate configured to be coupled to a junction box. The sub-plate can have an interference-fit socket extending through the sub-plate. The interference-fit socket includes one or more interference fingers located adjacent to a post opening. A post extending from the faceplate can be positioned and sized such that, as the faceplate is coupled to the sub-plate, the post will be received into the post opening in the interference-fit socket and engaged by the one or more interference fingers, enabling the faceplate to be securely mounted to the sub-plate.

Claims

1. A system for mounting a faceplate, comprising:

a sub-plate configured to be coupled to a junction box;

an interference-fit socket extending through the sub-plate, wherein the interference-fit socket comprises one or more interference fingers located adjacent to a post opening;

a post extending from the faceplate, the post being positioned and sized such that as the faceplate is coupled to the sub-plate the post will be received into the post opening in the interference-fit socket and engaged by the one or more interference fingers, enabling the faceplate to be securely mounted to the sub-plate; and

wherein the post opening having a size less than a width of the post.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more interference fingers has a first side and a second side, the first side facing the post opening while the second side faces an area that is substantially open for a portion of a length of each of the one or more interference fingers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the post opening is formed from an indention in the one or more interference fingers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the indention is located at a distal end of the one or more interference fingers, wherein the distal end is distal with respect to the sub-plate.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the post has a substantially smooth surface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the post has a roughened surface to increase resistance of movement between the post and the one or more interference fingers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the post has a taper at a first end that is received when the faceplate is coupled to the sub-plate and a substantially consistent diameter for a remaining length of the post.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the interference-fit socket comprises two interference fingers located symmetrically about the post opening, wherein the two interference fingers are connected to the sub-plate.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more interference fingers are configured to flex away from the post as the post is received, providing spring tension on the post to apply resistance to movement of the faceplate when the post is engaged by the one or more interference fingers.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of interference-fit sockets located within the sub-plate.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of posts, the posts being positioned such that as the faceplate is coupled to the sub-plate the plurality of posts will be received into the plurality of interference-fit sockets.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the interference-fit socket from the plurality of interference-fit sockets is located in each corner of the sub-plate.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein sub-plate contains one or more interference-fit sockets having two interference fingers.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein sub-plate contains one or more interference-fit sockets having one interference finger.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein sub-plate contains one or more interference-fit sockets having two interference fingers and the one or more interference sockets having one interference finger.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more center-hole guides extending through the sub-plate, the one or more center-hole guides configured to receive a center-hole post extending from the faceplate.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the center-hole post has a different configuration from the post used to engage the interference fingers.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-plate and one or more interference-fit fingers are comprised of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of metal, Delrin®

, and plastics based on acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers.

19. A system for mounting a faceplate, comprising:

a sub-plate configured to be coupled to a junction box;

an interference-fit socket extending through the sub-plate, wherein the interference-fit socket comprises one or more interference fingers located adjacent to a post opening, wherein each of the one or more interference fingers has a first side and a second side, the first side facing the post opening while the second side faces an area that is substantially open for a length of the interference finger;

a post extending from the faceplate, the post being positioned and sized such that as the faceplate is coupled to the sub-plate the post will be received into the post opening in the interference-fit socket and engaged by the one or more interference fingers, enabling the faceplate to be securely mounted to the sub-plate; and

the post opening having a size less than a width of the post.

20. A system for mounting a faceplate, comprising:

a sub-plate configured to be coupled to a junction box;

a post extending from the faceplate;

an interference-fit socket extending through the sub-plate, wherein the interference-fit socket comprises one or more interference fingers, wherein each of the one or more interference fingers has a first side and a second side, the first side having an indentation configured to receive the post, while the second side faces an area that is substantially open for a length of the interference finger; and

the post being positioned and sized such that as the faceplate is coupled to the sub-plate the post will be received into the indentation in the one or more interference fingers and engaged by the one or more interference fingers, enabling the faceplate to be securely mounted to the sub-plate.