Communications: radio wave antennas – Antennas – With support for antenna – reflector or director
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-08
2001-09-25
Wong, Don (Department: 2821)
Communications: radio wave antennas
Antennas
With support for antenna, reflector or director
C052S238100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295036
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to retainers and, and more particularly to a retainer for mounting a device such as a telemetry antenna on a mounting surface such as a ceiling. The invention additionally relates to an antenna mounting system and to a method for detachably mounting an antenna on a ceiling.
Retainers for mounting devices on mounting surfaces are well known. Known retainers include screws, bolts, rivets, straps, and cotter pins. Although these devices work reasonably well for their intended purpose, their use usually requires considerable effort and/or specialized tools. They also usually cannot be easily removed. For instance, retaining clips or pins often must be bent to attach the device to the underlying mounting surface and must be straightened before the device can be removed from the mounting surface. At least a portion of most retainers also must be completely removed to permit removal of the device from the mounting surface and are easily lost. Some snap-fit retainers need not be removed to permit detachment of the device from the mounting surface, but they are often difficult to unsnap without the use of a relatively specialized tool such as a needle-nose pliers.
These problems are particularly evident where the retainer is in the form of a clip that is used to mount a device on a ceiling at a location above obstructions that render it difficult to access the retainer. For instance, some medical monitoring systems employ several ceiling-mounted telemetry antennas to track and monitor patients. These antennas often were affixed directly to the associated retainer, e.g., by screwing a threaded boss on the antenna directly onto a treaded stud of the retainer. Mounting these antennas on a ceiling using conventional retainer clips often is hindered by equipment within the room. Installing or removing such antennas using pliers, wrenches, and/or other tools can be a very time consuming process that substantially increases the overall systems' installation or removal costs.
In view of the aforementioned problems, the need has arisen to provide a retainer that permits a device such as a telemetry antenna to be mounted on and taken off from the associated mounting surface quickly and easily without the use of any specialized tools. The need has also arisen to provide an easily implemental method of mounting a device such as a telemetry antenna on an associated mounting surface such as a ceiling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and a method for detachably mounting a device on a mounting surface that 1) simplifies the installation procedure, 2) enhances the operating performance of the mounted device, 3) minimizes installation time, 4) reduces installation cost, and 5) requires no specialized tools for installation or removal of the device.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a retainer is provided that includes a base portion, a plurality of prongs, and a retention clip. The base portion has an inner bore engageable with a threaded stud extending from the mounting surface. The prongs extend outwardly from the base portion and are slidable into a bore of a device to be mounted to the mounting surface. The retention clip is formed by an outer distal end portion of the prongs and is configured to retain the device on the mounting surface by snap-locking onto the device when the device is slid onto the retainer. The outer distal ends of the prongs are compressibly spaced apart from one another to facilitate a snap-fit connection with the device. Additional prongs could also be provided. In order to facilitate release of the device from the mounting surface, a pair of finger pads may be located at the outer distal ends of the prongs. Each finger pad preferably has a concave face to assist in compressing the two prongs to release the device from the mounting surface.
The mounting surface may comprise a ceiling grid. In this case, the retainer preferably further comprises a T-bar clip attachable to the ceiling grid and having the threaded stud that is engageable with the inner bore of the base portion.
Alternatively, the support structure could comprise a ceiling tile. In this case, the retainer preferably further comprises a ceiling bracket, a T-bar clip, and a ceiling washer and wing nut. The ceiling bracket includes a stud extendable through the ceiling tile. The T-bar clip is engageable with the ceiling bracket and includes the stud that is engageable with the inner bore of the base portion. The ceiling washer and wing nut are engageable to the stud of the ceiling bracket to mount the retainer to the mounting surface.
Alternatively, the mounting structure could comprise a solid surface. In this case, the retainer preferably comprises an anchor inserted into the solid surface and a hanger bolt having an inner end attached to the anchor and having an outer end that forms the stud that is engageable with the inner bore of the base portion.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a telemetry antenna mounting system includes an antenna having a bore therethrough, a support structure, and a retaining clip. The support structure is attachable to a mounting surface and has a threaded stud extending therefrom. The retaining clip includes a base portion, a plurality of prongs, and a retention clip. The base portion has an inner bore engageable with a stud extending from the ceiling. The prongs extend outwardly from the base portion and are slidable into a bore of the antenna. The retention clip is formed by an outer distal end portion of the prongs and is configured to retain to the antenna on the ceiling by snaplocking onto the antenna when the antenna is slid onto the retainer clip.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method of mounting an antenna to a structure includes the steps of securing a support structure to the surface, screwing an internally threaded base portion of a retaining clip onto a threaded stud of the support structure, sliding the antenna over a plurality of prongs attached to and extending from the base portion end of the retaining clip, and snap-locking the antenna to a retention clip attached to and extending outwardly from the plurality of prongs to retain the antenna to the ceiling. Preferably, the retaining clip is threaded further onto the threaded post after snap-locking the antenna to the retention clip to draw the antenna snug against the surface. The antenna can subsequently be released from the retaining clip by compressing the plurality of prongs inwardly to disengage the retention clip of the retaining clip from the antenna.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.
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Mata Rizaldy B.
Peterson Kevin W.
Surges Scott T.
Cabou Christian G.
Clinger James
General Electric Company
Price Phyllis Y.
Wong Don
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