Supports – Pipe or cable – Brackets
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-10
2001-12-04
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Pipe or cable
Brackets
C174S13800J, C174S196000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325340
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spacer and a mounting structure for a lead wire employing the same, and more particularly, it relates to a spacer capable of mounting wires having different diameters and a mounting structure for a lead wire employing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a spacer for mounting a lead wire such as an anode lead wire delivered from a CRT or the like is known in the art. This spacer has a function of preventing the lead wire from coming into contact with the CRT or the like.
A spacer capable of mounting lead wires having different diameters is developed as such a conventional spacer. For example, Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 4-34783 (1992) discloses such a spacer.
FIG. 11
is a perspective view showing the conventional spacer disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 4-34783. Referring to
FIG. 11
, the conventional spacer is provided with two through holes
110
and
111
, to be capable of corresponding to lead wires having different diameters.
However, the conventional spacer is not so fixed as to completely close a lead wire inlet
108
, and hence a lead wire
109
may be displaced from the spacer.
Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 60-61780 (1985), for example, proposes a structure for preventing displacement of a lead wire from a spacer capable of mounting lead wires having different diameters. In the proposed structure, the spacer is divided into two parts while a pair of serrate engaging portions are provided around a lead wire mounting portion formed on a central part. The divided parts of the spacer are engaged with each other through the pair of serrate engaging portions, thereby undisplaceably fixing a lead wire. In the proposed conventional spacer, however, the serrate engaging portions are complicated in structure and it is disadvantageously troublesome to dismount a lead wire once mounted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a spacer capable of mounting wires having different diameters and reliably preventing displacement of the wires with a simple structure.
Another object of the present invention is to readily mount and dismount the wires in the aforementioned spacer.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting structure for a lead wire capable of mounting wires having different diameters and reliably preventing displacement of the wires with a simple structure.
A Further object of the present invention is to readily mount and dismount the wires in the aforementioned mounting structure for a lead wire.
A spacer according to an aspect of the present invention comprises an outer frame, a plurality of ribs, a mounting portion, a release portion, a hook and a hook receiver. The plurality of ribs are radially provided from the outer frame toward a central part. The mounting portion is provided on the central part of the outer frame, and is capable of mounting wires having different diameters. The release portion is provided to reach the mounting portion the central part from the outer frame, and is substantially V-shaped. The hook is integrally provided on one of opposite end surfaces of the substantially V-shaped release portion. The hook receiver is integrally provided on another one of the opposite end surfaces of the substantially V-shaped release portion.
The spacer according to this aspect is provided with the mounting portion capable of mounting wires having different diameters as well as the hook and the hook receiver formed on the opposite end surfaces of the release portion as hereinabove described, for readily fixing wires having different diameters by simply inserting the wires having different diameters from the release portion for mounting the same on the mounting portion and thereafter hanging the hook on the hook receiver. Thus, a spacer capable of readily mounting wires having different diameters and reliably preventing displacement of the wires can be provided. The hook and the hook receiver are simply provided on the opposite end surfaces of the release portion, whereby the structure is simple. Further, the hook can be readily attached to/detached from the hook receiver, whereby the wires can be readily mounted and dismounted.
In the structure of the spacer according to the aforementioned aspect, the mounting portion may include a single mounting hole capable of mounting the wires having different diameters, and the single mounting hole may have three grip portions for holding the wires. At least one of the three grip portions is preferably elastically deformable in response to the diameter of the wire. Thus, at least one of the three grip portions is formed to be elastically deformable in response to the diameter of the wire, so that this grip portion is elastically deformed when mounting a wire having a thick diameter. Thus, not only a thin wire but also a thick wire can readily be fixed through the single mounting hole. Further, the wires having different diameters can be fixed at the same portion due to the single mounting hole, whereby the operator will not take a wrong mounting position dissimilarly to the case of a spacer having different mounting holes corresponding to wires having different diameters.
In the structure of the aforementioned spacer, the plurality of ribs may include a first rib, a second rib, a third rib and a fourth rib. In this case, the first and second ribs preferably form the substantially V-shaped release portion. The third rib preferably has a first branch portion branched into two parts on the central part, and one end of the first branch portion is preferably connected to an end of the first rib. The fourth rib preferably has a second branch portion branched into two on the central part, and one end of the second branch portion is preferably connected to an end of the second rib while another end of the second branch portion is preferably connected to another end of the first branch portion. The aforementioned grip portions may include a first grip portion, a second grip portion and a third grip portion. In this case, the first grip portion may be provided on the inner surface of a connecting portion between the third rib and the fourth rib. The second grip portion may be provided on the inner surface of a connecting portion between the third rib and the first rib. The third grip portion may be provided on the inner surface of a connecting portion between the fourth rib and the second rib. Preferably, the first grip portion, the second grip portion and the third grip portion are elastically deformable toward the outer frame. All of the first to third grip portions are formed to be elastically deformable toward the outer frame as described above, whereby the first to third grip portions are elastically deformed when mounting a wire having a large diameter. Thus, not only a thin wire but also a thick wire can be more readily fixed through the single mounting hole.
In the structure of the aforementioned spacer, a notch portion is preferably formed on a part of the outer frame opposite to the release portion, and end portions of the outer frame located on both ends of the notch portion can preferably be distorted and superposed with each other when opening the release portion for mounting the wires on the single mounting hole. The release portion can be more widely opened with the end portions of the outer frame located on both ends of the notch portion superposed with each other due to the aforementioned structure, whereby a thick wire can be readily inserted from the release portion.
In the structure of the aforementioned spacer, the single mounting hole may include a wire inlet on the side of the release portion. In this case, the width of the inlet of the single mounting hole preferably increases in response to the degree of opening of the release portion. When adjusting the degree of opening of the release portion in response to the diameter of the wire, the width of the inlet of the mounting hole increases due to the aforem
Funai Electric Co. Ltd.
Lackenbach Siegel Marzullo Aronson & Greenspan P.C.
Le Tan
Ramirez Ramon O.
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