Supports – Instrument in panel – Having biased clip holding means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-05
2001-10-16
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Instrument in panel
Having biased clip holding means
C248S229260, C248S229160, C200S296000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302361
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a mounting bracket for mounting an electric switch. In particular, the present invention pertains to a mounting bracket for an electric switch that is constructed of a single metal piece and does not require separate fasteners for holding the electric switch on the bracket.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Electric switches are used in many types of environments that require the switch be fixed stationary to a surface with an actuator of the switch being readily accessible. In some applications, for example in reset switches, the switch actuator is a push button that extends outwardly from a protective housing enclosure of the switch. In some applications, reset switches of this type are required to be securely mounted adjacent an opening in a wall of an enclosure, such as a junction box containing the switch or the casing of an electrical device with which the switch is associated. The switch actuator extends into the opening of the wall, but does not extend significantly beyond the exterior surface of the wall. This is a common environment of electric motor reset switches having actuator buttons that are manually depressed to reset circuit breakers of the electric motors.
Electric motor reset switches are usually mounted in a junction box that is mounted to the exterior of the motor, or are mounted against an interior surface of the motor shell or endshield. Whether mounted in a junction box or in the motor shell, the switches are positioned so that their push button actuators extend into openings in the junction box wall or the motor shell or endshield, but do not extend significantly beyond the opening. A flexible grommet is then inserted into the opening to seal the opening. The flexibility of the grommet still enables manual pressing of the reset switch actuator button by manually pressing the grommet inwardly into the opening.
Because the push button actuator of the reset switch does not extend significantly beyond the opening in the junction box or motor shell wall, it is necessary that the switch housing be securely mounted relative to the opening to prevent any movement of the switch away from the opening when the reset actuator is being pressed. Prior art switch mountings have employed brackets that receive the housing of the reset switch and position the actuator of the switch at a spaced distance from the shell or junction box opening so that the switch actuator does not extend a significant distance through the opening. Prior art switch mounting brackets
12
of this type are shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
FIG. 1
shows a switch mounted to a junction box wall and
FIG. 2
shows a switch mounted inside a motor shell. However, the bracket
12
alone would not support the switch
14
. With the bracket
12
, screw
16
and nut
18
fasteners or self-tapping screws were needed to secure the switch to the bracket and in some situations, spacers
22
were needed to properly position the switch relative to the bracket
12
and the motor shell opening
24
or junction box opening
26
. In addition, fasteners
30
were needed to hold the bracket
12
to the motor shell wall
28
or the junction box wall
32
. An alternative method of attaching the protector bracket to the shell would be to weld it to the shell. The assembly of the switch to the bracket and the assembly of the bracket to the motor shell wall or junction box wall also required a significant amount of the assembler's time. In the least, it was necessary to attach the switch to the bracket with at least two screw and nut fasteners or similar types of fasteners and then attach the bracket to the motor shell wall or junction box wall by an additional set of screw and nut fasteners or by pop rivets or weldments. If it was necessary to employ spacers or washers to properly position the switch actuator relative to the opening in the motor shell wall or junction box wall, the time of assembly was further increased.
The specialized brackets and the associated hardware and the labor time involved in mounting the switches all contributed significantly to the overall expense of mounting the switches. In order to reduce this expense, it would be necessary to reduce the number of fasteners needed to mount the switch to the bracket, thereby reducing or eliminating the hardware expense and reducing the labor expense by reducing the time needed to attach the switch to the bracket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes disadvantages associated with prior art switch mounting brackets by providing a bracket having a specific configuration that holds a switch housing of an electric switch to the bracket without the need for additional fasteners such a screw and nut fasteners, pop rivets, weldments, etc. In its preferred embodiment, the bracket is inexpensively formed from a single strip of metal. In addition, when employed with a particular type of switch, the switch housing is easily and quickly snapped into the bracket with the bracket and switch housing held securely together solely by the bracket.
The switch employed with the bracket of the invention is a commercially available push button electric switch or could be an automatic reset protector/switch (without a manual reset button or actuator). The switch is protected in a phenolic resin switch housing. The switch housing has a cylindrical exterior surface with a circular face surface at the front of the switch housing and a circular rear surface at the rear of the switch housing. The push button actuator projects from the center of the face surface. Electric contacts project from the rear surface. A circular or annular collar extends completely around the switch housing at the perimeter of the face surface. The collar has an annular or circular engagement surface that is parallel with and spaced from the face surface of the switch housing.
In the preferred embodiment, the bracket is formed from a single resilient metal strip. The strip has several bends formed therein that gives the bracket a configuration that is capable of holding the switch to the bracket and provides the proper positioning of the switch actuator relative to the opening in a motor shell wall or junction box wall. The bracket is formed with a flat, rectangular support surface at its middle. The support surface is dimensioned large enough to extend across the face surface of the switch housing. The support surface also has an opening at its center (½″ in diameter) positioned to accommodate the push button actuator of the switch housing when the face surface of the switch housing is positioned flush against the support surface.
A pair of legs are formed in the bracket at the opposite ends of the support surface. Each of the legs are the same and appear as mirror images of each other at the opposite ends of the bracket support surface.
Each leg is provided with a spacing section that extends from the support surface at generally a right angle relative to the support surface. The spacing sections space the support surface and the actuator of the switch supported on the support surface from the wall of the motor shell or junction box to which the bracket is to be attached. Therefore, the length or the extent to which the spacing section spaces the bracket support surface from the separate wall depends on the particular switch employed with the bracket and the extent to which the switch actuator projects or extends from the switch face surface.
At the ends of the leg spacing sections, the legs have base sections that extend outwardly away from each other. The base sections are generally parallel to each other and positioned in the same plane when the bracket is to be attached to a flat housing shell wall, an endshield or junction box wall. When the bracket is to be attached to a cylindrical motor shell wall, then the base sections of the legs are formed at a slight angle that follows the curvature of the interior of the motor shell wall. The base sections are also provided with holes fo
Collins Michael T.
Schaefer Roger E.
Braun Leslie A.
Emerson Electric Co.
Howell & Haferkamp LC
Morrison Naschia S.
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