Equipment mounting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10072788-B2
Application number	US-201715435373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2017
Priority date	Feb 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

A track mounting system including a mount with a mounting plate with a back surface and a front surface, the back surface is opposite the front surface and at least one mounting stud coupled to the back surface of the mounting plate, each mounting stud includes a stem portion that extends outwardly from the back surface and an enlarged head portion disposed at a distal end of stem portion. The mount also includes a release mechanism coupled to the front surface to release the mount from a track. The track mounting system also includes an adaptor coupled to the front surface of the mounting plate wherein the adaptor releasably couples with an equipment interface of a piece of equipment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-aligning mounting system, comprising an equipment mount and a wedge interface, wherein:
the equipment mount comprises a mounting plate, a collar, a capture plate, a wedge release, a wedge bias spring, at least one mounting stud, and a release mechanism, wherein:
the mounting plate comprises a front surface and a back surface, wherein the front surface is opposite the back surface;
the collar is coupled to the front surface of the mounting plate and comprises a bowl aperture;
the capture plate is coupled to the collar and comprises a keyhole slot aperture comprising a wide end and a narrow end, the keyhole slot aperture is aligned with the bowl aperture longitudinally such that the narrow end partially covers the bowl aperture;
the wedge release is coupled to the collar;
the wedge bias spring is coupled between the collar and the wedge release to bias the wedge release in a locked position;
the at least one mounting stud is coupled to the back surface of the mounting plate, each of the at least one mounting stud comprising a stem portion that extends outwardly from the back surface of the mounting plate and an enlarged head portion disposed at a distal end of the stem portion; and
the release mechanism is coupled to the mounting plate and comprises:
a locking pin disposed through the mounting plate and extending outwardly from the back surface in an extended position,
a spring which biases the locking pin in the extended position, and
at least one locking pin release operatively coupled to the locking pin to transition the locking pin between a retracted position and the extended position; and

the wedge interface comprises an equipment plate, a bowl, and a wedge, wherein:
the bowl comprises a plurality of capture guides on opposite sides of the bowl; and
the wedge is coupled between the equipment plate and the bowl and comprises a lead-in surface and two inclined surfaces to aid in an alignment of the wedge with the narrow end of the keyhole slot aperture when the wedge slidably couples with the keyhole slot aperture of the capture plate.

2. The self-aligning mounting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting plate slidably couples with a track, the track comprises a backing plate with a first outer slot and a second outer slot, wherein:
the first outer slot and the second outer slot comprise a plurality of diamond contour target regions; and
the at least one mounting stud comprises a plurality of mounting studs, the diamond contour target regions allow the enlarged head portions of the plurality of mounting studs to engage the first outer slot and the second outer slot when the mounting plate is at an angle to the backing plate.

3. The self-aligning mounting system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the a least one locking pin release is configured to be rotated to remove any slack between the track and the mounting plate.

4. The self-aligning mounting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wedge interface is configured to be coupled to a medical device.

5. The self-aligning mounting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bowl comprises a sloped surface configured to allow the wedge interface to center itself in the keyhole slot aperture such that a visible alignment of the bowl with the keyhole slot aperture is not required.

6. A method of securing a piece of equipment to a surface, comprising:
receiving a self-aligning mounting system which comprises a track, a wedge mount and a wedge interface, wherein:
the wedge mount comprises a mounting plate, a collar, a capture plate, a wedge release, a wedge bias spring, a plurality of mounting studs, and a release mechanism, wherein:
the mounting plate comprises a front surface and a back surface, wherein the front surface is opposite the back surface;
the collar is coupled to the front surface of the mounting plate and comprises a bowl aperture;
the capture plate is coupled to the collar and comprises a keyhole slot aperture comprising a wide end and a narrow end, the keyhole slot aperture is aligned with the bowl aperture longitudinally such that the narrow end partially covers the bowl aperture;
the wedge release is coupled to the collar;
the wedge bias spring is coupled between the collar and the wedge release to bias the wedge release in a locked position;
the plurality of the mounting studs are coupled to the back surface of the mounting plate, each of the mounting studs comprising a stem portion that extends outwardly from the back surface of the mounting plate and an enlarged head portion disposed at a distal end of the stem portion; and
the release mechanism is coupled to the mounting plate and comprises:
a locking pin disposed through the mounting plate and extending outwardly from the back surface in an extended position,
a spring which biases the locking pin in the extended position, and
at least one locking pin release operatively coupled to the locking pin to transition the locking pin between a retracted position and the extended position; and

the wedge interface comprises an equipment plate, a bowl, and a wedge, wherein:
the bowl comprises a plurality of capture guides on opposite sides of the bowl; and
the wedge is coupled between the equipment plate and the bowl and comprises a lead-in surface and two inclined surfaces to aid in an alignment of the wedge with the narrow end of the keyhole slot aperture when the wedge slidably couples with the keyhole slot aperture of the capture plate;

coupling the track to the surface, the track comprises a backing plate with a first outer slot and a second outer slot, wherein:
the first outer slot and the second outer slot comprise a plurality of diamond contour target regions;

mounting the wedge mount to the track by engaging the mounting studs in the first and second outer slots such that the enlarged head portion of each mounting stud is aligned within a respective one of the plurality of diamond contour target regions, and slidably coupling the wedge mount on the track to a locked position which places the enlarged head portion of each mounting stud out of alignment with the respective one of the plurality of diamond contour target regions;
aligning the wedge interface with the wedge mount by inserting the bowl into a landing area of the keyhole slot aperture such that a plurality of guide walls of the bowl aperture engage a plurality of sloped sides of the bowl which aligns the wedge interface with the wedge mount;
coupling the wedge interface to the wedge mount by sliding the wedge interface into a capture area at the narrow end of the keyhole slot aperture until the capture plate is secured between the equipment plate and the plurality of capture guides of the bowl; and
locking the wedge interface to the wedge mount when the wedge release is in the locked position.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the track comprises a center slot with a plurality of diamond contour target regions and wherein the locking pin engages a respective one of the plurality of diamond contour target regions of the center slot in the locked position of the wedge mount, and the at least one locking pin release is configured to be rotated to remove any slack between the track and the mounting plate.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the plurality of sloped sides of the bowl are configured to allow the wedge interface to center itself in the keyhole slot aperture such that a visible alignment of the bowl with the keyhole slot aperture is not required.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the track comprises a plurality of locking pin apertures and wherein the locking pin engages a respective one of the plurality of locking pin apertures

Assignees

• Ferno Washington

Inventors

• Chinn Robert C
• Schroeder Timothy Paul
• West Iii James C
• Smolan Peter
• Vacula Michal
• Turek Ladislav

Classifications

• B60R11/06

  for tools or spare parts (for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D) · CPC title

• F16M13/02 Primary

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• B60P7/0815

  Attachment rails or trellis · CPC title

• F16M11/041 Primary

  Allowing quick release of the apparatus · CPC title

• A61G3/00

  Ambulance aspects of vehicles; Vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances, e.g. for facilitating access of, or for loading, wheelchairs · CPC title