Top-loading mounting track for receiving a mount assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10429002-B2
Application number	US-201715627102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A top-loading mounting track includes a top-loading track section with a base; two beams extending over a portion of the base; and two rails extending opposite each other from the base and connecting the base to the beams. The beams are laterally spaced apart from each other by a first distance. Each rail includes an inner rail wall defining a shoulder portion; an insertion-pocket portion; and an angled guide-surface portion. The insertion-pocket portions are laterally spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is larger than the first distance. The track section can receive a retention element of a mount assembly, where the retention element has a smallest lateral dimension greater than the first distance. The track section can receive the retention element by passing the retention element between the beams with the retention element angled toward one of the insertion-pocket portions.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A top-loading mounting track system, comprising:
a top-loading mounting track comprising
at least one top-loading track section, each top-loading track section comprising
a base,
two beams, wherein each of the beams extends over a portion of the base toward the other beam, wherein each of the beams has a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, wherein the beams are laterally spaced apart from each other by a gap having a first distance, and
two rails extending opposite each other from the base, each rail of the two rails connecting the base to a different one of the two beams, each rail comprising an inner rail wall and an opposing outer rail wall, wherein the inner rail wall of each of the two rails defines
a shoulder portion of the inner rail wall extending from the base and forming a shoulder relative to the base,
an insertion-pocket portion of the inner rail wall extending from the shoulder portion and towards the opposing outer rail wall, and
an angled guide-surface portion of the inner rail wall extending linearly, and at an angle away from the opposing outer rail wall, from the insertion-pocket portion to an intersection with the bottom surface of one of the two beams;

wherein the insertion-pocket portions of the inner rail walls of the two rails are laterally spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is larger than the first distance and the intersections of the respective angled guide-surface portions with the respective bottom surfaces of the two beams are laterally spaced apart from each other by a third distance that is larger than the first distance and smaller than the second distance; and

a mount assembly coupleable to the top-loading mounting track, the mount assembly comprising a mount coupled to a retention element comprising a flange with a smallest lateral dimension that is greater than the first distance of the gap between the two beams of the top-loading mounting track and at least one lateral dimension that is less than the second distance between the insertion-pocket portions of the two rails of the top-loading mounting track, the retention element configured and arranged for insertion into the top-loading mounting track by passing the retention element through the gap between the two beams of the at least one top-loading track section from a position over the top surfaces of the two beams.

2. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of each of the two beams forms an angle with a first axis of the at least one top-loading track section, defined by opposing tips of the two beams, that is no less than 1 degree and no more than 10 degrees.

3. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the angled guide-surface portion of each of the two rails forms an angle with a second axis of the at least one top-loading track section, perpendicular to the base, that is no less than 20 degrees and no more than 60 degrees.

4. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the angled guide-surface portion of each of the two rails forms an angle with a second axis of the at least one top-loading track section, perpendicular to the base, that is no less than 25 degrees and no more than 45 degrees.

5. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the angled guide-surface portion of each of the two rails extends linearly between the insertion-pocket portion and the bottom surface of one of the two beams without forming any bumps, protrusions, or undulations.

6. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the insertion-pocket portion of each of the two rails extends to a position that is below a topmost part of the shoulder portion from which the insertion-pocket portion extends.

7. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one top-loading track section has a first end and an opposing second end, and wherein each of the first end and the second end are closed.

8. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional track section coupled to the at least one top-loading track section to form a continuous track with the at least one top-loading track section.

9. The top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one top-loading track section defines a fastening aperture disposed along the base between the shoulder portions of each of the two rails, the fastening aperture configured and arranged for receiving a fastener for fastening the at least one top-loading track section to a surface.

10. The top-loading track-mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the retention element is one of a T-bolt or a T-nut.

11. The top-loading track-mounting track system of claim 1 , wherein the mount is one of a ball or a cleat.

12. A method of coupling a mount assembly to a top-loading mounting track, the method comprising:
providing the top-loading mounting track system of claim 1 ; and
inserting the retention element of the mount assembly into the at least one top-loading track section of the top-loading mounting track from a position over the top surfaces of the two beams of the at least one top-loading track section to retain the retention element within the top-loading mounting track.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein inserting retention element of mount assembly into the at least one top-loading track section comprises:
tilting the mount assembly to a non-parallel angle relative to a first axis of the at least one top-loading track section, the first axis defined by opposing tips of the two beams of the at least one top-loading track section;
extending a first end of the retention element through the gap between the two beams of the at least one top-loading track section and into the insertion-pocket portion of one of the two rails; and
pivoting the mount assembly about the first end of the retention element to extend an opposing second end of the retention element through the gap between the two beams and into the insertion-pocket portions of the other of the two rails.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising tightening the mount assembly against the at least one top-loading track section to retain the mount assembly at a mounting location along a length of the top-loading mounting track.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein tightening the mount assembly against the at least one top-loading track section comprises
moving the retention element from the insertion-pocket portions away from the base along the angled guide-surface portions of the two rails to the bottom surfaces of the two beams, the angled guide-surface portions of the two rails facilitating guidance of the retention element to a position beneath the bottom surfaces of the two beams; and
pressing the two beams between a top surface of the retention element and a bottom surface of a mount of the mount assembly to retain the mount assembly.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising fastening the top-loading mounting track to a surface.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising disposing the top-loading mounting track along a handle section of a handle that comprises at least one leg attachable to the handle section.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising fastening the at least one leg to a surface.

19. The top-loading track system of claim 1 , further comprising
a handle section; and
at least one leg extending from the handle section and attachabl

Assignees

• Nat Products Inc

Inventors

• Carnevali Jeffrey D

Classifications

• F16M2200/08

  Foot or support base · CPC title

• F16M11/42

  with arrangement for propelling the support {stands on wheels} · CPC title

• F16M13/02

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

• F16M13/022 Primary

  repositionable · CPC title

• F16B37/045

  specially adapted for fastening in channels, e.g. sliding bolts, channel nuts · CPC title