Multipurpose enclosure boss assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10796118-B2
Application number	US-201816221455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2018
Priority date	Dec 15, 2018
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A boss assembly includes: a first boss formed integrally with a first portion of an enclosure that cooperates with a second portion thereof to enclose a volume, wherein the first passage communicates between the enclosed volume at an internal aperture and an external environment at an external aperture; an enclosure screw having an enlarged head to retain the enclosure screw within the first passage and an elongate threaded shaft portion to extend out of the first passage through the internal aperture, into the interior volume and into a second passage of a second boss of the second portion; and a threaded insert that is sized to engage interior surfaces of the first passage with a tight fit when inserted therein between the head of the enclosure screw and the external aperture, wherein the first threaded insert defines a threaded third passage that extends therethrough.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A boss assembly comprising:
a first boss formed integrally with a first portion of an enclosure, wherein:
the first portion of the enclosure cooperates with at least a second portion of the enclosure to at least partly enclose an interior volume;
the first boss defines a first passage that extends through the first boss: and
the first passage defines an external aperture where the first passage opens into an environment external to the enclosure through an external surface of the first portion of the enclosure, and an internal aperture where the first passage opens into the interior volume;

an enclosure screw having an elongate threaded shaft portion and a head formed at a head end of the threaded shaft portion, wherein:
the enclosure screw is inserted into the first passage in an orientation that causes the head to extend toward the external aperture, and that causes a threaded end of the threaded shaft portion that is opposite the head end to extend through the internal aperture, into the interior volume and toward a second passage defined by a second boss of the second portion of the enclosure; and
the head is enlarged relative to the head end of the threaded shaft portion to provide an annular screw shoulder to engage an annular aperture shoulder within the first passage that surrounds the internal aperture to retain the head end of the enclosure screw within the first passage; and

a first threaded insert that is sized to engage interior surfaces of the first passage with a tight fit when inserted into the first passage,
wherein:
the first threaded insert is secured within the first passage at a location closer to the external aperture than the internal aperture, and with the head of the enclosure screw disposed between the first threaded insert and the aperture shoulder surrounding the internal aperture; and
the first threaded insert defines a threaded third passage that extends through the first threaded insert, and

wherein:
the third passage is configured to enable a tip of a tool to extend therethrough to engage the head of the enclosure screw to rotate the enclosure screw within the first passage; and
the third passage is configured to receive and engage an elongate threaded portion of a mounting screw inserted into the third passage from the environment external to the enclosure.

2. The boss assembly of claim 1 , wherein the head of the enclosure screw carries a tool engagement formation to enable the enclosure screw to be engaged with a screw engagement formation carried by the tip of the tool to enable use of the tool to rotate the enclosure screw within the first passage to cause the threaded end of the enclosure screw to engage interior surfaces of the second passage to draw together the first and second portions of the enclosure to enclose the interior volume.

3. The boss assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded end of the enclosure screw carries a self-tapping thread that enables the threaded end of the enclosure screw to tap its way into the second passage of the second boss when extended through the internal aperture of the first passage of the first boss and into the second passage of the second boss, and rotated via the tool.

4. The boss assembly of claim 3 , further comprising the second boss.

5. The boss assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second boss tapers as it extends into the interior volume from an inner surface of the second portion of the enclosure.

6. The boss assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the threaded end of the enclosure screw carries a machine thread; and
the second boss carries a second threaded insert that defines a threaded fourth passage to receive and engage the machine thread of the threaded end of the enclosure screw when the threaded end of the enclosure screw is extended through the internal aperture of the first passage of the first boss and into the threaded fourth passage of the second thread insert, and rotated via the tool.

7. The boss assembly of claim 6 , further comprising the second boss and the second threaded insert.

8. The boss assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first boss tapers as it extends into the interior volume from an inner surface of the first portion of the enclosure.

9. The boss assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is formed by a molded thermoplastic.

10. The boss assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first threaded insert is engaged with the interior surfaces of the first passage via at least one of a pressed fit, a welding, a heated fit, a chemical boding, an adhesive, or a threading.

11. A boss assembly comprising:
a first boss formed integrally with a first portion of an enclosure, wherein:
the first portion of the enclosure cooperates with at least a second portion of the enclosure to at least partly enclose an interior volume;
the first boss defines a first passage that extends through the first boss; and
the first passage defines an external aperture where the first passage opens into an environment external to the enclosure through an external surface of the first portion of the enclosure, and an internal aperture where the first passage opens into the interior volume;

an enclosure screw having an elongate threaded shaft portion and a head formed at a head end of the threaded shaft portion, wherein:
the enclosure screw is inserted into the first passage in an orientation that causes the head to extend toward the external aperture, and that causes a threaded end of the threaded shaft portion that is opposite the head end to extend through the internal aperture, into the interior volume and toward a second passage defined by a second boss of the second portion of the enclosure; and
the head is enlarged relative to the head end of the threaded shaft portion to provide an annular screw shoulder to engage an annular aperture shoulder within the first passage that surrounds the internal aperture to retain the head end of the enclosure screw within the first passage; and

a first threaded insert that is sized to engage interior surfaces of the first passage with a tight fit when inserted into the first passage,
wherein:
the first threaded insert is secured within the first passage at a location closer to the external aperture than the internal aperture, and with the head of the enclosure screw disposed between the first threaded insert and the aperture shoulder surrounding the internal aperture; and
the first threaded insert defines a threaded third passage that extends through the first threaded insert, and

wherein:
the first boss and the second boss extend into the interior volume;
the internal aperture of the first passage opens through a first engagement surface of the first boss;
the second passage opens through a second engagement surface of the second boss; and
a selected one of the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface comprises a concave formation to receive and engage the non-selected one of the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface in a manner that acts to align the first passage and the second passage to better enable the threaded end of the enclosure screw to extend from the internal aperture of the first passage and into the second passage.

12. The boss assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first boss is integrated into a wall of the first portion of the enclosure.

13. An enclosure to enclose an interior volume, the enclosure comprising:
a first portion of the enclosure that comprises a first boss formed integrally therewith, wherein:
the first boss defines a first passage that extends through the first boss: and
the first passage defines an external aperture wh

Assignees

• Datalogic IP Tech Srl

Inventors

• De Filippis Michele
• Bruni Davide

Classifications

• G06K7/10821 Primary

  further details of bar or optical code scanning devices · CPC title

• G01D11/245

  Housings for sensors · CPC title

• H05K7/142 Primary

  Spacers not being card guides · CPC title

• G06K7/10425

  the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device · CPC title