Mounting track for retaining a mount assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11085579-B2
Application number	US-202016952854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2020
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A mounting track includes a track section having a track base, two vertical track-rails, and horizontal track-beams laterally-spaced-apart from each other by a first distance. An endpiece is attachable to the track section and includes an endpiece base, a vertical endpiece rail, and horizontal endpiece beams. When attached to the track section, the track base and the endpiece base align, the vertical track-rails and the vertical endpiece rail align, and the horizontal track-beams and the horizontal endpiece beams align to form a continuous track within which a retention element of a mount assembly can move. The endpiece includes an insertion zone where opposing portions of the horizontal endpiece beams are spaced-apart from each other by a second distance that is larger than the first distance to facilitate insertion of the retention element into the track.

First claim

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

1. A mounting cleat, comprising:
a body comprising a central portion, two opposing cleat extensions extending laterally from the central portion, and a lumen extending longitudinally within the central portion of the body, wherein the central portion defines an engagement surface along a bottom of the central portion and configured to engage an object when the mounting cleat is mounted on the object, wherein a bottom surface of each of the two cleat extensions is longitudinally spaced apart from, and above, the engagement surface so that, when the mounting cleat is mounted on the object, the bottom surface of each of the two cleat extensions is longitudinally spaced apart from, and above, the object;
a retention element extending from the body and comprising a post and a flange coupled to the post, wherein the post extends into the lumen of the body and is configured so that the flange can extend longitudinally below the engagement surface of the central portion of the body, wherein the retention element is rotatable relative to the body; and
a rotatable actuator disposed on the body and coupled to the post of the retention element, wherein the rotatable actuator is rotatable relative to the body and is configured, upon rotation, to draw the retention element toward the body or extend the retention element further from the body.

2. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the flange has a non-circular cross-sectional shape with a first width and a second width perpendicular to the first width and shorter than the first width.

3. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the flange comprises two opposing straight sides and two opposing curved sides with each curved side flanked by the two straight sides.

4. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises at least one guide feature extending away from, and below, a remainder of the body in a same direction as the post of the retention element.

5. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises two opposing guide features extending away from, and below, a remainder of the body in a same direction as the post of the retention element.

6. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable actuator comprises a plurality of ribs disposed around a circumference of the rotatable actuator to facilitate rotation of the rotatable actuator.

7. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the two cleat extensions each narrow longitudinally as the two cleat extensions extend from the central portion of the body.

8. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the two cleat extensions are each curved.

9. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the central portion of the body comprises a disc from which the post of the retention element extends.

10. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the body defines a base and the rotatable actuator is disposed over the base.

11. The mounting cleat of claim 10 , wherein the base defines an upper surface over which the rotatable actuator is disposed, wherein the upper surface of the base has a surface area larger than a surface area of a bottom surface of the rotatable actuator.

12. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable actuator comprises a rotatable dial or knob.

13. The mounting cleat of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the lumen of the body is threaded and at least a portion of the post is threaded.

14. The mounting cleat of claim 13 , wherein the post is threaded along its entire length.

15. A mounting system, comprising:
the mounting cleat of claim 1 ; and
a mounting track comprising at least one track section, each track section comprising a track base, two vertical track rails extending opposite each other from the track base, and two horizontal track beams, wherein each of the horizontal track beams extends from a different one of the vertical track rails over the track base toward the other horizontal track beam, wherein the horizontal track beams are laterally spaced apart from each other by a first distance;
wherein the mounting cleat is removably attachable to the mounting track by disposing the flange of the retention element of the mounting cleat within the mounting track between the horizontal track beams and the track base, wherein the rotatable actuator of the mounting cleat is configured to draw the flange of the retention element into engagement with the horizontal track beams to fixedly mount the mounting cleat onto the mounting track.

16. The mounting system of claim 15 , wherein the mounting track further comprises an insertion piece, wherein the insertion piece comprises an insertion-piece base, two vertical insertion-piece rails extending opposite each other from the insertion-piece base, and two horizontal insertion-piece beams, wherein each of the horizontal insertion-piece beams extends from a different one of the vertical insertion-piece rails over the insertion-piece base toward the other horizontal insertion-piece beam,
wherein the insertion piece comprises an insertion-piece insertion zone where at least two opposing portions of the two horizontal insertion-piece beams are spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is at least 15% larger than the first distance to facilitate insertion of the retention element of the mounting cleat into the mounting track.

17. The mounting system of claim 15 , wherein the mounting track further comprises at least one endpiece configured and arranged for attachment to the at least one track section, each endpiece comprising an endpiece base, a vertical endpiece rail extending from the endpiece base and forming a perimeter around a portion of the endpiece base, and two horizontal endpiece beams extending from the vertical endpiece rail over the endpiece base toward the other horizontal endpiece beam, wherein, when attached to the at least one track section, the track base and the endpiece base align, the vertical track rails and the vertical endpiece rail align, and the horizontal track beams and the horizontal endpiece beams align to form a continuous track within which a retention element of a mount assembly can move along the mounting track, wherein the mounting track is closed at an end by at least the endpiece vertical rail,
wherein the at least one endpiece comprises an insertion zone where at least two opposing portions of the two horizontal endpiece beams are spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is at least 15% larger than the first distance to facilitate insertion of the retention element of the mounting cleat into the mounting track.

18. The mounting system of claim 17 , wherein the body of the mounting cleat comprises two opposing guide features extending away from a remainder of the body in a same direction as the post of the retention element, wherein the two opposing guide features are configured to fit between the horizontal track beams when the mounting cleat is mounted on the mounting track.

19. A method of coupling the mounting cleat of claim 1 to a mounting track, the method comprising:
inserting the retention element of the mounting cleat into an insertion zone of the mounting track;
sliding the mounting cleat along the mounting track to a mounting location; and
rotating the rotatable actuator to draw the retention element into engagement with the mounting track.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising fastening the mounting track to a surface.

Assignees

• Nat Products Inc

Inventors

• Carnevali Jeffrey D

Classifications

• F16M11/2085

  comprising means allowing sideward adjustment, i.e. left-right translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage · CPC title

• F16B37/045

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

• F16M11/043 Primary

  Allowing translations · CPC title

• F16M13/02

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

• F16M11/14

  with ball-joint (ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 {; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30}) · CPC title