Locking latch and mount for secure attachment and support of enclosures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11359763-B2
Application number	US-202016917559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2020
Priority date	Jun 30, 2020
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for securely mounting an enclosure are described. In various embodiments a device enclosure includes a recessed back area in which a mounting latch including a generally key-shaped opening is positioned. A mounting bracket including a post having multiple dimensions is secured to a wall. The enclosure and latch is placed over the post. The enclosure is moved so that the post slides in the key-shaped opening and snaps into the first portion of the key-shaped opening. To release the latch a release tool is inserted into a slot or other opening and rotated so that the tip or tips of the release tool can pass through one or more openings in a rear wall of the enclosure and compress a portion of the latch allowing the enclosure and latch to slide on the shaft until the enclosure reaches a position where it can be removed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly of components comprising:
a mounting bracket including:
a mounting plate; and
a shaft including: i) a first shaft portion secured to the mounting plate and having a first cross-sectional area, ii) a second shaft portion having a second cross-sectional area which is larger than said first cross-sectional area and iii) a flange on the end of said shaft; and

a mounting latch including an elongated opening, the elongated opening including a first opening and a tapered second opening, the tapered second opening tapering down in width from a maximum second opening width to a smaller second opening width at a location where the tapered second opening joins the first opening;
wherein the first opening includes flat left and flat right surface edges for contacting and supporting the second portion of the shaft when the shaft is positioned in the first opening; and
wherein said mounting latch further includes a slit separating a left side of the mounting latch from a right side of the mounting latch.

2. The assembly of components of claim 1 , wherein said mounting latch is formed from sheet metal, said left and right sides of said mounting latch flexing when the shaft is changed from being positioned in the tapered second opening to being positioned in the first opening.

3. The assembly of components of claim 2 , wherein said second shaft portion is triangular shaped with a point facing toward said first opening, said point separating left and right sides of said mounting latch when the shaft is slid through the tapered second opening into the first opening.

4. The assembly of components of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pin extending from said mounting plate.

5. An assembly of components comprising:
a mounting bracket including:
a mounting plate; and
a shaft including: i) a first shaft portion secured to the mounting plate and having a first cross-sectional area, ii) a second shaft portion having a second cross-sectional area which is larger than said first cross-sectional area and iii) a flange on the end of said shaft;

a mounting latch including an elongated opening, the elongated opening including a first opening and a tapered second opening, the tapered second opening tapering down in width from a maximum second opening width to a smaller second opening width at a location where the tapered second opening joins the first opening, wherein the first opening includes flat left and flat right surface edges for contacting and supporting the second portion of the shaft when the shaft is positioned in the first opening; and
an enclosure including a recessed back enclosure area defined by a rear enclosure wall, said mounting latch being secured to the rear enclosure wall and being contained in the recessed back enclosure area.

6. The assembly of components of claim 5 , wherein the enclosure further includes a front enclosure wall including a first slot or other opening through which a latch release tool can be inserted into the enclosure.

7. The assembly of components of claim 6 , wherein the rear enclosure wall further includes a second slot through which a portion of the latch release tool can pass to allow the latch release tool to contact and apply pressure to a portion of the mounting latch.

8. The assembly of components of claim 7 , wherein said portion of the mounting latch is a first portion of the mounting latch, said first portion being positioned above the first opening, pressure applied to the first portion of the mounting latch moving the first portion backward and allowing the enclosure to be moved so that the shaft is positioned in the second opening allowing the enclosure including the mounting latch to be lifted off the mounting bracket.

9. The assembly of components of claim 8 , further comprising:
said latch release tool, the latch release tool including i) a twisted tool shaft or ii) a combination of a tool shaft and at least one drive tip offset from the tool shaft.

10. The assembly of components of claim 9 , wherein the latch release tool is fork shaped and includes two tips.

11. The assembly of components of claim 9 , wherein the latch release tool has a flat shaft which spirals as it extends form a handle end to a tip end.

12. An assembly of components comprising:
a mounting bracket including:
a mounting plate; and
a shaft including: i) a first shaft portion secured to the mounting plate and having a first cross-sectional area, ii) a second shaft portion having a second cross-sectional area which is larger than said first cross-sectional area and iii) a flange on the end of said shaft; and

a mounting latch including an elongated opening, the elongated opening including a first opening and a tapered second opening, the tapered second opening tapering down in width from a maximum second opening width to a smaller second opening width at a location where the tapered second opening joins the first opening, wherein the first opening includes flat left and flat right surface edges for contacting and supporting the second portion of the shaft when the shaft is positioned in the first opening; and
a pin extending from said mounting plate, wherein said pin is aligned to fit into a slot which joins said elongated opening.

13. An assembly of components comprising:
a mounting bracket including:
a mounting plate; and
a shaft including: i) a first shaft portion secured to the mounting plate and having a first cross-sectional area, ii) a second shaft portion having a second cross-sectional area which is larger than said first cross-sectional area and iii) a flange on the end of said shaft; and

a mounting latch including an elongated opening, the elongated opening including a first opening and a tapered second opening, the tapered second opening tapering down in width from a maximum second opening width to a smaller second opening width at a location where the tapered second opening joins the first opening, wherein the first opening includes flat left and flat right surface edges for contacting and supporting the second portion of the shaft when the shaft is positioned in the first opening; and
a pin extending from said mounting plate; and
wherein the assembly of components includes multiple shafts spaced apart from one another.

14. The assembly of components of claim 13 , wherein the assembly of components further includes a plurality of mounting latches, the number of mounting latches equaling the number of shafts.

15. An assembly of components comprising:
a mounting bracket including:
a mounting plate; and
a shaft including: i) a first shaft portion secured to the mounting plate and having a first cross-sectional area, ii) a second shaft portion having a second cross-sectional area which is larger than said first cross-sectional area and iii) a flange on the end of said shaft;

a mounting latch including an elongated opening, the elongated opening including a first opening and a tapered second opening, the tapered second opening tapering down in width from a maximum second opening width to a smaller second opening width at a location where the tapered second opening joins the first opening, wherein the first opening includes flat left and flat right surface edges for contacting and supporting the second portion of the shaft when the shaft is positioned in the first opening; and
an enclosure including a rear surface to which said mounting latch is attached;
wherein the mounting plate and the shaft are secured to a wall;
wherein the mounting latch acts as a spring; and
wherein the enclosure is forced towards the wall by latch spring tension of the

Assignees

• Charter Communications Operating Llc

Inventors

• Cook Charles

Classifications

• E05B65/52

  Other locks for chests, boxes, trunks, baskets, travelling bags, or the like · CPC title

• F16M13/02 Primary

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

• F16M2200/08

  Foot or support base · CPC title

• F16M2200/02

  Locking means · CPC title

• E05B35/008

  for simple tool-like keys · CPC title