Adjustable-angle mounting system for hazard detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11371545-B2
Application number	US-201916266991-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2019
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

Various arrangements of a surface mount system are presented herein. The system may include a surface mount plate. The surface mount plate may include a circular lip and nubs located along the circular lip. The system may also include a device housing. The device housing can include slider clips that removably clip to the circular lip of the surface mount plate when the plurality of slider clips are pushed against the circular lip. The slider clips can be disengaged from the circular lip of the surface mount plate when the device housing is rotated with respect to the surface mount plate such that the nubs located on the surface mount plate push the slider clips away from the circular lip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surface mount system for a device, the surface mount system comprising:
a surface mount plate, comprising:
a plate defining a plurality of attachment mounting points that allow a plurality of fasteners to secure the surface mount plate to a surface such that the surface mount plate is mounted in a fixed position in relation to the surface;
a continuous circular lip extending around a perimeter of the plate; and
a plurality of nubs located along the continuous circular lip extending around the perimeter of the surface mount plate; and

a device housing, comprising:
a plurality of slider clips that removably clip to the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate wherein:
the plurality of slider clips actuate outwardly when the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate is pushed against the device housing then the plurality of slider clips return inwardly to clip with the continuous circular lip;
the plurality of slider clips slide along the continuous circular lip to allow the device housing to be rotated in relation to the surface mount plate while the device housing remains coupled with the surface mount plate; and
the plurality of slider clips disengage from the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate when the device housing is rotated with respect to the surface mount plate such that the plurality of nubs located on the plate push the plurality of slider clips away from the continuous circular lip.

2. The surface mount system for the device of claim 1 , wherein the surface mount plate further comprises a seal that comprises a compressible ring.

3. The surface mount system for the device of claim 2 , wherein the seal encircles the plurality of attachment mounting points defined by the surface mount plate.

4. The surface mount system for the device of claim 3 , wherein the seal and the device housing, when the device housing is attached with the surface mount plate, prevents air from passing through the plurality of attachment mounting points into an environment of a sensor within the device housing.

5. The surface mount system for the device of claim 4 , wherein the sensor within the device housing is a smoke sensor.

6. The surface mount system for the device of claim 4 , wherein the sensor within the device housing is a carbon monoxide sensor.

7. The surface mount system for the device of claim 1 , wherein the device housing further comprises a circular depressed lip along which the plurality of slider clips are located.

8. The surface mount system for the device of claim 1 , wherein the surface mount plate is circular and the device housing is rectangular.

9. The surface mount system for the device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nubs are distributed such that a nub is present every 90 degrees.

10. The surface mount system for the device of claim 1 , the surface mount plate further defines a wire pass-through that is larger than each of the plurality of attachment mounting points.

11. A method for using a surface mount system to align a device, the method comprising:
mounting a surface mount plate in a fixed position on a surface using a plurality of fasteners mounted through a plurality of attachment mounting points of the surface mount plate, wherein the surface mount plate comprises:
a continuous circular lip extending around a perimeter of the surface mount plate; and
a plurality of nubs located along the continuous circular lip extending around the perimeter of the surface mount plate; and

pressing a device housing against the surface mount plate, wherein:
a plurality of slider clips of the device housing actuate outwardly when the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate is pushed against the device housing then the plurality of slider clips return inwardly to clip with the continuous circular lip;
the plurality of slider clips slide along the continuous circular lip to allow the device housing to be rotated in relation to the surface mount plate while the device housing remains coupled with the surface mount plate; and
the plurality of slider clips disengage from the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate when the device housing is rotated with respect to the surface mount plate such that the plurality of nubs located on the surface mount plate push the plurality of slider clips away from the continuous circular lip; and

after the plurality of slider clips have coupled with the continuous circular lip, rotating the device housing in relation to the surface mount plate such that the plurality of slider clips slide along the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate.

12. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , further comprising:
rotating the device housing in relation to the surface mount plate such that the plurality of slider clips align with the plurality of nubs; and
actuating, by the plurality of nubs, the plurality of slider clips such that the plurality of slider clips disengage from the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate.

13. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 12 , further comprising:
moving the device housing away from the surface mount plate while the plurality of slider clips are disengaged from the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate.

14. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , further comprising:
ceasing rotation of the device housing while the plurality of slider clips are sliding along the continuous circular lip of the surface mount plate at a position such that an edge of the device housing is parallel to an edge of an external object distinct from the device housing; and
maintaining the position of the device housing relative to the surface mount plate following rotation of the device housing being ceased.

15. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , further comprising: compressing a compressible ring between the device housing and the surface mount plate when the device housing is pressed against the surface mount plate.

16. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , wherein the device housing houses a smoke sensor, a carbon monoxide sensor, or both.

17. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , wherein rotating the device housing in relation to the surface mount plate comprises rotating the device housing using non-indexed motion.

18. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , further comprising: creating tactile feedback indicative of the plurality of slider clips coupling with the continuous circular lip.

19. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , further comprising: creating auditory feedback indicative of the plurality of slider clips coupling with the continuous circular lip.

20. The method for using the surface mount system to align the device of claim 11 , further comprising:
prior to pressing the device housing against the surface mount plate, passing one or more wires through the surface mount plate and connecting the one or more wires with the device housing.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Kraz Mark
• Mittleman Adam

Classifications

• F16B21/02 Primary

  Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation (with snap-action F16B21/06; studs or coupling pins with resilient protrusions F16B21/08) · CPC title

• G08B17/113 Primary

  Constructional details · CPC title

• Y10T403/7005

  Lugged member, rotary engagement · CPC title