Method and apparatus to attach device to DIN rail

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9353777-B2
Application number	US-201313937940-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2013
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for attaching and detaching a device to and from a DIN rail, the apparatus includes a housing carrier with a coupling assembly. The coupling assembly including one or more operator links, the one or more operator links rotatable relative to the housing carrier about a pivot, and the coupling assembly includes at least one DIN rail catch. The operator links have a first position in which the at least one DIN rail catch is in a first coupled position, and the operator links have a second position in which the at least one DIN rail catch is in a second uncoupled position. The operator links are operable to move the at least one DIN rail catch from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position when the operator link is rotated about the pivot.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus for coupling with a DIN mounting rail, the apparatus comprising:
a housing carrier having a recessed portion therein, the recessed portion of the housing carrier configured to receive one or more components therein;
the housing carrier received by an inner channel of a coupling assembly;
the coupling assembly including at least one pair of opposing operator links disposed on opposing sides of the inner channel, the pair of operator links each rotatable relative to the housing carrier about a respective pivot, the coupling assembly including a DIN rail catch disposed at a distal end of each operator link;
the coupling assembly includes at least one pivot link coupled with each of the operator links near each respective pivot;
the pair of operator links having a first position in which each DIN rail catch is in a first coupled position in engagement with the DIN mounting rail, the pair of operator links having a second position in which each DIN rail catch is in a second uncoupled position disengaged with the DIN mounting rail;
each respective at least one pivot link configured and sized to interact with at least a portion of the housing carrier when the pair of operator links are moved from the first position to the second position; and
the pair of operator links operable to move each respective DIN rail catch from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position when the operator links are rotated about the pivots and proximal ends of the pair of operator links are flexed toward each other.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a stabilizer link, the stabilizer link configured and sized to support at least a portion of the housing carrier when the catch is moved from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position, the catch disposed at a first portion of the stabilizer link.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the two or more operator links are substantially parallel with a side portion of the housing carrier.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the two or more operator links extend from a first end to a second end, where the first end extends to about a top portion of the housing carrier.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the operator links have a first length from a first end to the pivot, and a second length from the pivot to the second end, and a ratio of the first length to the second length is 0.7-1.3.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing carrier has a central portion and two end portions, and the central portion and the end portions have an interference fit with each other.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a second link coupled with each operator link at the pivot, a bottom link coupled with the second link, the operator link, second link, and bottom link collectively have a general L-shape.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the two or more operator links include a first operator link and a second operator link disposed along opposite sides of the housing carrier.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein the at least one pivot link includes a first pivot link associated with the first operator link and a second pivot link coupled with the second operator link, the at least one DIN rail catch includes a first DIN rail catch and a second DIN rail catch, the first DIN rail catch and the second DIN rail catch are movable from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position via movement of the first operator link and the second operator link, respectively.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the operator links move a first distance when moved from the first position to the second position, at least one DIN rail catch moves a second distance from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position, a ratio of the first distance to the second distance is in the range of 0.1-1.

11. An apparatus for coupling with a DIN mounting rail, the apparatus comprising:
a housing carrier having a recessed portion therein, the recessed portion of the housing carrier configured to receive one or more components therein;
the housing carrier received by an inner channel of a coupling assembly;
the coupling assembly including at least one pair of opposing operator links disposed on opposing sides of the inner channel, the pair of operator links each includes a first operator link and a second operator link disposed along opposite sides of the housing carrier, the pair of operator links each rotatable relative to the housing carrier about a respective pivot, the coupling assembly including a DIN rail catch associated and disposed at a distal end of each operator link;
the coupling assembly further includes at least one pivot link coupled with each operator link near the pivot;
the pair of operator links having a first position in which each DIN rail catch is in a first coupled position in engagement with the DIN mounting rail, the pair of operator links having a second position in which the each DIN rail catch is in a second uncoupled position disengaged with the DIN mounting rail;
each respective at least one pivot link configured and sized to interact with at least a portion of the housing carrier when the pair of operator links are moved from the first position to the second position;
the pair of operator links operable to move each respective DIN rail catch from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position when the operator link is rotated about the pivots and proximal ends of the pair of operator links are and flexed toward each other; and
the at least one pivot link includes a first pivot link associated with the first operator link and a second pivot link coupled with the second operator link, the at least one DIN rail catch includes a first DIN rail catch and a second DIN rail catch, the first DIN rail catch and the second DIN rail catch are movable from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position via movement of the first operator link and the second operator link, respectively.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein the operator links move a first distance when moved from the first position to the second position, at least one DIN rail catch moves a second distance from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position, a ratio of the first distance to the second distance is in the range of 0.1-1.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , further comprising a stabilizer link, the stabilizer link configured and sized to support at least a portion of the housing carrier when the catch is moved from the first coupled position to the second uncoupled position, the catch disposed at a first portion of the stabilizer link.

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Technolgies Inc
• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Eminovic Sal
• Annis Jeffrey

Classifications

• F16B2/10 Primary

  using pivoting jaws · CPC title

• H02B1/052 Primary

  Mounting on rails · CPC title

• Y10T403/595

  Lever · CPC title

• H02B1/0526

  locking or releasing devices actuated from the front face of the apparatus · CPC title