Universal mounting mechanism and modular assembly

Abstract

A universal mounting mechanism for detachably mounting a module to a carrier includes a male fastener on the module and a female fastener on the carrier. The male fastener has a non-circular shape, allowing it to be inserted into the female fastener in an insertion direction and locked after being manually rotated approximately one-quarter turn, thus quickly and reversibly securing the module to the carrier without tools. The mechanism may also optionally include alignment guide features, such as tongues, guide rails, and positioning pins, to improve precise positioning, load-bearing capacity, and safety during installation. This mounting mechanism is suitable for quick, stable, and repeatable assembly and disassembly of various modules (e.g., trays, tabletops, shelves, panels, electronic devices) and various carriers (e.g., guide rails, beams, frames, columns, tracks, walls, etc.), offering high versatility and modular advantages.

Claims

1. A mounting mechanism for detachably mounting a module to a carrier, the mounting mechanism comprising: A male fastener connected to this module; The module is attached to the carrier and includes a female fastener, which has a slot and a guide rail. The male fastener has a non-circular shape and is configured to be inserted into the female fastener in an insertion direction and, after being manually rotated approximately one-quarter turn, enter a locking direction. This locks the module onto the carrier by engaging a portion of the carrier in the locking direction, and allows the module to be reversibly disengaged from the carrier by reverse rotation. The male fastener includes a tongue that engages with the guide rail when the module is installed onto the carrier. The mounting mechanism further includes at least one alignment pin and at least one corresponding socket. The alignment pin is separate from the male fastener and is located on one of the module or the carrier. The socket is located on the other, and the alignment pin is inserted into the socket when the module is correctly installed. The mounting mechanism further includes a stop located on the male fastener and configured to interfere with the guide rail when the male fastener rotates to the locking direction to limit the rotation angle of the male fastener.

2. The mounting mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male fastener includes a rotatable block having an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape, having a smaller size in the insertion direction and a larger size in the locking direction, such that the male fastener partially extends behind the corresponding structure of the female fastener in the locking direction to prevent the module from detaching from the carrier.

3. The mounting mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male fastener includes a knob or a handle configured for a user to grip and perform the quarter-turn rotation without any tools.

4. The mounting mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the locking direction, a portion of the female fastener is clamped between the module and the male fastener.

5. A modular component, comprising: A carrier includes at least one female fastener, the female fastener including a slot, a guide rail and at least one insertion hole; and a module including a male fastener protruding from its surface, the male fastener having a non-circular shape and including a tongue and a stop, and the module further including at least one alignment pin, the alignment pin being separate from the male fastener; wherein the male fastener can be inserted into the slot in an insertion direction and can be manually rotated by a user about a quarter turn to a locking direction, so that the male fastener is engaged with a portion of the carrier in the locking direction, thereby detachably fixing the module to the carrier; wherein the tongue engages with the guide rail when the module is installed on the carrier, the alignment pin is inserted into the insertion hole when the module is correctly installed, and the stop interferes with the guide rail when the male fastener is rotated to the locking direction, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the male fastener.

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