System for mounting on a surface

Abstract

A system designed to be mounted on a surface, said system comprises a mounting bracket configured to be attached to a surface, and a plastic clamp having a base portion and a connecting portion. The mounting bracket is provided with an opening into which the base portion of the plastic clamp can be inserted by snap-fit, and the connecting portion of the plastic clamp is configured for snap-fit ​​coupling with an object that can be attached to the mounting bracket. The base portion comprises two legs each comprising a guide surface and an L-shaped corner section, wherein the guide surface is configured to engage with the mounting bracket in response to the base portion being inserted into the opening, and the L-shaped corner section is configured to face the edge portion of the opening when the base portion is received in the opening. The legs are configured to bend in response to the guide surface engaging with the mounting bracket so that the base portion can be inserted into the opening. The L-shaped corner section of each of the above legs engages with each edge portion of the opening in response to the base portion being extracted out of the opening while the plastic clamp is mounted, and is configured to rotate about an axis defined by the L-shaped corner section under elastic deformation of the legs, and when rotating about each axis under elastic deformation, the legs are configured to come into contact with each other so as to restrict further rotation, thereby hindering further extraction of the base portion.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system intended to be mounted on a surface, the system comprising a mounting bracket configured to be attached to said surface. Background Technology

[0002] A system for mounting on a surface often includes a mounting bracket configured to be attached to the surface. Additional objects of this system can subsequently be detachably attached to the mounting bracket through means such as snap-fit ​​mounting.

[0003] For example, the above system may be a surveillance camera system in which a camera unit and a dome window-shaped object are attached to and supported by the mounting bracket.

[0004] The above-mentioned mounting bracket is often made of a strong and durable material such as metal, which may not be suitable for snap-fit ​​mounting on its own, and therefore a plastic clamp may be provided to allow one or more objects to be mounted to the mounting bracket in a snap-fit ​​manner.

[0005] It has been proven difficult to provide such a system that ensures easy assembly while guaranteeing reliable attachment and detachment of an object to the mounting bracket. Related prior art can be found in US6234691B1 and US2018291942A1. The problem to be solved

[0006] With the above-described points in mind, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved plastic clamp for attaching an object to a mounting bracket.

[0007] In addition, it provides a plastic clamp that can be easily mounted on a mounting bracket and allows an object to be reliably attached to and detached from the mounting bracket.

[0008] Additionally, an improved system for surface mounting is provided, wherein the system includes a mounting bracket and a plastic clamp. means of solving the problem

[0009] To achieve at least one of the above objectives and to achieve other objectives that will become apparent in the following description, a system having the features defined in claim 1 is provided according to the present invention. Preferred embodiments will become apparent in the dependent claims.

[0010] More specifically, according to the present invention, a system intended to be mounted on a surface is provided, the system comprises a mounting bracket configured to be attached to a surface, and a plastic clamp having a base part and a connection part, wherein the mounting bracket is provided with an opening into which the base part of the plastic clamp can be inserted in a snap-fit ​​manner so as to mount the plastic clamp to the mounting bracket, and the connection part of the plastic clamp is configured to engage in a snap-fit ​​manner with an object attachable to the mounting bracket, the base part of the plastic clamp includes two legs, each leg includes a guide surface and an L-shaped corner section, the guide surface is configured to engage with the mounting bracket when the base part of the plastic clamp is inserted into the opening, and the L-shaped corner section is configured to face the edge portion of the opening when the base part of the plastic clamp is received in the opening in a snap-fit ​​manner, and the leg is configured to deform when the guide surface engages with the mounting bracket so as to allow the base part to be inserted into the opening, and each leg The above L-shaped corner section is configured such that, when the base portion is extracted from the opening while the plastic clamp is mounted, it engages with each edge portion of the opening, thereby allowing the leg to pivot in an elastic deformation state around an axis defined by the L-shaped corner section, and the legs are configured to come into contact with each other when rotating around each axis in an elastic deformation state, thereby restricting further rotation and preventing further extraction of the base portion.

[0011] Thus, an improved system for mounting on a surface is provided. The system includes a mounting bracket and a plastic clamp that can be mounted on the mounting bracket and configured to attach an object to the mounting bracket in a snap-fit ​​manner. Accordingly, the mounting bracket can be made of a strong and durable material such as metal, while the plastic clamp can be made of a plastic material that enables reliable snap-fit ​​attachment of an object to the mounting bracket.

[0012] The plastic clamp comprises a base portion including two legs, each having a guide surface configured to engage with a mounting bracket, thereby causing the legs to deform when the base portion of the plastic clamp is inserted into an opening provided in the mounting bracket, so that the base portion is received in the opening in a snap-fit ​​manner. This ensures that the assembly of the system is easy.

[0013] According to the present invention, each leg of a plastic clamp further includes an L-shaped corner section configured to face the edge of the opening when the base portion of the plastic clamp is received in the opening in a snap-fit ​​manner. The L-shaped corner section is configured to engage with the edge of the opening when the base portion is extracted from the opening while the plastic clamp is mounted, so that the leg rotates in an elastic deformation state around an axis defined by the L-shaped corner section. The legs are configured to come into contact with each other when rotated around their respective axes in an elastic deformation state, thereby restricting further rotation and preventing further extraction of the base portion. Thus, by controlling the elastic deformation of the legs to bring them into contact with each other, it is ensured that the plastic clamp cannot easily slip out of the opening of the mounting bracket. Through this, the system can prevent the plastic clamp from being unintentionally separated from the mounting bracket.

[0014] According to the present invention, each leg of the base portion may include an elongated body, wherein the body comprises: a first portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the plastic clamp from the connecting portion; a second portion forming the guide surface, adjacent to the first portion and extending at an acute angle with respect to the first portion to form a bend at the front end of the leg; and a third portion forming the L-shaped section and adjacent to the second portion. This configuration allows for efficient use of material when producing the plastic clamp.

[0015] According to another embodiment, the body extending longitudinally of each leg may have a reinforced transition section between the first part and the second part. This further controls the elastic deformation of the legs of the base part, thereby ensuring that the legs reliably come into contact with each other when the base part is extracted from the opening.

[0016] According to another embodiment, the base portion has a width (W1) of the base portion in an unaffected state, and the opening has an opening width (W2), wherein the width (W1) of the base portion in an unaffected state is greater than the opening width (W2). Additionally, the base portion has a width (W3) of the base portion in an affected state where the legs bend toward each other when the base portion of the plastic clamp is inserted into the opening, and the opening has an opening width (W2), wherein the width (W3) of the base portion in the affected state matches the opening width (W2). Thus, the plastic clamp can be mounted to the mounting bracket in a snap-fit ​​manner.

[0017] According to another embodiment, the system may further include an additional plastic clamp, in which case the mounting bracket is provided with an additional opening through which the base portion of the additional plastic clamp can be inserted in a snap-fit ​​manner to mount the additional plastic clamp to the mounting bracket. Providing two plastic clamps may facilitate attaching an object to the mounting bracket in a snap-fit ​​manner. The plastic clamp and the additional plastic clamp may be positioned on opposite sides of each other when mounted to the mounting bracket.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the opening of the mounting bracket may be provided in a peripheral portion of the mounting bracket. This allows easy access to the plastic clamp for attaching and detaching an object from the mounting bracket.

[0019] According to another embodiment, the system may include an object that can be attached to a mounting bracket through a snap-fit ​​connection with a plastic clamp in a mounted state. The object may be a camera unit.

[0020] According to another embodiment, the mounting bracket may be made of a metal material.

[0021] According to another embodiment, the connecting portion of the plastic clamp may be provided with a tab protruding from the connecting portion in the longitudinal direction of the plastic clamp. The tab may be used to detach an object attached to a mounting bracket through a snap-fit ​​connection with the plastic clamp.

[0022] In general, all terms used in the claims shall be interpreted according to their common meaning in the art unless specifically defined otherwise herein. Any reference to “one / one / the (a / an / the) [element, device, component, means, step, etc.]” ​​shall be openly interpreted to mean at least one example of such element, device, component, means, step, etc. unless specifically stated otherwise. Unless specifically stated otherwise, steps of any method disclosed herein do not need to be performed in the exact order disclosed. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0023] In addition to the above description, further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be better understood through the following non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, where the same reference numerals are used for similar elements, and the drawings are as follows: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a system intended to be mounted on a surface. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an object in the form of a camera unit of a system intended to be mounted on a surface and a mounting bracket. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plastic clamp for attaching an object to a mounting bracket. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a plastic clamp mounted on a mounting bracket. FIGS. 5a and 5b are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the snap-fit ​​mounting of a plastic clamp to a mounting bracket. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the extraction of the plastic clamp shown in FIG. 4 from the mounting bracket. FIGS. 7a and 7b are perspective views illustrating the separation of the plastic clamp shown in FIG. 4 from the mounting bracket. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0024] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and preferred embodiments are illustrated. However, the present invention may be embodied in various other forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments presented herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to convey the scope of the invention thoroughly and completely to those skilled in the art. The present invention is limited only by the wording of the appended claims.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, a system (1) intended to be mounted on a surface is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the system (1) is a camera device intended to be mounted on a surface such as a ceiling. The system can be arranged to be suitable for outdoor or indoor applications.

[0026] In FIG. 2, some components of the system (1) shown in FIG. 1 are shown in an exploded view. The components include a mounting bracket (10), a plastic clamp (30), and an object (20) in the form of a camera unit.

[0027] The mounting bracket (10) is configured to be attached to a surface, and may be provided with a screw hole (11) so that the mounting bracket (10) can be attached to the surface, for example, through a screw.

[0028] The above mounting bracket (10) may be made of metal or plastic. Metal may be the preferred material for the mounting bracket of a system suitable for outdoor applications.

[0029] The mounting bracket (10) further comprises an opening (12) into which a plastic clamp (30) can be inserted to mount the plastic clamp (30) to the mounting bracket (10). The opening (12) may be provided in a peripheral portion (13) of the mounting bracket (10).

[0030] The object (20) can be attached to the mounting bracket (10) through a snap-fit ​​connection with the plastic clamp (30) in a mounted state.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting bracket (10) has an additional opening (12) configured to accommodate an additional plastic clamp (30). The additional opening (12) may be provided in a peripheral portion (13) of the mounting bracket.

[0032] The above plastic clamp (30) and the additional plastic clamp (30) are arranged opposite each other when mounted on the mounting bracket (10).

[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the object (20) in the form of a camera unit can be attached to the mounting bracket (10) through a snap-fit ​​connection with an additional plastic clamp (30).

[0034] It will be understood that the above system (1) may further include plastic clamps additionally mounted on the mounting bracket (10), which may be configured for snap-fit ​​connection with the object (20).

[0035] Additionally, it may be understood that only one plastic clamp can be used to attach the object (20) to the mounting bracket (10). For example, after securing a part of the object (10) to the mounting bracket at the periphery opposite the plastic clamp, the object can be attached to the mounting bracket by pushing it upward so that the plastic clamp snaps into place with the object.

[0036] The above system (1) may include additional objects that can be attached to the mounting bracket (10) through snap-fit ​​coupling with one or more plastic clamps mounted on the mounting bracket. These additional objects may be, for example, a dome window.

[0037] Now, referring to FIG. 3, a plastic clamp (30) for the system described above is shown.

[0038] The plastic clamp (30) includes a base part (31) and a connecting part (32).

[0039] The above base portion (31) can be inserted into the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10) to mount the plastic clamp (30) to the mounting bracket (10).

[0040] The above connecting portion (32) is configured to snap-fit ​​connect with an object (20) that can be attached to a mounting bracket (10). More specifically, the connecting portion (32) includes a web (33) that extends in the longitudinal L of the plastic clamp (30). The web (33) has an upper protruding ridge (34). When the object (20) is attached to the mounting bracket (10), the upper protruding ridge (34) is configured to connect with the object so that the connecting portion (32) is deformed so that the object (20) can be snap-fit ​​connected.

[0041] The above connecting portion (32) also includes a tab (35) protruding from the connecting portion (32) along the longitudinal L of the plastic clamp (30). In the illustrated embodiment, the tab (35) is positioned on the top of the web (33). The tab (35) can be used to detach an object (20) from a mounting bracket (10). More specifically, the tab (35) can be manipulated to bend the connecting portion (32) of the plastic clamp (30) to enable the detachment of the object (20).

[0042] The base portion (31) includes two legs (36), each including a guide surface (37) and an L-shaped corner section (38). Each leg (36) has a longitudinally extended body comprising: a first portion (39) extending from a connecting portion (32) in the longitudinal L of the plastic clamp (30); a second portion (40) adjacent to the first portion (39) and extending at an acute angle relative to the first portion (39) to form a guide surface (37) and forming a bend (41) at the front end of the leg (36); and a third portion (42) adjacent to the second portion (40) and forming an L-shaped section (38).

[0043] The body extending in the longitudinal direction of each leg (36) may have a reinforced transition section (43) at the bend (41) between the first part (39) and the second part (40), that is, at the front end of the leg (36).

[0044] Each guide surface (37) provided on the second part (40) of each leg (36) is configured to be coupled with the mounting bracket (10) as the base part (31) of the plastic clamp (30) is inserted into the opening (12) provided in the mounting bracket (10), so that the leg (36) can be bent to enable snap-fit ​​mounting of the plastic clamp (30) to the mounting bracket (10).

[0045] Each L-shaped corner section (38) formed by the third part (42) of each leg (36) is configured to face each edge portion of the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10) when the plastic clamp (30) is mounted on the mounting bracket (10).

[0046] Now, referring to FIG. 4, a plastic clamp (30) mounted to a mounting bracket (10) in a snap-fit ​​manner is shown. More specifically, the plastic clamp (30) is mounted by inserting a base portion (31) into an opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10), which is described in more detail in FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b.

[0047] In FIG. 5a, the base portion (31) of the plastic clamp (30) is partially inserted into the opening (12), and the guide surface (37) of each leg (36) is joined with the mounting bracket (10) so that the legs (36) bend toward each other. As can be seen in the drawing, the base portion (31) has a width (W3) of the base portion (31) while the legs (36) are affected by bending toward each other, and the width (W3) of the base portion corresponds to the opening width (W2) of the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10).

[0048] In FIG. 5b, the base portion (31) is fully inserted into the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10), and the leg (36) is bent back to its original position, i.e., so that the plastic clamp (30) is snap-fit ​​mounted to the mounting bracket (10).

[0049] With the plastic clamp (30) mounted, the base portion (31) has a base portion width (W1) corresponding to an unaffected state, and the unaffected base portion width (W1) is larger than the opening width (W2) of the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10).

[0050] With the plastic clamp (30) mounted, the L-shaped corner section (38) of each leg (36) of the base part (31) is configured to face each edge part (14) of the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10).

[0051] The plastic clamp (30) is configured to prevent unintended separation from the mounting bracket (10). More specifically, the plastic clamp (30) is configured to prevent the base portion (31) from being completely extracted from the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10) in response to a pulling force applied to the plastic clamp (30), which is now explained with reference to FIG. 6.

[0052] As previously mentioned, each leg (36) includes an L-shaped corner section (38) facing each edge portion (14) of the opening (12) while the plastic clamp (30) is mounted. When a pulling force P is applied to the plastic clamp (30) to extract the plastic clamp (30) from the opening (12), the L-shaped corner section (38) engages with each edge portion (14), causing the leg (36) to rotate under elastic deformation of the leg (36) around each axis defined by each L-shaped corner section (38). When the leg (36) rotates around each axis in elastic deformation, it is configured so that the legs come into contact with each other, thereby restricting further rotation and preventing further extraction of the base portion (31). The reinforced transition section (43) of each leg (36) promotes controlled deformation of the leg (36) so that the legs (36) come into contact with each other in a desired manner.

[0053] Accordingly, the legs (36) of the base portion (31) are configured to undergo controlled elastic deformation in response to a force P applied to extract the plastic clamp (30) from the opening (12) of the mounting bracket (10), so that the legs (36) come into contact with each other, thereby preventing further extraction. This prevents the plastic clamp (30) from being unintentionally separated from the mounting bracket (10). The force P to extract the plastic clamp (30) may be applied directly to the plastic clamp (30), or it may be applied indirectly, for example, by applying a pulling force to an object attached to the mounting bracket.

[0054] It can be understood that the above plastic clamp (30) can be intentionally separated from the mounting bracket (10) by pressing the legs (36) toward each other and then pushing the base portion (31) out of the opening (12), as illustrated in FIG. 7a and 7b.

[0055] It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Accordingly, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the invention, which are exclusively defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

Claim 1 A system intended for mounting on a surface, the system comprises a mounting bracket configured to be attached to a surface and a plastic clamp having a base portion and a connecting portion, the mounting bracket having an opening into which the plastic clamp can be mounted on the mounting bracket by inserting the base portion of the plastic clamp in a snap-fit ​​manner, the connecting portion of the plastic clamp being configured to be coupled in a snap-fit ​​manner with an object attachable to the mounting bracket, the base portion of the plastic clamp including two legs extending from the connecting portion in a mutually non-connected manner, each leg including a guide surface and an L-shaped corner section, the guide surface being configured to be coupled with the mounting bracket when the base portion of the plastic clamp is inserted into the opening, and the L-shaped corner section being configured to face the edge portion of the opening when the base portion of the plastic clamp is received in the opening in a snap-fit ​​manner, each leg of the base portion including a longitudinally extended body, the body comprising: a first portion extending in the longitudinal L of the plastic clamp from the connecting portion; A second part forming the guide surface, adjacent to the first part and extending at an acute angle with respect to the first part to form a bend in the front portion of the leg;A system comprising a third part that forms the L-shaped corner section and is adjacent to the second part, wherein the leg is configured such that when the guide surface is coupled with the mounting bracket, the base part can be inserted into the opening, and the L-shaped corner section of each leg engages with the respective edge portion of the opening when the base part is extracted from the opening while the plastic clamp is mounted, thereby causing the leg to rotate in an elastically deformed state around an axis defined by the L-shaped corner section, and wherein the legs come into contact with each other when rotating around their respective axes in an elastically deformed state, thereby restricting further rotation and preventing further extraction of the base part. Claim 2 In claim 1, the body extending in the longitudinal direction of each leg has a reinforced transition section between the first part and the second part, a system. Claim 3 A system according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has a width (W1) of the base portion in an unaffected state, the opening has an opening width (W2), and the width (W1) of the base portion in an unaffected state is greater than the opening width (W2). Claim 4 A system according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has a width (W3) of the base portion in a state where the legs are bent toward each other when the base portion of the plastic clamp is inserted into the opening, the opening has an opening width (W2), and the width (W3) of the base portion in the state where it is affected matches the opening width (W2). Claim 5 A system according to claim 1, further comprising an additional plastic clamp, wherein the mounting bracket is provided with an additional opening through which the additional plastic clamp can be mounted to the mounting bracket by inserting the base portion of the additional plastic clamp in a snap-fit ​​manner. Claim 6 In paragraph 5, the system wherein the plastic clamp and the additional plastic clamp are positioned on opposite sides when mounted on the mounting bracket. Claim 7 In claim 1, the system wherein the opening of the mounting bracket is provided in a peripheral portion of the mounting bracket. Claim 8 A system according to claim 1, further comprising an object attachable to the mounting bracket through a snap-fit ​​connection with the plastic clamp while the plastic clamp is mounted. Claim 9 In paragraph 8, the above object is a system that is a camera unit. Claim 10 In claim 1, the system, wherein the mounting bracket is made of metal. Claim 11 A system according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion of the plastic clamp has a tab protruding from the connecting portion in the longitudinal L of the plastic clamp. Claim 12 delete

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