Mounting arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a mounting or an attachment arrangement for fastening an operating device (2) with a body part (2a) to a structure, where the arrangement includes a mounting frame (1) to be attached to the structure, which has one or more fastening elements (3) arranged to secure the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) inside the mounting frame (1) using spring force and shape locking.

Description

[0001] MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT

[0002] The invention relates to a mounting or an attachment arrangement as defined in the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] The invention is particularly suitable for mounting various technical devices and components, such as luminaires, lamps, fire alarms, etc. , framelessly to different structures, such as suspended ceilings, walls, or other similar structures. The invention is well-suited, for example, for attaching fire alarms and recessed spotlights to the ceiling. All such technical devices, components, and the like are hereinafter collectively referred to as "operating device" in this application.

[0004] Solutions based on known technology rely on traditional materials, such as metal and plastic parts and / or metal springs and their combinations. The installation of frameless devices using solutions available on the market is generally labor-intensive and, therefore, time-consuming. Additionally, these products are typically complex and expensive .

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the above- mentioned drawbacks and to provide a novel attachment arrangement for mounting various technical devices to different structures. The goal is also to enable high-quality, quick installation and to offer an affordable, easy-to-use, and sturdy attachment solution for various suspended ceiling and wall structures, as well as other similar structures. The attachment arrangement according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is stated in the other claims.

[0006] The invention relates to an attachment arrangement for securing an operating device with a frame part to a structure. The arrangement includes a mounting frame that is attached to the structure, and one or more fastening elements designed to secure the operating device's frame part inside the mounting frame.

[0007] The primary advantages of the solution according to the invention are cost savings, installation speed, and ease of installation. Additionally, it is easy to detach the installed operating device, such as a luminaire, from the attachment .

[0008] The invention is described in more detail below using application examples with reference to the accompanying simplified and schematic drawings, in which: figure 1 shows an oblique side view of one embodiment of the attachment arrangement according to the invention. figure 2 shows a side view of the attachment arrangement of Figure 1. figure 3 shows an oblique side view of another embodiment of the attachment arrangement according to the invention . figure 4 shows an oblique side view of mounting frames or installation frames from different embodiments of the invention. Figure 1 shows an oblique side view of one embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention. The arrangement includes a mounting frame (1) and an operating device (2) that is attached to it, such as a luminaire, fire alarm, or other technical device. The mounting frame (1) has one or more spring-like parts or protrusions, i.e. , fastening elements (3) (male part) , which attach or lock into a groove (4) (female part) in the operating device (2) . The mounting frame (1) is designed to be attached to a structure, such as a suspended ceiling, so that the mounting frame (1) is fitted into a prepared hole or similar and fastened to the structure with one or more screws. The wall of the mounting frame (1) has one or more mounting holes (5) for the screws. The mounting frame is made, for example, entirely of plastic, either by 3D printing or molding. Preferably, the mounting frame is made entirely from the same material, such as plastic, without different materials or loose attachable parts. The mounting frame (1) shown in Figure 1 is intended particularly for installation in multi-layer panel structures, such as CLT structures (Cross Laminated Timber) .

[0009] Operating devices (2) are generally made of metal and are designed to be attached to the suspended ceiling, wall, or other structure simply by pushing the cylindrical body of the operating device (2) into the mounting frame (1) , where it locks in place. Therefore, the operating device (2) , such as a luminaire, has a cylindrical body or body part (2a) , which is designed to fit into the mounting frame (1) . The components and wires of the operating device (2) can be housed inside the body part (2a) . The mounting frame (1) is, for example, a plastic, at least cylindrical-shaped piece on the inside, to which one or more spring-like fastening elements (3) are attached. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the mounting frame (1) is also cylindrical on the outside. The diameter of the mounting frame (1) is, for example, between 4 and 10 cm, the height between 2 and 7 cm, and the material thickness between 1 and 3 mm. The fastening elements (3) are made by cutting into the wall of the mounting frame (1) , forming a flangelike or tongue-like part, which is attached vertically at one end to the frame (1) and detached from the frame on its sides and the other end, or free end. A hook (3a) is also formed at the free end of the fastening element (3) , which extends inside the cylindrical inner surface of the mounting frame (1) . The edges of the hook (3a) , or at least the edge of the free end of the fastening element (3) , may also be rounded. The cut into the wall of the mounting frame (1) is made either completely through the wall or only from the inside surface, so that the cut does not go through the outer surface. The tongue-shaped fastening element (3) is, for example, about 1 cm wide and 1 cm high.

[0010] The material of the mounting frame (1) is appropriately flexible, and the fastening element (3) can be bent at least enough so that the edge of the hook (3a) at the free end moves to the level of the cylindrical inner surface of the mounting frame (1) . This happens when the body (2a) of the operating device (2) is pushed into the mounting frame (1) . At this point, the fastening elements (3) bend slightly outward, moved by the body part (2a) of the operating device, allowing the body part (2a) to move into the mounting frame ( 1 ) . The hooks (3a) of the fastening elements (3) in the mounting frame (1) engage with the groove (4) of the operating device (2) through the spring force of the fastening elements (3) . No force is required for installation. The operating device (2) is simply pushed into the mounting frame, causing one or more of the fastening elements' (3) hooks (3a) in the mounting frame (1) to enter the groove (4) of the operating device (2) , locking the operating device (2) into the mounting frame (1) . Thanks to the rounded edge of the hook (3a) , the hook (3a) fits more easily into the groove (4) than if it were not rounded.

[0011] The groove (4) is made on the outer surface of the cylindrical body part (2a) of the operating device (2) , running along its circumference. The groove (4) may extend around the entire circumference of the body part (2a) , or only part of it, i.e. , along a section of the circumference. There may also be multiple grooves (4) around the circumference of the body part (2a) , corresponding to a suitable section of the body part (2a) .

[0012] If the groove (4) is partial, i.e. , only covers part of the circumference, the groove (4) can be tapered, meaning the edges of the groove (4) are slanted, and the groove (4) deepens towards its center. In this case, the operating device (2) can be removed without force by first rotating it, which releases the hooks (3a) of the fastening elements (3) from the grooves (4) , allowing the operating device (2) to be pulled out without force.

[0013] The outer diameter of the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) is 0.1-1.0 mm smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting frame (1) , allowing the body part (2a) to fit snugly into the mounting frame (1) . If necessary, threads can be made on the inner surface of the body part (2a) to attach other components of the operating device (1) .

[0014] In this application, when it is stated that the fastening elements (3) of the mounting frame (1) engage with the groove (4) or grooves (4) of the operating device (2) , it means that the fastening elements (3) fit into the groove (4) or grooves (4) in such a way that the operating device (1) cannot move in the installation direction without external force, i.e. , vertically in a ceiling installation, or sideways in a wall installation perpendicular to the wall. The fastening elements (3) thus lock the operating device (1) in place through a combination of spring force and shape locking when the hooks (3a) of the fastening elements enter the groove (4) or grooves (4) of the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) . When it is stated in this application that the hook (3a) of the fastening element (3) locks into the groove (4) of the body part (2a) of the operating device, it means that the body part (2a) cannot move in the installation direction without external force. However, it is possible to rotate the operating device (1) at least slightly, causing the hooks (3a) to move within the groove or grooves (4) along the direction of the groove and possibly come out of the grooves if the grooves do not cover the entire circumference of the body part (2a) .

[0015] Figure 2 shows a side view of the mounting frame (1) in the arrangement according to the invention, into which the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) is fitted. In this embodiment, the fastening elements (3) of the mounting frame (1) are made so that adjacent fastening elements (3a) point in different directions. In Figure 2, two adjacent fastening elements (3) are visible, one pointing upwards and the other downwards. The free end of one fastening element is vertically below the centerline of the mounting frame (1) , and the free end of the other fastening element is vertically above the centerline of the mounting frame (1) •

[0016] Figure 3 shows an oblique side view of another embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention. In this em- bodiment, the mounting frame (1) has two wing-like fastening flanges (6) extending to the sides. This mounting frame is intended to be fitted and attached to a gypsum structure, with the fastening flanges being leveled into the gypsum structure. The operating device (2) , such as a luminaire, fire alarm, or other technical device, is designed to fit its body part (2a) into the mounting frame (1) , with the hooks (3a) of the spring-like fastening elements (3) in the mounting frame (1) engaging and locking into the groove (4) or grooves (4) of the body part (2a) .

[0017] Figure 4 shows an oblique side view of mounting frames from different embodiments of the invention. The mounting frames shown in Figure 4 all share a cylindrical inner surface, into which the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) is designed to fit, and the cylindrical part of the mounting frames has fastening elements (3) designed to lock into the groove (4) or grooves (4) of the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) , thereby securing the operating device (2) to the mounting frame.

[0018] From the bottom up, the first mounting frame in Figure 4 is suitable for installation in plasterboard, the second in acoustic wool (sprayed coating) , and the third in wooden paneling .

[0019] It is clear to a professional in the field that the different embodiments of the invention are not limited solely to the examples presented above but may vary within the scope of the claims presented below. For example, the mounting frame could be made of materials other than plastic, such as a suitable composite material .

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS1. An attachment arrangement for fastening an operating device (2) with a body part (2a) to a structure, where the arrangement includes a mounting frame (1) to be attached to the structure, characterized in that the mounting frame (1) has one or more fastening elements (3) arranged to secure the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) inside the mounting frame (1) using spring force and shape locking.

2. The attachment arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface of the mounting frame (1) and the outer surface of the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) are cylindrical and dimensioned such that the body part (2a) fits inside the mounting frame (1) .

3. The attachment arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer diameter of the body part (2a) of the operating device is 0.1-1.0 mm smaller than the inner diameter of the mounting frame (1) .

4. The attachment arrangement according to any of claims 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that the outer surface of the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) has one or more grooves (4) running along its circumference, and the fastening elements (3) of the mounting frame (1) are arranged to lock into these grooves.

5. The attachment arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that one or more of the grooves (4) extend over only part of the circumference of the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) .

6. The attachment arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the edges of one or more of the grooves (4) are slanted.

7. The attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each fastening element (3) of the mounting frame (1) includes a hook (3a) , which is arranged to lock into the groove (4) of the body part (2a) of the operating device (2) .

8. The attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall of the mounting frame (1) includes one or more mounting holes (5) , through which the mounting frame (1) is arranged to be attached to the structure by a fastening element such as a screw .

9. The attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting frame (1) is a single integral piece.

10. The attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting frame (1) is made of plastic.

11. The attachment arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting frame (1) is manufactured by 3D printing or molding.

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