AU2005100136A4

AU2005100136A4 - A housing

Info

Publication number: AU2005100136A4
Application number: AU2005100136A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Edwin Terry
Original assignee: HPM Industries Pty Ltd
Current assignee: HPM Industries Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-02-24
Filing date: 2005-02-15
Publication date: 2005-03-17
Anticipated expiration: 2013-02-15

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2B

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: H.P.M. INDUSTRIES PTY LTD UNIT 4,44-48 O'DEA AVENUE, WATERLOO NSW 2017 Edwin TERRY Griffith Hack, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, 6th Floor, 256 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A HOUSING Details of Associated Provisional Applications: 2004900897 Filed 24/02/2004 The following is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 2 A HOUSING Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a housing for holding an assembly such as a circuit breaker assembly, an electrical socket assembly or an electrical switch assembly.

Background of the Invention It is known to provide a housing for holding an assembly and which is attachable to a building structure.

However, during fixing of the housing to the building structure, it is difficult to fix the housing in a level orientation.

In the claims of this application and in the description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the words "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing for holding an assembly, said housing comprising a spirit level and means for holding the spirit level, the arrangement being such that during mounting of the housing relative to a building structure, the spirit level facilitates leveling of the housing prior to fixing of the housing relative to the building structure.

H:\jnelson\keep\speci\Innovation\P55915 A HOUSING INNOV.doc 15/02/05 3 In one arrangement, the spirit level is removably mounted relative to the housing. The means for holding the spirit level may include at least one resilient projection which may extend from at least one upstanding portion. The at least one upstanding portion may be substantially L-shaped and each upstanding portion may be provided with two resilient projections arranged to receive the spirit level therebetween.

In an alternative arrangement, the spirit level is fixedly mounted relative to the housing.

The housing may include a base portion and a removable cover portion, and the means for holding the spirit level may be located relative to the base portion such that during use when the cover portion is attached to the base portion, the spirit level is hidden from view.

The housing may be a surface mount housing or a flush mount housing.

The housing may be configured so as to hold one or more circuit breakers, one or more electrical sockets, one or more electrical switches, and so on.

Description of the Drawings The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with a portion of the housing cut away; and Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the cut away portion of the housing shown in Figure 1.

H:\jnelson\keep\speci\Innovation\P55915 A HOUSING INNOV.doc 15/02/05 4 Description of an Embodiment of the Present Invention Referring to the drawings, there is shown a housing 10 for holding an assembly, in this example one or more circuit breakers. However, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to housings configured so as to hold other types of assemblies, electrical or otherwise, such as electrical sockets, electrical switches, and so on.

The housing 10 is of flush mount type and includes a base portion, in this example in the form of a wall box portion 12 disposable during use in a cavity formed in a wall, and upper and lower skirt portions 14 and 16 respectively which during use sit on the wall above and below the cavity. However, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to other types of housing including surface mount type housings wherein the housing is fixed to a wall such that the housing is not disposed in a cavity.

The housing 10 further includes a cover portion 18 which is separable from the wall box portion 12, and means for receiving electrical circuit breakers (not shown). In this example, the means 20 for receiving electrical circuit breakers is in the form of a rib member 22 and a plurality of integral projections 24. The housing 10 also includes two doors 26.

Mounted on an inwardly facing surface of the wall box portion 12 behind the cover portion 18 is a spirit level 28, the spirit level being useable to ensure that the housing 10 is in a level orientation during fixing of the housing 10 to a building structure such as a wall.

In this example, the spirit level 28 is removably mounted to the housing using fixing means, in this example two Lshaped upstanding portions 30, each of which is provided H:\jnelson\keep\speci\nnovation\P55915 A HOUSING INNOV.doc 15/02/05 5 with two resilient projections 32. However, it will be understood that other arrangements are possible. For example, the spirit level 28 may be fixedly mounted to the housing 10, for example during the housing fabrication process so that the spirit level 28 is not removable from the housing During fixing of the housing 10 to a building structure such as a wall, the cover portion 18 is separated from the wall box portion 12 so that the spirit level 28 is visible by a user. The housing 10 is then manipulated so as to be disposed in a level orientation using the spirit level 28, and the housing 10 is fixed to the building structure, for example using screws. The cover portion 18 is then reattached to the wall box portion 12 in any suitable way, for example using complimentary snap-fit members, screws, and so on.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

H:\jnelson\keep\speci\Innovation\P55915 A HOUSING INNOV.doc 15/02/05

Claims

1. A housing for holding an assembly, said housing comprising a spirit level and means for holding the spirit level, the arrangement being such that during mounting of the housing relative to a building structure, the spirit level facilitates leveling of the housing prior to fixing of the housing relative to the building structure.

2. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spirit level is removably mounted relative to the housing.

3. A housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spirit level is fixedly mounted relative to the housing.

4. A housing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing comprises a base portion and a removable cover portion, and the means for holding the spirit level is located relative to the base portion such that during use when the cover portion is attached to the base portion, the spirit level is hidden from view. A housing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 15th day of February 2005 H.P.M. INDUSTRIES PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\jnelson\keep\speci\Innovation\P55915 A HOUSING INNOV.doc 15/02/05