AU2007214366B2

AU2007214366B2 - Electrical appliance wall mounting

Info

Publication number: AU2007214366B2
Application number: AU2007214366A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Douglas John Gwatkin
Original assignee: CDB MEDIA Ltd
Current assignee: CDB MEDIA Ltd
Priority date: 2006-09-01
Filing date: 2007-09-03
Publication date: 2011-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2027-09-03
Also published as: NZ549660A; AU2007214366A1

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT, 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC NEW ZEALAND HOLDINGS LIMITED Actual Inventor: JOHN DOUGLAS GWATKIN Address for service in A J PARK, Level 11, 60 Marcus Clarke Street., Canberra ACT Australia: 2601, Australia Invention Tide: Electrical Appliance Wall Mounting The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to the mounting of an electrical appliance, and particularly to the mounting of an electrical appliance on a wall. The mounting provides both mechanical support and electrical connection for the appliance. In one application the invention relates to wall mounting of a domestic electrical appliance, and particularly an electric heater. BACKGROUND Domestic electrical appliances are sometimes permanently wired to the electrical supply rather than connected to a wall-mounted socket outlet by a dis-connectable cable-mounted plug. This is often the case with appliances presenting heavy electrical loads or appliances located in wet areas, such as bathrooms or laundries, or other locations not provided with wall-mounted socket outlets. Examples of appliances that may be permanently w hired include laundry washing machines, bathroom heaters, dishwashers, and cooking appliances such as ovens, stoves, and cook-tops. The permanently wired appliances must be connected and dis-connected only by an electrician or other authorised person, and therefore should not be removed or replaced by a non-authorised persons such as an owner or occupier. For example, if the appliance is faulty, it cannot be removed by the non-authorised person for off-site repair. Reference to any prior art in this specification does not constitute an admission that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge, SUMMARY OF INVENTION An object of at least one embodiment of the invention is to provide a mounting arrangement for an electrical appliance or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. In a first aspect the invention may be broadly said to be an electric appliance and a mounting plate wherein: the mounting plate has a rear side for mounting against a surface, and a front side opposite the rear side, the appliance has a rear side, -3 the rear side of the appliance and the front side of the mounting plate have complementary mechanical engagement devices by which the rear side of the appliance can be engaged with the front side of the mounting plate to hold the appliance in supportive engagement on the mounting plate, the mechanical engagement devices including one or more L-shaped lugs on one of the mounting plate and the appliance and one or more cooperating apertures on the other of the mounting plate and the appliance, such that the appliance can be mounted to the mounting plate by alignment of the engagement devices, movement of the appliance relative to the mounting plate in a first direction and subsequent movement of the appliance relative to the mounting plate in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the mounting plate has electrical terminals for electrical connection to a supply of electricity, and the appliance has electrical terminals which electrically connect respectively to the electrical terminals of the mounting plate when the appliance is held in supportive engagement on the mounting plate, this electrical connection being formed when the appliance is moved in the second direction. Preferably the electric appliance is an electric heater. Optionally the electric heater is a fan heater. Preferably the surface is a wall surface. Preferably the complementary mechanical engagement devices include a lug on one of the mounting plate and the appliance, and an aperture on the other of the mounting plate and the appliance, and the lug is engaged in the aperture when the appliance is held in said supportive engagement on the mounting plate. Preferably the lug is at the front side of the mounting plate and the aperture is at the rear side of the appliance. Preferably the lug is L-shaped with a proximal limb of the lug extending forwardly from the front side of the mounting plate and a distal limb of the lug extending from the proximal limb in a direction that is substantially parallel to the mounting plate, the aperture is provided in a rear-facing outer wall at the rear side of the appliance, and the aperture is dimensioned to accept the lug within the aperture. Preferably the distal limb of the L-shaped lug extends upwardly from the proximal limb of the lug. Preferably an edge of the aperture contacts a surface of the proximal limb of the U-shaped lug and the distal limb of the h-shaped lug extends inside of the rear-facing outer wall of the appliance when the appliance is held in said supportive engagement on the mounting plate.

-4 Preferably an upper edge of the aperture bears downwardly on an upper surface of the proximal limb of the L-shaped lug and the distal ]inb of the L-shaped lug extends upwardly inside of the rear-facing outer wall of the appliance when the appliance is held in said supportive engagement on the mounting plate. Preferably the mounting plate is for attachment to a wall, with the rear side of the mounting plate against a vertical surface of the wall and the electrical terminals of the mounting plate.connected to the supply of electricity, and wherein the appliance can be held in said supportive engagement by sequentially aligning the aperture in the rear-facing outer wall of the appliance directly forward of the L shaped lug at the front side of the mounting plate, moving the appliance rearwardly toward the mounting plate to engage the lug inside the aperture, moving the appliance downwardly thereby bringing the upper edge of the aperture into load bearing contact with the upper surface of the proximal limb of the L-shaped lug. Preferably the mounting plate has a front-facing outer wall at the front side of the mounting plate and the electrical terminals of the mounting plate are located behind the front-facing wall. Preferably the electrical terminals of the appliance are each L-shaped with a proximal limb of each L shaped terminal extending rearwardly from the rear-facing outet wall at the rear side of the appliance and a distal limb of each L-shaped terminal extending from the proximal portion in a direction that is substantially parallel to the rear side of the appliance, at least one aperture is provided at one end of the front-facing wall at the front side of the mounting plate for accepting the distal limbs of the L-shaped terminals. Preferably the distal limbs of the L-shaped terminals extend downwardly from the corresponding proximal limbs of the L-shaped terminals. Preferably the distal limbs of the L-shaped terMinals extend downwardly behind the front-facing wall at the front side of the mounting plate when the appliance is held in said supportive engagement on the mounting plate. H I4485_1.0CC -5 The invention may father be said to consist in any alternative combination of parts or features mentioned herein or shown in the accompanying drawings. Known equivalents of these parts or features which are not expressly set out are nevertheless deemed to be included. The term 'comprising' as used in this specification means 'consisting at least in part of', that is to say when interpreting statements in this specification which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments and methods of utilising the invention will be further described, with reference to the accompanying figures, by way of example only and without intending to be limiting, wherein; Figure 1 shows a front view of a mounting plate; Figure 2 shows a rear view of an electric heater; Figure 3 shows a rear view of the heatet of Figure 2 partially engaged with the mounting plate of Figure I; Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the partially engaged heater and plate as seen at line 4-4 of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the partially engaged heater and plate as seen at line 5-5 of Figure 3; Figure 6 shows a rear view of the heater of Figure 2 fully engaged with the mounting plate of Figure 1; Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the fully engaged heater and plate as seen at line 7-7 of Figure 6; H 144831.Do)C ~ 6 Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the fully engaged heater and plate as seen at line 8-8 of Figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 shows a front view of a mounting plate 10. The mounting plate has four slotted holes 12, arranged near respective comers of the plate, for securing the mounting plate to a surface. In one application of the invention, the mounting plate is attached to a vertical internal wall surface of a dwelling by fitting threaded screw fasteners (not shown) through the slotted holes and into the wall stnictute. The mounting plate has four L-shaped lugs 14 for engaging and supporting an appliance when fitted to the mounting plate. An electrically insulative connector block 16 (shown in the rear views of Figures 3 and 6) houses two female electrical terminals behind a front-facing wall 18 at the front side 20 of the mounting plate. A cantilevered tongue 22 extends into an aperture 24 at the front side 20 of the mounting plate. A ramped projection 26 on the tongue extends forwardly from the front face of the tongue. Figure 2 shows a view of the rear side of a fan heater 30. The heater has a fan 31 which draws external air into inlet grilles 32, and blows the air over an electrical resistance heating element 33 (Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8) and out through an exhaust grille 34. The heater has a rear wall 35, and a recessed wall 36 in a recess at the rear side of the heater. The rear wall 35 extends around the peritnctcr of the recess. The mounting plate 10 fits within the recess at the rear side of the heater 30 when the heater is fitted to the plate, thereby allowing the heater to overlie and substantially conceal the mounting plate. This may be best seen in the cross-sectional views of Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8. Four primary apertures 37 in the recessed wall 36 are arranged to correspond to the arrangement of the four complementary L-shaped lugs 14 of the mounting plate, so that the lugs 14 can be simultaneously engaged in respective primary apertures 37, H I44L1-DOC -7 Two mutually parallel male electrical terminals 38 extend rearwardly from the recessed wall 34 at the rear side of the heater. These terminals each have a distal limb 38A which extends from a proximal limb 38B in an L-shaped configuration. Connection of an electrical supply for operation of the heater is made via the two electrical terminals 38, as will be explained further below. An aperture 40 in the recessed wall 36 receives the projection 26 of the tongue 22 to lock the heater in a fully engaged position on the mounting plate, as will be explained further below. Figure 3 shows a rear view of the heater of Figure 2 partially engaged with the mounting plate of Figure 1, prior to full engagement of the heater to the plate. Figures 4 and 5 show cross-sectional views of the heater partially engaged with mounting plate. These cross-sectional views are as seen respectively at lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Figure 3. Figure 6 shows a rear view of the heater of Figure 2 fully engaged with the mounting plate of Figure 1. Figures 7 and 8 show cross-sectional views of the heater fully engaged heater with the mounting plate. These cross-sectional views are as seen respectively at lines 7-7 and 8-8 of Figure 6. To help with a ready understanding of the invention, the following explanation will refer to the heater and mounting plate as shown in Figures 3 to 8 as if located in one preferred orientation in which the mounting plate is fastened to a vertical wall surface. However, the invention is not limited to this particular orientation. The terms "up" and "down", "front" and "back", and "forward" and "backward", and the like, will be readily understood with reference to the wall mounting of the heater as described with reference to Figures 3 to 8. "Front" and "forward" are to be understood as being away from the wall surface whereas "back" and "backward" are to be understood as toward the wall surface Figures 3 and 6 show rear views of the heater and mounting plate as would be seen looking forwardly in a direction perpendicularly out from the wall surface. Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8 show views of the heater and mounting plate as would be seen looking in a horizontal direction parallel to the wall surface. The wall surface is represented in these figures by broken lines 42-42. i 1JLI.xC -8 The electrical terminals of the connector block 16, accessible at the rear side of the mounting plate 10, are connected to electrical supply conductors (not shown). As is well known, the electrical supply conductors are usually located in a cavity of the wall and brought though an exit aperture in the wall lining. Alternatively, suitable electrical supply conductors may be carried outside the wall surface, through a protective conduit or capping. The mounting plate 10 is placed over the exit aperture and fastened to the wall surface, thereby conceal the connection of the electrical supply conductors to the connector block The mounting plate is fastened to the wall by screwing threaded screws or other suitable fasteners (not shown) through the four slotted holes 12 and preferably into a framing member, or other substantial wall structure, behind the wall surface. The heater 30 is fitted to the mounting plate 10 by first placing the heater over the mounting plate in the partially engaged position shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 with each of the L-shaped lugs 14 of the mounting plate located in a respective primary aperture 37 in the recessed wall 36 at the rear side of the beater. In this position, secondary apertures 44 (Figure 5) in the recessed wall 36 are aligned with, and positioned adjacent, upwardly-extending distal limbs 14A of the L-shaped lugs 14. Downwardly extending distal limbs 38A of the electrical terminals 38 of the heater are aligned with, and positioned adjacent, the electrical terminals in the connector block 16 which is located behind the front facing wall 18 of the mounting plate 10. The two alignments described in the immediately preceding paragraph are readily achieved by moving the heater 30 backward onto the mounting plate 10 with the lugs 14 in the primary apertures 37 until portions 46 of the recessed wall 36 of the heater make contact with corresponding surface portions 48 of the mounting plate at the front side 20 of the mounting plate. The heater can then be moved downward into the fully engaged position shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 with the distal portions 14A of the L-shaped lugs 14 of the mounting plate located in the secondary apertures 44 in the recessed wall 36 at the rear side of the heater. In the fully engaged position, the upper edges of the apertures 37 in the recessed wall at the rear side of the heater contact and bear down on respective upper surfaces of the proximal portions 14B of the L-shaped lugs 14 to support and carry the weight of the heater on the mounting plate. In the fully engaged position, the upwardly-extending distal limbs 14A of the 1-shaped lugs are located in front of the recessed wall 36, thereby preventing the heater from being moved fotwardly, away from -9 the wall, without first being lifted upward off the lgs. This requirement for sequential movements (of the heater relative to the mounting plate) in two different directions before the heater can be removed from the mounting plate provides a secure mechanical engagement between the heater and mounting plate. In the preferred vertical wall mounting orientation being discussed with reference to Figures 3 to 8, the weight of the heater acts to maintain the heater on the mounting and helps to resist dislodgement such as might otherwise occur by vibration of the heater, for example when the heater fan is operating. The engagement of the heater to the mounting plate is further secured by engagement of the projection 26 on tongue 22 of the mounting plate in the aperture 40 in the recessed wall 36 at the rear side of the heater. During the downward movement of the heater on the mounting plate, engagement of a ramp on the projection deflects the tongue backwardly against resilience inherent in the cantilevered tongue, When the projection 26 is aligned with the aperture 40, the tongue 22 snaps forward to move the projection into the aperture 40 when the heater is in the fully engaged position on the mounting plate When the heater is to be removed from the mounting plate, the tongue 22 is moved rearwardly to disengage the projection 26 from the aperture 40 to allow the heater to be move upwardly and off the mounting plate. During the downward movement of the heater into the fully engaged position on the mounting plate, the male electrical terminals 38 of the heater move downward into the connector block 16 to contact respective female terminals of the connector block and complete electrical connection of the electrical supply from the mounting plate to the heater. This electrical contact is only made on the final downward movement of the heater, after the heater and mounting block terminals have already been fully concealed behind the heater. Correspondingly, when the heater is removed from the mounting block, the electrical contact between the respective terminals of the heater and mounting block is broken by the first upward movement of the heater, while the heater is still overlying the mounting plate and still fully concealing the terminals. This provides for safe installation and removal of the heater, even if the electrical supply to the mounting block is not turned off. 11144R_1.DOC -10 Safety can be further enhanced by concealing the female electrical terminals of the connector block 16 behind apertures (not shown) that are dimensioned to accept the male electrical terminals 38 of the heater but are too small to be direcdy accessible to direct human contact, such as by a finger. The invention described allows a wall-mounted appliance to be easily and safely removed by lay persons; for example, for delivery of the appliance to a repair facility, or for repainting or repapeting the wall surface behind the appliance, or for replacing the appliance with another adapted for mounting to the same mounting plate. All these operations can be performed safely, even by untrained lay persons, and even with the electrical power to the mounting plate turned on. This latter aspect is achieved by the tenninal The foregoing describes the invention with reference to a preferred embodiment Alterations and modifications as will be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated within the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims. For example, although the preferred embodiment described above is a heater, the invention can be used for mounting other electrical appliances. For example, light fittings. The electrical connection described can be used for other than supply of electrical power to an appliance. For example the electrical connection could be for a signal such as data, audio, or the like. For example, the appliance may be an alarm siren or a sensor for a security system, or a loudspeaker for an audio system. 11144931.Dc:

Claims

1. An electric appliance and a mounting plate wherein: the mounting plate has a rear side for mounting against a surface, and a front side opposite the rear side, the appliance has a rear side, the rear side of the appliance and the front side of the mounting plate have complementary mechanical engagement devices by which the rear side of the appliance can be engaged with the front side of the mounting plate to hold the appliance in supportive engagement on the mounting plate, the mechanical engagement devices including one or more L-shaped lugs on one of the mounting plate and the appliance and one or more cooperating apertures on the other of the mounting plate and the appliance, such that the appliance can be mounted to the mounting plate by alignment of the engagement devices, movement of the appliance relative to the mounting plate in a first direction and subsequent movement of the appliance relative to the mounting plate in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the mounting plate has electrical terminals for electrical connection to a supply of electricity, and the appliance has electrical terminals which electrically connect respectively to the electrical terminals of the mounting plate when the appliance is held in supportive engagement on the mounting plate, this electrical connection being formed when the appliance is moved in the second direction.

2. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to claim 1 wherein a first one of the lugs is at the front side of the mounting plate and a cooperating first aperture is at the rear side of the appliance.

3. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to claim 2 wherein the first lug has a proximal limb of the first lug extending forwardly from the front side of the mounting plate and a distal limb of the first lug extending from the proximal limb in a direction that is substantially parallel to the mounting plate, the cooperating first aperture is provided in a rear-facing outer wall at the rear side of the appliance, and the cooperating first aperture is dimensioned to accept the first lug within the first aperture.

4. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to claim 3 wherein the distal limb of the first lug extends upwardly from the proximal limb of the first lug.

5. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to claim 4 dimensioned such that an edge of the cooperating first aperture contacts a surface of the proximal limb of the first lug and the distal limb of the -12 first lug extends inside of the rear-facing outer wall of the appliance when the appliance is held in said supportive engagement on the mounting plate.

6. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to claim 5 dimensioned such that an upper edge of the cooperating first aperture bears downwardly on an upper surface of the proximal limb of the first lug and the distal limb of the first lug extends upwardly inside of the rear-facing outer wall of the appliance when the appliance is held in said supportive engagement on the mounting plate.

7. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the mounting plate is adapted for attachment to a wall, with the rear side of the mounting plate against a vertical surface of the wall and the electrical terminals of the mounting plate connected to the supply of electricity, and wherein the appliance can be engaged with the mounting plate to be held in said supportive engagement by sequentially aligning the cooperating first aperture in the rear-facing outer wall of the appliance directly forward of the first lug at the front side of the mounting plate, moving the appliance in the first direction rearwardly toward the mounting plate to engage the first lug inside the first aperture, moving the appliance in the second direction downwardly thereby bringing the upper edge of the first aperture into load-bearing contact with the upper surface of the proximal limb of the first lug.

8. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to any preceding claim wherein the mounting plate has a front-facing outer wall at the front side of the mounting plate and the electrical terminals of the mounting plate are located behind the front-facing wall.

9. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to any preceding claim wherein the electrical terminals of the appliance are each L-shaped with a proximal limb of each L-shaped terminal extending rearwardly from the rear-facing outer wall at the rear side of the appliance and a distal limb of each L-shaped terminal extending from the proximal portion in a direction that is substantially parallel to the rear side of the appliance, at least one aperture is provided at one end of the front-facing wall at the front side of the mounting plate for accepting the distal limbs of the L-shaped terminals. - 13

10, An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to claim 9 wherein the distal limbs of the L-shaped terminals extend downwardly from the corresponding proximal limbs of the L-shaped terminals.

11 An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to claim 10 wherein the distal limbs of the L-shaped terminals extend downwardly behind the front-facing wall at the front side of the mounting plate when the appliance is held in said supportive engagement on the mounting plate.

12. An electric appliance and a mounting plate according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the electric appliance is an electric heater.

13. An electric appliance and a :mounting plate according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the electric heater is a fan heater.

14. An electric appliance and a mounting plate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings 9 11 LDC