EP1039238A2

EP1039238A2 - A mounting device

Info

Publication number: EP1039238A2
Application number: EP00200907A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thorleif Hageberg
Original assignee: Sigarth AB
Current assignee: Sigarth AB
Priority date: 1999-03-19
Filing date: 2000-03-14
Publication date: 2000-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-14
Also published as: PL193551B1; PL339071A1; CZ299838B6; ATE301806T1; SE522030C2; DE60021790T2; EP1039238B1; CZ2000976A3; DE60021790D1; SE9901013D0; EP1039238A3; SE9901013L

Abstract

A device for mounting a radiator (3) on a substrate (1) comprises an elongate rail (2), anchorage to the substrate, two bracket members and a spring (7). A first bracket member is disposed at a first end region of the rail and is designed for cooperation with a first region of the radiator (3) or an engagement member thereon. A second bracket member (4) is disposed at an opposite, second end region of the rail, and is designed for cooperation with a second region of the radiator (3) or an engagement member thereon. The second bracket member (4) is movable along the rail (2). The spring (7) biases the second bracket member (4) towards the first. The one end of the spring (7) is connected to the rail (2) and its other end is connected to a locking element (24) which is secured in the second bracket member (4). The locking element (24) is urgable against a first side of a wall included in the rail (2). The second bracket member (4) has an abutment member (12) which is disposed on the opposite side of the wall and which maintains the urging of the locking element (24) against the rail (2).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for mounting a radiator on a substrate and comprising an elongate rail designed for securing on the substrate, a first bracket member at a first end region of the rail and designed for cooperation with a first region of the radiator or a first engagement member disposed thereon, a second bracket member at an opposing, second end region of the rail and designed for cooperation with a second region of the radiator or a second engagement member disposed thereon, the second bracket member being movable along the rail towards and away from the first bracket member, and a spring for biasing the second bracket member towards the first.

BACKGROUND ART

EP 98850056 discloses a mounting device of the type intimated by way of introduction. This mounting device has an elongate rail which, in the normal case, is mounted vertically on a substrate. The lower end of the rail has an anchorage for a lower region of a radiator, while the upper end of the rail has an upper anchorage for retaining an upper region of the radiator. The upper anchorage is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the rail in an elongate slot in its upper end. The anchorage includes a plastic part engaging with the rail and a combined locking and engagement member which is accommodated interiorly in a recess in the plastic part and which engages with both the rail and with the radiator. The plastic part is spring biased in a downward direction.
The above-described construction functions well but is far too complicated and expensive in manufacture.
DE 297 15 031 U1 discloses a mounting device for a radiator. The construction according to this publication is extremely complicated and comprises a large number of small parts which make this mounting device so expensive in manufacture that it is less attractive.

PROBLEM STRUCTURE

The present invention has for its object to design the device intimated by way of introduction such that it may be realised with the least possible number of included parts so that the production price is therefore depressed. The present invention further has for its object to design the device in such a manner that it will be self-locking and eliminate any risk of play between the radiator and the mounting device. Finally, the present invention also has for its object to realise a device which prevents unintentional dismounting of the radiator.

SOLUTION

The objects forming the basis of the present invention will be attained if the device intimated by way of introduction is characterized in that the spring is connected to the rail with one end portion and is connected with an opposing end portion to a locking element secured in the second bracket member, that the locking element is, under the action of the spring, urgable against a first side of a wall included in the rail, and that the second bracket member has an abutment member disposed on the opposite, second side of the wall and designed for maintaining the urging of the locking element against the rail.
Further advantages will be attained if the device according to the present invention is also given one or more of the characterizing features as set forth in appended Claims 2 to 12.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with particular reference to the accompanying Drawings. In the accompanying Drawings:

Fig. 1: shows an upper region of a radiator and a mounting device according to the present invention, the mounting device being in its open state;
Fig. 2: is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 1, the mounting device being, however, in its state for fixedly retaining the radiator;
Fig. 3: is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 2 of a somewhat modified embodiment of the device according to the present invention;
Fig. 4: is a partial magnification of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5: is a partial magnification of Fig. 2;
Fig. 6: is a section taken along the section marking A-A in Figs. 2 and 5; and
Fig. 7: is a front elevation of an upper region of a rail included in the device according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 relates to a substrate such as a wall on which an elongate rail 2 oriented in the vertical direction is secured in a suitable manner. Reference numeral 3 relates to a radiator which is to be secured on the wall 1 by means of the device according to the present invention.
In the normal case, the rail 2 is oriented along a vertical line, but variations are also conceivable in which it is arranged with horizontal orientation.
In the lower end of the rail 2 (not shown in Fig. 1), the rail is provided with a first anchorage or bracket member which is designed for cooperation with a corresponding lower or first region of the radiator 3 or a lower engagement member specifically provided thereon. At the upper end of the rail 2, there is movably disposed an upper or second anchorage or bracket member 4 which is designed for cooperation with an upper or second region of the radiator 3 or an engagement member specifically provided thereon.
The upper bracket member 4 has, in its upper end, a hook 5 which, on mounting of the radiator 3, is disposed to grasp about an upper edge portion 6 of the radiator and urge this downwards so that a corresponding lower edge portion rests reliably in the lower bracket member.
The upper bracket member 4 is biased by means of a spring 7 in a downward direction, i.e. in a direction towards the lower or first bracket member. In Fig. 1, the device according to the present invention is shown in a state before the engagement of the hook 5 with the edge portion 6 of the radiator, while Fig. 2 shows the radiator in a state where it is fixedly clamped by the upper bracket member 4. The difference between the two states consists of a downwardly directed displacement of the upper bracket member 4 from Fig. 1 to Fig. 2 under the action of the spring 7.
Fig. 6 shows a section taken along the section line A-A in Figs. 2 and 5. It will be apparent from this Figure that the rail 2 has approximately U-shaped side portions 8 which are united with one another by the intermediary of an interjacent wall 9. The wall 9 has an outer, first surface and an inner, second surface facing towards the substrate 1 and located a distance from the substrate 1. It will further be apparent from the Figure that the second or upper bracket member 4 abuts against the outer or first side of the wall 9. In cross section, the bracket member 4 is approximately U-shaped and has two shanks 10 and 11 which are located in spaced apart relationship to one another and are approximately parallel with one another.
The bracket member 4 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the rail 2 and is interconnected with it, on the one hand via an abutment member 12 (whose function will be described in greater detail below) and, on the other hand, two retainer members 13 and 14, respectively. Both the abutment member 12 and the two retainer members 13 and 14 have narrow neck portions 15, 16 and 17, respectively. On the inner side of the wall 9 of the rail, i.e. in the space between the substrate 1 and the wall 9, the neck portions connect to wider heads 18, 19 and 20, respectively. All neck portions 15-17 are of a width which is slightly less than the width of a longitudinal groove 21 (Fig. 7) disposed in the upper end region of the rail 2. In addition, all heads 18-20 are wider than the groove 21 counting in the width direction of the rail. As a result of this arrangement, the second bracket member 4 will be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the rail 2 and the groove 21. It will be particularly apparent from Figs. 4 and 5 that the lengths of the different neck portions 15-17 are different. In this context it should be noted that the length of the neck portion 15 of the abutment member 12 approximately corresponds to the material thickness in the wall 9 of the rail. The neck portion 17 for the lower retainer member 14 has the same length. This implies that when there is engagement between the rail and the bracket member via the abutment member 12 and the lower retainer member 14, the bracket member 4 is held closely adjacent the outside of the wall 9 of the rail.
On the other hand, the centrally located retainer member 13 is of considerably greater length in its neck portion 16 than is the case for the abutment member 12 and the lowermost retainer ,member 14. On displacement of the retainer member 14 in an upward direction, i.e. away from the first bracket member, the abutment member 12 first disengages from the groove 21 of the rail. This entails, because of the longer neck portion 16, that the entire bracket member 4 may be tipped in a clockwise direction from the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 closely adjacent the rail 2 to the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 where there is a distance 22 between the outside of the wall 9 and the bracket member 4. In the position according to Figs. 1 and 4, the abutment member 12 rests on the upper end surface of the rail 2, whereby the abutment member is prevented from moving downwards under the action of the spring 7. On actuation of the bracket member 4 in a direction in towards the substrate 1, which, in Fig. 1, is illustrated by the abutment of the radiator 3 against edge surfaces 23 on the bracket member 4, the bracket member may be pivoted back in a counterclockwise direction to the original position where the neck portion 15 of the abutment member 12 once again fits into the groove 21 so that the bracket member 4 may thereby move downwards.
In order to lock the bracket member 4 against upward movement, i.e. away from the lower, first bracket member (not shown on the Drawings), the present invention includes a locking element 24 disposed in the second bracket member. The locking element 24 is designed as a one-way lock which is disposed to arrest movement of the upper bracket member 4 in an upward direction, but to permit movement in the opposite direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking element 24 is flat shaped and is pivotally secured in the bracket member 4 between its two shanks 10 and 11. In such instance, the locking element 24 is pivotal about an axis 25 (Fig. 6) which, in the normal mounting position of the device according to the present invention, is horizontal and preferably at right angles to the two shanks 10 and 11. Further, the axis 25 is parallel with the wall 9 of the rail 2 and is transversely directed in relation to the longitudinal direction of the rail.
The locking element 24 has an anchorage 26 for an upper end of the spring 7, while the lower end of the spring is accommodated in an aperture 27 in the wall 9 of the rail. Hereby, the spring biasing in a downward direction imparted to the bracket member 4 is realised through the locking element 24 pivotally secured in the bracket member.
As is most clearly apparent from Figs. 5 and 6, the locking element 24 is urged under the action of the spring 7 towards the outer surface of the wall 9 of the rail. It will also be apparent from Fig. 5 that the edge 28 of the locking element 24 abutting against the rail 2 is located at a greater distance from the lower, first bracket member than is the case for the pivot axis 25 of the locking element. If an attempt is made to displace the locking element biased in a downward direction in the opposite direction upwards by the action of the bracket member 4, this will merely result in the edge 28 being urged even harder into abutment against the rail. In order to realise this, the distance between the edge 28 and the pivot axis 25 is greater than the distance between the pivot axis 25 and the outside of the wall 9 of the rail (in the state illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5).
For the abutment of the locking element 24 against the wall 9 of the rail 2 to be possible, the bracket member 4 has an aperture (not shown on the Drawings) through which the locking element may extend.
As an alternative to the flat-shaped locking element 24, an eccentric roller or a sector of such a roller is conceivable, which is pivotal about an axis analogous with the axis 25 and which is coupled to the spring 7. In such instance, the roller is designed in such a manner that it strives under the action of the spring to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot axis analogous with the axis 25. Such a direction of rotation also results in the radius of the roller increasing with the rotation. Further, the friction which occurs between the roller and the front side of the wall 9 of the rail on upwardly directed movement of the bracket member 4 will strive to rotate the roller in a counterclockwise direction.
In yet a further alternative embodiment, the locking element may be in the form of a leaf spring rigidly secured in the bracket member 4 and provided with a flexible or resilient portion and which has an end portion facing towards the rail whose direction approximately corresponds with the direction of the locking element 24 in Fig. 5 and which resiliently abuts against the rail.
As was mentioned above, the sprig biased urging of the locking element against the outside of the wall 9 prevents any possibility of upward movement of the upper bracket member 4, i.e. it is impossible, by lifting the bracket member 4 or the radiator 3, to dismount the radiator from the device according to the present invention. In order to make for dismounting, at least one of the shanks 10 and 11 of the bracket member 4 has an aperture 29 through which the edge 28 of the locking element 24 abutting against the wall 9 may be lifted free from the wall 9 by means of a catch-shaped dismounting tool.
As an alternative to the illustrated positioning of the spring 7, it is also possible to dispose the spring 7 in the space between the substrate 1 and the inside of the wall 9 of the rail 2. In this embodiment, the locking element 24 has an extension which extends through the groove 21 of the rail and which supports an anchorage for the upper end of the spring 7.

Claims

A device for mounting a radiator (3) on a substrate (1) and comprising: an elongate rail (2) designed for securing on the substrate; a first bracket member at a first end region of the rail and designed for cooperation with a first region of the radiator or a first engagement member disposed thereon; a second bracket member at an opposing, second end region of the rail and designed for cooperation with a second region of the radiator or a second engagement member disposed thereon, the second bracket member being movable along the rail towards and away from the first bracket member; and a spring (7) for biasing the second bracket member towards the first, characterized in that the spring (7) is connected to the rail (2) with one end portion and is connected with an opposing end portion to a locking element (24) secured in the second bracket member (4); that the locking element is, under the action of the spring, urgable against a first side of a wall (9) included in the rail; and that the second bracket member (4) has an abutment member (12) disposed on the opposite, second side of the wall (9) and designed for maintaining the urging of the locking element against the rail.
The device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the locking element (24) is a one-way lock which is disposed to arrest movement of the second bracket member (4) away from the first bracket member, but to permit movement in the opposite direction.
The device as claimed in any of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking element (24) is pivotally or rotatably secured in the second bracket member (4).
The device as claimed in any of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the locking element (24) is rigidly secured in the second bracket member (4) and is provided with a flexible or resilient portion.
The device as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the locking element (24) is flat-shaped and pivotally connected to the second bracket member (4) with a pivot axis (25) which is located a distance from the first surface of the rail (2) facing towards the second bracket member (4) which is substantially parallel therewith and is transversely directed in relation to the longitudinal direction of the rail (2).
The device as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the locking element (24) is of a length from its pivot axis (25) to its edge (28) urgable against the rail (2) which is greater than the distance from the pivot axis to the first surface of the rail facing towards the second bracket member.
The device as claimed in any of Claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the locking element (24) has, between its edge (28) designed for urging against the rail (2) and its pivot axis (25), an anchorage (26) for the spring (7).
The device as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the second bracket member (4) has, in addition to the abutment member (12), also two retainer members (13, 14) which are disposed on the other side of the wall (9) of the rail (2) and which are operative to retain the second bracket member (4) at the rail also when the abutment member (12) has been brought by displacement of the second bracket member (4) away from the first member, out of engagement with the other side of the wall of the rail.
The device as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that the wall (9) of the rail (2) is located a distance from the substrate (1); that the wall (9), at the end of the rail (2) facing away from the first bracket member, has an elongate slot (21) through which extend neck portions (15-17) on both the abutment member (12) and the retainer members (13, 14); and that the abutment member and the retainer members have heads (18-20) which are wider than the slot (21) on the other side of the wall (9).
The device as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that the abutment member (12) has a greater distance to the first bracket member than the two retainer members (13, 14).
The device as claimed in Claim 10, characterized in that the retainer member (13) located most proximal the abutment member (12) has a longer neck portion (16) than the abutment member (12), whose neck portion (15) is of a length which but insignificantly exceeds the material thickness in the wall (9) of the rail (2).
The device as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 11, characterized in that the second bracket member (4) has two shanks (10, 11) disposed in spaced apart relationship to one another and between which the locking member (24) is disposed such that its pivot axis (25) is substantially at right angles to the shanks; and that at least the one shank has an aperture (29) via which the locking element (24) is actuable in a direction away from its position urged against the wall (9) of the rail (2).