FR2554305A1 - Device for fixing an electrical or electronic component to a thin wall and component fitted with this device - Google Patents

Abstract

A nut 1 is firmly and definitively joined, preferably by overmoulding, to a wall of an electronic component 7, for example around a projecting light-emitting diode 15, while a bush has a thread 4, which is introduced into a hole 12 drilled through a thin wall 11 and is stopped by a stop collar 5 of larger diameter, in order to be screwed into the nut 1.

Description

 The subject of the invention is a device for fixing an electrical or electronic component to a thin wall, such as that of an electrical or electronic device or that of a switchboard, this component may comprise, for example, a housing containing one or more electronic circuits, in particular integrated circuits. The invention also relates to any electrical or electronic component provided with this fixing device.

 Fixing devices are already known which have a similar role. For example, it is known to mount potentiometers on the front wall of radio devices by means of an externally threaded hollow rod, permanently secured to the potentiometer, onto which a free individual nut can be screwed. When mounting on a thin wall, we engage the hollow threaded rod externally in a hole drilled through this wall and we screw the independent nut on the free end of this rod, until it meets the front face of Wall.

 The device of the invention is distinguished from this conventional means by the fact that it takes squarely the opposite of the habit prevalent until now.

 According to the invention, the fixing device comprises a nut of any type but preferably a standard hexagon nut intended to be solidly and definitively joined to the housing of the electronic component an independent cylindrical socket threaded externally over a part of its length, from one end to a stop collar provided at its opposite end, is intended to be screwed inside the nut secured to the housing.

 Preferably, a diametrical slot is provided in the end face of the sleeve at its end where the stop collar is located.

 For mounting on a thin wall, a hole is drilled through it with a diameter allowing the threaded part of the bushing to be introduced.

 On a housing of an electrical or electronic component according to the invention, the nut is joined, preferably by overmolding, to a wall of this housing so as to form an integral part thereof.

We will now give, without limiting intention and without excluding any variant, a description of an exemplary embodiment. Reference is made to the appended drawing in which
- Figure 1 is a sectional view through a diametral plane of a device according to the invention, shown in the disassembled state
- Figure 2 is a partly sectional view showing the method of mounting an electronic component box on a thin wall using the device of the invention.

 Figure 1 shows a device according to the invention; it is composed of a nut 1, which is advantageously a standardized hexagon nut, one end face 2 of which could be used to fix it securely and definitively, for example by soldering or by gluing, to a housing of an electronic component , and a cylindrical sleeve 3 having an external thread 4 over most of its length.

 The thread 4 is designed to be screwed into the nut 1; it extends from one end of the sleeve 3 and it stops before reaching the opposite end so as to reveal a stop collar 5 with a larger outside diameter. It is preferable to provide in the end face of the sleeve 3, at its end where the stop collar 5 is located, a diametrical slot 6.

 When the housing 7 of an electronic component is made of molded plastic, as is common, the safest and most economical way to firmly and permanently fix the nut 1 is to insert it into the thickness d 'a wall, by overmolding, as can be seen in Figure 2. It is then preferable to provide in the side face of the nut 1 a groove 8 open to the outside which serves to anchor it in the molded plastic which makes up the housing 7.

The outer end face 9 of the nut 1 is then flush with the front end face 10 of the housing 7 and the nut 1 is an integral part of the latter.

 To fix this housing 7 to a thin wall 11, a hole 12 is drilled in it in which the part of the bushing 3 which carries the thread 4 can be inserted with slight play. The stop collar 5 does not penetrate in the hole 12 and it remains pressed against the external face 13 of the thin wall 11.

 Then, the socket 3 and the nut 1 are screwed together. The result is that the latter is firmly applied against the inner face 14 of the thin wall 11 as well as the front end face 10 of the housing 7.

 In the example described here, the electronic circuit comprises a light-emitting diode 15 projecting from the front end face 10 of the housing 7. In this case, the nut 1 advantageously surrounds the projecting diode 15. After mounting on a thin wall, the diode 15 is housed and sheltered inside the socket 3.

 The device of the invention provides the important advantage that all the boxes, all the components to be fixed to a thin wall are provided with the same nut 1, hence a complete standardization of their manufacture.

 The sockets 3 are manufactured in several lengths, in correspondence with the common thicknesses that the thin walls 9 which we are likely to have can have. If necessary, when a socket 3 proves to be too long, it is easy to reduce the length without having to touch the component itself.

 For an approach completely opposite to the conventional approach, the invention provides a device which is, in practice, more advantageous for the mass production of the components.

Claims (7)

 1. Device for fixing an electrical or electronic component to a thin wall, comprising a nut (1) and a socket (3) having an external thread (4) screwed into the nut (1), characterized in that that the nut (1) is intended to be firmly and definitively joined to a wall of a component and the external thread (4) of the sleeve (3) extends from one end of the latter up to a stop collar (5) located at the opposite end of this same bushing (3).  2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a diametrical slot (6) is formed in the end face of the sleeve (3) where the stop collar (5) is located.  3. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a groove (8) open to the outside is formed in the side face of the nut (1).  4. Electric or electronic component having a housing (7) intended to be fixed by a face (10) to a thin wall (11) by means of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that a nut (1) is joined firmly and definitively to the housing (7) to receive by screwing the sleeve (3) at the time of attachment to the thin wall (11).  5. Component according to claim 4 characterized in that the nut (1) is incorporated by molding on the wall of the housing (7) limited by said face (10).  6. Component according to claim 5 characterized in that one of the end faces (9) of the nut (1) is flush with said face (10) of the housing (7).  7. Component according to claim 4 having a light-emitting diode (15) projecting on one of its faces, characterized in that the nut (1) is joined to this face so as to surround the projecting diode (15) at least on part of its length.