GB2085229A

GB2085229A - Mounting/facia plate arrangements for electrical fittings

Info

Publication number: GB2085229A
Application number: GB8118133A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HPM Industries Pty Ltd
Current assignee: HPM Industries Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1980-10-09
Filing date: 1981-06-12
Publication date: 1982-04-21
Also published as: AU6691381A; AU527840B2

Abstract

A mounting/facia plate arrangement for electrical fittings such as wall or architrave switches and power outlets comprises a plastics mounting plate (10) which can be secured to a wall or architrave and to which an electrical switch or the like (11) can be mounted, and a facia plate (12) which is removably attached to the mounting plate (10). The facia plate (12) attaches to the mounting plate (10) in resilient engagement and is readily removable therefrom. The facia plate (12) is shaped and dimensioned to cover at least a major area of the mounting plate (10), is apertured to expose the electrical fitting (11) which is mounted to the mounting plate (10), and is provided with a decorative surface finish. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mounting/facia plate arrangement for electrical fittings This invention relates to a mounting/facia plate arrangement for electrical fittings. In particular, the invention relates to the combination of a mounting plate which is suitable for mounting electrical fittings such as switches, power outlets, indicator lamps, etc. to a wall or the like and a facia plate which can be removably fitted to the mounting plate.

The combination of a switch mounting plate and a removable facia for the mounting plate is already known. Thus, a number of manufacturers of electrical fittings currently market conventional plastics material switch mounting plates which are fitted with removable metal facia plates. The facia plates are formed from stainless steel or other metal and are attached to the switch mounting plate by screws.

Also, it is believed that further types of switch mounting plates are available which are provided with non-removable metal and/or plastics material facia plates, such facia plates being secured to the associated mounting plates by an adhesive.

The present invention provides a mounting/facia plate arrangement for electrical fittings, and which comprises a plastics material mounting plate which can be secured to a supporting structure and to which an electrical fitting can be mounted, and a facia plate for attachment to the mounting plate. The facia plate is shaped and dimensioned to cover at least a substantial area of the mounting plate, is formed with at least one aperture through which the electrical fitting is exposed when such electrical fitting is mounted to the mounting plate, and is arranged to couple with the mounting plate in resilient engagement whereby it is held captive to the mounting plate.

No screws are required and no adhesive need be employed to connect the facia plate to the mounting plate in the arrangement according to the present invention. Rather, the facia plate is pressed onto the mounting plate so as to resiliently engage with the mounting plate, and is removed from the mounting plate by prising the facia plate away from the mounting plate by use of a screwdriver or similar prising implement.

The facia plate is preferably formed from metal and it is intended that a range of facial plates be produced with different surface finishes. Thus, the facia plates may be produced in various colours and with various surface textures to suit different decors, and a purchaser of the facia/mounting plate combination may select a desired facia plate with a surface finish to meet aesthetic requirements. Also, the appearance of the arrangement may be altered during re-decoration of a room by simply replacing one facia plate with another having a different surface finish.

The facia plate may be formed from aluminium sheeting which is anodised to provide a required surface finish, for example, a satin silver or satin gold surface. Alternatively, the facia plate might be formed from a plastics material or from a vinyl covered metal. As a further alternative, the facia plate might be formed from metal having a synthetic wood-grain surface finish or from natural wood laminated onto a metal backing.

The mounting plate may be arranged and be sized for mounting to a supporting structure in the form of a wall, architrave, skirting board or the like and it would normally be formed with apertures through which mounting screws can be passed in the usual way. When the mounting plate is secured to its support structure, along with whatever electrical fitting is required, the mounting plate is covered, or largely covered, by the facia plate and the mounting screws are thereby concealed by the facia plate.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a switch mounting/facia plate arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 shows a sectional elevation view of the arrangementwhich is illustrated in Figure 1, with the facia plate being shown partially removed from the mounting plate, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of switch mounting/facia plate arrangement in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, Figure 4 shows a reverse-side view of the arrangement shown in Figures 3, and Figure 5 shows the arrangement which is illustrated in Figure 3 but with the facia plate removed from the mounting plate.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the switch mounting/facia plate arrangement comprises a mounting plate 10 which is moulded from polycarbonate material, an electrical fitting in the form of a light switch 11 which is attached to the rear of the mounting plate 10 in a conventional manner, and a facia plate 12.

The facia plate 12 is formed from anodised aluminium sheeting and it includes an aperture 13 which is shaped and located so as to expose the operating button 14 of the switch 11 when both the switch and the facia plate are fitted to the mounting plate 10.

The mounting plate 10 comprises a forward face portion 15, side walls 15 and end walls 17, the latter being arranged to be engaged by complementary projections 18 at each end of the facia plate 12. The inter-engagement of the facia plate 12 with the mounting plate 10 is illustrated in Figure 2.

In order to effect positive coupling of the facia plate 12 with the mounting plate 10, the end wall portions 17 of the mounting plate incline in a converging fashion in a direction away from the face portion 15 of the mounting plate and in a direction toward the axis X-X which is normal to the face portion 15 of the mounting plate. The corresponding end projections 18 of the facia plate are similarly inclined so that, once the facia plate is mounted to the mounting plate, the inclined end walls 17 of the mounting plate tend to resist removal of the facia plate from the mounting plate. However, if desired, the facia plate can be removed by prising it away from the mounting plate with a screwdriver 19, or other suitable implement, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The side wall portions 16 of the mounting plate project forwardly of the face portion 15 of the mounting plate and define a recess in which the facia plate 12 locates. Thus, the side wall portions 16 prevent lateral displacement of the facia plate 12 from the mounting plate 10.

The mounting plate 10 may be secured to a wall or similar structure by means of screws (not shown), for which a series of recessed apertures 20 are provided in the mounting plate. A group of three such apertures are provided above and below the region to which the switch 11 is mounted. Normally the central aperture of each group will be used for receiving mounting screws, for example, when the mounting plate 10 is being secured to a recessed wall wiring box, but the additional holes on either side are provided to meet various mounting requirements.

Reference is now made to Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings which show an arrangement which is similar to that which has been described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Thus, the arrangement of Figures 3 to 5 comprises a mounting plate 30 which is moulded from a plastics material, a switch 31 which is press fitted to the rear of the mounting plate and which has an operating button 32 which projects through the mounting plate, and a facia plate 33.

The facia plate 33 is formed from aluminium or other sheet metal and it includes a central aperture 34 which exposes the button 32 when the facia plate is fitted to the mounting plate. Also, the facia plate has rearwardly extending projections 35 which form the sides of the facia plate and which engage with side walls 36 of the mounting plate. The side projections 35 of the facia plate normally converge in a direction extending rearwardly of the facia plate and, when the facia plate is fitted to the mounting plate, the side projections 35 contact the side walls 36 of the mounting plate in resilient engagement.

Thus, the facia plate is secured to the mounting plate by pressing it onto the mounting plate and, thereafter, if desired, the facia plate can be removed from the mounting plate by a prizing implement.

Upper and lower end wall portions 37 of the mounting plate 30 project ahead of the front face 38 of the mounting plate and so form stops to prevent longitudinal movement of the facia plate from the mounting plate.

Screw receiving apertures 39 are provided in the mounting plate, and such apertures are concealed when the facia plate is fitted to the mounting plate.

Screws which are located within the apertures 39 are employed for securing the mounting plate 30 to a supporting structure, such as an architrave, and the screws are concealed from view when the facia plate is fitted to the mounting plate.

An advantage of the arrangements which have been above described is that the facia plate 12 or 33 can be quickly and easily mounted to the mounting plate 10 or 30, without any screws being required to secure the facia plate. Similarly, the facia plate can readily be removed and be replaced if so desired.

Variations may be made in the arrangement which has been described and illustrated in the drawings.

For example, the side wall portions 16 of the mounting plate may be omitted and the shape of the total structure may be varied from the generally rectangular appearance which is illustrated in the drawings. Also, as previously mentioned, the invention is applicable to various types of electrical fittings and not just to the mounting of switches of the type shown in the drawings. The mounting plate 10 or 30 may be employed to accommodate such other electrical fittings as outlet sockets, indicator lamps, multigang switches and so forth, either singly or in combination, in which cases the facia plate 12 or would be formed with such apertures 13 and 34 as may be necessary to expose the type or types of electrical fittings carried by the mounting plate.

Claims

1. A mounting facia plate arrangement for electrical fittings, such arrangement comprising: a plastics material mounting plate which can be secured to a supporting structure and to which at least one electrical fitting can be mounted, and a facia plate for attachment to the mounting plate, the facia plate being arranged to couple with the mounting plate in resilient engagement whereby it is held captive to the mounting plate, being shaped and dimensioned to cover at least a major area of the mounting plate when attached to the mounting plate and being formed with at least one aperture through which the electrical fitting(s) is (are) exposed when mounted to the mounting plate.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the facia plate is formed with projections which resiliently engage peripheral portions of the mounting plate.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the facia plate has a substantially planar face portion and rearwardly projecting leg portions which overfit and resiliently engage end wall portions of the mounting plate.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the facia plate has a substantially planar face portion and rearwardly projecting leg portions which overfit and resiliently engage side wall portions of the mounting plate.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the facia plate is formed from metal sheet.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein the facia plate is formed from anodised aluminium.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein the facia plate is clad with a decorative surface coating material.

8. An arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the mounting plate is formed with apertures which are intended to receive mounting screws and which are covered by the facia plate when the facia plate is fitted to the mounting plate.

9. A mounting/facia plate arrangement for electrical fittings, substantially as shown in Figures 1 and 3 or Figures 3 to 5 of the accompanying drawings and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference thereto.