GB2214553A

GB2214553A - Fixing device

Info

Publication number: GB2214553A
Application number: GB8800828A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Tippman; Ken Faure
Original assignee: Hazel Grove Music Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hazel Grove Music Co Ltd
Priority date: 1988-01-14
Filing date: 1988-01-14
Publication date: 1989-09-06
Also published as: GB8800828D0

Abstract

An object, such as a loudspeaker unit (1), is fixed in an opening (2), such as an opening in a tiled false ceiling, with a fixing device. The fixing device includes two projections (6, 17) on the object, one of which (17) is pivotally mounted and spring loaded so that the edge of the opening can be gripped between the projections (6, 17). The pivotally mounted projection (17) can be moved back against the action of the spring (20) to enable the object (1) to be removed from and inserted into the opening (2). <IMAGE>

Description

FIXING DEVICE This invention relates to a fixing device for fixing an object within an opening bounded by edge structures having inner and outer faces.

The invention is particularly although not exclusively concerned with such a fixing device which is suitable for use in fixing a loudspeaker unit within an opening of a tiled false ceiling or similar structure in a secure yet convenient manner.

According to the invention there is provided a fixing device for fixing an object within an opening bounded by edge structures having inner and outer faces, said device having a first abutment arranged to project from the object for engagement with the outer edge structure face, a second abutment pivotally mounted on said object, and a spring arranged to urge the second abutment to a position at which it extends spaced from the first abutment for engagement with the inner edge structure face, whereby the object. can be fixed within the opening by gripping of the edge structures between the first and second abutments, the second abutment being pivotally deflectable towards and also away from the object against the action of the spring respectively to permit insertion of the object into and withdrawal of the object from the opening.

With this arrangement, the object can be mounted securely within the opening, and as required removed therefrom, in a particularly quick and convenient manner. It is visualised that the invention will find particular application in the context of mounting of a loudspeaker unit in an opening in a tiled false ceiling, although the invention is not intended to be restricted to this application and the fixing device may be used in any suitable context for any suitable purpose.

The first abutment may be a plate or an arm or other structure which projects transversely from the object over the outer edge structure face. This abutment may be slightly resiliently deflectable to facilitate mounting of the object. Where the object is a loudspeaker unit there may be a front loudspeaker grill which has a peripheral portion which projects beyond a main body of the unit, this peripheral portion forming the first abutment.

The second abutment may be a rigid structure such as a flat plate projecting transversely at the end of a pivotal arm. The arm may be arranged to be inclined, preferably at a small angle, away from the object when the object is mounted in position. The arm and rigid structure may be formed from a one-piece bent member.

The spring may be a coil spring mounted around the pivot axis of the second abutment.

Provision may be made for pre-adjusting the spacing of the abutments to accommodate different thicknesses of edge structures.

Thus, for example, the second abutment may have a movable pivotal mounting.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of one form of fixing device according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a view on the arrow A of part of the device of Figure 1.

The device shown in the drawings is for fixing a loudspeaker unit 1 into an opening 2 in a false ceiling constructed from ceiling tiles 3.

The loudspeaker unit 1 has a front mounting plate 4 to which the loudspeaker (not shown) is attached, and this plate 4 is covered with a metal loudspeaker grill 5. The grill 5 has a peripheral portion 6 which projects beyond the mounting plate 4. The ceiling tiles 3 are in the form of flat plate-shaped elements suspended within a framework in conventional manner. Each such element 3 has a flat outer (downwardly facing) surface 7 and a parallel, flat inner (upwardly facing) surface 8.

At opposite sides of the loudspeaker unit 1 there is a respective fixing device. Only one such device is illustrated and will now be described in detail. It will be understood that the other device is of like construction.

The device includes a support member 9 comprising a rigid metal channel 10 having an outwardly turned flange 11 at one end. The flange 11 is bolted to the rear of the mounting plate 4 and the channel 10 extends perpendicularly from the plate 4.

The side walls 12 of the channel 10 have three pairs of aligned holes 13 and an arm 14 is pivotally mounted on an axle 15 extending through one such pair of holes 13. The arm 14 is in the form of an elongate plate having upturned side walls 16 and a bent end portion 17. The side walls 16 extend from the start of the bent end portion 17 to the opposite end 18 of the plate and are tapered so that they are of maximum height at the plate end 18 and merge with the plate 14 at the junction with the bent end portion 17. Adjacent the plate end 18 the side walls 16 have aligned holes 19 to accommodate the pivot axle 15.

A coil spring 20 is fixed around the axle 15 so as to urge the arm 14 to a position at which the bent end portion 17 is generally parallel with the speaker grill 5, such end portion 17 then being spaced from the peripheral portion 6 of the grill 5 approximately by slightly less than the thickness of the tile 3. This spacing can be preselected by preselection of the pair of holes 13 for the axle 15.

The loudspeaker unit 1 is mounted by inserting the unit 1 into the opening 2 such that the inclined side walls 16 engage the tile 3 to deflect the arm 14 away from the tile 3 against the action of the spring 20. When the unit 1 is fully inserted and is pushed in so that the peripheral portion 6 of the speaker grill 5 is slightly resiliently deflected (as facilitated by the inturned edge 21 of the portion 6 as shown), the arm 14 clears the tile 3 and is moved by the spring 20 to a position at which the end portion 17 overlies the tile 3. The loudspeaker unit 1 is then held in position by engagement of the inner and outer surfaces 8, 7 of the tile 3 respectively by the end portion 17 and by the peripheral portion 6.

The arm 14 is inclined at only a small angle away from the vertical (i.e. channel 10) whereby the weight of the loudspeaker unit 1 does not exert a large turning force on the arm 14. The loudspeaker unit 1 is therefore held securely in position.

When it is desired to remove the loudspeaker unit 1 it is only necessary to pull the unit 1 downwardly. The arm 14 is then deflected against the spring 20 and, as the arm 14 moves outwardly away from the channel 10, it becomes progressively easier to turn the arm 14 and thereby remove the unit 1.

With the arrangement described above the loudspeaker unit 1 can be securely mounted in and, as desired readily removed from, the opening 2 in the ceiling Sn a particularly convenient manner.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims

1. A fixing device for fixing an object within an opening bounded by edge structures having inner and outer faces, said device having a first abutment arranged to project from the object for engagement with the outer edge structure face, a second abutment pivotally mounted on said object, and a spring arranged to urge the second abutment to a position at which it extends spaced from the first abutment for engagement with the inner edge structure face, whereby the object can be fixed within the opening by gripping of the edge structure between the first and second abutments, the second abutment being pivotally deflectable towards and also away from the object against the action of the spring respectively to permit insertion of the object into and withdrawal of the object from the opening.

2. A fixing device according to claim 1 wherein the first abutment is a structure which projects transversely from the object over the outer edge structure face.

3. A fixing device according to claim 2 wherein the first abutment is slightly resiliently deflectable.

4. A fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the second abutment is a rigid structure projecting transversely at the end of a pivotal arm.

5. A fixing device according to claim 4 wherein the arm is arranged to be inclined away from the object when the object is mounted in position.

6. A fixing device according to claim 5 wherein the arm and the rigid structure are formed from a one-piece bent member.

7. A fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the spring is a coil spring mounted around the pivot axis of the second abutment.

8. A fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the spacing of the abutments is pre-adjustable to accommodate different thicknesses of edge structures.

9. A fixing device according to claim 8 wherein the second abutment has a movable pivotal mounting.

10. A fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the said object is a loudspeaker unit and the said opening is an opening in a tiled false ceiling.

11. A fixing device according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.