GB2410378A

GB2410378A - Mounting bracket for electrical equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2410378A
Application number: GB0401620A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael John Lyndsell; John Darrel Woodhouse
Original assignee: Airspan Networks Inc
Current assignee: Airspan Networks Inc
Priority date: 2004-01-26
Filing date: 2004-01-26
Publication date: 2005-07-27
Also published as: GB0401620D0

Abstract

An electrical outdoor unit (ODU) is formed in its base moulding 2 with guide means 16 for slidingly receiving a mounting bracket 22. The latter in turn may be secured by a clamp 40 to a support such as a pole 50. A resilient member may be compressed between the bracket and ODU and they may also have snap-fitting locking means.

Description

24 1 0378 Mounting Apparatus The present invention relates to a mounting

apparatus, in particular, although not exclusively, to a mounting apparatus for outdoor units of electrical equipment.

Electronic services such as telecommunications services or televisual services often comprise a signal exchange and a plurality of subscriber units.

Electromechanical signals, such as radio frequency signals, are transmitted from the exchange and received by the subscriber units. Subscriber unit generally comprises an indoor unit and an outdoor unit (ODU).

To fit the ODU externally it is generally necessary to provide some sort of support, to which the unit can be fitted. For example, the ODU may be fitted to a pole, or the like.

Previous methods of attaching an ODU to a supporting pole involved screwing a housing to a rear face of an ODU, locating the ODU on the supporting pole at the appropriate location with the housing aligned to overlie the pole. A clamp is then located on the opposite side of the supporting pole and appropriately aligned with the housing. The clamp is screwed onto the housing to attach the ODU to the pole.

This method of attachment is difficult to carry out with one pair of hands, particularly when the operative fitting the device is stood on a ladder or the like.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to provide a simpler method of mounting an ODU.

The present invention provides an ODU mounting arrangement comprising a guide means formed in a base moulding of the ODU and a separate bracket designed for sliding engagement with the guide means.

Suitably, the guide means and the bracket comprise a tongue and groove arrangement to facilitate the sliding engagement of the bracket with the guide means.

Preferably, the guide means comprises one or more grooves and the bracket comprises a tongue designed to co-operate therewith.

The tongue may comprise one of more flange extending from the bracket.

Suitably, each Range engages with a groove of the guide means. The flanges are suitably symmetrically about the bracket.

The guide means is suitably arranged such that the ODU may be mounted either horizontally or vertically on the same bracket.

Suitably, the present invention further comprises a locking arrangement to maintain the ODU in engagement with the bracket. Preferably, the locking arrangement is a snap-fit locking arrangement. A suitable snap- fit locking arrangement may be provided by a resilient member that fits into a co-operating opening when the arrangement is located in the locked position. The resilient member may be located on the base moulding of the ODU with the opening on the bracket.

Alternatively, the resilient member may be located on the bracket, with the opening located on the base moulding of the ODU.

The mounting arrangement of the present invention may further comprise a tensioning element. The tensioning member is suitably arranged to reduce, and preferably substantially prevent, relative movement of the ODU and the bracket when mounted in use.

The tensioning member suitably comprises a resilient member located on either the base moulding of the ODU or the bracket, which resilient member is arranged such that is use it is compressed between the ODU and the bracket.

The bracket may comprise a clamp for attaching the bracket to a supporting surface.

The present invention further comprises a method of mounting an ODU comprising providing a bracket and sliding an ODU into engagement with the bracket.

The method may further comprise attaching the bracket to a supporting surface prior to sliding the ODU into engagement with the bracket. The bracket may be clamped onto a supporting surface. The supporting surface may be a pole, or the like.

In use of a mounting apparatus according to the present invention, the bracket is provided in an appropriate location. For example, the bracket may be screwed directly onto an exterior wall. Alternatively, the bracket may be clamped onto a supporting surface such as a pole, or the like.

The ODUis then engaged with the bracket by means of sliding engagement therewith.

An advantage of the present invention resides in the simple mounting method, which allows one-handed attachment of the ODU to the bracket. The bracket can be separately located in the appropriate position at any time and the ODU may be subsequently engaged therewith as convenient. In addition, the ODU unit can be easily changed without changing the bracket.

Furthermore, the sliding engagement of the ODU and bracket eliminates the risk of over-tensioning that was a feature of the prior art method of screwing the ODU and the clamp together.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure la is a perspective view of the exterior surface of a base moulding of an ODU housing; Figure lb is a perspective view of the interior surface of the base moulding of figure la; Figure 1 c is a plan view of the exterior surface of figure 1 a; Figure ld is a side view of the moulding of figures la, lb and to from the direction indicated by arrow A in figure lo; Figure 2a is a perspective view of an exterior surface of a bracket; Figure 2b is a plan view of the exterior surface of fig 2a; Figure 2c is a perspective view of an interior surface of the bracket of figure 2a; Figure 2d is a plan view of the interior surface of fig 2c; Figure 2e is a side view of the bracket of figures 2a-d viewed along arrow B of figure 2c; Figure 2f is a sectional view along Line C-C of fig 2d; Figure 3a is a perspective view from one side of a clamp; Figure 3b is a perspective view from the other side of the clamp of fig 3a; Figure 4a is a perspective view from behind of a ODU, bracket and clamp of figures i, 2 and 3 assembled in use; Figure 4b is a side view of the arrangement of fig 4a, and Figure 4c is a rear view of the arrangement of figure 4a.

In the drawings like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts.

The moulding 2 of figures 1 a-d is a rear section of a housing for an ODU 4 (see figures 4a-c). The moulding 2 has an interior face 6 and an exterior face 8. The interior face 6 can have any suitable conformation, is likely to be arranged in a manner most suited for the equipment intended to be housed therein. Likewise, most elements of the conformation of the exterior surface 8 are likely to be dictated by the particular use of the housing.

S However, the moulding 2 is required to provide a guide means, generally designated by reference numeral 10. As can be seen from figures la-d, the guide means lO comprises a recess 12 in the exterior face 8 of the moulding 2, which recess 12 has a substantially rectangular shape with one side open 14 and the remaining three sides defining grooves 16. The open side 14 of the recess 12 provides an opening into which the bracket is inserted in use of the arrangement.

The recess 12 further comprises a protrusion 18 extending outwards therefrom.

In addition, the exterior face 8 of the moulding 2 has a socket 20 therein, which socket 20 extends from the recess 12 into the exterior surface 8. The socket 20 opens into the recess 12.

Figures 2a-f illustrate a bracket 22, comprising a housing having an exterior face 24 and an interior face 26. The housing has a substantially rectangular cross sectional shape. The housing comprises two marginal flanges 28 extending along the full extent of two opposing sides thereof.

It is noted that although the embodiment illustrated shows the two flanges on opposing sides of the housing, the housing may have more than two marginal flanges.

For example, the housing may have a marginal flange on each side to allow the bracket to be used in any orientation. Furthermore, the marginal flanges need not extend along the full extent of the side of the housing. Although, preferably, the marginal flange extends along a major portion of the side of the housing.

The housing also has a cut-away section 30 on each side thereof, suitable for receiving a clamp for attaching the bracket to a support member, if required. In addition, in the embodiment illustrated, the housing has support members 32 on each side thereof, aligned with the cut-away sections 30. The support members 32 are provided from cut out sections of the base of the housing that are bent through 90 to align with the side of the housing.

The bracket 22 further comprises a tab 34 extending from the housing, which in this preferred embodiment is attached to the exterior face 24 of the housing.

Although the embodiment illustrated in the figures hereof comprises only one tab 34, it is envisaged that the bracket may comprise more than one tab 34 in order to facilitate use of the bracket in different orientations.

A tensioning member 36 is provided on the interior face 26 of the housing.

The tensioning member 36 comprises a sheet of resilient material that has been bent into substantially a V-shape, which is secured to the interior face 26 of the housing such that the apex of the V-shape is distal the base of the housing. The tensioning V shaped member 36 may have a flange at each end thereof to facilitate fixing of the member 36 to the interior surface 26 of the housing.

Figures 3a and 3b show a clamp 40, which may be used to fix the bracket of figures 2a-f to a support member, such as a pole. The clamp 40 has a base 42 with an arm 44 extending substantially perpendicularly from each end thereof. The distal end of each arm is bent inwards to provide a hook 46. The base 42 has a hole 48 therein suitable for receiving a fixing means, such as a screw or bolt.

Figures 4a-c illustrates the ODU, bracket and clamp arranged for use. To locate the bracket, the clamp 40 is located on one side of a supporting pole 50 and the bracket 22 is attached to the clamp by insertion of the hooked ends 46 of the clamp arms 44 in the cut-away sections 30 of the bracket 22. The bracket is then held in place by means of a screw 52, which extends through the hole 48 in the base 42 of the clamp 40. Tightening the screw 52 causes the clamp 40 to pull the bracket 22 back against the pole 50, thereby causing the bracket 22 to be tightly held in position on the pole 50.

The support members 32 of the bracket 22 align with the arms 44 of the clamp, and provide additional surface area against which the clamp 40 can abut.

As can be seen from figures 4a-c, the bracket 22 is arranged such that the exterior face 24 thereof faces the pole 50 and clamp 40. Thus the interior face 26 and the tensioning member 36 are free to engage with the ODU 4.

To attach the ODU to the bracket 22, the marginal flanges 28 of the bracket 22 are simply inserted into the grooves 16 in the exterior face 10 of the base moulding 2 of the ODU 4. The ODU is then slid sideways relative to the bracket 22, such that the marginal flanges 28 of the bracket 22 slide along the grooves 16 of the moulding 2.

When the ODU 4 is fully installed on the bracket 22, the tab 34 of the bracket 22 will engage in the opening 20 in the moulding 2 and lock the ODU din position on the bracket 22.

The tensioning member 36 of the bracket will be compressed under the force of the ODU, effected in particular by the protrusion 18 on the exterior face 24 of the moulding 2. This will cause the ODU 4 to be held tightly against the bracket 22, and thereby reduce relative movement between the ODU 4 and the bracket 22.

The design of the bracket 22 is such that the bracket 22 and clamp may be assembled with the marginal flanges 28 of the bracket 22 extending substantially vertically instead of substantially horizontally, as illustrated. In this orientation, the ODU 4 is slid downwards onto the bracket 22. Thus the ODU can be mounted either vertically or horizontally using the same arrangement, in accordance with the requirements of the subscriber.

Claims

1. An ODU mounting arrangement comprising a guide means formed in a base moulding of the ODU and a separate bracket designed for sliding engagement with the guide means.

2. An ODU mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the guide means and the bracket comprise a tongue and groove arrangement to facilitate the sliding engagement of the bracket with the guide means.

3. An ODU mounting arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the guide means comprises one or more grooves and the bracket comprises a tongue designed to co-operate therewith.

4. An ODU mounting arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the tongue comprises one or more flanges extending from the bracket.

5. An ODU mounting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a locking arrangement designed to maintain the ODU in engagement with the bracket.

6. An ODU mounting arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the locking arrangement is a snap-fit locking arrangement.

7. An ODU mounting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a tensioning member, arranged to reduce relative movement of the ODU and the bracket when mounted for use.

8. An ODU mounting arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the tensioning member comprises a resilient member arranged such that in use it is compressed between the ODU and the bracket.

9. An ODU mounting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a clamp for attaching the bracket to a supporting surface.

10. A method of mounting an ODU comprising providing a bracket and sliding an ODU into engagement with the bracket.

11. A method according to claim 10, comprising attaching the bracket to a supporting surface prior to sliding the ODU into engagement with the bracket.

12.A method according to claim 11, wherein the bracket is clamped to a supporting surface.

13. A mounting apparatus substantially as described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of mounting an ODU, substantially as described herein.