WO2002082950A1

WO2002082950A1 - Suspension device for suspending an object under a support surface, comprising a pair of brackets where at a pair of straps hangs

Info

Publication number: WO2002082950A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/000702
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arnold Walfisz
Original assignee: Kondator Ab
Priority date: 2001-04-10
Filing date: 2002-04-10
Publication date: 2002-10-24
Also published as: WO2002082950A8; SE0101255D0; AU2002251650A1; SE520593C2; SE0101255L

Abstract

A device for suspending an object, such as the CPU of a personal computer, under a support surface (M), such as the underside of a desktop, comprises a pair of individual bracket members (11) and pair of straps (12). Each strap includes a belt (18) and a self-locking buckle (20) and each bracket member comprises a pair of interconnected hangers (13). Each such hanger includes an attachment portion (14C) and a belt seat portion (16) for supporting a section of one of the strap belts (18).

Description

Suspension device for suspending an object under a support surface, comprising a pair brachets where at a pair of straps hangs.

This invention relates to a suspension device, namely, to a device for suspending an object, such as the CPU (central processing unit) of a personal computer or another box-like object, under a support surface, especially the underside of a desktop.

More particularly, the invention relates to a device of the kind comprising a bracket including attachment means for attaching the bracket to the support surface, and further comprising a pair of straps which are attachable to the bracket, each strap including a belt and a self-locking buckle.

A prior art device of this kind is used for suspending the CPU of a personal computer under a desktop or like support. This device comprises a generally C- shaped sheet metal bracket which includes means for attaching it to the support surface formed by the underside of the desktop, a vertical side plate and upper and lower horizontal flanges projecting from respectively the upper and lower ends of the side plate. Screws are use to attach the bracket to the underside of the desktop. The CPU is placed on the lower flange and kept in position on the bracket by a pair of straps which are attached to the bracket and extend between the upper and lower flanges to close the open side of the bracket. Tightening of the loops is effected by pulling a free end of the straps through a self-locking buckle. To enable adjustment of the height of the side plate to the height of the object, the side plate consists of two parts which can be displaced relative to one another in the vertical direction and clamped together in the adjusted position.

A similar suspension device for a CPU or other box-like object is disclosed in US- A-5 131 620. In this suspension device the bracket is of inverted L-shape and attached to the underside of a desktop, not directly but through a horizontal channel member in which it is slidably received so that it can be horizontally displaced along the support surface.

A common problem encountered with suspension devices of the kind indicated is that the underside of the desktop or other supporting element is provided with a rim or frame which restricts the possibilities of selecting a suitable position for the suspension device. For example, the two above-mentioned prior art suspension devices require a substantial free space on the support surface which is free from obstructions for the bracket or the channel member. Even if there is an adequate free space on the supporting surface for attaching the bracket or the channel member, there is often a downwardly projecting frame or rim which makes it necessary to insert separate spacers between the support surface and the bracket or the channel member to provide unobstructed access to the entire front side of the suspended object.

An object of the invention is to provide a suspension device of the kind indicated which is of a simple design, easy to attach to the support surface in a desired position thereon, even where the free space on the support surface is restricted by the presence of frame members, downwardly projecting rims or other obstructing elements.

In one aspect of the invention there is provided a bracket of the kind indicated in which the bracket comprises a pair of individual bracket members, each including a pair of interconnected hangers, each of which includes an attachment portion as a part of the attachment means and further includes a belt seat por- tion for supporting a section of one of the strap belts.

For the attachment of the bracket to the support surface, only a free space on the support surface corresponding to the surfaces to be occupied by the individual bracket members is required, and because the bracket members can be small relative to the size of the top of the CPU or other object to be suspended, it is much easier than with the prior art brackets to find suitable free areas of the support surface for the attachment of the bracket members in suitable positions. Moreover, it is easy to design and dimension the bracket members such that they serve as spacers which provide adequate vertical clearance between the support surface and the top of the suspended object and also improve the stability of the suspended object by firmly engaging the top thereof.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a strap for use with the inventive bracket. This strap comprises a belt, a self-locking buckle slidably re- ceiving the belt and an over-centre lever tightening mechanism connecting one end of the belt to the self-locking buckle. The over-centre lever tightening mechanism facilitates further tightening of the strap after the belt has been pre- tightened by pulling the belt through the self-locking buckle and locked in the pre-tightened condition.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a perspective overview illustration of a bracket according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but including a suspended object and a desktop or other support to which the individual bracket members of the bracket are attached;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fractional side view of a bracket member with an associated strap; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the strap including the self- locking buckle and the over-centre lever tightening mechanism.

In the embodiment illustrated by way of example in the drawing, the suspension device is generally designated by 10 and comprises a bracket which includes a pair of individual, identical bracket members 11 and a pair of identical straps 12 which are associated with and coact with the bracket.

Each bracket member 11 is made by bending a length of a metal flat-bar and forms a pair of hook-like hangers 13 interconnected by a common attachment section 14 which is adapted to be attached to a downwardly facing support surface, e.g. by means of screws inserted through attachment holes 14A into the table top or other support provided with the support surface. A flat support is indicated in phantom lines in Figs. 2 and 3 and its horizontal underside forming the support surface is designated by the letter M. When the bracket member 11 is attached the support surface M, the hangers 13 depend from the support surface as shown in Fig. 3. Small plastic pads or buttons 14B are attached to the top side of the attachment section 14.

In addition to the adjacent attachment portion 14C of the attachment section 14, each hanger includes a hook formed by a leg portion 15 which projects downwardly from the attachment section 14 and a substantially horizontal portion 16 which ends in a short upstanding tip portion 17. The top side of the substantially horizontal portion 16 between the leg portion 15 and the tip portion 17 forms a seat 16A for a section of the belt of one of the straps 12 as will be described be- low.

The two bracket members 11 are positioned side by side and attached to the support surface as shown in Fig. 2, preferably spaced- apart such that their outer longitudinal sides are in approximate vertical register with the sides of the object to be suspended; in Fig. 2 the object C is represented by a tower- type CPU of a personal computer. As shown in Fig. 3, screws are passed through the holes 14A to firmly hold the bracket members 11 to the support surface M. The plastic pads or buttons 14B prevent scratching of the support surface.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the top side of the object C is held in firm engagement with the underside of the horizontal portions 16 of the hangers 13 by means of the straps 12 which are looped and tightened around the object. Each strap comprises a belt 18 consisting of a length of polyester webbing or other suitable material and a buckle device 19 secured to one end 18A of the belt 18. Fig. 4 shows the buckle device in greater detail.

The buckle device 19 comprises a self-locking belt buckle 20 which is of the well known type in which the belt passes through a passage in the buckle and can be freely pulled in a first direction through the opening but is automatically locked against pulling movement in a second, opposite direction by a movable buckle component that forms one side of the belt passage and coacts with the belt to clamp it against another buckle component or part (hidden in the drawing) forming the other side of the belt passage, namely with a force that increases with the magnitude of the pulling force acting on the belt in the second direction. As used in this description and the claims, the term "self-locking belt buckle" designates a buckle or fastener of that type.

In the illustrated embodiment of the self-locking buckle 20, the first-mentioned, movable buckle component is a spring-loaded pivotable plate 21 (Fig. 2), an end of which frictionally engages one side of the portion 18B of the belt 18 which is passed through the buckle. A roller which is movable in a tapering belt passage or a movable wedge or other clamping member may also be used as the movable buckle component. The other side of the belt portion 18B slides over a transverse bar (hidden in Fig.4) which is part of the buckle frame 20A and forms the aforesaid belt passage together with the said end of the pivotable plate 21. The self- locking buckle 21 is secured, such as by rivets, to one end of a rectangular holder 22 formed by a base plate.

The buckle device 19 also comprises a tightening mechanism 23 of the over- centre lever type. This mechanism, which is of a well-known type, includes a base 24 secured to the holder 22, such as by rivets, and including a transverse pin 25 and a lever 26 pivoted at one end thereof on the pin 25. The other end of the lever 26 is provided with a handle or grip portion 27. Between the pivot pin 25 and the grip portion 27 a square wire loop 28 pivotally attached to the lever 26 connects the belt end 18A of the belt 18 to the lever 26 and thus to the buckle device 19.

In accordance with the preferred way of suspending the object C from the support surface M, the bracket members 11 are attached to the support surface as de- scribed above, whereupon the straps 12 are looped and placed on the belt seats 16A. The depressed position of the belt seats 16A between the limb and tip portions 15, 17 of the hangers 16 prevents unwanted lateral displacement of the belt sections received and supported by the belt seats. The loops should be sufficiently wide so that the object C can easily be passed through them. With the tightening devices 23 in open position as illustrated in Fig. 4, the loops are tightened by pulling the free end portions 18B of the belts 18 and at the same time the object is raised until it engages the undersides of the horizontal hook portions 16. When the strap belts 18 have been pulled tight, the loops can be additionally tightened by pivoting the levers 26 as indicated by an arrow P in Fig. 4 to a closed or over- centre position so that the top side of the object C is firmly pressed against the hook portions 16. The force applied to the lever by the belt 18 in the closed position assists in retaining the lever 26 in that position, but the closed position can be safe-guarded by means of a pin or other safety member (not shown) inserted through a hole in the base 24 to prevent the lever from returning to the open position.

Various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. For example, while in the illustrated embodiment the hangers 13 are interconnected at their upper ends by the attachment section 14, it of course is also possible to interconnect them by an element joining the lower end of the hangers, e.g. at the upper end of the tip portions 17. With the bracket members 11 modified in that way, it is preferred to have the attachment portions 14C of the hangers 13 extend outwardly so that the hangers will be generally Z- shaped in side view; such an arrangement facilitates the attachment of the bracket mem- bers to the support surfaces. Moreover, it is possible within the scope of the invention to attach the bracket members to the support surface through the intermediary of one or more additional elements forming part of the bracket, such as a slide mechanism permitting rotation or horizontal shifting of the suspended object.

Claims

1. A device for suspending an object under a support surface (M), especially the underside of a desktop, comprising a bracket including attachment means for attaching the bracket to the support surface, and further comprising a pair of straps (12) which are attachable to the bracket, each strap including a belt (18) and a self-locking buckle (20), characterised in that the bracket comprises a pair of individual bracket members (11), each bracket member comprises a pair of interconnected hangers (13), and each hanger includes an attachment portion (14) as part of the attachment means and a belt seat portion (16) for supporting a section of one of the strap belts (18).

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hangers (13) of each bracket member (11) are provided at opposite ends of a common attachment portion (11).

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each bracket member (1 1) with its pair of hangers (13) is formed from a single piece of a metal flat-bar.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the attachment and belt seat portions (14, 16) of each hanger (13) are formed by generally parallel bracket member sections which are interconnected and held in spaced-apart relation by an intermediate bracket member section (15).

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the belt seat portion (16) of each hanger (13) forms a depressed belt seat (16B) to limit sideways displacement of a strap belt section received and supported thereon.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the belt (18) of each strap (12) is connected to the self-locking buckle (20) through an over-centre lever tightening mechanism (23).

7. A strap for use with a suspension device in any of claims 1 to 6, comprising a belt (18) and a self-locking buckle (20) slidably receiving the belt, characterised by an over-centre lever tightening mechanism (23) connecting one end of the belt (18) to the self-locking buckle (20).

8. A strap as claimed in claim 7 wherein the over-centre tightening mechanism (24) and the self-locking buckle (20) are secured to a common holder (22).