IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0218644
(2008-07-17)
|
등록번호 |
US-8350153
(2013-01-08)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
20 인용 특허 :
5 |
초록
▼
The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for joining sections to enable plates to be separated, then reconnected and securely interlocked. A variety of plate configurations may be utilized with the locking mechanism in applications such as cable pass-through, electrical wiring, or any ap
The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for joining sections to enable plates to be separated, then reconnected and securely interlocked. A variety of plate configurations may be utilized with the locking mechanism in applications such as cable pass-through, electrical wiring, or any application in which the engagement of structures is desired. The locking mechanism embodying the principles of the present invention includes outwardly extending finger detents adjacent to the cantilever tabs of each plate that slideably engage the bottom surface of an opposing plate section and create resistive forces between the interlocked cantilever tabs. The addition of the finger detents increases the inter-mating strength of the locked plate by providing a resistive moment arm to resist outward forces acting to separate the plate sections. The cantilever tabs further include a locking lip that engages a locking means of an opposing plate section to resist lateral forces acting to separate the plate.
대표청구항
▼
1. A locking mechanism to join first and second plate sections, said first and second plate sections having a top surface and a bottom surface, each plate section having a first and second end section, said locking mechanism disposed on said first and second end sections, said locking mechanism comp
1. A locking mechanism to join first and second plate sections, said first and second plate sections having a top surface and a bottom surface, each plate section having a first and second end section, said locking mechanism disposed on said first and second end sections, said locking mechanism comprising: first and second engagement tabs extending outward from said first and second end sections of said first and second plate sections, said first engagement tab including an extended lip portion, said second engagement tab including at least one locking means;at least one finger detent extending outward from at least one of said first and second end sections, said at least one finger detent ridgedly connected at one end to said at least one first and second end sections, said at least one finger detent including a top surface and a bottom surface,said first and second engagement tabs of said first and second plate sections and said at least one finger detent of said at least one of said first and second end sections, being relatively configured and arranged such that, upon relative linear movement of said first and second end sections of said first section with said first and second end sections of said second section into engagement with one another,said extended lip portion of said first engagement tab of said first plate section, engages and locks said locking means of said second engagement tab of said second plate section, and said locking means of said second engagement tab of said first plate section engages and locks said extended lip portion of said first engagement tab of said second plate section, said top surface of said at least one finger detent slideably engages said bottom surface of one of said first and second plate sections. 2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said second engagement tab extending outward from said first and second end sections is a stepped shaped member. 3. A locking mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said stepped shaped member includes a base portion and an end portion, said base portion including a top surface, said base portion top surface substantially planar to said bottom surface of said first and second plate sections, said end portion stepped down from said base portion top surface and extending outward therefrom, said end portion further including a top surface and a bottom surface, said end portion bottom surface substantially planar to said bottom surface of said first and second plate sections. 4. A locking mechanism according to claim 3, wherein at least one protuberance extends outward from said bottom surface of said end portion. 5. A locking mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said stepped shaped member end portion bottom surface is raised above said bottom surface of said first and second plate sections. 6. A locking mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said first engagement tab includes a first tab base and a first tab end, said first tab base and said first tab end including a top surface and a bottom surface, a first portion of said first tab base top surface affixed to said bottom surface of said first and second plate sections, said first tab end projecting outward from said first tab base. 7. A locking mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said extended lip portion extends outward from said top surface of said first tab end. 8. A locking mechanism according to claim 7, said extended lip portion of said first tab end engaging said at least one locking means of said second engagement tab when said first and said second plate sections are engaged. 9. A locking mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said first engagement tab further includes an opening for receipt of said second engagement tab therein, said opening including a cutout in said first and second end section, said cutout having a periphery, said cutout exposing a second portion of said top surface of said first tab base, said opening further including a recess in said first and second plate sections bottom surface, said recess extending from the periphery of said cutout, said recess dimensioned to accept said end portion stepped down from said base portion. 10. A locking mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said cutout is dimensioned to accept said base portion of said stepped shaped member securely therein, wherein said recess is dimensioned to accept said stepped down end portion of said stepped shaped member securely therein, said first engagement tab end top surface slideably engaging said stepped shaped member end portion bottom surface, said first and second engagement tabs being interconnected. 11. A locking mechanism according to claim 10, wherein said stepped shaped member end portion bottom surface is raised above said bottom surface of said first and second section, said raised end portion bottom surface allowing for proper alignment of said interconnected plates. 12. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said at least one locking means is a protuberance extending outward from said bottom surface of said first and second plate sections. 13. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said at least one locking means is a recess disposed on said bottom surface of said first and second plate sections. 14. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said extended lip portion extends outward at an angle sufficient to engage said locking means. 15. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first and second plate sections include an opening, said opening located between said first and said second engagement tabs. 16. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first engagement tab extended lip portion is stiffly resilient. 17. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second end sections each includes at least one of said finger detents, said finger detents being stiffly resilient and relatively configured to provide equal and opposite forces between said first and second engagement tabs of said first and second plate sections, said first and second plate sections remaining coplanar to each other when subjected to force. 18. A locking mechanism to join first and second plate sections, each plate section having a top surface and a bottom surface, said locking mechanism comprising: at least one engagement tab adapted to secure said first and second plate sections; andat least one finger detent ridgedly connected and extending outward from at least one of said first and second plate sections, said finger detent comprising a bottom surface that slideably engages said bottom surface of an opposing said at least one of said first and second plate sections.
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