US 5,400,988 A · Indicator panel with integral hand actuated fasteners

Abstract

An indicator panel includes a generally rectangular frame having an outwardly extending surrounding flange and two pairs of generally parallel sides defining an opening. The frame is releasably retained in a recess formed in a mounting plate such that the surrounding flange covers the recess and abuts a front side of the mounting plate. A plurality of stops are provided on the inside walls of the frame for retaining a circuit board in the opening and a cover plate is attached to the frame to cover the opening. One pair of the sides is tubular having a longitudinally extending aperture interrupted by a central wall and pairs of first and second openings formed on opposite sides of the walls. Slidably retained in each aperture on opposite sides of the wall are latches for releasably fastening the indicator panel to the mounting plate. Each latch is formed as one piece from an elastic synthetic material with a head portion connected to a foot portion by a spring. A first latch cam engages the second opening in the latched position to permit the indicator panel to be inserted into the recess in the mounting plate and a slight finger pressure on the first guide finger permits the first latch cam to be moved to the first opening to engage the head portion with an edge of the recess.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An indicator panel for attachment to a mounting plate having a front surface and a recess formed therein, the recess having an edge at the front surface, the indicator panel including a frame formed of a plurality of sides surrounding an opening, a flange extending outwardly from the sides, a plurality of stops formed on the sides for supporting a circuit board in the opening, a cover plate attached to the frame and closing the opening, and fasteners for releasably retaining the frame in the recess formed in the mounting plate with the flange covering the recess and abutting the front surface of the mounting plate, the fasteners comprising:

at least a pair of the sides of the frame being generally tubular sides, each of said tubular sides having a longitudinally extending aperture formed therein, each said aperture having an interior wall extending between opposite open ends;
and
at least a pair of releasable latches, each said releasable latch slidably retained in an associated one of said apertures for movement along said interior wall between a latched position for inserting the frame into the recess in the mounting plate and an unlatched position extending from one of said open ends of said associated aperture permitting said releasable latch to engage the edge of the recess to retain the frame in the recess.

An indicator panel for attachment to a mounting plate, the mounting plate having a front surface and a recess formed therein with an edge at the front surface, the indicator panel comprising:

a frame formed of two pairs of generally parallel sides surrounding an opening in said frame, one of said pairs of generally parallel sides being tubular with a longitudinally extending aperture formed in each side of said one pair of sides, each said aperture having an interior wall extending between opposite open ends, and a central wall attached to said interior wall and interrupting each said aperture in a central portion thereof;
a flange extending outwardly from said sides;
a cover plate attached to said frame and closing said opening;
a plurality of releasable latches each slidably retained in an associated one of said open ends of said apertures for movement between a latched position toward said central wall for inserting said frame into the recess formed in the mounting plate and an unlatched position for retaining said frame in the recess with said flange abutting the front surface of the mounting plate.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Indicator panel with integral hand actuated fasteners

Life of this patent

Indicator panel with integral hand actuated fasteners

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20