US 7,261,264 B2Granted

Locking assembly

AssigneeControl Dynamics, Inc.

InventorEric M. Moran

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A locking assembly for readily attaching and detaching a device to a surface such as a wall, non-planar surface, or a plurality of bars such as those found in a kennel. The locking assembly has a bracket assembly with a front and back plate that are fixedly attached to each other about portions of peripheries of the front and back plates defining an opening therebetween with a top slot and at least one side slot. The back plate is directly or indirectly fixedly attached to a surface. Positioned within at least one side slot is at least one pivoting release lever having an upper leg and lower leg movable about a pivot. The locking assembly further includes a yoke assembly having a yoke assembly plate of a size and shape to fit edgewise and be guided into the opening between the front and bottom plates via the top slot. The upper leg of the pivoting release lever and an exterior surface of the yoke assembly plate can be mateably restrained through a pair of interlocking notches. A yoke extending from and fixedly attached to the yoke assembly plate is attached to the device.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A locking assembly for readily attaching and dislodging a device to and from a surface, the locking assembly comprising:

a bracket assembly having a front plate and a back plate spaced apart and fixedly attached to each other about portions of peripheries of the front and back plates to form an opening therebetween having a top slot and at least one adjacent slide slot;
a yoke assembly having a yoke assembly plate with an upper portion and a bottom edge;
said yoke assembly plate being of a size and shape to be received and guided into the top slot between the front and back plates via the bottom edge of the yoke assembly plate, said yoke assembly further including a yoke in which a portion of the yoke extends from and is fixedly connected to the yoke assembly plate, and another portion of the yoke is fixedly attached to the device;
at least one pivoting release lever positioned within the side slot between the front and back plates of the bracket assembly, said pivoting release lever having an upper leg and a lower leg interconnected by a pivot that is attached to the front and back plates of the bracket assembly such that the pivoting release lever can freely pivot within the opening between the front and back plates about the pivot within a defined boundary between a locked and dislodged position;
said pivoting release lever further having an outer surface that can be engaged by an external force in order to cause pivoting movement of the pivoting release lever;
a pair of interlocking notches corresponding with each pivoting release lever with one interlocking notch positioned on the upper leg of the corresponding pivoting release lever and the other interlocking notch positioned on an upper portion of the yoke assembly plate to interlock and restrain pivoting movement of the corresponding pivoting release lever relative to the yoke assembly plate when the yoke assembly plate is substantially inserted within the opening between the front and back plates of the bracket assembly via the top slot;
wherein an upper surface of the lower leg is positioned within the opening to be below the bottom edge of the yoke assembly plate;
and
at least one fastener to secure at least the back plate of the bracket assembly to the surface.

6 more elements

A locking assembly for readily attaching and dislodging a device to and from a surface, the locking assembly comprising:

a bracket assembly having a front plate and a back plate spaced apart and fixedly attached to each other about portions of peripheries of the front and back plates to form an opening therebetween having a top slot and an adjacent slide slot;
a yoke assembly having a yoke assembly plate with an upper portion and a bottom edge;
said yoke assembly plate being of a size and shape to be received and guided into the top slot between the front and back plates via the bottom edge of the yoke assembly plate, said yoke assembly further including a yoke in which a portion of the yoke extends from and is fixedly connected to the yoke assembly plate and another portion of the yoke is fixedly attached to the device;
at least one pivoting release lever positioned within the side slot between the front and back plates of the bracket assembly, said pivoting release lever having an upper leg and a lower leg interconnected by a pivot that is attached to the front and back plates of the bracket assembly such that the pivoting release lever can freely pivot within the opening between the front and back plates about the pivot within a defined boundary between a locked and dislodged position;
said pivoting release lever further having an outer surface that can be engaged to cause pivoting movement of the pivoting release lever;
restraint means to restrain pivoting movement of the corresponding pivoting release lever relative to the yoke assembly plate when the yoke assembly plate is substantially inserted within the opening between the front and back plates of the bracket assembly via the top slot;
wherein an upper surface of the lower leg is positioned within the opening below the bottom edge of the yoke assembly plate;
and
securement means to secure at least the back plate of the bracket assembly to the surface.

6 more elements

A locking assembly for readily attaching and dislodging a device to and from a surface, the combination of the locking assembly and device comprising:

a bracket assembly having a front plate and a back plate spaced apart and fixedly attached to each other about portions of peripheries of the front and back plates to form an opening therebetween having a top slot and at least one adjacent slide slot;
a yoke assembly having a yoke assembly plate with an upper portion and a bottom edge;
said yoke assembly plate being of a size and shape to be received and guided into the top slot between the front and back plates via the bottom edge of the yoke assembly plate, said yoke assembly further including a yoke in which a portion of the yoke extends from and is fixedly connected to the yoke assembly plate, and another portion of the yoke is fixedly attached to the device;
at least one pivoting release lever positioned within the side slot between the front and back plates of the bracket assembly, said pivoting release lever having an upper leg and a lower leg interconnected by a pivot that is attached to the front and back plates of the bracket assembly such that the pivoting release lever can freely pivot within the opening between the front and back plates about the pivot within a defined boundary between a locked and dislodged position;
said pivoting release lever further having an outer surface that can be engaged by an external force in order to cause pivoting movement of the pivoting release lever;
a pair of interlocking notches corresponding with each pivoting release lever with one portion of the pair of interlocking notches positioned on the upper leg of the corresponding pivoting release lever and the other portion of the pair of interlocking notches positioned on an upper portion of the yoke assembly plate to interlock and restrain pivoting movement of the corresponding pivoting release lever relative to the yoke assembly plate when the yoke assembly plate is substantially inserted within the opening between the front and back plates of the bracket assembly via the top slot;
wherein an upper surface of the lower leg is positioned within the opening to be below the bottom edge of the yoke assembly plate;
and
at least one fastener to secure at least the back plate of the bracket assembly to the surface.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/173,562Filed 1 Jul 2005 · continuation in part
Priority: 23 Nov 2004
Published: US 2007/0045492 A11 Mar 2007
Granted: 28 Aug 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification36 codes

F21V 21/0885
Clips; Clamps: for portable lighting devices
A01K 1/0356
Devices for use in keeping domestic animals, e.g. fittings in housings or dog beds: feeding or drinking devices associated with cages
A01K 5/0114
Feed troughs; Feed pails: pet food dispensers; Pet food trays
A45F 5/02
Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping: fastening articles to the garment

Family

Application10/996,551Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Nov 2004
US 2007/0045492 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Mar 2007
US 7,077,372 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2005/0121576 A1Published application
US 7,261,264 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.