Lockable mounting mechanism for a respiratory system heater unit

A lockable mounting mechanism comprising:

• a hitch portion and a separate receiver portion;
• the hitch portion having a hitch member, a locking member being rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position, and a camming surface being rotatable with the locking member, the hitch portion further having a cam member rotatable with the locking member, the camming surface being on the cam member;
• the receiver portion having a channel, the hitch member of the hitch portion and the channel of the receiver portion sized to slidably receive the hitch member into the channel whereby to mount the hitch portion to the receiver portion, the receiver portion further having a reset surface positioned to engage the camming surface as the hitch member is slid into the channel when the locking member is out of the unlocked position, the camming surface and reset surface cooperating to automatically rotate the locking member toward the unlocked position as the hitch member is slid into the channel, the cam member having a portion which engages the capture portion in the locked position of the locking member with the hitch member in the channel.

A lockable mounting mechanism comprising:

• a hitch portion and a separate receiver portion;
• the hitch portion having a hitch member, a locking member being rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position, and a camming surface being rotatable with the locking member;
• the receiver portion having a channel, the hitch member of the hitch portion and the channel of the receiver portion sized to slidably receive the hitch member into the channel whereby to mount the hitch portion to the receiver portion, the receiver portion further having a reset surface positioned to engage the camming surface as the hitch member is slid into the channel when the locking member is out of the unlocked position, the camming surface and reset surface cooperating to automatically rotate the locking member toward the unlocked position as the hitch member is slid into the channel, the receiver portion including a slot, the cam member of the hitch portion and the slot being sized to receive the cam member in the slot.

A lockable mounting mechanism comprising:

• a hitch portion and a separate receiver portion;
• the hitch portion having a hitch member, a locking member being rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position, and a camming surface being rotatable with the locking member, the hitch portion including a set plate, the locking member selectively engaging the set plate;
• the receiver portion having a channel, the hitch member of the hitch portion and the channel of the receiver portion sized to slidably receive the hitch member into the channel whereby to mount the hitch portion to the receiver portion, the receiver portion further having a reset surface positioned to engage the camming surface as the hitch member is slid into the channel when the locking member is out of the unlocked position, the camming surface and reset surface cooperating to automatically rotate the locking member toward the unlocked position as the hitch member is slid into the channel, the locking member including at least one unlock position surface and at least one lock position surface, the unlock position surface positioned to engage the set plate in the unlocked position of the locking member, the lock position surface positioned to engage the set plate in the locked position of the locking member.

A lockable mounting mechanism comprising:

• a hitch portion and a separate receiver portion;
• the hitch portion having a hitch member, a locking member being rotatable between an unlocked position and first and second locked positions, and first and second camming surfaces being rotatable with the locking member;
• the receiver portion having a channel, the hitch member of the hitch portion and the channel of the receiver portion sized to slidably receive the hitch member into the channel whereby to mount the hitch portion to the receiver portion, the receiver portion further having first and second reset surfaces positioned to respectively engage the first and second camming surfaces as the hitch member is slid into the channel when the locking member is out of the unlocked position toward one of the first and second locked positions, the engaging camming surface and reset surface cooperating to automatically rotate the locking member toward the unlocked position as the hitch member is slid into the channel.

A method of securing a first object to a second object comprising:

• inserting a hitch member of a hitch portion coupled to the first object into a channel of a receiver portion coupled to the second object, the hitch portion having a locking member being rotatable in a plane parallel to the hitch member between an unlocked position and a locked position;
• and
• automatically rotating the locking member in the plane toward the unlocked position by cooperation of a camming surface of the hitch portion and a reset surface of the receiver portion if the locking member is out of the unlocked position as the hitch member is being inserted into the channel.