Abstract:
A pop up box includes an upper cover, a stationary frame pivotally fastened to a movable frame, a plate gasket forming a waterproof and dustproof seal, the plate gasket interposed between the upper cover and the stationary frame and having an opening through which the movable frame extends when released, and a button latching device having a waterproof and dustproof seal formed by at least one O-ring seal.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a floor box, and especially refers to a pop-up floor box. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In the China floor box market, the pop-up floor box probably has more than 20 years of history. However, almost all pop up boxes suffer from a lack of waterproofing or dustproofing to some degree, limiting their wide spread use. The applicant previously designed a kind of dual purpose, gear type, damper pop-up floor box (CN201320321888), as shown in  FIG. 31 , including a plate  124 , upper cover  102 , movable frame  111 , damping device  116 , and a press cover latch  109 . The upper cover  102  has a sheet  101  laminated on a surface of the upper cover  102  and the plate  124  includes an outside frame  107  and a base plate  106 . A seal ring  105  is located above the base plate  106 , and a plate frame  104  is located above the seal ring  105 . The outside frame  107 , base plate  106 , seal ring  105 , and plate frame  104  are fixed tightly together by one or more plate frame fasteners  108 . The plate frame  104  is also laminated with a plate frame sheet  103 . The movable frame  111  may house a function part  113  or parts that may be exposed for use when the movable frame  111  is extended or popped up. The function part  113  may include receptacles for accepting different connections, for example, power plugs, network plugs, coaxial connectors, or any other suitable connectors. The previously designed pop up box can be used as a floor box as well as a table box. When opening it, it opens softly and reliably with more excellent performance. When it is used as a floor box, it is almost flush with the ground and can meet an IP44 waterproof rating level. However, the previously designed pop up box also has the following defects: Firstly, in order to meet the waterproof requirement, the plate frame  104  and base plate frame  106  press on the seal ring  105  causing many lines on the surface and a degraded appearance. Secondly, the press cover latch  109  can not block the movable frame  111  when the function part  113  pops-up to prevent it from closing. This may cause security incidents when people step on the upper cover  102  by mistake and then damage the function part  113  or products that may be connected to the function part  113 . Therefore, how to make the press cover latch  109  waterproof, dustproof and safe is a longstanding problem in the pop-up floor box field. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    After 2 years of research based on the previously designed dual purpose, gear type, waterproof, damper pop-up floor box (CN201320321888), the applicant has finally developed a brand new waterproof, dustproof, secure pop up floor box which overcomes the defects of the previously designed pop up box. 
         [0004]    To achieve the above purpose, the solution of this invention is: a kind of waterproof and dustproof secure pop-up floor box, including a plate, upper cover, push button latch device, movable frame, stationary frame, torsional spring, and spindle. A waterproof pad is pressed on to the plate, and the bottom plate is mounted below the waterproof pad. A plate gasket includes the plate, waterproof pad and bottom plate. The push button latch device includes a latch box, a button, a latch, a swing arm, two springs, and a spindle. The button includes a shaft on which an O-ring is mounted, and the shaft is plugged into a cylinder of the plate. The button is installed with a cir-clip. The latch is positioned in a groove of the bottom plate. Upper portions of the swing arm are inserted into apertures of the latch. One end of each of the two springs is received by a base section of the swing arm and the other end contacts a bottom surface of the latch box. The swing arm is pinned inside the latch box by a spindle. The latch box is fixed below the bottom plate. A lower part of the button assembly shaft contacts a projection part of a bottom portion of the swing arm so that a vertical motion of the shaft applies a force to the projection part of the swing arm. 
         [0005]    The waterproof and dustproof secure pop-up floor box has the following characteristics: The waterproof pad is pressed on to the plate. The bottom plate is mounted below the waterproof pad. The plate, waterproof pad, and bottom plate are integrated so the pop up box not only looks beautiful but is also waterproof and dust proof. The button uses a circular shaft type waterproof and dust proof structure and O-ring to improve the life time of the pop up box. It also makes the production easier because the parts are simplified. 
         [0006]    The floor box is opened by pushing the button, upon which the latch will retract, and the function parts and the movable frame assembly will pop up. When the button is released after the movable frame assembly has popped up, the latch will return and extend out to block a bottom portion of the movable frame assembly in order to prevent the pop up box from closing and to prevent damage to products plugged in to the pop up box and safety accidents caused by stepping on the movable frame assembly. 
         [0007]    The operating principle of the button latch device is as follows: When the button is pressed, the lower end of the button will be just in the middle of the swing arm bottom. The swing arm uses the spindle as the fulcrum to swing. The two springs are compressed. With the swing arm struck in the middle of the latch to drive the latch to move (retract), it means the downward movement of the button will make the latch to retract by the swing arm. If the button isn&#39;t pressed, with the effect of the two springs, the swing arm will be reset and the latch will extend. The limiting function of the circlip will prevent the button from protruding. There are two O-rings mounted on a shaft of the button. When press on the button, the o-rings always stay in the cylinder of the plate to ensure the waterproof and dust proof function. Therefore, the button latch device can not only be waterproof and dust proof but can also solve the safety problem which exists in pop-up floor box field for a long time. 
         [0008]    In at least one embodiment, a pop up box includes an upper cover, a stationary frame pivotally fastened to a movable frame, a plate gasket forming a waterproof and dustproof seal, the plate gasket interposed between the upper cover and the stationary frame and having an opening through which the movable frame extends when released, and a button latching device having a waterproof and dustproof seal formed by at least one O-ring seal. 
         [0009]    The movable frame may house a function part having connector receptacles. 
         [0010]    The plate gasket may comprise a panel, a bottom plate, and waterproof pad interposed between the panel and the bottom plate. 
         [0011]    The panel, waterproof pad, and bottom plate may have mating and interleaving patterns to effect the waterproof and dustproof seal. 
         [0012]    The stationary frame may be fastened to the bottom plate. 
         [0013]    The pop up box may include a latch slidingly installed in a cutout of the bottom plate. 
         [0014]    The button latching device may include a latch box fastened to the bottom plate, a rotatably mounted, spring loaded swing arm mounted within the latch box with upper portions positioned within apertures of the latch, a button assembly including a shaft extending through a cylinder of the bottom plate and configured to contact a projection part of the swing arm, the button assembly including the at least one O-ring seal mounted between the shaft and the cylinder to form the waterproof and dustproof seal. 
         [0015]    The latch, shaft and swing arm may be positioned such that downward movement of the shaft applies force to a projection part of the swing arm causing the swing arm to rotate and the latch to retract, releasing and allowing the movable frame assembly to pop up. 
         [0016]    The latch, shaft and swing arm may also be positioned such that upward movement of the shaft after the movable frame assembly has popped up causes the swing arm to rotate and the latch to extend, blocking the moveable frame from closing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an exemplary implementation of the presently disclosed embodiments; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the implementation of the presently disclosed embodiments in a pop-up state; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the implementation of the presently disclosed embodiments; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the implementation of the presently disclosed embodiments; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a right side view of the implementation of the presently disclosed embodiments; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of the implementation of the presently disclosed embodiments; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is the A-A cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a schematic front view of a push button latch device according to the presently disclosed embodiments; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a schematic side view of the push button latch device; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a schematic plan view of the push button latch device; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is the schematic plan view of the push button latch device partially dismantled without a button assembly; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is the B-B sectional view of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is the C-C sectional view of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the push button latch device; 
           [0031]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a latch of the button latch device; 
           [0032]      FIG. 16  is a top view of the latch; 
           [0033]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a swing arm of the push button latch device; 
           [0034]      FIG. 18  is a right side view of the swing arm; 
           [0035]      FIG. 19  is a front view of the swing arm; 
           [0036]      FIG. 20  is a rear view of the swing arm; 
           [0037]      FIG. 21  is a top view of the swing arm; 
           [0038]      FIG. 22  is a bottom view of the swing arm; 
           [0039]      FIG. 23  is a perspective view of latch box of the push button latch device; 
           [0040]      FIG. 24  is a bottom view of the latch box; 
           [0041]      FIG. 25  is a front view of the latch box; 
           [0042]      FIG. 26  is a right side view of the latch box, where the right side view is symmetric to the left side view; 
           [0043]      FIG. 27  is a top view of the latch box; 
           [0044]      FIG. 28  is the rear view of the latch box; 
           [0045]      FIG. 29  is the exploded view of the latch box; 
           [0046]      FIG. 30  is the perspective view of the latch box; and 
           [0047]      FIG. 31  is an exploded view of a prior art pop up box. 
       
    
    
       [0048]    The reference numbers in the Figures identify the following elements:  1 . Upper cover,  2 . Button,  3 . O-ring,  4 . Cir-clip,  5 . Plate,  6 . Latch,  7 . Swing arm,  8 . Spring,  9 . Waterproof pad,  10 . Bottom plate,  11 . Spindle,  12 . Latch box,  13 . Latch box fastener,  14 . Bottom plate fastener,  15 . Movable frame fastener,  16 . Movable frame,  17 . Terminal element,  18 . Stationary frame fastener,  19 . Spindle,  20 . Torsional spring,  21 . Stationary frame,  22 . Cylinder,  23 . Rectangular press surface,  24 . Upper O ring slot,  25 . Lower O ring slot,  26 . Cir-clip slot,  27 . Spherical surface,  28 . Swing arm aperture,  29 . Cylinder aperture,  30 . Through hole,  31 . Projection part of the swing arm,  32 . Base section,  33 . Groove,  34 . Swing arm upper portion,  35 . Damper,  36 . Mounting hole,  37 . Spindle hole,  38 . Spring base,  39 . Button latch device,  40 . an Upper cuboid part,  41 . Button assembly shaft,  42  Latch box front,  43 . Latch box back,  44 . Latch box wall,  45 . Latch box side walls,  46 . Latch box bottom wall,  47 . Plate frame,  48 . Function part, Sheet  101 , Upper cover  102 , Plate frame sheet  103 , Plate frame  104 , Seal ring  105 , Base plate  106 , Outside frame  107 , Plate frame fastener  108 , Press cover latch  109 , Movable frame  111 , Function part  113 , Damping device  116 , Plate  124 . 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0049]    Combining with the implementation and attached drawings, it is hereby to describe the invention further. 
         [0050]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-14 , the waterproof and dust proof secure pop-up floor box  100  comprises a plate  5 , waterproof pad  9 , upper cover  1 , push button latch device  39 , movable frame  16 , stationary frame  21 , torsional spring  20 , and spindle  19 . The movable frame  16  houses a function part  48  or parts that may be exposed for use when the movable frame  16  is extended or popped up. The function part  48  may include receptacles for accepting different connections, for example, power plugs, network plugs, coaxial connectors, or any other suitable connectors. The pop up box  100  also includes a bottom plate  10  and a waterproof pad  9 . The waterproof and dust proof secure pop-up floor box  100  has the following characteristics: the waterproof pad  9  is pressed on to the plate  5 . The bottom plate  10  is mounted below the waterproof pad  9 . The plate  5 , waterproof pad  9 , and bottom plate  10  together comprise a plate frame  47 . The push button latch device  39  includes a latch box  12 , a button  2 , a latch  6 , a swing arm  7 , two springs  8 , and a spindle  11 . The button  2  includes a shaft  41  on which two O-rings  3  are mounted, and the shaft  41  is plugged in a cylinder  22  of the plate  5 . The button  2  is fastened with a cir-clip  4 . The latch  6  is positioned in a groove  33  of the bottom plate  10 . Upper portions  34  of the swing arm  7  are inserted into apertures  28  in the latch  6 . One end of each of the two springs  8  is received by a base section  32 . The swing arm  7  and the other end contacts a bottom surface of the latch box  12 . The swing arm  7  is pinned inside the latch box  12  by spindle  11 . The latch box  12  is fixed below the bottom plate  10 . A lower spherical surface  27  of the button shaft  41  contacts a projection part  31  of a bottom portion of the swing arm  7  so that a vertical motion of the shaft applies a force to the projection part  31  of the swing arm  7 , causing the swing arm to rotate around spindle  11  and the latch  6  to move laterally within the groove  33 . When the latch  6  retracts, the movable frame assembly is released and pops up. When the shafts returns to its original position after the movable frame assembly has popped up, the latch will extend out to block a bottom portion of the movable frame assembly in order to prevent the pop up box from closing. 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the cylinder  22  is integrated with the plate  5 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the waterproof pad  9  is made of rubber and includes some certain structures on both upper and back sides. The plate  5  also has some certain structures on back sides. The structures of a upper side of the waterproof pad  9  facing the back side of plate  5  coordinate with the structures of the plate  5 . For example, the structures of the waterproof pad  9  and the plate  5  have mating patterns and interleave with each other. Correspondingly, the bottom plate  10  may also have some certain structures on the upper sides. The structures of a back side of the waterproof pad  9  facing the bottom plate  10  also coordinate with the structures of the bottom plate  10 . For example, the structures of the waterproof pad  9  and the bottom plate  10  have mating patterns and interleave with each other. The bottom plate  10 , waterproof pad  9 , and plate  5  are connected tightly by two fasteners  14  that extend through the bottom plate  10 . The combination of the mating or interleaving structures and the tight connection operates to provide a waterproof and dust proof seal for the waterproof and dust proof secure pop-up floor box  100 . The latch box  12  is fixed under the bottom plate  10  by two fasteners  13  that extend through the latch box  12 . The stationary frame  21  is fixed to the bottom plate  10  by four fasteners  18 . The fasteners  14  extending through the bottom plate  10  and fasteners  18  operate to tightly connect the bottom plate  10 , waterproof pad  9 , and plate  5 . 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIGS. 1, 14, 29, and 30 , the button  2  includes an upper cuboid part  40  with a rectangular surface  23 . The shaft  41  is round and may extend from a center of the cuboid part  40 . There is an upper O ring slot  24 , a lower O ring slot  25  and a circlip slot  26  on the shaft  41 . An end of the shaft  41  opposite the cuboid part  40  has a spherical surface  27 . O-rings  3  are mounted in the upper O ring slot ( 24 ) and the lower O ring slot ( 25 ) separately to compose the waterproof and dust-proof construction when mounted in the cylinder  22  of plate  5 . The spherical surface  27  contacts the projection part  31  of the bottom portion of the swing arm  7  so that a vertical motion of the shaft  41  applies a force to the projection part  31  of the swing arm  7 . 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIGS. 1, 15, 16, 29, and 30 , two swing arm apertures  28  and a cylinder aperture  29  are provided in the latch  6 . The swing arm apertures  28  are at both sides of the cylinder  29 . Upper portions  34  of the swing arm  7  are positioned in the swing arm apertures  28 . When the latch  6  is in planar motion with upper portions  34  of the swing arm  7 , the cylinder aperture  29  allows the latch  6  to move freely in the groove of the bottom plate  10 . 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIGS. 1, 20, 22, and 30 , the swing arm  7  has a rocker structure, that is, the swing arm  7  pivots back and forth around the spindle  11 . A lower portion of the swing arm  7  has a through hole  30  for receiving the spindle  11 . The projection part  31  of the bottom portion of the swing arm  7  contacts the spherical surface  27  of the button shaft  41 . The symmetrical parts at both sides of swing arm ( 7 ) are referred to as transition parts, each comprising the base section  32  and the upper swing arm portion  34 . 
         [0055]    Referring to  FIGS. 1, 23, 29, and 30 , a front part  42  of the latch box  12  is open and a back part  43  of the latch box  12  is partially open. A box wall  44  extends to form side walls  45  and the back part  43  of the latch box. The side walls  45  extend upward and then outward at approximately 90 degrees to form mounting tabs with holes  36 . The side walls  45  also have a spindle hole  37 . A bottom wall  46  of the latch box  12  also includes two spring bases  38  for receiving the ends of the springs  8 . 
         [0056]    Various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of the disclosed embodiments will still fall within the scope of the disclosed embodiments. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures or elements shown or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment. Furthermore, some of the features of the exemplary embodiments could be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features. As such, the foregoing description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles of the disclosed embodiments and not in limitation thereof.