A mounting structure for mounting a solenoid on a support structure

Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting a solenoid (46) on a support structure includes a plurality of mounting elements for securing the solenoid (46) to a frame member (58). A wall member (60) has first, second and third projections (64,66,68) which extend therefrom and are spaced to receive first and second body portions (48,50) of the solenoid (46). A pair of further projections (78,80) are formed integral with the frame member (58) and include slanted surfaces (86,88) to enable rotation of the solenoid (46) into mounting position.

Description: The present invention relates to a mounting structure for mounting a solenoid on a support structure and more particularly, but not exclusively, to mounting the solenoid on a frame member in a printer. The use of screws, bolts, nuts and the like is known for securing electronic components, such as a solenoid, on a frame member within the printer. One of the disadvantages of employing a number of parts for securing a solenoid to the frame member is that installation time is generally high. Also, if one of the parts is incorrectly installed or of poor quality it may work itself loose or fail and thereby permit undamped relative movement between the solenoid and the frame member causing deleterious effects on the solenoid and its operational efficiency. EP-A-0193794 discloses a mounting structure for a motor, the structure having motor-engagement means mounted on a wall member depending from a frame member and FR-A-2118910 discloses a support frame for an electrical unit. The frame in the latter document is provided with a slit and a lug for the mounting of the unit which has corresponding flanges for engagement in the slit and behind the lug. These known structures are disadvantageous in that they necessitate an awkward, slow and complicated procedure for mounting the motor and unit, and also that special features be included on the motor housing and electrical unit for the mounting thereof. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting structure for mounting a solenoid on a frame member, the structure having mounting elements enabling the solenoid to be easily installed and when so installed to be securely positioned and restrained therein. Thus according to the invention, there is provided a mounting structure for mounting a solenoid on a support structure, said mounting structure including a planar frame member, a wall member formed integral with said frame member and extending substantially perpendicular therefrom and a plurality of space projections formed integral with said wall member, characterized by first and second slots formed by said plurality of projections and for respectively receiving first edges of first and second body portions of said solenoid, retaining means formed integral with said frame member and spaced from said wall member to define a space between said first slot and said retaining means for receiving said first body portion, and support means formed integral with said frame member and with said wall member for supporting said wall member in a secure position relative to said frame member, whereby upon insertion of said first edge of said second body portion into said second slot said first body portion can be rotated into said space by engaging and resiliently deflecting said retaining means in a direction away from said first slot, said retaining means engaging a second edge of said first body portion opposite said first edge of said first body portion, after passage of said first body portion into said space, so as to retain said solenoid in its mounted position on said frame member. The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a printer of the type utilizing the subject matter of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a printer frame member incorporating the mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the orientation of the solenoid in mounting thereof. Prior to describing the structure in detail, it should be noted that the printer mounted thereon is a multi-function type that can accommodate a receipt, a journal and a slip or form which form consists of one of more parts. The printer can be set in one of five different modes of operation which include printing a journal only, printing a receipt only, printing a receipt and a journal, printing a slip of form only, or printing a slip or form and a journal. The journal and the receipt can accommodate 42 columns of printing and the slip or form can accommodate 46 columns of printing. Referring now to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a printer 12 having a front portion 14, a right side 16, a left side 18, and a rear portion 20. A wire matrix print head 22 is moved in a side-to-side manner by suitable motor drive means (Fig. 3) located at the right front corner of the printer. A journal station or module 24 is provided at the right hand side of the printer and includes a supply roll 26 of journal paper that is guided past the journal print station platen 28 and is rewound on a take-up roller 30 by a step-type drive motor (not shown). A receipt station or module 32 is provided at the left hand side of the printer and includes a supply roll 34 of receipt paper that is guided past the receipt print station platen 36 and is driven by a step-type drive motor (not shown). The journal station and the receipt station are separated by six character spaces. A ribbon cassette (not shown) of the operator-changeable type is positioned to the rear of the print head 22 (toward the viewer of the illustration in Fig. 1) and the ribbon is driven in one direction from right to left in a path between the front portion of the print head 22 and the record media (journal, receipt or slip). A slot 40 is provided at the left front side of the printer for insertion of a slip 38 which can be inserted from the front of the printer or from the side thereof in a path in front of the receipt paper at the receipt station. A heat sink 42 is provided for the print head 22 to dissipate heat therefrom. A more detailed description of the arrangement of the receipt station and slip station is found in United States Patent No. 4,780,007, issued October 25, 1988 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the structure for mounting a latching solenoid 46 of box-like construction. The latching solenoid 46 is used in the operation of the forms compensating mechanism which provides for accommodating different thicknesses of paper in the printer 12. The solenoid 46 includes a pull coil and a return coil operating with two permanent magnets, the arrangement thereof being well-known in the art. The solenoid 46 includes a U-shaped frame member comprising a top or first portion 48, an end portion 52 and a bottom or second portion 50, the orientation of portions 48 and 50 being noted for convenient description thereof. A closure portion 54 joins portions 48 and 50 opposite the end portion 52. The front and back sides of the solenoid 46 between the top and bottom portions 48 and 50 are open. A mounting bracket 56 for holding and securing the solenoid 46 is of unitary construction and provides supporting portions that are formed to receive the U-shaped frame of the solenoid. A planar frame member 58 of the printer 12 is located forwardly of the receipt station 36 and includes a plurality of formed portions integral therewith. A preferred material for the frame member 58 and the supporting portions is 7% glass filled polycarbonate, base material G.E. 5247 which material is flame retardant and ultraviolet stable and is suitable for supporting the solenoid 46 in repeated operations. The mounting bracket 56 includes a wall 60 formed or molded integral with the frame member and projecting substantially perpendicular in a direction downwardly from the planar frame member 58. A gusset member 62 is formed or molded integral with the frame member 58 and with the wall 60 to provide support for the wall against any movement in either direction when the solenoid 46 is installed or removed from the mounting bracket 56. The mounting bracket 56 includes a first projection 64 extending perpendicular from one side of and formed or molded integral with the wall 60 on the side opposite the gusset member 62 and spaced at a precise distance from the frame member 58. A second projection 66 of similar size as the first projection 64 extends perpendicular from the same side of and is formed or molded integral with the wall 60 and is spaced at a greater distance from the first projection 64 than the first projection is spaced from the frame member 58. A third projection 68 of the wall 60 is located at the bottom of the wall and extends perpendicular from the same side of and is formed or molded integral with the wall. The third projection 68 extends farther from the wall 60 than the first projection 64 and the second projection 66. The third projection 68 is spaced from the second projection 66 substantially the same distance as the distance from the frame member 58 to the first projection 64. A pair of opposed walls 70 and 72 are formed or molded integral with the frame member 58 and are spaced from each other in parallel relationship. The walls 70 and 72 are oriented in the same direction as the gusset 62 and are spaced from each other at a distance substantially equal to the length of the top portion 48 and the length of the bottom portion 50 of the solenoid 46. The walls 70 and 72 have slanted or sloping end portions 74 and 76 for conveniently receiving the end portion 52 and the closure portion 54 of the solenoid 46. A pair of retainers in the form of small lugs 78 and 80 are also formed or molded integral with the frame member 58. The lugs 78 and 80 are spaced from the wall 60 and are located along a line located near the slanted end portions 74 and 76. The lugs 78 and 80 have slanted portions 82 and 84 and straight portions 86 and 88 facing the wall 60. The slanted portions 82 and 84 provide an arrangement wherein the solenoid 46 is snapped into place when securing the solenoid into position by use of the projections 64, 66 and 68. The slanted portions, while engaging with an edge of the top frame portion 48, enable the solenoid 46 to be rotated a small amount and to place the solenoid into position, and the straight portions 86 and 88 of the lugs 78 and 80 bear against one edge of the top portion 48. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and illustrates the manner in which the solenoid 46 is installed or inserted into the mounting bracket 56. The opposed walls 70 and 72 are not shown in Fig. 5 for reason of clarity. Also straight portion 86 of lug 78 is shown aligned with straight portion 88 of lug 80. The solenoid 46 is a box-type unit that includes the top plate portion 48 and the bottom plate portion 50 that fit into the space between the frame member 58 and the first projection 64 and the space between the second projection 66 and the third projection 68. As mentioned above, the sides of the solenoid 46 are open and expose a coil 90 and a permanent magnet 92. A plunger 94 is provided in the solenoid 46 and extends to the right (Figs. 3 and 4) for coupling with an arm (not shown) of the forms compensation mechanism at the receipt/slip station 36 of the printer 12. The solenoid 46 is assembled and mounted in the mounting bracket 56 by placing an edge 96 of the bottom portion 50 into the slot or space formed by and between the third projection 68 and the second projection 66, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The top portion 48 of the solenoid 46 is slid under and past the lugs 78 and 80 in position to place an edge 98 of the top portion 48 into the slot or space formed by and between the frame member 58 and the first projection 64. As the top portion 48 is slid under and past the lugs 78 and 80 the solenoid 46 is rotated slightly so that the edge 100 of portion 48 slides along the slanted portions 82 and 84 and the portions 48 and 50 then fit into the slot formed by the member 58 and projection 64 and the slot formed by the projection 66 and the projection 68, respectively. The solenoid 46 is secured in place when the edge 100 of the top portion 48 is engaged with the straight edge portions 86 and 88 of the lugs 78 and 80, as illustrated in Fig. 2. It is thus seen that herein shown and described is a solenoid mounting bracket for use in a printer. The bracket has a plurality of projections that provide slots engageable by the solenoid frame portions and a plurality of lugs that maintain the solenoid in place.

Claims: A mounting structure for mounting a solenoid (46) on a support structure, said mounting structure including a planar frame member (58), a wall member (60) formed integral with said frame member (58) and extending substantially perpendicular therefrom and a plurality of spaced projections (64,66,68) formed integral with said wall member (60), characterized by first and second slots formed by said plurality of projections and for respectively receiving first edges (98,96) of first and second body portions (48,50) of said solenoid (46), retaining means (78,80) formed integral with said frame member (58) and spaced from said wall member (60) to define a space between said first slot and said retaining means (78,80) for receiving said first body portion (48), and support means (62) formed integral with said frame member (58) and with said wall member (60) for supporting said wall member (60) in a secure position relative to said frame member (58), whereby upon insertion of said first edge of said second body portion (50) into said second slot said first body portion (48) can be rotated into said space by engaging and resiliently deflecting said retaining means (78,80) in a direction away from said first slot, said retaining means (78,80) engaging a second edge (100) of said first body portion (48) opposite said first edge (98) of said first body portion (48), after passage of said first body portion (48) into said space, so as to retain said solenoid (46) in its mounted position on said frame member (58). A mounting structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said retaining means (78,80) has a slanted surface (84) for accommodating rotation of said first body portion (48) into said space. A mounting structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said plurality of spaced projections (64,66,68) include a first projection (64) spaced at a first distance from said frame member (58), a second projection (66) spaced at a second distance from said frame member (58), a third projection (68) spaced at a distance from said second projection (66) substantially equal to said first distance, and said retaining means (78,80) is spaced at a third distance from said wall member (60), said first body portion (48) fitting into the space defined between said frame member (58) and said first projection (64) and said second body portion fitting into the space between said second projection (66) and said third projection (68). A mounting structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said first projection (64) and said second projection (66) extend substantially the same distance from said wall member (60) and said third projection (68) extends farther from said wall member (60) than said first projection (64) and said second projection (66). A mounting structure according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said retaining means (78,80) includes a pair of further projections (78,80) formed integral with said frame member (58) and spaced from one another. A mounting structure according to claim 5, characterized in that each of said further projections (78,80) includes a slanted portion (82,84) engageable with said first body portion (48) of said solenoid (46) for enabling said first body portion (48) of said solenoid (46) to move into a mounting position between said frame member (58) and said first projection (64) and a straight portion (86,88) for bearing against one edge of said first body portion (48) when said solenoid (46) is in said mounting position. A mounting structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by wall means (70,72) formed integral with said frame member (58) and spaced from said wall member (60) and extending substantially perpendicular therefrom and engageable by said solenoid (46) in mounting thereof. A mounting structure according to claim 7, characterized in that said wall means (70,72) comprise a pair of walls (70,72) formed integral with said frame member (58) and spaced from each other at a distance corresponding to the length of said solenoid (46).

Inventors: WEEKS DAVID E, WEEKS, DAVID E.
Applicants: NCR INT INC, NCR INTERNATIONAL INC.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H01F7
IPC codes: F16M13, H01F7, B41J2, B41J29, B41J25, F16B5, F16M1