Abstract:
A retainer includes a base portion, a plurality of prongs, and a retention clip. The base portion has an inner bore engageable with a threaded stud extending from the mounting surface. The prongs extend outwardly from the base portion and are slidable into a bore of a device to be mounted to the mounting surface. The retention clip is formed by an outer distal end portion of the prongs and is configured to retain the device on the mounting surface by snap-locking onto the device when the device is slid onto the retainer. The prongs outer distal ends that are compressibly spaced apart from one another. In order to facilitate release of the device from the mounting surface, a pair of finger pads may be located at the outer distal ends of the prongs. The retainer is well-suited for mounting a telemetry antenna on a surface such as a ceiling and, in fact, can reduce antenna installation time by 75% when compare to prior known systems.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to retainers and, and more particularly to a retainer for mounting a device such as a telemetry antenna on a mounting surface such as a ceiling. The invention additionally relates to an antenna mounting system and to a method for detachably mounting an antenna on a ceiling. 
     Retainers for mounting devices on mounting surfaces are well known. Known retainers include screws, bolts, rivets, straps, and cotter pins. Although these devices work reasonably well for their intended purpose, their use usually requires considerable effort and/or specialized tools. They also usually cannot be easily removed. For instance, retaining clips or pins often must be bent to attach the device to the underlying mounting surface and must be straightened before the device can be removed from the mounting surface. At least a portion of most retainers also must be completely removed to permit removal of the device from the mounting surface and are easily lost. Some snap-fit retainers need not be removed to permit detachment of the device from the mounting surface, but they are often difficult to unsnap without the use of a relatively specialized tool such as a needle-nose pliers. 
     These problems are particularly evident where the retainer is in the form of a clip that is used to mount a device on a ceiling at a location above obstructions that render it difficult to access the retainer. For instance, some medical monitoring systems employ several ceiling-mounted telemetry antennas to track and monitor patients. These antennas often were affixed directly to the associated retainer, e.g., by screwing a threaded boss on the antenna directly onto a treaded stud of the retainer. Mounting these antennas on a ceiling using conventional retainer clips often is hindered by equipment within the room. Installing or removing such antennas using pliers, wrenches, and/or other tools can be a very time consuming process that substantially increases the overall systems&#39; installation or removal costs. 
     In view of the aforementioned problems, the need has arisen to provide a retainer that permits a device such as a telemetry antenna to be mounted on and taken off from the associated mounting surface quickly and easily without the use of any specialized tools. The need has also arisen to provide an easily implemental method of mounting a device such as a telemetry antenna on an associated mounting surface such as a ceiling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a system and a method for detachably mounting a device on a mounting surface that 1) simplifies the installation procedure, 2) enhances the operating performance of the mounted device, 3) minimizes installation time, 4) reduces installation cost, and 5) requires no specialized tools for installation or removal of the device. 
     In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a retainer is provided that includes a base portion, a plurality of prongs, and a retention clip. The base portion has an inner bore engageable with a threaded stud extending from the mounting surface. The prongs extend outwardly from the base portion and are slidable into a bore of a device to be mounted to the mounting surface. The retention clip is formed by an outer distal end portion of the prongs and is configured to retain the device on the mounting surface by snap-locking onto the device when the device is slid onto the retainer. The outer distal ends of the prongs are compressibly spaced apart from one another to facilitate a snap-fit connection with the device. Additional prongs could also be provided. In order to facilitate release of the device from the mounting surface, a pair of finger pads may be located at the outer distal ends of the prongs. Each finger pad preferably has a concave face to assist in compressing the two prongs to release the device from the mounting surface. 
     The mounting surface may comprise a ceiling grid. In this case, the retainer preferably further comprises a T-bar clip attachable to the ceiling grid and having the threaded stud that is engageable with the inner bore of the base portion. 
     Alternatively, the support structure could comprise a ceiling tile. In this case, the retainer preferably further comprises a ceiling bracket, a T-bar clip, and a ceiling washer and wing nut. The ceiling bracket includes a stud extendable through the ceiling tile. The T-bar clip is engageable with the ceiling bracket and includes the stud that is engageable with the inner bore of the base portion. The ceiling washer and wing nut are engageable to the stud of the ceiling bracket to mount the retainer to the mounting surface. 
     Alternatively, the mounting structure could comprise a solid surface. In this case, the retainer preferably comprises an anchor inserted into the solid surface and a hanger bolt having an inner end attached to the anchor and having an outer end that forms the stud that is engageable with the inner bore of the base portion. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a telemetry antenna mounting system includes an antenna having a bore therethrough, a support structure, and a retaining clip. The support structure is attachable to a mounting surface and has a threaded stud extending therefrom. The retaining clip includes a base portion, a plurality of prongs, and a retention clip. The base portion has an inner bore engageable with a stud extending from the ceiling. The prongs extend outwardly from the base portion and are slidable into a bore of the antenna. The retention clip is formed by an outer distal end portion of the prongs and is configured to retain to the antenna on the ceiling by snaplocking onto the antenna when the antenna is slid onto the retainer clip. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method of mounting an antenna to a structure includes the steps of securing a support structure to the surface, screwing an internally threaded base portion of a retaining clip onto a threaded stud of the support structure, sliding the antenna over a plurality of prongs attached to and extending from the base portion end of the retaining clip, and snap-locking the antenna to a retention clip attached to and extending outwardly from the plurality of prongs to retain the antenna to the ceiling. Preferably, the retaining clip is threaded further onto the threaded post after snap-locking the antenna to the retention clip to draw the antenna snug against the surface. The antenna can subsequently be released from the retaining clip by compressing the plurality of prongs inwardly to disengage the retention clip of the retaining clip from the antenna. 
     Various other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the attached drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a telemetry antenna mounted on a ceiling using a retainer constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the antenna and retainer of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view of the telemetry antenna and retainer of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a telemetry antenna and a retainer constructed in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a telemetry antenna and a retainer constructed in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative retaining clip usable in the retainers of FIGS. 1-5. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a retainer  10  is illustrated that is used to detachably mount a device such as telemetry antenna  12  on a mounting surface. The mounting surface may comprise a wall or other vertical structure or a horizontal structure such as a ceiling  14 . The retainer  10  includes an upper support structure  16  configured for mounting on the ceiling  14  and a lower retaining clip  18  configured to be mounted on the support structure  16  and to support the antenna  12  in a releasable snap-fit manner. 
     The antenna  12  is used to track the locations of patients wearing transmitters and to obtain data from those patients. Still referring to FIGS. 1-3, antenna  12  includes a two-part housing  20  having upper and lower sections  22  and  24  coupled to one another by upper and lower connecting posts  26  and  28 . A bore  30  extends vertically through mating bosses  32  and  34  extending into the interior of the housing  20  from respective upper and lower surfaces  36  and  38  of the housing  20 . The bore  30  is sufficiently wide to permit free sliding movement of the housing  20  over the retaining clip  18  in the retaining clip&#39;s uncompressed state. The bottom surface  38  of the housing  20  is chamfered in the vicinity of the bore at  40  to provide an annular seat for engagement with a clip portion  56  of the retaining clip  18  as detailed below. 
     The construction and manner of operation of the support structure  16  will vary from application to application, depending on the construction of the ceiling or other mounting structure supporting the retainer  10 . In addition, the orientation of the retainer  10  and antenna  12  will vary depending on whether the antenna  12  is mounted on a vertical surface such as a wall or a horizontal surface such as a ceiling. In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 1-5, the antenna  12  is mounted on a ceiling, in which case the major components of the retainer  10  extend vertically. Terminology such as “downwardly” and “above” therefore is used herein for the sake of convenience. The invention should not be construed to require those or any other orientations. 
     The ceiling  14  of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 includes a ceiling grid having a channel  42 . The support structure  16  therefore is adapted for mounting on the channel  42  of the ceiling grid. It comprises a T-bar clip having a generally horizontal base  44  and a threaded stud  46  extending downwardly from the base  44 . The base  44  includes flexible clips  48  that clip onto the channel  42  in a conventional manner. The stud  46  extends downwardly from the base  44  and is threaded at its distal end. 
     The retaining clip  18  is configured to be attachable to the support structure  16  and to permit the attachment of the antenna  12  thereto and removal of the antenna  12  therefrom without the use of any specialized tools. It is also formed from a relatively resilient, light-weight, low-cost material such an injection molded plastic. The use of a plastic material for the retaining clip  18  also helps minimize any negative impact of the retaining clip  18  on the antenna&#39;s gain pattern. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the retaining clip  18  includes an upper base portion  50 , at least two prongs  52  disposed beneath the base portion  50 , and a retention clip portion  56  disposed at the bottom distal end of the prongs  52 . The base portion  50 , which is tapered outwardly from its upper to lower ends, has an internally threaded inner bore  58  or internally threaded insert engageable with and threadable onto the threaded stud  46  of the ceiling clip  16 . The prongs  52  are formed from an extension of the base  50  and, therefore, taper at least generally at the same angle as the base  50 . They extend downwardly from the base portion  50  and are configured to be slidable into the bore  30  of the antenna housing  20 . The prongs  52  are separated from one another by an axial slot  60  that permits the prongs  52  to resiliently reflect towards and away from one another during an antenna installation or removal process. The bottom end of the slot  60  also serves as a mating surface for a tool such as a screwdriver or coin as detailed below. Although the retaining clip  18  of the illustrated embodiment has only two prongs, a retaining clip having three or more prongs could also be employed, so long as the prongs can be compressed towards one another for antenna installation and removal. 
     The retention clip portion  56  of the retainer clip  18  extends horizontally outwardly from the lower distal ends of the prongs  52  to capture and retain the antenna  12  to the ceiling  14  or other mounting surface. The retention clip portion  56  includes two identical clip portions  62 , one of which is formed on the lower end of each of the respective prongs  52 . Each clip portion  62  has an upper, outwardly extending lip  64  configured to engage the seat formed by the chamfered portion  40  of the bottom surface  38  of the antenna housing  20 . A finger pad  66  extends downwardly from each lip  64  to the bottom distal end of the associated prong  52 . Each of the finger pads  66  has a concave face to assist in compressing the prongs  52  towards one another during an antenna installation or removal process. The entire clip portion  56  is tapered inwardly from its upper end to its lower end to aid in an antenna installation process. 
     The telemetry antenna  12  can be mounted on the ceiling  14  using the retainer  10  in the following process. First, the T-bar clip  16  is affixed to the ceiling grid channel  42 , using the flexible clips  48  of the base  44  of the clip  16 , such that the threaded stud  46  extends vertically downwardly from the ceiling  14 . The base portion  50  of the retaining clip  18  is then threaded part-way onto the threaded stud  46  of the T-bar clip  16 . The antenna  12  is then simply snapped onto the end of the retaining clip  18 . Specifically, as the central bore  30  in the antenna housing  20  is pressed upwardly over the retaining clip  18 , engagement of the tapered retainer clip portion  56  of the retaining clip  18  with the edge of the bore  30  compresses the prongs  52  and permits additional upward movement of the antenna  12  relative to the retaining clip  18 . When the lips  64  of the retention clip portion  56  clear the bottom end of the bore  30 , the prongs  52  resiliently snap back to their uncompressed position so that the lips  64  rest against the annular seat formed by the chamfered portion  40  of the bottom surface  38  of the antenna housing  20  to hold the antenna  12  in the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. A flathead screwdriver or even a coin (not shown) can then be inserted into the bottom of the slot  60  and turned to tighten the retaining clip  18  further onto the stud  46  until the antenna  12  rests snuggly against the ceiling  14 . It could also be finger-tightened against the ceiling. This snug-fit is assured by providing a recess  68  in the upper surface  36  of the antenna housing  20  that overlies the ceiling clip  16  as illustrated in FIG.  3 . Alternatively, the retaining clip  18  could be threaded the proper distance onto the stud  46  for snug fit of the antenna  12  against the ceiling  14  before the antenna  12  is snapped onto the retaining clip  18 , thereby negating the need to use any tools whatsoever to mount the antenna  12  on the retainer  10 . 
     A previously-installed telemetry antenna  12  can also be removed for relocation or replacement in a very simple operation without using any complex tools. All one need do is to grip the finger pads  66  on the retention clip  56  and press them towards one another to compress the prongs  52  sufficiently to permit the lips  64  to move into the bore  30  of the antenna housing  20 , at which time the antenna  12  simply slips off from the end of the retaining clip  18 . 
     Because use of the retainer  10  permits a telemetry antenna  12  or other structure to be mounted on a ceiling  14  or other mounting surface very rapidly without using special tools and little or no skilled labor, the retainer  10  minimizes installation time, reduces installation costs, and greatly facilitates removal and relocation of the mounted device when compared to prior known mounting systems. In fact, it is estimated that the retainer  10  yields a 75% reduction in installation time when compared to prior retainers used in these applications. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, a retainer  80  constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention differs from the retainer  10  of the first embodiment only in that it is configured for mounting on a thin structure such as a ceiling tile  142  as opposed to a channel such as a ceiling grid channel. Retainer  80  includes the same T-bar clip  16  and retaining clip  18  as in the prior embodiment. However, rather than mounting the T-bar clip  16  directly to a channel on the ceiling, the support structure additionally includes a ceiling bracket assembly that supports the T-bar clip  16 . The ceiling bracket assembly includes a support plate  70 , a threaded stud  72 , a washer  74 , and a wing nut  76 . The support plate  70  comprises a flat plate that is configured to receive the base  44  of the T-bar clip  16  in the same manner that the ceiling grid bracket of the previous embodiment received the ceiling grid T-bar clip. The stud  72  has a lower end affixed to the support plate  70  and an upper, threaded end dimensioned for protrusion through a hole  78  in the ceiling tile  142  when the support plate  70  is pressed flat against the bottom of the ceiling tile  142 . 
     The T-bar clip  16  is mounted on the ceiling tile  142  by inserting the stud  72  through the hole  78  in the ceiling tile  142 , then slipping the washer  74  over the threaded end of the stud  72 , and then tightening the wing nut  76  onto the stud  72  to clamp the support plate  70  firmly against the bottom of the ceiling tile  142 . The T-bar clip  16  can be clipped onto the support plate  70  (either before or after the support plate  70  is clamped against the ceiling tile  142 ) in the same manner as discussed above in connection with the first embodiment. Antenna installation then proceeds as before, with the retaining clip  18  first being threaded onto the stud  46  of the T-bar clip  16 , the antenna  12  then snapping over the end of the retaining clip  18 . Then, if desired or necessary, the retaining clip  16  may be threaded further onto the T-bar clip  16  using a screwdriver or coin to draw the antenna  12  snug to the ceiling tile  142 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, a retainer  110  is illustrated that is constructed in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention and that differs from the retainers of the previous embodiments only in that it is configured for attachment to a drywall or masonry surface (not shown). In this embodiment, the T-bar clip is eliminated altogether and is replaced with an anchor  112  and a hanger bolt  114 . The anchor  112  has external ribs  116  and an annular flange  118 . When installed in a ceiling, the ribs  116  lock the anchor  112  to the ceiling when it is inserted into a hole in the ceiling. The flange  118  rests flush against the ceiling to prevent further movement of the anchor  112  into the ceiling during an anchor installation process. The anchor  112  also has a tapered threaded internal bore  120  for receiving the hanger bolt  114 . The hanger bolt  114 , which is threaded along its entire length, has an upper, tapered end  122  configured for mating with the tapered bore  120  in the anchor  112  and a lower end of constant diameter that forms a stud  146  for receiving the retaining clip  18 . It should be noted that the anchor  112  is not necessary if the hanger bolt  114  is attached directly to a stud or other rigid structure. 
     The telemetry antenna  12  is installed using the retainer  110  of FIG. 5 in the following manner. First, a hole (not shown) is drilled in the drywall or masonry surface (also not shown) at the appropriate location. The anchor  112  is then inserted into the hole so that the flange  118  rests flat against the ceiling. An acorn nut  124  is then screwed onto the stud  146  formed by the lower end of the hanger bolt  114 , and the tapered upper end  122  of the hanger bolt  114  is inserted into the anchor  112 . The acorn nut  124  is then turned to firmly screw the hanger bolt  114  into the anchor  112 . The acorn nut  124  is then removed from the hanger bolt  114  without loosening the hanger bolt  114  from the anchor  112 . The hanger bolt  112  is now held firmly in place and is ready for receiving the retaining clip  18 . The retaining clip  18  and antenna  12  are then mounted onto the stud  146  in the same manner as described above. Specifically, the retaining clip  18  is screwed onto the stud  146 , the antenna  12  is snap-fit over the end of the retaining clip  18 , and, if desired, a screwdriver or coin is used to screw the retaining clip  18  further onto the stud to draw the antenna  12  snug against the surface. It could be finger tightened. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, a retaining clip  218  is illustrated that is usable in any of the previous embodiments and that contains all the same general features as the retaining clip of the first embodiment. Clip  218  therefore includes a base portion  250  having a threaded internal base  258 , a pair of prongs  252  separated by a slot  260 , and a retention clip portion  256  having clip portions  262 , lips  264 , and finger pads  266 . In fact, the most significant difference between the retainer clip  218  of this embodiment and the retaining clip  18  of the previous embodiment is that it is significantly wider at its lower end. The base  250  therefore is not continuously tapered. It instead includes an upper portion  270  of constant diameter and a lower, frusto-conical portion  272  that increases continuously in diameter from the lower end of the upper portion  270  to the upper end of the prongs  252 . The slot  260  is also significantly wider than in the pervious embodiments. Finally, it has inclined finger pads  266  rather than concave pads. 
     The present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment, and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.