Patent Publication Number: US-2016244973-A1

Title: Post mount with quick release locking mechanism

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/120,102, filed on Feb. 24, 2015, and incorporates by reference the disclosure thereof in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Some recreational vehicles, for example, toy haulers, include a rear door that unfolds about a bottom hinge. The top of the door may thus be lowered to ground level to form a ramp between the floor of the vehicle and the ground, thereby facilitating loading and unloading of goods from the interior of the RV. A torsion spring may be provided in combination or otherwise in connection with the bottom hinge to allow a user to raise and lower the door without bearing its full weight. 
     Some such ramp doors are configurable as patios or party decks, as well as ramps. Such doors typically include cables configured to suspend the door in a generally horizontally position (with the RV in a generally level orientation). The doors also may include removable railing to preclude persons occupying the deck from inadvertently stepping or falling off of it. 
     The present disclosure is directed to a mount for selectively receiving and locking into place a post for such a railing. The mount could be used in other applications, as well. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative post mount including a base and a pedal; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the base of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the pedal of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the pedal of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the post mount of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an end elevation view of the post mount of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the post mount of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the post mount of  FIG. 1  with the pedal in an “up” or “locked” position; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the post mount of  FIG. 1  with the pedal in a “down” or “unlocked” or “release” position; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a post partially engaged with the post mount of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is side elevation view of a post partially engaged with the post mount of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a post fully engaged with and locked into the post mount of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevation view of a post fully engaged with and locked into the post mount of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 14  is a side elevation view of the post mount of  FIG. 1  attached to a ramp door of an RV. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings show an illustrative embodiment of a post mount  10  including a base  12  and a pedal  14 . The pedal  14  is pivotally connected to the base  12 . 
     The base  12  includes a post-receiving portion  16  and an attachment portion  18  connected to and extending from the post-receiving portion. The post-receiving portion  16  is configured to selectively receive a post, for example, a post  26 , as best shown in  FIGS. 10-13  and as discussed further below. The post  26  may have a shaft  26 S and a flange  26 F at or near an end of the shaft. The attachment portion  18  is configured to facilitate mounting of the base  12  to a ramp door  20 , door frame  30 , or another substrate. The base  12  may be, but need not be, formed monolithically, for example, by molding, casting, machining, or another process. 
     The post-receiving portion  16  includes a generally u-shaped flange-receiving portion  22  configured to receive laterally the post flange  26 F and a generally u-shaped shaft-receiving portion  24  configured to receive laterally the post shaft  26 S. The flange-receiving portion  22  includes a pair of generally parallel side walls  22 S connected at respective first ends thereof by an end wall  22 E. The end wall  22 E and side walls  22 S are shown as having generally square or rectangular cross-sections, but could be configured in other ways. The end wall  22 E is generally perpendicular to the side walls  22 S. The end wall  22 E and side walls  22 S cooperate to define a slot configured to selectively receive the flange of the post  26 . Each side wall  22 S defines a hole  22 H extending outwardly from a surface of the respective side wall  22 S facing the other side wall  22 S. Each hole  22 H is configured to receive a pivot pin associated with the pedal  14 , as will be discussed further below. The holes  22 H may be through holes, as shown, or blind holes. A lower surface of the flange-receiving portion  22  is configured for abutment with a surface of the ramp door  20  or other substrate the post mount  10  may be attached to or an accessory thereto. Such lower surface may be generally planar. 
     The shaft-receiving portion  24  is shown as a u-shaped plate having a pair of opposed, generally parallel side walls  24 S and an end wall  24 E. The side walls  24 S and end wall  24 E cooperate to define a slot configured to selectively receive a shaft of the post  26 . The end wall  24 E is shown as having a radius complementary to a radius of a post  26  that may be disposed in this slot. The end wall  24 E, however, need not be radiused. Instead, the end wall  24 E could have other configurations. For example, the end wall  24 E could be generally linear and perpendicular to the side walls  24 S of the shaft-receiving portion  24 . 
     The slot defined by the shaft-receiving portion  24  is narrower than the slot defined by the flange-receiving portion  22 . The shaft-receiving portion  24  is connected to the flange-receiving portion  22  such that a flange of a post can be received between a lower portion of shaft-receiving portion and a surface of a substrate, for example, the surface of a ramp door  20  to which the post mount  10  may be attached. In the illustrated embodiment, this connection is made through a ramped interface section  28  disposed between an upper region of the flange-receiving portion  22  and the outer periphery of the shaft-receiving portion  24 . In other embodiments, the interface section  28  could be perpendicular to both the flange-receiving portion  22  and the post-receiving portion  24 . 
     The attachment portion  18  extends from the end wall  22 E of the flange-receiving portion  22  of the post-receiving portion  16 . The attachment portion  18  is shown as a generally square or rectangular wedge having a generally triangular side profile. In other embodiments, the attachment portion could take other forms, for example, a generally square or rectangular plate of generally uniform thickness. An upper surface of the attachment portion  18  extends obliquely downwardly from an upper portion of the end wall  22 E of the flange-receiving portion  22  of the post-receiving portion  16 . A lower surface of the attachment portion  18  is generally parallel to and upwardly offset from the lower surface of the post-receiving portion  16 . As best shown in  FIG. 14 , this offset allows the lower surface of the attachment portion  18  to abut a surface of a frame  30  surrounding the door panel  20  when the lower surface of the post-receiving portion  16  abuts the surface of the door panel  20 . A step  32  defined by the offset between the lower surface of the attachment portion  18  and the lower surface of the post-receiving portion  16  may abut an edge of the frame  30  and thereby serve as means for locating the post mount  10  in a desired position for attachment to the frame and/or the door panel  20 . In other embodiments, the step  32  may be omitted and the lower surfaces of the post-receiving portion  16  and the attachment portion  18  may be generally flush with respect to each other. In further embodiments, the lower surfaces of the post-receiving portion  16  and the attachment portion  18  could be offset from other, for example, as shown in the drawings, or otherwise configured to correspond to non-planar or non-uniform surfaces to which they, respectively, may be attached or abut. 
     The attachment portion  18  defines a pair of apertures  34  therethrough in the form of elongated slots. In other embodiments, the apertures  34  could be round or have other shapes. The apertures  34  are shown as being countersunk from an upper surface of the attachment portion. In other embodiments, the countersinks could be omitted. Where provided, the counter sinks may be configured to provide a land  56  that is generally parallel to the lower surface of the attachment portion  18 . A washer or head of a screw or other fastener may bear against the respective land  56  when the fastener is used to secure the base  12  to the ramp door or other substrate. In other embodiments, the base  12  could be attached to the ramp door or other substrate by other means, for example, adhesives, bonding, or welding. 
     As shown in, for example,  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the attachment portion  18  need not be a solid block of material. Instead, it may include one or more cavities  58  extending inwardly from the lower surface thereof. In such embodiments, walls  34 W defining the apertures  34  may extend to or comprise the lowest portion of the lower surface, so that the walls defining the apertures may abut or otherwise engage the ramp door  20  or frame  30  or other substrate when the post mount  10  is attached thereto. 
     As shown in, for example,  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the pedal  14  includes an actuator portion  38 , a first pivot arm  40  extending rearwardly from one side of a rear edge of the actuator portion, a second pivot arm  42  extending rearwardly from another side of the rear edge of the actuator portion, and a paddle  44  extending rearwardly from the rear edge of the actuator portion, intermediate the first and second pivot arms. As shown, the pedal  14  may have a generally triangular cross-section to facilitate pivoting of the pedal about the base  12  and flexing of the pedal, as will become apparent from the discussion below. 
     The actuator portion  38  is sized for selective engagement by, for example, a user&#39;s hand or foot or another actuator or tool. An upper surface of the actuator portion  38  may include surface contour, for example, transversely-extending ribs  46 , to enhance the engagement thereof by a user. The first and second pivot arms  40 ,  42  and/or paddle  44  or portions thereof may include similar or other surface contour. 
     Each pivot arm  40 ,  42  includes a pivot pin  48  extending laterally outwardly there from. Each pivot pin  48  is configured for pivotal engagement with the hole  22 H in the respective side wall  22 S of the flange-receiving portion  22  of the post-receiving portion  16 . 
     The paddle  44  is shown as generally rectangular. A first portion  50  of the paddle  44  has an upper surface generally coextensive with an upper surface of the actuator portion  38 . A second portion  52  of the paddle  44  has an upper surface generally parallel to and stepped down from the upper surface of the first portion  50  thereof. A curved step wall  54  defining the transition between the first and second portions  50 ,  52  of the paddle  44  has a radius complementary to the radius of a flange of the post  26  that may be selectively engaged thereby. The curved step wall  54  is generally coaxial with the curved end wall of the end wall  24 E of the shaft-receiving portion  24 . In other embodiments, the step wall  54  could have shapes other than curved. Generally, the step wall  54  of the paddle  44  and the end wall  24 E of the shaft-receiving portion are configured with respect to each other to enable the post  26  to be selectively secured in the post mount  10 , as discussed further below. 
     As suggested above, the post mount  10  is configured to selectively receive the post  26  or a similar structure. The post  26  includes a shaft  26 S and a base or flange  26 F extending radially outward from the shaft. 
     With the pedal  14  in a “down” position as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the post  26  may be slid in the direction of the arrow into the post-receiving portion  16 . More specifically, the flange  26 F of the post  26  may be slid from the opening of the slot defined by the flange-receiving portion  22  toward the end wall  22 E thereof, and the shaft  26 S of the post may be slid from the opening of the slot defined by the shaft-receiving portion  24  toward the end wall  24 E thereof. In doing so, an upper surface of the flange  26 F of the post  26  becomes captured between the lower surface of the shaft-receiving portion  24  and the upper surface of the paddle  44 . The pedal  14  is sufficiently flexible that the paddle  44  may deflect downwardly (that is, pivot with respect to the first and second pivot arms  40 ,  42 ) as the post  26  continues to slide toward the closed ends of the foregoing slots. 
     Once the post  26  has been sufficiently inserted into the slots so that the trailing edge of the flange  26 F has cleared the step wall  54 , the pedal  14  may snap into or otherwise assume an “up” position, for example, as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . The pedal  14  is sufficiently resilient to return to or toward its original shape once the post  26  has been so inserted into the post mount  10 . With the pedal in the up position, the flange  26 F is secured by the step wall  54 , an upper surface of the stepped-down portion  52  of the pedal  14 , and the lower surface of the shaft-receiving portion  24 . Also, the shaft  26  is generally restrained by the slot defined by the shaft receiving portion  24 . 
     With the post  26  installed in the mount as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the lowest portion of the pedal  14  may contact the door  20  or other substrate to which the post mount  10  may be attached and thereby transfer load applied to the post, through the pedal and to the door or other substrate. 
     The post  26  may be removed from the post mount  10  by pressing down on the actuator portion  38 . The pedal  14  is sufficiently flexible that depressing the actuator portion  38  will cause the paddle  44  to flexibly deflect with respect to the first and second pivot arms  40 ,  42 , thereby displacing the upper edge of the step wall  54  below the lower surface of the post flange  26 F, so that the post  26  may be slid towards the open ends of the slots described above. The pedal  14  is sufficiently resilient that it may return to or toward its original shape once the post  26  has been removed from the post-mount  10 . 
     Terms of orientation, for example, left, right, front, rear, up, down, and the like are used for reference to describe orientation of components relative to each other. Such terms should not be construed in the absolute sense unless context clearly dictates otherwise.