Patent Publication Number: US-2023133082-A1

Title: Ethernet bridge mounting arrangement

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/239,542 filed on Apr. 23, 2021, pending, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/014,692, filed on Apr. 23, 2020, expired, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an ethernet bridge mounting arrangement and, more particularly, to an ethernet bridge mounting arrangement that can be mounted to a wall with or without a junction box. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Typical homes built before the internet era were not wired with high speed data cables. However, since cable television existed long before the internet, many homes were built with radio frequency (RF) cable installed behind the walls or have been retrofitted to include RF cable behind the walls. Such RF cable is terminated at a junction box (e.g., single gang junction box or larger) or passed through an opening in a wall to provide a connection to a component (e.g., a set top box, digital video recorder, or the like) configured to receive signals via the RF cable. 
     Present in-home entertainment networks, local area networks, and/or VoIP phones require data transmission over an ethernet cable (e.g., an  8 -wire twisted pair ethernet cable). Some conventional ethernet bridges are configured to receive data signals via an RF cable, process the signals, and distribute electronic signals via an RF output port and/or an ethernet port (e.g., an RJ45 port). A user can then connect an ethernet cable to the ethernet port to direct electronic signals from the ethernet port to a first component and/or connect an RF cable to the RF output port to direct electronic signals from the RF output port to a second component. The first and second components may be provided as separate devices or as a single device. 
     Conventional ethernet bridges typically include an RF input port extending from an exterior surface of the bridge housing. Thus, a user must connect an RF input cable to an RF port of a wall plate and to the RF input port of the ethernet bridge. Alternatively, the user must connect an RF input cable that extends through an opening in the wall to the RF input port of the ethernet bridge. In either case, the RF input cable is visible as it extends from the wall and may clutter and/or distract from the appearance of a room. 
     Therefore, it may be desirable to provide an arrangement for mounting an ethernet bridge to a wall so as to minimize the space occupied by the ethernet bridge and avoid the undesirable presence of cable extending from a wall of the room. It may also be desirable to provide an ethernet bridge mounting arrangement that can be mounted to a wall with or without a junction box. It may further be desirable to provide an ethernet bridge mounting arrangement having a housing that can be removed from a wall plate without tools and without removing cable that are attached to external ports of the housing. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to various aspects of the present disclosure, an ethernet bridge mounting arrangement includes a housing including a cover portion and a back portion and a wall mount. The housing is configured to be coupled with the wall mount, and the housing is rotatable relative to the wall mount about an axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to a rear surface of the housing between a first rotational orientation, where latching members extending from the housing can be received by and removed from latch openings in the wall mount, and a second rotational orientation, where the housing is prevented from being pulled away from the wall plate. 
     In some aspects, the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement further includes a locking arrangement configured to lock the housing and the wall mount in the second rotational orientation. 
     In various aspects, the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement further includes a circuit board sandwiched between the cover portion and the back portion. 
     The foregoing and other features of construction and operation of the invention will be more readily understood and fully appreciated from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying figures, like elements are identified by like reference numerals among the several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an exemplary ethernet bridge mounting arrangement in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is an exploded front/side perspective view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is an exploded rear/side perspective view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a bottom view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    is a front view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  6    is a first side view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  7    is a top view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  8    is a second side view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  9    is a rear view of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement of  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , an exemplary ethernet bridge mounting arrangement  100  in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure is illustrated and described. The ethernet bridge mounting arrangement  100  includes a housing  102  and a wall mount  104  (or wall plate). As shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3   , the housing  102  includes a cover portion  110  (or cover plate portion), a back portion  140  (or backplate portion), and a circuit board  170 , for example a printed circuit board. The circuit board  170  may be fixedly coupled with the cover portion  110  and the back portion  140  as described below. For example, in some aspects, the circuit board  170  is structured and arranged to fit between the cover portion  110  and the back portion  140 . 
     The cover portion  110  may be fixedly coupled with the back portion  140  via a plurality of fasteners (not shown). For example, as best illustrated in  FIG.  3   , a rear surface  112  of the cover portion  110  may include one or more bosses  114  extending toward the back portion  140 . Although the illustrated embodiment includes four bosses  114 , only two of the bosses are visible in  FIG.  3   , as the other two bosses are obscured by a side wall of the cover portion  110 . 
     The back portion  140  may include holes  142  extending through bosses  144  that extend from a front surface  146  of the back portion  140  and are configured to be aligned with the respective bosses  114  of the cover portion  110 . The circuit board  170  may also include holes  172  configured to be aligned with the holes  142  through the back portion  140  and the bosses  114  of the cover portion  110 . The holes  142  through the back portion  140 , the holes  172  through the circuit board  170 , and the bosses  114  are configured to receive a fastener (not shown), for example, a threaded fastener, for fixedly coupling the circuit board  170  with the cover portion  110  and the back portion  140 . In some aspects, in place of one or more of the holes  172 , the circuit board  170  may include a protrusion (not shown), for example, a pin, extending from a front surface  176  of the circuit board  170  and configured to be received in a hole  114   a  in one of the bosses  114  on the cover portion  110 . The protrusion and hole  114   a  may facilitate relative alignment between the cover portion  110  and the circuit board  170  during assembly of the housing  102 . 
     The circuit board  170  may include electronic circuits (e.g., circuits associated with an ethernet bridge or MoCA bridge) between a rear surface  178  of the circuit board  170  and the front surface  146  of the back portion  140 . When the cover portion  110  and the back portion  140  are coupled together, side walls  116   a ,  116   b ,  116   c ,  116   d  cover spaces between the circuit board  170  and the back portion  140 . One or more of the side walls  116   a ,  116   b ,  116   c ,  116   d  may include one or more vent openings  118  configured to dissipate heat from the circuit board  170 . 
     The circuit board  170  also includes various connections that are open to an outside of the housing  102  via one or more of the side walls  116   a ,  116   b ,  116   c ,  116   d . For example, as best illustrated in  FIGS.  2  and  8   , the circuit board  170  may be electrically coupled with a power port  180 , a reset button  182 , and one or more RJ45 ports  184  (i.e., ethernet ports) disposed through respective openings  160 ,  162 ,  164 , for example, complementary openings, in the first side wall  116   a  of the cover portion  110  and an adjacent wall of the back portion  140 . The circuit board  170  is electrically coupled with an RF port  186  disposed through an opening  166 , for example, a complementary opening, in the second side wall  116   b  of the cover portion  110 , as best illustrated in  FIGS.  4  and  5   . Further, the circuit board  170  may be electrically coupled with one or more indicators  188 , for example, LED lights disposed through respective openings  168 , for example, complementary openings, in the third side wall  116   c  of the cover portion  110 , as best illustrated in  FIGS.  3 ,  5   , and  6 . The indicators  188  may be configured to signal, for example, the power condition of the ethernet bridge mounting arrangement  100  and/or the operable/inoperable condition of the RJ45 port  184  and/or the RF port  186 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  2  and  9   , the back portion  140  has an opening  148  configured to receive an RF input port  190  that is electrically coupled with the circuit board  170  and extends from the rear surface  178  of the circuit board  170  and through the opening  148 . The RF input port  190  is configured to receive an RF input cable (not shown), for example, via a threaded coupling (not shown) that terminates the cable and is configured to be coupled with the RF input port  190 . The electronic circuits of the circuit board  170  may be configured to receive electronic signals from the RF input port  190  and/or to send electronic signals to the RF input port  190 . The electronic circuits of the circuit board  170  may also be configured to process the electronic signals received from the RF input port  190 , send electronic signals to the RF port  186  and/or the one or more RJ45 ports  184 , and/or process electronic signals received from the RF port  186  and/or the one or more RJ45 ports  184 . For example, the housing  102  may comprise an ethernet bridge or a MoCA bridge. The power port  180  may be configured to receive electrical power from a power source (not shown) to power the circuit board  170 , and the reset button  182  may be configured to actuate a reset operation of the circuit board  170 . 
     The back portion  140  includes a rear surface  158  having a first latch  150  and a second latch  152  extending therefrom. A distance R 1  between a center C of the opening  148  through the back portion  140  and an inner edge  154  of the first latch  150  is greater than a distance between the center C of the opening  148  through the back portion  140  and an outer edge  156  of the second latch  152 . As best illustrated in  FIG.  9   , the first latch  150  is proximate the fourth side wall  116   d , and the second latch  152  is similarly proximate the second side wall  116   b . Meanwhile, the opening  148  is nearer to the second side wall  116   b  than to the fourth side wall  116   d . If the back portion  140  is rotated about an axis extending through the center C of the opening  148  and perpendicular to a rear surface  158  of the back portion  140 , the distance R 1  corresponds to a radius of curvature of a path of the inner edge  154  of the first latch  150  relative to the center C, and the distance R 2  corresponds to a radius of curvature of a path of the outer edge  156  of the second latch  152  relative to the center C. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  2 ,  3 , and  9   , the wall mount  104  includes a wall portion  134 , for example, a planar wall, having a thickness in a direction perpendicular to a rear surface  158  of the back portion  140 . The wall portion  134  is supported by a plurality of ribs  136  and side walls  138  extending from a rear surface  139  of the wall portion  134 . The wall mount  104  includes openings  120   a ,  120   b  through the wall portion  134 . The openings  120   a ,  120   b  are sized and arranged to be aligned with mounting holes (not shown) of a standard size electrical junction or outlet box or a low voltage mounting bracket (not shown) such that the wall mount  104  can be mounted to a structural wall (not shown), as would be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Alternatively, the wall mount  104  may be mounted directly to the structural wall via a stud and/or a wall anchor, as would be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The wall mount  104  further includes a center opening  122  between the openings  120   a ,  120   b . The center opening  122  spans the distance between the openings  120   a ,  120   b  in a first direction and approximately half of the width of the wall mount  104  in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The center opening  122  is structured and arranged to permit the RF input port  190  and/or the RF input cable and threaded coupling that terminates the cable and is configured to be coupled with the RF input port  190  to pass therethrough. 
     The wall mount  104  also includes a first latching opening  124  and a second latching opening  126  at opposite ends of the wall mount  104 . For example, the first latching opening  124  is disposed between a first one of the openings  120   a  and a first end  128   a  of the wall mount  104  on an opposite side of the opening  120   a  relative to the center opening  122 . Similarly, the second latching opening  126  is disposed between a second one of the openings  120   b  and a second end  128   b  of the wall mount  104  on an opposite side of the opening  120   b  relative to the center opening  122 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  9   , when the housing  102  is coupled with the wall mount  104 , an inner wall  130   a  of the first latching opening  124  is arranged to be spaced from center C of the opening  148  through the back portion  140  by a distance R 3  that is substantially the same as the distance R 1  that the inner edge  154  of the first latch  150  is spaced from the center C of the opening  148 . However, the distance R 1  may be slightly greater than the distance R 3  such that the first latch  150  is configured to slide relative to the inner wall  130   a  of the first latching opening  124  when the housing  102  is rotated relative to the wall mount  104  about the axis extending through the center C of the opening  148  and perpendicular to a rear surface  158  of the back portion  140 . 
     Similarly, when the housing  102  is coupled with the wall mount  104 , an outer wall  132   a  of the second latching opening  126  is arranged to be spaced from center C of the opening  148  through the back portion  140  by a distance R 4  that is substantially the same as the distance R 2  that the outer edge  156  of the second latch  152  is spaced from the center C of the opening  148 . However, the distance R 4  may be slightly greater than the distance R 2  such that the second latch  152  is configured to slide relative to the outer wall  132   a  of the second latching opening  126  when the housing  102  is rotated relative to the wall mount  104  about the axis extending through the center C of the opening  148  and perpendicular to a rear surface  158  of the back portion  140 . 
     As illustrated, the first latching opening  124  includes a first portion  124   a  that has a larger dimension than a second portion  124   b  in a radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148 . The second latching opening  126  includes a first portion  126   a  that has a larger dimension than a second portion  126   b  in a radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148 . 
     As best illustrated in  FIG.  3   , the first latch  150  includes a first portion  150   a  that extends from the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  in a direction toward the wall mount  104  and a lip  150   b  that extends from the first portion  150   a  in a direction substantially parallel to the rear surface  158 . A dimension of the lip  150   b  in the radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148  is smaller than the dimension of the first portion  124   a  the radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148 , and a dimension of the lip  150   b  in a circumferential direction relative to the radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148  is smaller than the dimension of the first portion  124   a  in the circumferential direction. 
     Thus, the first portion  150   a  is configured to insertingly receive the lip  150   b  when the housing  102  is in a first rotational orientation relative to the wall mount  104 . 
     Similarly, the second latch  152  includes a first portion  152   a  that extends from the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  in a direction toward the wall mount  104  and a lip  152   b  that extends from the first portion  152   a  in a direction substantially parallel to the rear surface  158 . A dimension of the lip  152   b  in the radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148  is smaller than the dimension of the first portion  126   a  the radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148 , and a dimension of the lip  150   b  in a circumferential direction relative to the radial direction extending from the center C of the opening  148  is smaller than the dimension of the first portion  126   a  in the circumferential direction. Thus, the first portion  126   a  is configured to insertingly receive the lip  152   b  when the housing  102  is in the first rotational orientation relative to the wall mount  104 . 
     The lips  150   b ,  152   b  are spaced from the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  by a distance that is greater than the thickness of the wall  134 . Thus, when the lips  150   b ,  152   b  of the first and second latches  150 ,  152  are inserted through the first portions  124   a ,  126   a  of the first and second latching openings  124 ,  126 , the housing  102  can be rotated relative to the wall mount  104  from the first rotational orientation to a second rotational orientation where the lips  150   b ,  152   b  of the first and second latches  150 ,  152  are aligned with the second portions  124   b ,  126   b  of the first and second latching openings  124 ,  126 . In the second rotational orientation or latch position, the lips  150   b ,  152   b  of the first and second latches  150 ,  152  overlie the rear surface  139  of the wall  134  in the direction perpendicular to the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140 . 
     In the second rotational orientation, the housing  102  is securely fixed to the wall mount  104 , and the housing  102  cannot be removed from the wall mount  104  by merely pulling the housing  102  away from the wall mount  104 . In order for the housing  102  to be removed from the wall mount  104 , the housing  102  must be rotated relative to the wall mount  104  from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation. The distance between the lips  150   b ,  152   b  and the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  in the perpendicular direction may be approximately equal to the thickness so that the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  may be held close to the wall  134  to minimize relative movement between the housing  102  and the wall mount  104 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS.  2  and  3   , the back portion  140  of the housing  102  includes a locking member  159  proximate a side wall  147  of the back portion  140 . The locking member  159  extends from the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  toward the wall mount  104 . The wall mount  104  includes a lock receptacle  139 , for example, a hole or a groove, configured to receive the locking member  159 . The lock receptacle  139  is disposed proximate one of the side walls  138   a  of the wall mount  104 . When the locking member  159  is disposed in the lock receptacle  139 , the housing  102  is prevented from being rotated relative to the wall mount  104 . 
     The side wall  138   a  includes a pair of slots  138   b  spaced apart along the side wall  138   a  and extending into the wall mount  104 . The slots  138   b  define a release member  138   c  therebetween. The release member  138   c  can be pressed toward a structural wall in a direction away from the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  to disengage the locking member  159  from the lock receptacle  139  so that the housing  102  can be rotated relative to the wall mount  104  from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation. In the first rotational orientation, the housing  102  can be pulled away from the wall mount  104 . When rotating the housing  102  relative to the wall mount  104  from the first rotational orientation to the second rotational orientation, the locking member  159  is configured to press the release member  138   c  toward the structural wall in the direction away from the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  so that the locking member  159  can be received in the lock receptacle  139 . 
     Because the housing  102  is configured to rotate relative to the wall mount  104  about the axis extending through the center C of the opening  148  and perpendicular to a rear surface  158  of the back portion  140 , the size of the hole required when mounting the arrangement  100  without a junction box is minimized. The aforementioned arrangement  100  does not require a tool or fastener to couple the housing  102  with the wall mount  104  and for decoupling the housing  102  from the wall mount  104 . 
     Referring to  FIGS.  3  and  9   , the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  includes a curved projection  149  extending about the opening  148  configured to receive the RF input port  190 . In various aspects, the curved projection  149  may be circular or partially circular. As shown in  FIG.  9   , the wall mount  104  includes flanges  123  that define a substantially circular portion  122   a  in the center opening  122 . The circular portion  122   a  is sized and arranged to receive the curved projection  149  when the back portion  140  is coupled with the wall mount  104 . The flanges  123  extend toward one another and define an entry opening  123   a  to the circular portion  122   a  such that a cable can be passed through the entry opening  123   a  into the circular portion  122   a.    
     In use, the housing  102  includes the back portion  140 , the circuit board  170 , and the cover  110  integrally connected via fasteners that enter through the rear surface  158  of the back portion and extend through the holes in the circuit board and into the bosses  114  of the cover  110 . A coaxial cable extend from a wall is coupled with the port  190 , and the housing  102  is then coupled with the wall plate by inserting the first and second latches  150 ,  152  into the first portions  124   a ,  126   a  of the first and second latching openings  124 ,  126  and rotating the cover clockwise until the first and second latches  150 ,  152  are aligned with the second portions  124   b ,  126   b  of the first and second latching openings  124 ,  126  in the latched position of the second rotational orientation. To remove the housing  102  from the wall mount  104 , a user must press the release member  138   c  toward the wall in a direction away from the rear surface  158  of the back portion  140  to disengage the locking member  159  from the lock receptacle  139  so that the housing  102  can be rotated in a counterclockwise direction relative to the wall mount  104  from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation. The housing  102  can then be pulled away from the wall mount  104 . 
     While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alteration, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.