Anchor rail adapter and hanger and method

Abstract

An adapter and hanger mounts an associated article to an associated anchor rail. The anchor rail is formed as a U-shaped channel having a pair of upstanding, opposing legs, each leg having an inwardly extending wall and terminating in a downwardly oriented lip. The adapter includes a top surface, flanges depending from the top surface and mounting legs extending from the flanges. The mounting legs each have a hook-like portion for engaging a respective rail lip. The adapter is flexible to permit urging the flanges inwardly toward one another for inserting a portion of the mounting legs into the U-shaped channel, and is also resilient such that the hook like portions biasedly engage the rail lips. In one embodiment, a hanger is formed integral with the adapter.

1 - 140 . (canceled)  
   
   
       141 . For use with an anchor rail formed as a U-shaped channel with a longitudinal slit-like opening, the channel having a pair of upstanding opposing legs, each leg having an inwardly extending wall and terminating in a downwardly oriented rail lip adjacent the channel opening, an adapter configured to lock into a channel opening and releasably retain an associated line support hanger on the channel, the adapter comprising: 
 a hanger-receiving portion having an opening configured to releasably secure a line support hanger on the adapter;    a pair of flanges extending from the hanger-receiving portion; and    mounting legs extending from the flanges, the mounting legs each having a hook-like portion for engaging a corresponding rail lip, the hook-like portion extending substantially along a width of the mounting leg,    the adapter being flexible to permit urging of the hook-like portions inwardly toward each other to facilitate insertion of said hook-like portions into the channel opening such that they retentively engage the rail lips.    
   
   
       142 . For use with an anchor rail formed as a U-shaped channel with a longitudinal slit-like opening, the channel having a pair of upstanding opposing legs, each leg having an inwardly extending wall and terminating in a downwardly oriented rail lip adjacent the channel opening, an adapter configured to lock into a channel opening and releasably retain an associated line support hanger on the channel, the adapter comprising: 
 a hanger-receiving portion configured to receive and releasably retain an associated line support hanger; and    opposed mounting legs coupled to said hanger-receiving portion and having feet configured to engage corresponding channel lips of the channel to securely lock the adapter into the channel when the adapter legs are pinched together to fit within the channel and released so as to expand and retentively engage the corresponding channel lips.    
   
   
       143 . The adapter defined by  claim 142  wherein said feet have hook-like portions for engaging the channel lips.  
   
   
       144 . The adapter defined by  claim 142  wherein said legs are configured to bite into the channel and prevent slippage of the adapter along the channel.  
   
   
       145 . The adapter defined by  claim 142  wherein said hanger-receiving portion of said adapter has an opening adapted to be retentively engaged by the line support hanger.  
   
   
       146 . The adapter defined by  claim 145  wherein said opening is threaded.  
   
   
       147 . The adapter defined by  claim 146  wherein said opening surrounded by a collar.  
   
   
       148 . The adapter defined by  claim 142  wherein said line support hanger is adapted to support lines of different types.  
   
   
       149 . The adapter defined by  claim 142  wherein the adapter is configured to snap into the channel.  
   
   
       150 . The adapter defined by  claim 149  wherein said feet are configured such that the legs are automatically pinched when the adapter is pushed into the channel.  
   
   
       151 . The adapter defined by  claim 142  wherein said legs each have one or more integral outstruck tabs which act when the adapter is engaged with a channel to bite into the channel and prevent slippage of the resilient adapter longitudinally along the channel.  
   
   
       152 . An assembly for retaining a waveguide transmission line, or electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other line on a channel, the channel being generally U-shaped with a longitudinal slit-like opening and having a pair of upstanding opposing legs, each leg having an inwardly extending wall and terminating in a downwardly oriented rail lip adjacent the channel opening, the assembly comprising: 
 a unitary resilient adapter having a hanger-receiving portion; and    a line support hanger configured to retain a waveguide transmission line, or electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other line and having a locking portion configured to be releasably received by the hanger-receiving portion of the adapter,    the resilient adapter having opposed mounting legs with feet configured to engage the corresponding channel lips to securely lock the resilient adapter into the slit-like channel opening when the legs are pinched together to fit within the channel opening and released so as to expand and engage the corresponding channel lips.    
   
   
       153 . The assembly defined by  claim 152  wherein said line support hanger is configured to releasably engage said resilient adapter with a snap action.  
   
   
       154 . The assembly defined by  claim 152  wherein said line support hanger is adapted to lock into said hanger-receiving portion of said adapter.  
   
   
       155 . The assembly defined by  claim 152  wherein said line support hanger is stackable, having a stacking provision for connecting a second line support hanger to itself to permit daisy-chaining of said line support hangers.  
   
   
       156 . The assembly defined by  claim 152  wherein said resilient adapter and line support hanger are interconnected with a swivel joint, permitting articles to be supported at any angle with respect to the channel.  
   
   
       157 . The assembly defined by  claim 152  wherein said line support hanger has a generally U-shaped resilient configuration with opposing legs structured to securely but releasably engage said hanger-receiving portion of said adapter.  
   
   
       158 . The assembly defined by  claim 157  wherein said adapter has an opening which is engaged by barbed feet on said legs of said line support hanger.  
   
   
       159 . For use with an anchor rail formed as a U-shaped channel having a longitudinal slit-like opening and a pair of upstanding, opposing legs, each leg having an inwardly extending wall and terminating in a downwardly oriented rail lip, an adapter configured to receive and releasably retain an associated line support hanger on the associated anchor rail, the adapter comprising: 
 a hanger-receiving portion having an opening configured to releasably secure a line support hanger to the adapter; and    mounting legs coupled to the hanger-receiving portion, the mounting legs each having at a distal end thereof a hook-like portion for engaging the corresponding rail lip, the adapter being flexible to permit urging of the legs inwardly toward each other to facilitate insertion of the hook-like portions of the mounting legs into the channel opening and into retentive engagement with the rail lips.    
   
   
       160 . The adapter in accordance with  claim 159  including at least one binding element formed on at least one of the mounting legs and configured to bite into the rail if the adapter is translated longitudinally along the rail.  
   
   
       161 . The combination comprising: 
 the adapter defined by  claim 159;  and    a line support hanger configured to retain a waveguide transmission line, or electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other line, and having a portion configured to releasably engage said opening in said hanger-receiving portion of said adapter.    
   
   
       162 . The combination of  claim 161  wherein the hanger is composed of resilient sheet material.  
   
   
       163 . The combination of  claim 162  wherein the hanger is generally U-shaped and has a pair of legs with barbs at the distal ends thereof which are configured to lockingly engage said adapter opening when inserted therein.  
   
   
       164 . The combination of  claim 161  wherein said line support hanger is stackable, having a stacking provision for connecting a second line support hanger to itself to permit daisy-chaining of said line support hangers.  
   
   
       165 . The combination of  claim 161  wherein said adapter and line support hanger are interconnected with a swivel joint, permitting lines to be supported at various angles with respect to the channel.  
   
   
       166 . For retaining a waveguide transmission line, or electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other line on an elongated rigid channel having a generally U-shaped cross-section and a longitudinal slit-like opening, a unitary resilient adapter defining opposed legs with feet configured to securely lock into the channel opening when the legs are pinched and the adapter is inserted into the channel.  
   
   
       167 . The adapter defined by  claim 166  wherein said feet have hook-like portions for engaging lips on the edges of the channel opening.  
   
   
       168 . The adapter defined by  claim 166  wherein said legs are configured to bite into the channel and prevent slippage of the adapter longitudinally along the channel.  
   
   
       169 . The adapter defined by  claim 166  configured to retain a line on the channel.  
   
   
       170 . The adapter defined by  claim 169  wherein the adapter is configured to retain a line between said legs.  
   
   
       171 . The adapter defined by  claim 166  including a hanger-receiving portion with an opening for retentively receiving a line hanger configured to retain a line on the channel.  
   
   
       172 . A combination including the adapter of  claim 171  and a line hanger configured to retentively engage said opening in said adapter.  
   
   
       173 . The combination of  claim 172  wherein said hanger has a generally U-shape cross-section and legs with barbed feet configured to lockingly engage said adapter opening when inserted therein.  
   
   
       174 . The combination defined by  claim 172  wherein said hanger is stackable to permit a number of lines to be daisy-chained on the channel.  
   
   
       175 . The combination defined by  claim 172  wherein said hanger is adapted to support lines of different diameter.