Mountable assembly for removable attachment to a guide

Abstract

A mountable assembly is provided to be removably attached to a guide. The mountable assembly comprises a housing having at least one lateral member which is movable between a retracted position and an extended position for engaging the guide. Means for preventing the longitudinal movement of the mountable assembly on the guide are also provided with the mountable assembly. The mountable assembly can thus be easily mounted or be readily used as a separate and independent entity. An apparatus for mounting a readily removable housing on a guide is provided, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one lateral member movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the housing to which the at least one lateral member is movably received and adapted for engaging the guide.

1 . A mountable assembly for removable attachment to a guide, said assembly having a housing comprising: 
 a) at least one lateral member movably mounted to the housing and being movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the housing, wherein: 
 when said at least one lateral member is in the retracted position, said at least one lateral member is retracted into the housing; and  
 when said at least one lateral member is in the extended position, said at least one lateral member protrudes from the housing and is adapted to selectively engage said guide; and  
   b) means for preventing longitudinal movement of the assembly on the guide when engaged.    
     
     
         2 . The mountable assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 a) the housing has at least one channel located on the housing for receiving the at least one lateral member,    b) the at least one lateral member comprises an inner substantially planar face bounded at least by an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein: 
 said inner face of the at least one lateral member being adjacent to the housing and provided with a longitudinal groove proximate and parallel to the lower edge; and  
   c) the guide is planar, parallel to the housing and perpendicular to the inner planar face of the at least one lateral member, wherein: 
 said guide comprises flanges parallel to each other projecting outwardly, planar to the guide; and  
 said longitudinal groove of the at least one lateral member being shaped and sized to slidably engage the corresponding flange on the guide.  
   
     
     
         3 . The mountable assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one lateral member is further provided with locking means for locking said at least one lateral member in the retracted position and in the extended position.  
     
     
         4 . The mountable assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one channel is shaped and sized to receive the at least one lateral member, said channel comprising a back face and inwardly sloping sidewalls for maintaining the at least one lateral member within said at least one channel.  
     
     
         5 . The mountable assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one channel is substantially U-shaped and sized to receive the corresponding at least one lateral member, said at least one U-shaped channel being provided with guiding members protruding outwardly and perpendicularly from said at least one channel, for slidably engaging corresponding grooves extending from the upper edge to the lower edge of the at least one lateral member.  
     
     
         6 . The mountable assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide is provided with a plurality of cross-slots perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide and wherein the said at least one lateral member further includes a latch having: 
 a) an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion each having an inner face adjacent to the side of the housing and an outer face; and    b) a latch projection projecting inwardly from the inner face of said lower portion of the latch, for engaging any one of said cross-slots, with the latch being inwardly biased; 
 wherein the latch is pivotable between an operative position and an inoperative position so that:  
 i) when the latch is in the operative position, with the latch projection protruding into the cross-slots of the guide, the latch provides the means for preventing longitudinal movement of the light assembly on the guide; and  
 ii) when the latch is in the inoperative position, the upper portion is pivoted inwardly toward the housing while the lower portion is pivoted outwardly away from the housing, thereby preventing the latch projection from engaging any one of said cross-slots.  
   
     
     
         7 . The mountable assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one channel comprises a back face and sidewalls, said back face comprising a depression shaped and sized to receive a respective one of said latch projections so that, when the at least one lateral member is in the retracted position, the said latch projection engages said respective depression.  
     
     
         8 . The mountable assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the mountable assembly has a substantially uninterrupted shape upon retraction of the at least one lateral member into the housing.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for mounting a readily removable housing on a guide, the apparatus comprising at least one lateral member movable between a retracted position and an extended position relative to the housing to which the at least one lateral member is movably received, wherein: 
 a) when said at least one lateral member is in the retracted position, said at least one lateral member is retracted into the housing;    b) when said at least one lateral member is in the extended position, said at least one lateral member protrudes from the housing and is adapted to selectively engage said guide; and    c) the at least one lateral member is further provided with locking means for locking the at least one lateral member in the retracted position and in the extended position.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one lateral member comprises: 
 a) an inner substantially planar face bounded by at least an upper edge and a lower edge; 
 said inner planar face being positioned adjacent to the housing and provided with a longitudinal groove proximate and parallel to the lower edge; and  
 said longitudinal groove being shaped to and sized to slidably engage a flange on the guide; and  
   b) a latch for engaging any one of a plurality of cross-slots provided perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the guide.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the latch comprises: 
 a) an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion each having an inner face adjacent to the side of the housing and an outer face; and    b) a latch projection projecting inwardly from the inner face of said lower portion of the latch, for engaging anyone of said cross-slots, with the latch being inwardly biased; 
 wherein the latch is pivotable between an operative position and an inoperative position so that:  
 i) when the latch is in the operative position, with the latch projection protruding into the cross-slots of the guide, the latch provides a means for preventing longitudinal movement of the housing on the guide; and  
 ii) when the latch is in the inoperative position, the upper portion is pivoted inwardly toward the housing while the lower portion is pivoted outwardly away from the housing, thereby preventing the latch projection from engaging anyone of said cross-slots.  
   
     
     
         12 . The mountable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein there are two lateral members.  
     
     
         13 . The mountable assembly of  claim 2 , wherein there are two channels located on the housing.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein there are two lateral members.