Surface mount assembly

Abstract

A surface mount assembly for mounting a device in a surface opening of a mounting surface includes a frame, a number of locking mechanisms, and a cam ring. Each locking mechanism includes a locking member, a locker, and a coil spring. The cam ring shifts the locker rearward to move the locking member to a deployed orientation when the cam ring is rotated in one direction. The coil spring pushes the locking member to a deployed position against a back side of the mounting surface when the locking member moves to the deployed orientation. The cam ring shifts the locker forward to secure the locking member in the deployed position when the cam is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: 
     
         1 . A surface mount assembly for mounting a speaker in a surface opening of a mounting surface, the surface mount assembly comprising:
 a frame including a rearward-extending post including a locking member cam, the frame being configured to be inserted into the surface opening and being configured to be attached to the speaker;   a locking mechanism including:
 a locking member including:
 a base configured to retain the locking member in engagement with the post; and 
 a locking arm extending laterally from the base; 
 
 a locker configured to contact the locking member; and 
 a biasing element retained by the post and configured to bias the locking member from an undeployed position to a deployed position; and 
   a cam ring rotatably entrained with the frame, the cam ring including a radial surface and a locker cam thread on the radial surface, the locker cam thread being configured to engage the locker when the cam ring is rotated from a first position to a second position such that the locker urges the locking member from an undeployed orientation to a deployed orientation via the locking member cam thread,   the biasing element being configured to urge the locking member from an undeployed position to a deployed position when the locking member is urged from the undeployed orientation to the deployed orientation,   the cam ring being further configured to engage the locker via the locker cam thread when the locking member is in the deployed position and the cam ring is rotated from the second position to the first position such that the locker retains the locking member in the deployed position so as to secure the surface mount assembly and hence the speaker in the surface opening.   
     
     
         2 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 1 , the locker cam thread encircling the radial surface. 
     
     
         3 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 1 , the cam ring having an acoustic horn shape. 
     
     
         4 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 1 , the cam ring and the frame cooperatively forming a smooth exterior surface. 
     
     
         5 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 1 , the frame including a slot, the locker including a tab configured to extend through the slot, the locking mechanism further including a clip configured to retain the tab in the slot. 
     
     
         6 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 5 , the tab including a set of teeth, the locker cam thread being configured to engage the set of teeth. 
     
     
         7 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 1 , the locking member including a plurality of locking teeth, the locker including a plurality of locking teeth configured to engage the plurality of locking teeth of the locking member when the locking member is in the deployed position and the cam ring is rotated from the second position to the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 1 , the frame further including a locker support configured to guide the locker diagonally away from the frame. 
     
     
         9 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 1 , the locker including a sloped surface configured to contact the locking arm, the sloped surface and the locking member cam of the post being cooperatively configured to urge the locking arm to the deployed orientation. 
     
     
         10 . A surface mount assembly for mounting a speaker in a surface opening of a mounting surface, the surface mount assembly comprising:
 a frame including a plurality of rearward-extending posts each including a locking member cam, the frame being configured to be inserted into the surface opening and being configured to be attached to the speaker;   a plurality of locking mechanisms, each locking mechanism including:
 a locking member including:
 a base configured to retain the locking member in engagement with the one of the plurality of posts; and 
 a locking arm extending laterally from the base; 
 
 a locker configured to contact the locking member; and 
 a biasing element retained by the one of the plurality of posts and configured to bias the locking member from an undeployed position to a deployed position; and 
   a cam ring rotatably entrained with the frame, the cam ring including a radial surface and a locker cam thread on the radial surface, the locker cam thread being configured to engage the lockers when the cam ring is rotated from a first position to a second position such that the lockers urge the locking members from an undeployed orientation to a deployed orientation via the locking member cam thread,   the biasing elements being configured to urge the locking members from an undeployed position to a deployed position when the locking members are urged from the undeployed orientation to the deployed orientation,   the cam ring being further configured to engage the lockers via the locker cam thread when the locking members are in the deployed position and the cam ring is rotated from the second position to the first position such that the lockers retain the locking members in the deployed position so as to secure the surface mount assembly and hence the speaker in the surface opening.   
     
     
         11 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 10 , the locker cam thread including a plurality of threads, each thread being configured to engage a separate locker of the plurality of locking mechanisms. 
     
     
         12 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 11 , the plurality of threads including three threads, the plurality of locking mechanisms including three locking mechanisms, each locker being identical. 
     
     
         13 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 10 , the cam ring having an acoustic horn shape. 
     
     
         14 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 13 , the frame including a plurality of slots, each locker including a tab configured to extend through one of the plurality of slots, each of the plurality of locking mechanisms further including a clip configured to retain one of the tabs in one of the plurality of slots. 
     
     
         15 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 14 , each tab including a set of teeth, the locker cam thread being configured to engage the sets of teeth. 
     
     
         16 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 10 , each locking member including a plurality of locking teeth, each locker including a plurality of locking teeth configured to engage the plurality of locking teeth of one of the locking members when the locking members are in the deployed position and the cam ring is rotated from the second position to the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 10 , the frame further including a plurality of locker supports configured to guide the lockers diagonally away from the frame. 
     
     
         18 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 10 , each locker including a sloped surface configured to contact the locking arm, the sloped surface and the locking member cam of the post being cooperatively configured to urge the locking arm to the deployed orientation. 
     
     
         19 . The surface mount assembly of  claim 10 , the locker cam thread encircling the radial surface. 
     
     
         20 . A surface mount assembly for mounting a device in a surface opening of a mounting surface, the surface mount assembly comprising:
 a frame including:
 a central opening for exposing the device in the frame; 
 a plurality of fastener mounting holes for attaching the device to the frame;
 a plurality of rearward-extending posts each including a locking member cam; and 
 
 a plurality of locker supports near the rearward-extending posts, 
 the frame being configured to be inserted into the surface opening; 
   a flange configured to abut the mounting surface;   a plurality of locking mechanisms, each locking mechanism including:
 a locker support near one of the plurality of posts; 
 a locking member including:
 a base configured to retain the locking member in engagement with the one of the plurality of posts; and 
 a locking arm extending laterally from the base, the locking arm including a plurality of locking teeth; 
 
 a locker including a sloped surface configured to engage the locking member when the locking member is in an undeployed orientation and an undeployed position and a plurality of locking teeth configured to engage the locking teeth of the locking member when the locking member is in a deployed orientation and a deployed position; and 
 a coil spring aligned with the post and configured to bias the locking member from an undeployed position to a deployed position; and 
   a cam ring rotatably entrained with the frame, the cam ring including a plurality of locker cams configured to engage the lockers when the cam ring is rotated from a first position to a second position such that the lockers urge the locking members from the undeployed orientation to the deployed orientation via the locking member cams and the sloped surfaces of the lockers,   the coil springs being configured to urge the locking members from the undeployed position to the deployed position when the locking members are urged from the undeployed orientation to the deployed orientation,   the cam ring being further configured to engage the lockers via the locker cams when the locking members are in the deployed position and the cam ring is rotated from the second position to the first position such that the lockers retain the locking members in the deployed position so as to secure the surface mount assembly and hence the device in the surface opening.