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Mounting deviceRelated Patent Categories: Supports, Brackets, Specially Mounted Or Attached, Bracket Clamped To Mount (i.e., Single Clamp), By Sliding JawMounting device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060278784, Mounting device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Application No. 200520069586.3, filed on Mar. 9, 2005. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates to a mounting device with retractable positioning pins for mounting an object on all kinds of non-rigid surfaces. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] It is common to mount an object to a vertical or oblique surface during daily life for such purposes as lining up nails or other means to secure an object to the surface in a proper position. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,879 discloses a laser device which includes retractable positioning pins on the bottom. The positioning pins are received within the baseplate when the device is not in use. When one desires to mount the laser device on a vertical wall or other non-horizontal surface, one merely pushes a button connected to the positioning pins to extend one or more pins from the bottom surface of the laser leveling device into the desired surface until proper orientation is reached. [0005] However, as the positioning pins are hidden within the housing when the device is not in use, people are easily stabbed when they carelessly push the button that advances the pins. This is especially dangerous for children. Therefore, a safer mounting device is needed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] To provide a safe and reliable mounting device, the present invention discloses a mounting device which comprises a supporting frame, wherein the supporting frame comprises a chamber covered by a bottom cover. There is at least one positioning pin and one first spring contained in the chamber. A first button, which is mechanically connected to the at least one positioning pin for cooperation therewith, is located on the supporting frame. The bottom cover comprises an aperture corresponding to each positioning pin, which aperture is shaped and sized for the positioning pin to run therethrough. There is also a second button located on the supporting frame. A control means is mechanically connected to the second button at one end, the other end of which is connected to a second spring. When the second button is activated, the control means is movable from a first position wherein the first button is prevented from being pressed, to a second position wherein the at least one positioning pin is able to extend through the corresponding aperture of the bottom cover when activated by the first button. [0007] Since the second button is provided as a safety switch, it is only after the second button is pressed that the first button can be pressed down to extend the positioning pins. Thus, people will not be accidentally stabbed when a button is carelessly pressed, so the mounting device is much safer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be illuminated in more detail below with reference to the following drawings: [0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mounting device with an object mounted thereon according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting device of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; and [0011] FIG. 3 is a partial broken-away view of the mounting device of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0012] Referring to FIG. 1, an object 100, such as a laser leveling device or any other object 100, is placed on a baseplate 10 that includes a supporting frame 1. The object 100 can be connected to the baseplate 10 using a magnetic connection for added stability, but this is not required. The supporting frame 1 has a pair of projections 2 protruding in parallel that can be placed on a horizontal surface or mounted on a non-horizontal surface of an object, such as a wall. Each of the projections 2 includes a first button 3 thereon. [0013] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, each projection 2 includes a chamber 21 and a bottom cover 8 having two apertures 9 thereon. The first button 3 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to a connecting frame 14, as shown in FIG. 3, on which two positioning pins 7 and two first springs 11 are mounted. The positioning pins 7 correspond to the apertures 9 on the bottom cover 8, and the first springs 11 operate between the bottom cover 8 and the connecting frame 14. Thus, the positioning pins 7 are generally located within the chamber 21, except when a safety mechanism is deactivated and the first button 3 is pushed by an external force. When this occurs, the first springs 11 are pressed and the positioning pins 7 extend out through the apertures 9 of the bottom cover 8, as shown in FIG. 2. [0014] The baseplate 10 also includes a second button 4 thereon, which controls the safety mechanism. In the present preferred embodiment, the second button 4, located on a side of the projection 2, is connected to a control piece 13 traversing the connecting frame 14. The control piece 13 comprises an elongated pole portion 132 having a transverse projection 131 connected to a second spring 12 on the other end thereof. The connecting frame 14 includes a groove 141, formed on a side wall 6, whose width is appreciably bigger than that of the pole portion 132 of the control piece 13, but smaller than that of the transverse projection 131. In general, the transverse projection 131 of the control piece 13 is located in the groove 141 of the connecting frame 14 so as to make the connecting frame 14 unable to be moved downwards, such that the first button 3 is locked and the positioning pins 7 cannot extend out of the bottom cover 8. However, if the second button 4 is pushed first, the second spring 12 is pressed and the control piece 13 is moved transversely. Once the control piece is moved in this manner, a portion of the pole portion 132 is located in the groove 141 and the positioning pins 7 will be able to be pushed out through the apertures 9 when the first button 3 is pushed. The second button is positioned on the supporting frame for easy actuation by a finger of the operator, for example, the index finger. The first button is positioned on the supporting frame for easy actuation by a thumb of the operator while the second button is being simultaneously actuated by the operator's finger. [0015] The above description referring to FIGS. 1-3 is merely one embodiment according to the present invention. It will be understood that further embodiments may be obtained upon understanding the objects and the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention. For example, the baseplate 10 and the object 100 can be formed as an integral part and are not limited to being two separate parts. Furthermore, the control piece 13 may be utilized to control the retractable positioning pins 7 in other ways. For instance, the control piece 13 may include several through holes (not shown) corresponding to the positioning pins 7. Generally, the control piece 13 covers the positioning pins 7 so as to make them unable to be moved downwards. When pushing the second button 4, the control piece 13 is actuated to press the second spring 12 and make the through holes on the control piece correspond to the locations of the positioning pins 7, thereby allowing the positioning pins 7 to be moved up and down through the holes. Additionally, other biasing communication means can be used in lieu of springs 11, 12, including, but not limited to elastic windings, bendable metal strips, and magnetic biasing. In other embodiments, the bottom cover 8 can be connected to the second button 4 and the second spring 12, respectively. Generally, the apertures on the bottom cover 8 cannot be accessed by the positioning pins 7 until the second button 4 is actuated, thereby allowing the apertures to be accessed by the positioning pins 7. The objects of the present invention can be reached in other ways which will be apparent to those skilled in the art when reading the above description. [0016] It is to be understood that the description referring to the above-mentioned drawings is merely one embodiment according to the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is intended to be defined by the terms of the appended claims. Any modification, variation, or alteration deriving therefrom is also regarded as within the scope of the present invention. Continue reading about Mounting device... Full patent description for Mounting device Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Mounting device patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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