Secure accessory mounting track
View Patent ↗A secure accessory mounting track may comprise an elongated body with a tee-slot formed into the body. At least one end of the tee-slot terminates in an angled slot that may allow entry of device attachment hardware, but which will not permit the device attachment hardware to escape from the track when a device attached to the track is loosened only enough to adjust the position of a device. This fully secures the device along the entire length of the track, even when adjusting the position of the device. Attachment of the device may be achieved by fully tightening the attachment hardware to clamp a retaining flange between the hardware and the device. Removal of the device may require the attachment hardware to be loosened farther than what would be required for adjusting the position of the device.
1. A secure accessory mounting track for mounting to an environmental surface and receiving an accessory adjustably positionable along the secure accessory mounting track, the secure accessory mounting track comprising:
an elongated body including at least one end and an upper surface, the upper surface being configured to engage the accessory;
a relatively narrow slot configured to provide a passage for a relatively narrow portion of a connecting hardware for engagement with the accessory for securing the accessory in relation to the secure accessory mounting track;
a relatively wide slot beneath the relatively narrow slot, the relatively narrow slot extending from the upper surface of the elongated body to the relatively wide slot, the relatively wide slot being configured to receive a relatively wide portion of the connecting hardware;
a relatively wide entry slot that opens to an exterior of the elongated body proximate the at least one end of the elongated body and extends at an angle to the relatively wide entry slot, the relatively wide entry slot being at least defined by an angled surface; and
a stop wall at a lower terminal end of the angled surface, whereby the stop wall prevents removal of the connecting hardware from the track unless an edge of the relatively wide portion of the connecting hardware closest to the stop wall is positioned above the stop wall, and the relatively wide portion of the connecting hardware is sufficiently aligned with an angle of the angled surface.
2. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 1 , wherein the relatively wide entry slot is a first relatively wide entry slot and the at least one end is a proximal end of the elongated body, and the elongated body further comprises a second relatively wide entry slot at a distal end of the elongated body opposite the proximal end.
3. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 1 , wherein the relatively narrow slot and the relatively wide slot cooperatively form an inverted tee-slot for receiving the connecting hardware, which is in the form of a tee-bolt.
4. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 1 , wherein the relatively narrow slot and the relatively wide slot are vertically centered with one another.
5. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 4 , wherein a top of the relatively wide slot opens in abutment to a bottom of the relatively narrow slot, and a top of the relatively narrow slot opens in abutment to the upper surface of the elongated body.
6. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 5 , wherein the elongated body further includes a lower surface and a bottom of the relatively wide slot opens in abutment to the lower surface.
7. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 6 , wherein the relatively narrow slot has a width and the relatively wide slot has a width and a difference in the widths define a retaining flange.
8. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 7 , wherein the relatively narrow slot and the relatively wide slot cooperatively form an inverted tee-slot for receiving the connecting hardware, which is in the form of a tee-bolt, and wherein an end of a bottom surface of the relatively wide entry slot that is closest to the tee-slot is below a bottom surface of the retaining flange, and the stop wall terminates in abutment to the lower surface of the elongated body at a lower end of the stop wall and in abutment to a lower end of the angled surface at an upper end of the stop wall.
9. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 8 , wherein the stop wall is perpendicular to the lower surface of the elongated body.
10. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 1 , a length of the elongated body is divided into a first section and a second section by the relative narrow slot and the relatively wide slot, and the first section and the second section are joined at the proximal end and the distal end by connecting walls.
11. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 1 , wherein the elongated body is structured and configure to accommodate at least one fastener for mounting to an environmental surface.
12. A secure accessory mounting track for mounting to an environmental surface and receiving an accessory adjustably positionable along the secure accessory mounting track, the secure accessory mounting track comprising:
an elongated body including a proximal end, a distal end, an upper surface, a lower surface, and accommodation for at least one fastener for mounting the secure accessory mounting track to the environmental surface;
a relatively narrow slot configured to provide a passage for a shaft portion of a tee-bolt for engagement with the accessory for securing the accessory in relation to the secure accessory mounting track;
a relatively wide slot beneath the relatively narrow slot, the relatively narrow slot extending from the upper surface of the elongated body to the relatively wide slot, the relatively wide slot being configured to receive a head portion of the tee-bolt; and
a relatively wide entry slot proximate each the proximal end and the distal end and configured to receive the head portion of the tee-bolt, wherein the relatively wide entry slot opens to an exterior of the elongated body, and wherein the relatively wide entry slot is defined at least in part by an angled surface a lower end of which terminates at a stop wall, and further wherein the relatively wide entry slot prevents removal of the tee-bolt from the track unless an edge of the head portion of the tee-bolt closest to the stop wall is positioned above the stop wall, and the head portion of the tee-bolt is sufficiently aligned with an angle of the angled surface.
13. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 12 , wherein the accommodation for at least one fastener comprises a plurality of holes extending from the upper surface of the elongated body to the lower surface of the elongated body.
14. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 13 , wherein each one of the plurality of holes includes a bevel at the upper surface of the elongated body, for receiving countersunk fasteners.
15. The secure accessory mounting track of claim 12 , wherein the stop wall is perpendicular to the lower surface of the track.