Multiple detent retaining clip

Claim 2

A multiple detent retaiNing clip for use in supporting a lighting fixture housing or similar housing in a suspended ceiling grid system comprising: a planar body portion adapted to be secured to a housing to be retained on the ceiling grid system; at least three substantially planar gripping legs extending in the same general direction from said planar body portion to engage upon a portion of said ceiling grid system, at least two non-adjacent gripping legs being laterally offset from the plane of said body portion in one direction and at least one of said other gripping legs intermediate said at least two nonadjacent gripping legs being laterally offset in the other direction, each of said gripping legs having a detent projecting inwardly, whereby a second object may be easily slidably moved between said gripping legs in a direction toward said main body portion and is thereby retained by said detents against movement away from said main body portion, and means associated with said clip body portion for securing the clip to a wire hanger suspended from above the grid system.

Claim 3

The multiple detent clip of claim 1 wherein said planar body portion and planar gripping legs are integral.

Claim 4

The multiple detent retaining clip of claim 2 wherein said integral body portion and gripping legs are fabricated from a single sheet of resilient metal.

Claim 5

The multiple detent retaining clip of claim 3 wherein each of said detents are struck from its respective leg so that said detent is inclined inwardly and toward said body portion.

Claim 6

The multiple detent retaining clip of claim 4 having three gripping legs, the gripping legs at opposite ends each having feet comprising an end portion of each leg bent in said one direction.

Claim 7

A multiple detent retaining clip for use in supporting a lighting fixture or similar housing in a suspended ceiling wherein the ceiling includes a grid system composed of inverted T-bars, each of the T-bar vertical legs terminating in an enlarged head or bead and the flanges thereof lying in the plane of the ceiling, comprising: a unitary stamped resilient rectangular metal plate having a planar body portion including means for securing the body portion to the side or end wall of the housing, at least three substantially planar gripping legs extending in parallel relation from one edge of said planar body portion, at least two spaced apart gripping legs being laterally offset from the plane of said body portion in one direction and at least one of the other gripping legs being laterally offset from the plane of said body portion in the other direction, said at least one leg positioned between said two spaced apart legs, said legs defining a longitudinally extending channel generally in the plane of the body portion, each of said gripping legs having a detent projecting inwardly and toward said body portion, whereby when said clip is secured to the housing with the gripping legs depending downwardly the legs may be forced over the enlarged head of the inverted T-bar to move the detents outwardly until the detents pass over the enlarged head whereupon the legs will spring back toward one another such that the upper ends of the detents are spaced below the head of the inverted T-bar preventing the housing and clip from being moved upwardly off of the inverted T-bar, and means integral with said clip for securing the clip to a wire hanger suspended from the building ceiling.

Claim 8

A multiple detent retaining clip for use in supporting a lighting fixture or similar housing in a suspended ceiling wherein the ceiling includes a grid system composed of inverted T-bars, each of the T-bar vertical legs terminating in an enlarged head or bead and the flanges thereof lying in the plane of the ceiling, comprising: a unitary stamped resilient rectangular metal plate having a planar body portion including means for securing the body portion to the side or end wall of the housing, at least three substantially planar gripping legs extending in parallel relation from one edge of said planar body portion, at least two spaced apart gripping legs being laterally offset from the plane of said body portion in one direction and at least one of the other gripping legs being laterally offset from the plane of said body portion in the other direction, said at least one leg positioned between said two spaced apart legs, said legs defining a longitudinally extending channel generally in the plane of the body portion, each of said gripping legs having a detent projecting inwardly and toward said body portion, whereby when said clip is secured to the housing with the gripping legs depending downwardly the legs may be forced over the enlarged head of the inverted T-bar to move the detents outwardly until the detents pass over the enlarged head whereupon the legs will spring back toward one another such that the upper ends of the detents are spaced below the head of the inverted T-bar preventing the housing and clip from being moved upwardly off of the inverted T-bar, and means integral with said clip for securing the clip to a wire hanger suspended from the building ceiling.

Claim 9

The multiple detent retaining clip of claim 6 wherein each of said detents comprises a tab struck from its respective leg, said tab having a generally circular shape.

Claim 10

The multiple detent retaining clip of claim 7 wherein the outer gripping legs having integral feet comprising portions bent in said one direction whereby when it is desired to release said housing and clip from said inverted T-bar said legs may be spread apart to permit said detents to be moved over the enlarged head of the inverted T-bar.

Claim 11

A multiple detent retaining clip comprising: a planar body Portion adapted to be secured to a first object to be retained; at least three substantially planar gripping legs extending in the same general direction from said planar body portion, at least two non-adjacent gripping legs being laterally offset from the plane of said body portion in one direction and at least one of said other gripping legs intermediate said at least two non-adjacent gripping legs being laterally offset in the other direction, each of said gripping legs having a detent projecting inwardly, whereby a second object may be easily slidably moved between said gripping legs in a direction toward said main body portion and is thereby retained by said detents against movement away from said main body portion, wherein said planar body portion and planar gripping legs are integral and fabricated from a single sheet of resilient metal; and said two non-adjacent legs of the gripping legs each having a foot portion comprising an end portion of each leg bent in said one direction and wherein each of the associated detents are struck from its respective leg so that said detent is inclined inwardly and toward said body portion generally in the plane of and extending from the associated foot portion.

Claim 12

A multiple detent retaining clip comprising: a planar body Portion adapted to be secured to a first object to be retained; at least three substantially planar gripping legs extending in the same general direction from said planar body portion, at least two non-adjacent gripping legs being laterally offset from the plane of said body portion in one direction and at least one of said other gripping legs intermediate said at least two non-adjacent gripping legs being laterally offset in the other direction, each of said gripping legs having a detent projecting inwardly, whereby a second object may be easily slidably moved between said gripping legs in a direction toward said main body portion and is thereby retained by said detents against movement away from said main body portion, wherein said planar body portion and planar gripping legs are integral and fabricated from a single sheet of resilient metal; and said two non-adjacent legs of the gripping legs each having a foot portion comprising an end portion of each leg bent in said one direction and wherein each of the associated detents are struck from its respective leg so that said detent is inclined inwardly and toward said body portion generally in the plane of and extending from the associated foot portion.