Accessory rail mounting system

Abstract

The application discloses an accessory rail for coupling an accessory to a fixture. The accessory rail includes a body including a front side and a rear side, and an accessory mounting structure at the front side of the body. The accessory mounting structure is capable of detachably engaging an accessory for the fixture. The accessory rail includes two protrusions extending from the rear side of the body. The two protrusions are configured to at least partially engage with the fixture during mounting of the accessory rail to the fixture.

1 . An accessory rail, comprising:
 a body including a front side and a rear side;   an accessory mounting structure at the front side of the body, the accessory mounting structure capable of detachably engaging an accessory for a fixture; and   two protrusions extending from the rear side of the body, the two protrusions configured to at least partially engage with the fixture during mounting of the accessory rail to the fixture.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory rail of  claim 1 , wherein the accessory mounting structure includes a central groove extending a length of the body, and sets of slots and steps on opposing sides of the central groove. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory rail of  claim 1 , wherein the accessory mounting structure includes clamping rings, each clamping ring including first and second halves detachable relative to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory rail of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes an intermediate section including a planar surface defining the rear side of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory rail of  claim 4 , wherein the two protrusions extend substantially perpendicularly from the planar surface of the intermediate section. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory rail of  claim 1 , wherein the two protrusions each include an inner surface, an outer surface, and side surfaces. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory rail of  claim 6 , wherein the two protrusions extend from the rear side of the body in a spaced manner with the inner surfaces of the protrusions facing each other. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory rail of  claim 1 , comprising two holes extending through the body between the front and rear sides. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory rail of  claim 8 , wherein each of the two holes is configured to receive a fastener therethrough for mounting the accessory rail to the fixture. 
     
     
         10 . An accessory rail assembly, comprising:
 an accessory rail including (i) a body including a front side and a rear side, (ii) an accessory mounting structure at the front side of the body, the accessory mounting structure capable of detachably engaging an accessory for a fixture, and (iii) two protrusions extending from the rear side of the body, the two protrusions configured to at least partially engage with the fixture during mounting of the accessory rail to the fixture; and   a clamp configured to engage with the accessory rail to detachably secure the accessory rail assembly to the fixture.   
     
     
         11 . The accessory rail assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the clamp includes a body with a central section and two extensions on opposing sides of the central section. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory rail assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the central section and the two extensions share a front surface of the clamp. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory rail assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each extension of the two extensions includes a rear surface and tapered side surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory rail assembly of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the central section of the clamp is configured to fit between the two protrusions of the accessory rail during engagement of the accessory rail with the clamp. 
     
     
         15 . An accessory rail system, comprising:
 an accessory rail assembly including:
 an accessory rail including (i) a body including a front side and a rear side, (ii) an accessory mounting structure at the front side of the body, the accessory mounting structure capable of detachably engaging an accessory for a fixture, and (iii) two protrusions extending from the rear side of the body, the two protrusions configured to at least partially engage with the fixture during mounting of the accessory rail to the fixture; and 
 a clamp configured to engage with the accessory rail; and 
   the fixture including two grooves formed therein, the two grooves each configured to at least partially receive therein the clamp during engagement of the clamp and the accessory rail with the fixture,   wherein the accessory rail is configured to be positioned on one side of the fixture, and the clamp is configured to be positioned on an opposing side of the fixture, the clamp and the accessory rail engaged with each other to detachably secure the accessory rail assembly to the fixture.   
     
     
         16 . The accessory rail system of  claim 15 , wherein the two grooves of the fixture include a first groove formed in a first beam of the fixture and a second groove formed in a second beam of the fixture. 
     
     
         17 . The accessory rail system of  claim 15 , wherein the clamp includes a body with a central section and two extensions on opposing sides of the central section. 
     
     
         18 . The accessory rail system of  claim 17 , wherein each extension of the two extensions includes a rear surface and tapered side surfaces, the tapered side surfaces of the two extensions complementary to tapered side walls of the two grooves. 
     
     
         19 . The accessory rail system of  claim 15 , wherein during engagement of the accessory rail with the clamp, the two protrusions of the accessory rail are positioned within a cutout of the fixture. 
     
     
         20 . The accessory rail system of  claim 17 , wherein during engagement of the accessory rail with the clamp, at least a portion of the central section of the clamp is positioned between the two protrusions of the accessory rail.