CN1953685B

CN1953685B - Post coupler

Info

Publication number: CN1953685B
Application number: CN200580003318.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 戴维·J·沃乔托维茨; 安东尼·J·特洛伊纳; 詹姆斯·E·柯林斯
Original assignee: Edsal Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: Edsal Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date: 2004-01-30
Filing date: 2005-01-28
Publication date: 2013-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2025-01-28
Also published as: WO2005074748A1; CA2559322A1; CA2559322C; MXPA06008189A; CN1953685A

Abstract

A coupler (10) for coupling two posts (P1 and P2) end-to-end has ninety degree flanges (11, 12) and two reverse wrap ends (13, 14). The coupler (10) is slid one-half way over the ends of one formed post (P1), comprising two flanges, with the reverse wraps (13, 14) holding the post flanges. Another flanged post (P2) is inserted into the coupler (10) to engage the end of the first post (P1), the coupler (10) holding the posts (P1 and P2) end-to-end. An alternate embodiment coupler is disclosed.

Description

Post coupler

Related application

The application requires to enjoy the priority of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application series number 60/650935 that proposed on January 30th, 2004.The U.S. utility new patent application serial no 61526-1 that proposed on January 27th, 2005, the priority that name is called the application of " post coupler " are enjoyed in requirement.These applications at this all in conjunction with for your guidance.

Technical field

The present invention relates to post coupler, more specifically relate to for will be each other the connector that links together of the end of two pillars of perpendicular positioning, the lower end of upper supporting column is arranged on the upper end of lower supporting rod in vertical direction.

Background technology

Corner post, the corner post that for example uses in frame is to be made by any suitable material, such as steel, and consisted of by the relatively thin metal sheet with two flanges of angled structure setting typically, make a flange of pillar roughly become 90 degree location with respect to another flange.These flanges can be the individual layer stay material, or can comprise that material that two layers bent returns is with thicker or firmer than the individual layer flange pillar of being made by same material.

Summary of the invention

Expectation provides the pillar with certain variation length to satisfy different needs.May need highly king-size corner post in the concrete application, need a pillar to be arranged on the overall length that reaches hope on another pillar.Therefore, expectation provides a kind of method that the end of two pillars is linked together, and to form an overall structure, one of them pillar vertically is positioned at the top of another pillar.

Another object of the present invention has provided a kind of improved simple post coupler, and it is assembled to the separately end of two pillars easily, so that described end is connected, thereby forms the pillar of an one.

Therefore, a preferred embodiment according to post coupler of the present invention comprises a connector, it has each other two flanges that substantially arrange with an angle of 90 degrees, perhaps with almost same angle setting of the flange that forms corner post, connector will be used to form the flange of corner post.Each folded inverted limit or return flange along a side setting of flange separately turned back of the flange of connector is returned and is had a gap between flange and the flange.

In use, connector slips over the flange of a pillar that will be connected, and preferably slips over half of about connector length.It is interior so that the reverse fold flanges of connector is surrounded the edge of each post flanges that another pillar slips into connector, and two pillars are linked together end-to-end.Therefore this connection side length greater than the assembling of a pillar body of two initial pillars, and in that application is very useful widely, such as in frame, fence and other environment.

The thin section of connector is used for one or two post ends of frictional fit, so that connector is tightened together with the longitudinal extension part of one or two pillar in a longitudinal direction.

Connector can have groove or hole, receives securing member in order to other processing hole by frame or pillar, to be fastened to connector on the pillar and to strengthen the abutment.

One as the embodiment that selects in, post flanges is formed with returns flange, and connector single sheet metal material preferably.Connector inserts by the returning in the gap that flange and its main flange form of pillar, and an end from its extension is arranged, and is arranged in the end of a complementary pillar.

Also can have in as connector of selecting for the lock piece of location and be used for the hole of optional securing member at this.

Post coupler provides simple and effective abutment at the place, end of the complementation of two pillars, so that the pillar of the one with desired length to be provided.

Description of drawings

By the detailed description and the accompanying drawings of back, it is more apparent that these and other objects and advantage will become, among the figure:

Fig. 1 is the perspective view of an embodiment of connector of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the end-view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is the plane that the connector of Fig. 1 launches;

Fig. 4 shows the decomposition diagram in the orientation of the connector of Fig. 1 and two pillars;

Fig. 5 is that the connector of Fig. 1 is with the perspective view of the pillar of the one of two pillars connections of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6,7, the 8th is with Fig. 1,2,3 similar views according to alternative attachment of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is the perspective exploded view of the alternative attachment of Fig. 7 similar to Fig. 4;

Figure 10 is alternative attachment perspective view in use, and the pillar of the one that is provided by the connector among Fig. 6-8 of two pillars in the connection layout 9 is provided easily.

The specific embodiment

The present invention relates to two different embodiment that this pillar is linked together.In the first embodiment (Fig. 1-5), connector 10 is used to form has the P of branch ₁And P ₂A pillar, each branch has respectively two

flange

20a, 20b and 21a, 21b, flange substantially with 90 the degree (diagram) setting, perhaps each other in other useful angle setting.For this reason, the complete structure of a connector 10 shown in Figure 1.

Connector 10 has two flanges 11,12 that are 90 degrees to each other angle or other the useful angle consistent with the direction of post flanges.Connector 10 also comprises from respective flanges 11,12 end 70,72 extended

reverse bending flanges

13,14, oppositely bends flange along separately flange 11,12 reverse reflex abreast, has gap " G between them ₁", as illustrated in fig. 1 and 2.As shown in Figure 2, flange 11 has inner surface 74 and outer surface 76, and flange 12 has inner surface 78 and outer surface 80.Form angle 82 between flange 11 and 12 inner surface 74 and 78 separately.Angle 82 can be 90 degree or other useful angles consistent with the direction of post flanges.The outer surface 76 of flange 11 is towards reverse bending 13, the outer surface 80 of flange 12 and to reverse bending flange 14.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show the use of connector 10.In Fig. 4, lower supporting rod P ₁Upper end 20 locate vertically, and connector 10 rapped downwards on the upper end 20, enter near the vertical length of connector 10 half, so an end of connector engages with a pillar functionally.After this, upper supporting column P ₂Lower end 21 rapped downwards and entered connector 10, until the lower end 21 of upper supporting column leans against lower supporting rod P ₁Upper end 20 on.The other end of connector functionally engages with another pillar, and the abutment is 22.In this structure, the fin of connector end and

flange

13,14 surround upper and lower strut ends 20,21 end, guarantee pillar P ₁And P ₂Be not displaced sideways each other, form the pillar of an one.

One or more holes 15 optionally are arranged on the connector 10.The securing member (not shown) passes these holes 15 and extends, and can be fastened to increase by the pillar P that links to each other ₁, P ₂Intensity, hardness and the integrality of the pillar of the one that forms.Wherein, pillar P ₁, P ₂Has groove " S ₁" or other hole (shown in Fig. 4-5), hole 15 preferably is arranged on and makes it possible on the connector 10 align with these grooves, to make things convenient for the application of securing member.

In addition, one or more lock pieces 16 extend from the surface of connector 10, are used for each pillar P ₁, P ₂Frictional fit is to maintain connector 10 with respect to pillar respectively.Four additional thinner lock pieces 18 also can be combined in the opposite side of lock piece 16.These additional lock pieces 18 also can be used for strengthening with pillar P ₁, P ₂Joint, but their thinner projection has made things convenient for connector 10 to be connected with the initial of pillar branch.

Another embodiment has been shown among Fig. 6-10.In Fig. 6, connector 30 has two

flanges

31,32, and they perhaps become other useful angle each other near 90 degree (diagram), and this angle is corresponding to they angles with the post flanges of application.

Lock piece

35 and 36 is respectively a little biasing (offset), depression (depression) or the jumping-up (upset) that the material at connector 30 forms, and extends from its first type surface, so that connector is fastened in the pillar, as hereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. 9 and Figure 10,, connector 30 is used to the pillar P with two angulations ₃, P ₄Link together.Pillar P ₃, P ₄Each comprises two flanges 42,43 and respectively from reverse two the additional flanges 44,45 of bending of flange 42,43, in order to form pillar or structural posts.Between each counter flange and main flange, form clearance G ₂

Can find out among Fig. 9 that connector 30 can insert pillar P ₃Upper end 40 in, the

flange

31,32 of connector 30 lays respectively at pillar P ₃A side on parallel flange piece 42,44 between and between the parallel flange piece 43,45 on the opposite side.In this case, connector 30 is rapped downwards, enters pillar P ₃Half of interior approximately connector 30 length.Upper supporting column P ₄Then slip over connector 30, so that pillar P ₄Lower end 41 at the abutment 49 places and pillar P ₃ Upper end 42 connect (Figure 10).Referring to the connector 30 shown in the dotted line among Figure 10.

In this way, pillar P ₃And P ₄Kept together by in the vertical direction end-to-end, its depression, lock piece or jumping-up provide friction connector 30 is remained on each pillar P at any correct position of centre and/or two ends (top and bottom) of connector 30 ₃And P ₄Corresponding post flanges part in.

Similar to the first embodiment, should be appreciated that each pillar P ₃And P ₄Comprise a plurality of grooves, such as the keyhole slot " S among Fig. 9 and Figure 10 ₂".These grooves can be used for for example being installed in support, frame and other annex on the upright post, and are as desired.

And connector 30 has two corresponding ends 50,60.Each end is taper, and 50 have

tapered edges

51,52 in the end, and 60 have

tapered edges

61,62 in the end, in order to convenient connector is inserted in the gap that the respective flanges by each pillar limits.And so shape all-in-one-piece pillar.

In the situation of the scope that does not break away from the present invention of only being defined by the following claims and application, for those of ordinary skills, these and other revise and embodiment will become apparent.

Claims

1. one kind is used for post coupler that two are linked together with the end of the pillar of angle, each pillar has two post flanges that arrange at angle each other, each post flanges has the prolongation edge, each post flanges of each pillar has a plurality of formation hole thereon, and described connector comprises:

A pair of connector flange, they are configured to have each other the angle identical with the angle with the post flanges of the pillar of angle that is coupled together by described connector;

Each connector flange has the extended reverse bending flange from the one end, has the lock piece that is arranged on the described reverse bending flange, is used for described connector in position on one of them of the pillar of angulation;

Each reverse bending flange and its therefrom extended corresponding connector flange extend abreast, and the outer surface of corresponding flange is in the face of corresponding reverse bending flange; And

By each described reverse bending flange and its therefrom the outer surface of extended corresponding connector flange be limited to gap between them, each gap is configured to receive therein one of them flange of single pillar of the pillar of two angulations, wherein, one end of connector is configured to receive one of them of pillar of two angulations, the other end of connector is configured to receive the another one of the pillar of angulation, thereby two pillars are fixed in against each other, end-to-end mode.

2. connector according to claim 1, it uses with top pillar with hole, and described connector also comprises the hole, and the hole of described Kong Keyu post flanges is aimed at.

3. connector according to claim 1, wherein, described connector has two ends, wherein an end is arranged on one of them with on the edge of the flange of the pillar of angle and around the edge of flange, and the other end is arranged on another with on the edge of the flange of the pillar of angle and around the edge of flange, and described pillar is linked together.

According to claim 1 with 3 in the described connector of arbitrary claim, it is as in the frame unit, wherein,

Described two pillars with angle are located vertically and are aimed at;

Described flange is passed in the hole that is formed on each post flanges;

One end of nearly another pillar of one termination of a pillar;

The described end-to-end relation of connecting is vertical positioning relation; And

Described connector also comprises a plurality of holes that extend through connector, the described hole of each of described connector is aimed at described one of them hole of aiming at the described post flanges on the pillar, is used for securing member by the described hole of described connector and one of them corresponding mating holes of post flanges.

5. the described connector of arbitrary claim according to claim 1-3, it is used for the frame unit, wherein,

Each gap is received in described two one of them flanges with the single pillar of the pillar of angle wherein;

One end of described connector received described two with one of them of the pillar of angle, the other end of described connector received described two with another of the pillar of angle, thus, described two pillars are fixed to the end-to-end each other relation of connecting.

6. the pillar of an one comprises:

The first pillar with angle, it has at least two flanges that arrange at an angle to each other, and each flange has the edge of prolongation;

The second pillar with angle, it has at an angle to each other at least two flanges that arrange, the described second pillar with angle be arranged to described first with the pillar of angle with the end-to-end mutual butt of vertical relation;

Connector;

Described connector comprises a pair of connector flange that arranges at an angle to each other;

Each described reverse bending flange and its therefrom extended corresponding flange extend abreast, and the outer surface of corresponding flange is in the face of corresponding oppositely bending flange;

By described reverse bending flange and its therefrom the described outer surface of extended corresponding flange between them, form the gap;

Described connector has first end and the second end;

The first end of the described connector flange of described connector operationally engages with the flange of described the first pillar, and described reverse bending flange stretches out around the prolongation edge of described the first pillar;

The second end of the described connector flange of described connector operationally engages with the flange of described the second pillar, and described reverse bending flange stretches out around the prolongation edge of described the second pillar;

Described connector connects into described the first pillar and the second pillar on the pillar of the one of vertical location;

Each described post flanges comprises a plurality of holes, described connector also comprises a plurality of holes, the described hole of each of described connector is aimed at a described hole of described post flanges, is used for securing member by the described hole of described connector and one of them corresponding mating holes of post flanges.