AU2001290389A1 - A joint arrangement for demountable structure - Google Patents

Description

A JOINT ARRANGEMENT FOR DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURE

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in demountable

structures such as cabinets which can be used for display

purposes and to a joint arrangement for use in demountable

structures .

In our international patent specification WO 99/08575 there

is disclosed a cabinet which is demountable . The cabinet has

walls which are joined edge to edge by joiner elements. At

the apex of each intersection of the walls there is a

retainer. The retainers prevent the joiner elements from

being removed. One of the retainers which is the last to be

installed when the cabinet is assembled is lockable . This

lockable retainer needs to be unlocked and removed before any

of the other joiner elements and retainer elements can be

removed so as to disassemble or demount the cabinet.

The cabinet according to WO 99/08575 has been extremely

successful especially in the museum environment . One of the attributes of the cabinet is that it can be assembled around

the object or objects to be displayed. This is particularly

useful where the object is large and would otherwise be

difficult to engage an assembled cabinet over the object(s).

Thus the object can be placed on one side of the cabinet and

then the remainder of the cabinet assembled around the object

by progressively positioning the sides and top panels edge to

edge, insertion of the joiner elements and the retainers.

The cabinet of WO 99/08575 also exhibits good strength

characteristics when assembled. This is despite the fact

that the walls are joined edge to edge by a joiner element of

overall small cross sectional dimensions.

According to the invention of WO 99/08575 the edges of the

walls are profiled and the joiner element has a cross

sectional profile which is slid on to the adjacent profiled

wall edges (the panels being located at right angles to one

another) . As a result the joiner element couples the

profiled edges together to provide a sound and secure manner.

This has worked successfully, however, we have now developed

further the joiner element and the profiles of the edges such

that assembly of the joint between panels is further facilitated by making it easier to slide the joiner element

on to the profiled edges of the adjacent wall panels. Also a

stronger join is achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Broadly in one aspect of the invention there is provided a

joint arrangement between adjacent edges of two structural

elements the joint arrangement including a joiner element

which has projections, each engageable in a recess, groove or

the like in a respective of each of the structural elements,

the joiner element further having a spine means which in an

assembled join between the structural elements engages between edge portions of the structural elements.

According to a second broad aspect of the invention provides

a joint arrangement between adjacent profiled edges of two

structural elements, the joint arrangement including an

elongate joiner element slidingly engaged with each of said

profiled edges, the joiner element having a pair of

longitudinally extending projections, each engaged in a

longitudinal groove which extends inwardly from a face

surface of a respective of the structural elements, the joiner element further including a spine which locates

between opposing parts of the profiled edges of the

structural elements, said spine having a distal end with a

pair of lateral projections each engaged in a groove in a

respective of the profiled edges .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a pair of panel

elements joined together by a joiner element,

Figure 2 is a similar view but of an alternative

embodiment where a more angular joiner element is used,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a retainer suitable for

use with the arrangement shown in Figure 2 ,

Figures 4-7 are further views of the retainer as shown in

Figure 3,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing

yet a further form of the invention, and Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing how

panels or elements of different cross-sectional thickness

can be joined together by a joiner element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following describes and illustrates particular

embodiments to the present invention. It will be appreciated

by those skilled in the art that other variations and

combinations in shape and configuration may be possible

without departing from the scope of the invention.

The content of WO 99/08575 is hereby incorporated by way of

specific reference.

In its simplest form a demountable structure to which the

joint arrangement of the present invention applies will be

described as a cabinet . The cabinet can comprise a plurality

of side walls, a bottom or base wall and a top wall as is

disclosed in WO 99/08575. The panel members are joined edge

to edge at their peripheral edges by elongate joiner

elements, there being one joiner element for each pair of

adjacent edges as is described in WO 99/08575. The present invention thus relates specifically to the form and

construction of the edges of the panel members and the joiner

element . For this reason the drawings accompanying the

present specification relate to these aspects of

construction.

Figure 1 shows in cross section a part length of each of

panels 10 and 11. The panels are in the illustrated

arrangement located in planes which are right angles to one

another. The panels 10 and 11 in the preferred form are

manufactured from acrylic sheet with the side edges profiled

to have an edge profile of the form illustrated.

In the drawings panels 10 and 11 are shown as physically

contacting each other at interface 13. This interface is for

the purposes of illustration, thus it is shown somewhat

exaggerated in its length. The interface may be extremely

small or may not even exist i.e. the opposing surfaces which

form the interface 13 may actually be spaced apart so that no

physical contact occurs.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 1 the outer surface 14 of

the joiner element 12 is curved so as to provide a curved transition from the outer surface of panel 10 to the outer

surface of panel 11. However, with the arrangement shown in

Figure 2 the joiner element 12 is of a more angular cross

section at its outer surface where a first surface 15 extends

parallel to the outer surface of panel 10 and a second

surface 16 extends parallel to the outer surface of panel 11.

The actual physical external appearance of the joiner element

12 could take on other appearances such as a plurality of

facets or a more complex curved shape.

Projecting inwardly (relative to outer surfaces 14 or 15 and

16 as the case may be) are a pair of ribs 17 and 18 which

engage in corresponding recesses, grooves, channels or the

like 19 and 20 formed in the profiled edge 21 of each panel.

In contrast to the grooves used in the edge profiling of WO

99/08575 these grooves are shallow and therefore do not provide a profiling where damage, breakage etc. to the

profile edge is a possibility.

Projecting inwardly from the inside surface of the joiner

element 12 is a major spine 22 and a minor spine 23. This

arrangement of two separate spines has been adopted so that a

tube die for extrusion of the joiner element 12 is not required. However, as shown in dotted detail in Figure 1

the major and secondary spines 22/23 can be connected if the

joiner element is extruded by using a tube die. With such an

arrangement there will effectively be a single spine.

The major spine 22 extends to an enlarged distal end 24 which

provides a pair of outwardly disposed ribs 25 and 26. These

ribs 25 and 26 engage in correspondingly shaped grooves 27

and 28 formed in the respective profiled edges of panels 10 and 11.

The major spine 22 is also provided with an indent 29 into

which engages a projection 30 formed in the profiled edge of

panel 10. A like projection 31 of panel 11 fits into a

shaped portion of the major spine 22 but would if the major

and minor spines 22 and 23 were coupled, similarly fit into a

recess .

As can be seen in Figure 1 the major spine 22 has a flat

surface 31 which engages against a flat surface 32 of the

edge of the panel 10. Similarly minor spine 23 engages

against flat surface 33 of the edge of panel 10. The joiner element 12 therefore keys onto the profiled edges

of panels 10 and 11 as shown in Figure 1. Thus according to

the present invention there is no requirement for face to

face contact of the respective edges of panels 10 and 11 in

order to obtain a secure a robust joint. Because there is no

requirement for deep grooves to accept projections from the

joiner element the profiled edges of the acrylic panels are

not prone to damage or failure. Furthermore, the high degree

of accuracy required to ensure the interface between the

edges of the panels as required in WO 99/08575 is no longer a

requirement .

Because the panels 10 and 11 of the present invention do not

need to fit face to face as an interface (e.g. such as interface 13) the panels 10 and 11 can, with suitable adjustment of the profiling and the configuration of the

joiner element be located at angles other than 90° as

illustrated. Also as shown in Figure 9 panels of unequal

thickness can also be joined. This illustrates how the front

to back dimension of the panel is not critical to achieving a successful joint. It is also possible with the present invention to key the

joiner element 12 onto one panel and then slide the other

panel onto the joiner element. This results in the

possibility of being able to slide one of the panels relative

to the remainder of the cabinet after a pair of the retainers

are removed from opposed adjacent corners to provide a means

of opening the cabinet . Generally one of the retainers would

be the lockable retainer. Such an arrangement is shown in

Figure 8 where the spines 22 and 32 are * "fatter". As a

result the edges of panels do not overlap thereby permitting

the sliding action referred to above to occur.

In Figures 3-7 there is shown a retainer for use with the

more angular joiner element shown in Figure 2. As with the

joiner elements disclosed in WO 99/08575 this retainer

element has a main body 35 which is configured to fit at the

corner of the cabinet and provide a smooth transition to the

abutting end of a joiner element. A shaft 36 is shaped to

fit into openings formed at each corner and a tongue 37 to

engage into the space 38 of joiner element 12 in the same

manner as disclosed in WO 99/08575. The shaft 36 includes a

chamfered surface 39 to facilitate the insertion of the shaft into the opening as a consequence of the outwardly projecting

radial projection 40 which as disclosed in WO 99/08575.

The joining arrangement according to the present invention

thus provides a strong joint and obviates the need for edge

profiling of the panels in a manner which can either lead to

weakness of the joint or be prone to damage. Also a greater

degree of accuracy is achieved as face to face engagement of

adjacent panels is not required. Furthermore the manner of

keying the joiner element onto the profile edges of the

panels does facilitate easier fitment of the joiner element

to the panels . Also panels of unequal thickness can be

joined together.

Claims (20)

1. A joint arrangement between adjacent edges of two

structural elements (10,11), the joint arrangement

including a joiner element (12) which has projections

(17,18), each engageable in a recess groove or the like

in (19,20) a respective of the structural elements

(10,11), the joiner element (12) further having a spine

means (22) which in an assembled joint between the

structural elements engages between edge portions of the

structural elements .

2. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the

spine means (22) includes a distal end (24) with at least

one lateral projection thereat (25,26).

3. A joint arrangement as claim in claimed 2 wherein the

distal end (24) has two oppositely disposed lateral

projections (25,26).

4. A joint arrangement as claimed in claimed 2 or 3 wherein

said lateral projection (25,26) engages in a groove (27,28) formed in an adjacent surface of a said

structural element (10,11).

5. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein said

spine means (22) includes an indented portion (29) in

which a projecting portion (30) of an adjacent edge

portion of a structural element (10) .

6. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said

indented portion (29) is located adjacent a said lateral

projection (25) .

7. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 6 wherein a

surface (31) of the spine means (22) adjacent said

indented portion (29) engages with a surface (32) of the

edge portion of the structural element (10) .

8. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein

the spine means is formed by a major spine (22) and a

minor spine (23) .

9. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein

the joiner element (12) includes a space (38) into which

a tongue (37) of a retainer element (35) is engageable.

10. A joint arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to

9 wherein the joiner element (12) is slidingly engageable

with the profiled edge portions of the structural

elements (10, 11) .

11. A joint arrangement between adjacent edges of two

structural elements (10,11), the joint arrangement

including a joiner element (12) which has projections

(17,18), each engageable in a recess, groove or the like

(19,20) in a respective of each of the structural

elements (10,11), the joiner element (12) further having

a spine means (22) which in an assembled join between the

structural elements engages between edge portions of the

structural elements .

12. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 11 further

including a space (38) for reception of a tongue (37) of

a retainer member (35) when said retainer member is

located at an end of said joiner element (12) .

13. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 12 wherein at

least one of said profiled edges includes a projecting

portion (30) in the profiled edge, said projecting portion

(30) locating in an indented portion (29) of said spine

(22) .

14. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 13 further

including a second spine (23) which engages with a

profiled (33) edge adjacent the longitudinal groove (20)

in the structural element (11) .

15. A joint arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 11 to

14 wherein at least one of the structural elements

(10,11) is in the form of a panel.

16. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein the

panel (10,11) is formed from a plastic material and the

joiner element (12) is of extruded construction.

17. A joint arrangement as claimed in any one of the

preceding claims wherein the joiner element (12) includes an outer surface (14 or 15,16) which forms a transition

between surface of the structural elements (10,11).

18. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 17 wherein the

outer surface is curved (14) or angular (15,16).

19. A display case including panels, the panels being joined

edge to edge by joint arrangements of the type as claimed

in any of claims 1 to 18, the joiner elements (12) being

retained against sliding movement by a retainer element

(35) located in each corner of the display case at which

the ends of at least two joiner elements (12) are

located.

20. A display case as claimed in claim 19 wherein at least

one of the retainer elements (35) is lockable in the

corner in which it is located.