AU2012200725A1

AU2012200725A1 - Concealed joint structure

Info

Publication number: AU2012200725A1
Application number: AU2012200725A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian David Paterson
Original assignee: Dias Aluminium Products Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Dias Aluminium Products Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-02-23
Filing date: 2012-02-08
Publication date: 2012-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2032-02-08
Also published as: AU2012200725B2

Abstract

-10 A concealed joint structure has two channel frame members of a shower enclosure sliding door support joined into a corner structure by an internal connector in the form of a profiled corner stake which has a groove formed on its external corner to match a correspondingly profiled rib projecting from the inside corner of an angled decorative cover which both conceals the joint and protects against any exposed jagged edges. 23 10 14 16 221 22 FIG.1 22)b 23a 23 b 22a

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 -2001 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performance known to us: Invention Title CONCEALED JOINT STRUCTURE Name of Applicant DIAS ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS PTY.LTD. IP Australia 0 8 FEB 2012 -1 This invention relates generally to products for on-site building of shower enclosures in bathrooms and relates in particular to shower enclosures for ensuites having limited space wherein head and sill fixed horizontal channel frame members of extruded aluminium are joined by corner 5 stake internal connectors and are fixed to vertical frame members or jambs and decorative and protective covers are provided for concealing unsightly or exposed sharp-edged joints. Both the covers and the corner stakes have co-operatively-shaped, associated means formed thereon which enable a respective cover to be slidably placed onto a respective corner stake used to join respective head or sill channel frame members of a shower enclosure to conceal unsightly and potentially hazardous sharp-edges of a joint. According to the invention there is provided a concealed joint structure comprising two channel frame members joined by an internal connector joining an adjacent opposed end of each of two channel frame members, the connector incorporates external means formed thereon for slidable placement thereon of a decorative and protective cover having means formed thereon associated with the means formed on the connector to thereby enable slidable placement of the cover upon the connector after the connector has been installed within opposed ends of joined channel frame members to cover cut and unsightly edges of the ends of the channel frame members. Preferably, the concealed joint structure is a corner joint and the internal connector is a corner stake. More preferably, each decorative and protective cover of the 2 - concealed joint structures of the invention is adapted to conceal any unsightly joints made by corner stakes when installed within two opposed ends of fixed horizontal channel frame members of a shower enclosure for supporting a sliding shower door structure and wherein a respective cover and a respective corner stake each has complementary-shaped associated means formed 30 thereon to enable the decorative and protective cover to be slidably attached -2 to the respective corner stake of a respective corner joint between adjacent fixed horizontal channel frame members both to conceal any unsightly joint and to protect against any sharp cut edges of opposed channel frame members exposed at the joint. More particularly, the concealed joint structure includes a separate respective corner stake and a corresponding cover for a shower head frame corner joint between horizontally fixed head channel frame members and also includes a separate respective corner stake with a corresponding separate cover for a shower frame corner joint between horizontally fixed shower sill channel frame members. Still more particularly, the internal connector or corner stake of the concealed joint structure is a channel-form lower or shower sill corner stake having wing portions formed by inner or rear side corner being formed between junction of two front walls, the corner of the corner stake being I ~ provided on an external or front-facing surface with a groove extending axially with respect to the corner, the groove forming a keyway shaped to receive a correspondingly-shaped, axially-extending rib formed in the rearwardly facing or inside corner of an angled cover whereby when the cover is slidably placed upon the corner stake after the corner stake has been fixed within the channel of two opposed channel frame members, the angled cover forms a decorative cover and protects jagged and unsightly cut edges of mitered channel frame members. . In one modified form of the invention, the corner stake of the concealed joint structure has a front corner which extends above the plane of the upper surface thereof to form a column. . More particularly the protective and ornamental cover of the concealed corner joint structure is formed as a right-angled member with two walls mutually at right angles to form an outer corner and an inner corner and a longitudinal rib projects radially inwardly from the surface of the inner 30 corner, the rib being adapted to slidably engage within a longitudinally extending groove formed within the external surface of the corner of the corner stake.

-3 Some non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a first embodiment with components used for joining and then covering joints formed by a corner stake mounted within 5- opposed ends of lower fixed horizontal channel frame members of a shower enclosure. Figures 4 and 4A illustrate a second embodiment with components used for joining the lower, horizontally-fixed channel frame members of a shower enclosure and then covering the joint with a decorative c and protective cover Figure 5 illustrates the embodiment of Figures 4 and 4A after installation of a shower enclosure sill. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment of the corner stake and cover of the invention used for joining and then covering upper or head 15~ horizontally fixed channel frame members for supporting sliding shower doors mounted below a shower head. Referring to the drawings in more detail, there is shown in Figures 1, 1A, 2 and 3, the first embodiment of a corner stake internal connector 10 formed by injection moulding of powder-coated synthetic polymeric resin or 2%o plastics material such as acrylic and has two winged portions arranged mutually at right angles each with a flat top surface 11, 12 intersected by a median rib 13 against which the cut ends of the two adjacent channel frame members and are placed in abutment and used for joining mitre-cut ends of two channel frame members (as shown in Figure 3 and referred to further on) Z5~ which are arranged at right angles in a mitre corner joint configuration during installation as part of fixed horizontal framework in a shower enclosure and for respectively supporting fixed, aluminium-framed, glass panels and multiple, aluminium-framed sliding panels for a sliding shower door. The corner stake 10 of Figures 1 and 2 is formed with two winged portions mutually at right 3 0 angles each with a flat top surfaces 11 and 12 respectively divided by a median rib 13 upstanding therefrom. The corner stake 10 is formed with -4 pairs of cutaway side and end wall portions comprising two outer side walls 14 and 15, end walls 16 and 17 and two inner side walls 18 and 19. Moreover the corner stake has two angled leg portions comprising a front leg portion 20 and a rear leg portion 21. The front leg portion of the corner stake projects beyond the notional intersection of the planes of the outer side walls which would normally intersect to form a right-angled corner and instead forms a rounded, hollow column-like structure, the outer central portion of which is formed with an outwardly-directed, longitudinal groove 22a which extends vertically for the height of the legs of the corner stake 10 and which is tc geometrically and functionally configured ( as shown in Figure 2) to form a keyway with a narrower outer portion 22a opening radially inwardly to form a parallel-walled slot which opens into wider, inner closed portion 22b which is adapted to receive and slidably retain therein a rib which projects radially inward from the inside surface of the corner of an angled cover 23. The rib is formed in two portions comprising a first or inner portion and a second or outer (radially outermost) portion. The inner portion 23a of the rib is formed as a flange extending radially outwardly from the inside corner surface of the cover 23 and the outer portion of the rib 23b is an integral extension of the inner portion, is preferably flared or winged, is of corresponding shape to the innermost portion of the groove 22b (formed in the corner column of the corner stake) and is slidable within both the groove portions 22a and 22b. The cover 23 and with it both the flanged portion 23a and flared or winged rib portion 23b which together extend axially for the height of the cover, are adapted to be slid vertically up and down within the keyway of the corner stake 10 to enable the cover 23 to decoratively and protectively conceal a joint structure of horizontally fixed shower channel frame members 24 and 25 ( see Figure 3 of the drawings); joined internally by the corner stake 10 and protectively and decoratively concealed with the cover 23.. The sliding door framework as fitted within a shower enclosure o comprises a lower channel frame member or sill fixed at either end to vertical supports for a fixed, metal-framed glass side panel or for a fixed aluminium framed glass panel section of a sliding shower door (not shown). When -5 installed within a shower enclosure within mitred corner joined ends of two horizontally-fixed adjacent channel frame members between fixed vertical frame members or jambs (not shown) Thus, as well as being adapted to join by internally connecting opposed ends of two mitre cut horizontally-fixed channel frame members used for mounting sliding shower door panels within a shower enclosure, the corner stakes of the present invention provide means for mounting a sliding decorative and protective cover thereon (mechanically associated with the corner stake) for both concealing unsightly corner jointing and for protecting against cutting fingers on jagged any cut edges of mitre corner joined frame members. The cover 23 shown separately in Figure 1A thus serves not only to conceal and decorate the unsightly joint but to protect against sharp cut edges at the otherwise exposed joint.ends of adjacent channel frame S members. It will be understood that the arrangement of the cooperating associated groove and rib mounting parts between the cover 23 and the corner stake 10 may be reversed, that is to say, the inside surface of the corner of the cover 23 could be provided with a longitudinally- (axially) extending groove or slot instead of a rib and the outside surface of the corner column of the stake or indeed the outside corner of the stake at the junction of two side walls could be provided with a rib member instead of a groove which projects radially-outwardly from the corner of the corner stake. Referring now to the second embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 4 and 4a of the drawings, there is shown a corner stake 110 with two winged portions configured mutually at right angles each has a flat top surface 111, 112 and a raised median rib 113 formed therebetween and used to properly locate the 45 degree cut edges of two (when installed) adjacent, horizontally fixed channel frame sill members of a shower enclosure. The outside corner between the winged portions of the corner stake 110 is raised above the plane of the upper surfaces 111, 112 thereof to form a column 114 which has radially-outwardly facing keyway groove 115 formed on an external or radially-outwardly-facing corner thereof and the keyway groove -6 is adapted to co-operate with an associated axially-extending rib 117 formed on a radially inwardly facing corner and along a centreline of an angled decorative cover 116 slidably and manually placeable onto the grooved column of the stake. The rib 117 of the cover 116 is a adapted to be 5' manually slidably downwardly placed within the groove 115 of the corner stake column 114 and slid down the column of the stake to decoratively and protectively cover the exposed joint and jagged edges formed between channel frame members in abutment against the corner stake median rib 113 and internally joined by the corner stake 110. It will be understood that the arrangement of the co-operating associated groove and rib cover-mounting members between any cover and corner stake member of any embodiment of this invention may be reversed that is to say the outside corner of any corner stake could be provided with a rib and the inside corner of any cover could be provided with a groove. 15 Referring to the embodiment of the invention of Figure 6 of the drawings, there is shown, in situ, a third and different embodiment of a corner stake 210 embedded within and mitre-corner-jointing two shower enclosure frame members and with its external corner groove 211 exposed in like manner to the first two embodiments (but prior to fitment of a cover for 20 concealing the unsightly corner joint between fixed horizontal channel frame members 212, 213 of a shower enclosure). In this case, the joint comprises the shower enclosure overhead channel frame members 212, 213 each with with a front and a rear wall (One of these channel frame members is used to support a roller carriage assembly for a sliding shower door - these items 25 are not shown). The corner stake 210 of this embodiment is again in the form of a right-angled winged channel section each formed with a planar top 214, 215 and with a pair of dependent cutaway side walls 216, 217 218, 219 respectively and a respective end wall 220 and 221 of partial or reduced height. The external corner of the corner stake 210 protrudes from the planes 30 of the external side walls both of the joined channel frame sections 212, 213 and from the outside walls of the corner stake and the external corner is provided with the previously-described keyway groove 211 which is adapted to be slidably engaged with and to retain a correspondingly-shaped axial rib -7 222 formed on and projecting from the inside corner of the cover 224 as shown in Figure 7. As with all other previous embodiments, the corner stake is provided with a median rib against which the 45 degree cut edges of adjacent ends of the channel frame members are abutted during mitre corner 5' jointing of the channel frame members. After jointing, the cover 223 is shown in Figure 7 in relation to the corner stake internally mitre jointing the channel frame members 212 and 213.

Claims

1. A concealed joint structure comprising two channel frame members joined by an internal connector joining an adjacent opposed end of each of the said channel frame members, the connector incorporating external means formed thereon for slidable placement thereon of a decorative and protective cover having means formed thereon associated with the means formed on the connector to thereby enable slidable placement of the cover upon the connector after the connector has been installed within opposed ends of joined channel frame members to cover cut and unsightly edges of the ends of the channel frame members.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the concealed joint is a corner joint and the internal connector is a corner stake.

3. The structure according to claim 1 or 2 which includes the decorative and protective cover for concealing any unsightly joint made by a corner stake when installed within ends of fixed horizontal channel frame members of a shower enclosure for supporting a sliding shower door structure and wherein a respective cover and a respective corner stake each has complementary-shaped associated means formed thereon to enable the decorative and protective cover to be slidably attached to a respective corner stake of a respective corner joint between adjacent fixed horizontal channel frame members both to conceal any unsightly joint and to protect against any sharp edges of frame members formed at the joint.

4. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 which includes a separate respective corner stake and a corresponding cover for a shower head frame corner joint between horizontally fixed head channel frame members.

5. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 which includes a separate respective corner stake with a corresponding separate cover for a shower frame corner joint between horizontally fixed shower sill channel frame members.

6. The stucture according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 5 wherein the internal connector or corner stake is a channel-form lower or shower sill corner stake having wing portions formed by inner or rear side -9 corner being formed between junction of two front walls, the corner of the corner stake being provided on an external or front-facing surface with a groove extending axially with respect to the corner, the groove forming a keyway shaped to receive a correspondingly-shaped, axially-extending rib formed in the rearwardly facing or inside corner of an angled cover whereby when the cover is slidably placed upon the corner stake after the corner stake has been fixed within the channel of two opposed channel frame members, the angled cover forms a decorative cover and protects jagged and unsightly cut edges of mitered channel frame members. .

7. The structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 5 and 6 wherein the front corner of the corner stake is raised above the plane of the upper surface thereof to form a column upstanding from the upper surface of the stake.

8. The structure according to any preceding claim wherein the cover is formed as a right-angled member with two walls mutually at right angles to form an outer corner and an inner corner and a longitudinal rib projects radially inwardly from the surface of the inner corner, the rib being adapted to slidably engage within a longitudinally-extending groove formed within the external surface of the corner of the corner stake.

9. A concealed joint structure for a shower enclosure incorporating a connector with a decorative cover substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 6th day of February, 2012 DIAS ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS PTY..LTD.. By Our Patent Attorney JOHN L.DAVIES & CO John LDavies