AU2019100479A4

AU2019100479A4 - A corner joint assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2019100479A4
Application number: AU2019100479A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Joshua O'Connell; Richard Alan Walker
Original assignee: Oconnell Joshua
Current assignee: Walker Richard Alan Mr
Priority date: 2019-05-03
Filing date: 2019-05-03
Publication date: 2019-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-03
Also published as: AU2019100479A6

Abstract

A corner joint assembly comprising at least two panels and a corner joint rail, each panel having a marginal edge section including at least one guide way, the corner rail having at least one axial guide adapted to cooperate with the guide way, in axial sliding relation, in order for the connector rail to extend about the marginal edge section and thereby connect the edges of the panels in the assembly.

Description

[0001] THIS INVENTION relates to a corner joint assembly comprising at least two panels and a joiner rail used to connect edges of the panels.

BACKGROUND [0002] Connecting of panels together is a well known and crowded art. Panels of all kind and manner are connected by various extrusions.

[0003] The invention has particular application to relatively narrow panels. It is also common practice to provide panels and the like in flat pack for transport. The panels usually have various and many different arrangements for connecting edges together. The design and manufacture of flat packed panels and their connectors is also a very crowded art with the manufacturing process for tooling and production being well known. In recent times environmental considerations have become very important to consumers. While it has always been an economical consideration which has informed optimisation of the amount of material used in constructions of this kind, while keeping them robust or fit for purpose, workers in the field are consistently striving and racking their minds to push boundaries to keep costs down. This is even more so in the case for disposable, single use or recyclable single use containers. It is a very competitive industry.

[0004] Since the present invention arises in a crowded art it would be prima facie wrong to suggest that there was, or is, a particular problem or motivation extant at the filing date of the present application that would give rise to the non-inventive notional person coming up with the present invention.

[0005] The present invention seeks to reduce costs including indirect environmental costs by improving panel and connector design without compromising integrity or function for pre-packed assemblies particularly of the fastenerless type. With this and the other background factors,

2019100479 03 May 2019 including as set out above in mind, it should be clearly appreciated to the reader that exercise of the inventive faculty in such a crowded art is more likely to be present in small variations.

OUTLINE [0006] In one aspect herein there is provided, in a corner joint assembly comprising at least two panels and a corner rail, each panel having a marginal edge section including at least one guide way, the corner rail having at least one axial guide adapted to cooperate with the guide way, in axial sliding relation, in order for the connector rail to extend about the marginal edge section and thereby connect the edges of the panels in the assembly. Typically, adjacent panels are each joined directly to the corner rail but are connected by the corner rail.

[0007] Preferably, each panel has at least two guideways and the connector rail has two corresponding guides. The guideways are typically slots and the guides are typically elongate projections or beads or vice versa. Each guide typically comprises an inward projection of a channel side wall. Typically, the projections are on opposed channel side walls. Typically, the marginal edge section of each panel fits within and fills corresponding channel in the connector. The fit is typically a tight fastenerless fit by the marginal edge section being as long as the rail and axially sliding along the channel and being flush with the panel at each end and at each side. In a preferred form the marginal edge section is slightly narrower than the remainder of the panel. In this embodiment the connector rail includes a outer surfaces flush with outer surfaces of the adjacent panel.

[0008] In another, and preferred form, there is provided in a corner joint assembly comprising at least two panels and a connector rail connecting edges of the panels together in juxtaposition to form the corner joint assembly, each panel having a hidden edge within the connector rail and a marginal edge section extending along the panel and being defined by parallel opposed slots inboard of the hidden edge, there being at least one said slot on each side of the panel, the connector rail having at least two divergent channels, each channel having a pair of spaced channel side walls and a channel web connecting the side walls wherein the hidden edge of a panel is located, upon assembly into a respective channel, adjacent the channel web, each side wall having at least one projection corresponding to a said at least one slot of the corresponding

2019100479 03 May 2019 panel, the marginal edge section, slots and projections being so dimensioned and arranged that a said marginal edge section of one panel may be fitted in a said channel of a connector rail and a said marginal edge section of a second panel may be fitted into the other channel of the connector rail to thereby connect the panels edge to edge proximity.

[0009] In one preferred embodiment the connector rail has a spine to separate the panels. Typically, the spine is a hollow spine located between the edges of the respective panels. In other embodiments the channels may be set back to back. In other cases the channels may be at right angles. In still other cases the channels may be at acute or obtuse angles. In these cases the panels and channels share a common plane.

[0010] In another aspect there is provided, in a shelving assembly, multiple corners between multiple panels, at least some of said corners comprising a corner joint assembly according to the present invention. Preferably, the panels are the same size forming a cubic shelving assembly. In another form panels and corner rails are formed to provide shelving including, square rectangular, rhombus, parallelogram or triangle assemblies or combinations of these.

[0011] In a further aspect there is provided, in a beehive, multiple corners between corresponding panels, at least some of said corners comprising a corner joint assembly according to the present invention. Preferably, the beehive has plural separable tiers, each tier having corners, at least some of said corners in each tier comprising a corner joint assembly according to the present invention. Typically, the tiers are adapted to stack with corners aligned vertically. Preferably, at least two of the vertically aligned corners have aligned connector rail sections with aligned marginal edge sections of panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is an end view of a connector assembly according to the present invention showing a

2019100479 03 May 2019 first panel joined to a connector rail and a second panel shown in phantom where it would be once it was joined to the same connector rail.

Figures 2A through 2E are end views of various rails which may be used in accordance with the present invention;

Figures 3A through 3E are respectively the same rails shown in perspective view;

Figures 4A and 4B are drawings illustrating in front view and perspective view application of the present invention to box shelving, embracing the rails of Figures 2A to 2C;

Figures 5A and 5B are respective front and perspective views of shelving utilising the rails of Figures 2D and 2E; and

Figures 6A and 6B are respective perspective and exploded perspective views illustrating application of the invention to a three tiered beehive.

METHOD OF PERFORMANCE [0013] Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1 there is illustrated a corner joint assembly 10 comprising a first panel 11 and a second panel 12 (shown in phantom) and a corner connector rail 13. The corner connector rail 13 has a hollow spine section 14 and respective divergent channels 15 and 16 (at 90° in this example) into which respective marginal edge sections 16 and 17 of the panels 11 and 12 may be positioned as shown at 16. IN the present example the marginal edge sections slide axially into position due to the use of respective guide ways, in this case being slots 18, 19, 20 and 21 in the panels 11 and 12 which accommodate in close fitting relation, guides in the form of projections 22, 23, 24 and 25 in the side walls 26, 27, 28 and 29 of the channels 15 and 16 respectively.

[0014] The slots in the panels, the projections in the channels and the marginal end sections are all made with tolerances such that the panels may be a tight axially sliding fit within the channels of the rails 13. Thus it will be appreciated that by proper machining of the marginal end sections that this tight fit may be achieved. The rails may be a tight hand press fit or may be tapped into final position using a mallet.

[0015] Thus there is no requirement for any fasteners to be used (although fasteners could be used). Thus in the preferred form the adjacent panels are each joined directly to the corner rail

2019100479 03 May 2019 but are connected by the corner rail.

[0016] Although in the illustrated embodiment the spine is a box hollow corner, this part may be filled, it may be filled for decorative purposes with a plug. Preferably, the corner rail is extruded as box section with projecting channels.

[0017] In practice a system of corner rails according to the present invention may create different shapes and structures, it will be appreciated that various corners may be assembled in back to back, side to side or at various angles and examples are illustrated in Figures 2A through 2E noting that 2A through 2C are 90° degree arrangements. The channels in each case are identical so that identical panels marginal edge sections may be employed but these channels in each case need not be identical. Figure 2A illustrates the rail 13 of Figure 1. Figure 2B illustrates a “matched” T-shaped connector rail 30. Figure 2C a “matched” cruciform connector rail 31 for four panels. Figures 2D illustrates an acute angle rail 32 and Figure 3 illustrates an obtuse angle connector rail 33.

[0018] Referring now to the additional figures, these show examples of applications of the present invention. Illustrated and in Figures 4A and 4B is a box shelving assembly 34 employing the connector rails of Figures 2A through 2C. Like numerals illustrate like features. In this case there is formed a square box arrangement of shelving using identical panels 35 and corresponding rails. It will be appreciated that panels of different length may be employed.

[0019] Referring now to Figures 5A and 5B there is illustrated another shelving arrangement 36 where the corner connector rails 32 and 33 are employed. In the configuration selected this enables in this case, a triangle at 60° and a parallelogram with a matching angle of 120° as shown to give 180° as may be built up to form the structure as shown.

[0020] It will be appreciated from the disclosure that many and varied combinations of panels and connector rails may be employed in implementing the system according to the present invention. The examples given above are to connected panels bu in another case assembled groups of panels may be stacked into a structure.

2019100479 03 May 2019 [0021] Thus one further example is in Figures 6A through 6B which illustrates a beehive 37 and in this case it has three stacked tiers 38 being a lower tier, 39 being an intermediate tier and 40 being an upper tier. Each tier employs rail sections 41,42 and 43, four of which are used in each tier, since the spines of the rails are hollow connector spigots (not shown) may be used in telescopic fashion to locate each tier in line relative to each other. A roof 44 is employed atop the top tier 40.

[0022] Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth/set out in the appended claims.

2019100479 03 May 2019

Claims

1. In a corner joint assembly comprising at least two panels and a corner rail, each panel having a marginal edge section including at least one guide way, the corner rail having at least one axial guide adapted to cooperate with the guide way, in axial sliding relation, in order for the connector rail to extend about the marginal edge section and thereby connect the edges of the panels in the assembly.

2. In a corner joint assembly according to claim 1 wherein adjacent panels are each joined directly to the corner rail but are connected by the corner rail.

3. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein, each panel has at least two guideways and the connector rail has two corresponding guides.

4. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the guideways are slots and the guides are elongate projections.

5. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each guide comprises an inward projection of a channel side wall.

6. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the guideways are outward facing panel slots and the guides are elongate projections on opposed channel side walls.

7. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marginal edge section of each panel fits within and fills a corresponding channel in the connector rail.

8. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marginal edge section of each panel fits within are said rail as a tight fastenerless fit.

2019100479 03 May 2019

9. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims, said assembly being one of corresponding assemblies being stacked in tiers and wherein each rail includes channels and the marginal edge section of each panel in a tier is as long as the rail and axially sliding along the channel and being flush with the panel at each end and at each side so that assemblies of rails and panels are stacked in alignment.

10. Ina corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the marginal edge section or each panel is slightly narrower than the remainder of the panel.

11. Ina corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the connector rail has a spine to separate the panels.

12. In a corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the connector rail has a hollow spine to separate the panels.

13. Ina corner joint assembly according to according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the connector rail has channels the channels selected from one of the following:

• channels set back to back;

• channels at right angles;

• channels at acute angles; or • channels at obtuse angles.

14. A shelving assembly having multiple corners between multiple panels, at least some of said corners comprising a corner joint assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

15. A shelving assembly according to claim 13 wherein the panels are the same size forming a cubic shelving assembly or panels and corner rails are formed to provide shelving including, square rectangular, rhombus, parallelogram or triangle assemblies or combinations of these.

2019100479 03 May 2019

16. In a beehive, multiple corners between corresponding panels, at least some of said corners comprising a corner joint assembly according to any one of claims 1-13.

17. In a beehive according to claim 16 the beehive having plural separable tiers, each tier having corners.

18. In a beehive according to claim 17, the tiers being adapted to stack with corners aligned vertically, at least two of the vertically aligned corners have aligned connector rail sections with aligned marginal edge sections of panels.

19. A corner joint assembly comprising at least two panels and a connector rail connecting edges of the panels together in juxtaposition to form the corner joint assembly, each panel having a hidden edge within the connector rail and a marginal edge section extending along the panel and being defined by parallel opposed slots inboard of the hidden edge, there being at least one said slot on each side of the panel, the connector rail having at least two divergent channels, each channel having a pair of spaced channel side walls and a channel web connecting the side walls wherein the hidden edge of a panel is located, upon assembly into a respective channel, adjacent the channel web, each side wall having at least one projection corresponding to a said at least one slot of the corresponding panel, the marginal edge section, slots and projections being so dimensioned and arranged that a said marginal edge section of one panel may be fitted in a said channel of a connector rail and a said marginal edge section of a second panel may be fitted into the other channel of the connector rail to thereby connect the panels edge to edge proximity.

20. A corner joint assembly according to claim 19 employed in shelving.

21. A corner joint assembly according to claim 19 employed in a beehive.

22. A corner joint assembly according to claim 19 employed in each level of a multilevel