FI94666C - Joint - Google Patents

Description

1 94666

Joint

The present application relates to a joint for use in assembling furniture, transport containers, cabinets, wall structures, ductwork, etc., which joint consists of a protrusion with connecting members and a slot with grooves corresponding to the connecting members.

For example, groove joints with a single "flange pair" or the like, such as the dovetail joint used in the furniture industry, are already known.

Other types of joints used for connecting furniture or building components are described, for example, in the publications FI 49 450, GB 2 180 741 A, GB 1 550 404, DE 15 2 436 439, DE 3 405 862, CH 634 372 and US 4 261 148.

Said publications disclose various connecting parts and connection systems used for connecting furniture, walls or components, which differ from the solution according to the present invention in that they are considerably complicated, difficult and expensive to use and implement or suitable for only one specific application and cannot withstand heavy loads.

One type of connection is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,551, which has connecting members arranged in pairs on a protrusion in a body and fitted to slots or similar structures in another body. The connecting members according to this solution have a corrugated shape, whereby a connecting element is formed in the solution. Easy to break at the base of the protrusion of 30 pieces due to the narrow web structure of the protrusion. Thus, the joint has poor torsional strength.

The object of the present invention is to obviate the drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a completely new, simple and easy-to-implement solution.

The invention is based on the idea that the joint must be easy to use, durable, simple to manufacture and its use must be as flexible as possible.

More specifically, the joint according to the invention is mainly characterized in that the protrusion is trapezoidal in shape and has at least two pairs of substantially parallelepiped-shaped connecting members 10 arranged on opposite sides, which connecting members are arranged in the grooves in the notch of the second body.

In the joint object of the invention, the connecting members are located symmetrically on both sides of the central axis of the projection. The connecting members are preferably flanges, the outer edges of which are chamfered parallel to the edges of the projection.

It can be shown computationally that the angle range between the edge line and the center line of the protrusion is preferably 0 to 45 °.

20 There are situations in which it is important for a structural assembly to be assembled by means of a joint that the pieces or walls can be turned relative to each other. For example, truck transport booths can be folded with a joint if desired, or resized as needed thanks to the ‘25 flexible joint. In this case, flexible materials are used in the joint or the joint is provided with a joint mechanism to allow it to be bent.

The piece used in the joint can be made. 30 very diverse in that one or more projections and / or slots with connecting members enabling the connection are grouped in the same body. The shape of the connecting piece can also be varied, thus providing different pieces with fixed mounting angles.

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The joint is provided with a sealing strip in cases where the joint solution is used in structures that must be dust, gas or liquid tight.

Other embodiments of the invention are described in the appended claims.

The invention provides considerable advantages. Thus, the joint allows for almost any type and shape of structure or assembly in which the joint is used as part of the structure. The joint withstands noticeable perpendicular forces and torques.

The joint can be used in different materials. It can be made of metal, plastic, wood, mineral or the like, e.g. by milling the material out of it, by casting into a mold, by injection molding, such as sliding or extruding, or simply by compressing the material into the correct shape.

The joint can be used to join rigidly or articulatedly different materials, such as plastic and wood or laminated urethane sheet and steel. When making chairs and tables or transport containers, for example, the connection is rigid and stable. The joint can be easily disassembled and stacked repeatedly. However, if necessary, the joint can be glued, for example, in which case it is permanent.

The joint can be used, for example, to make furniture for homes, offices and industry, or for heat- or cold-insulated transport containers and cabinets for trucks and vans. The joint can also be used to make, for example, an insulated garage assembled from elements on site or insulated flues and pipes with. 30 The insulating material itself is load-bearing at the joint without the need for other support.

The joint achieves clear advantages over current joint methods. It can be produced by the method best suited for equipment already in use in a rolling mill, for example by milling or extrusion casting. The method of manufacturing the joint is also preferred. Finished products, in turn, can be stored and transported in parts, resulting in significant savings in warehousing and transportation costs. The jointed product can also be disassembled and stacked repeatedly without special tools.

The pieces can be installed very well in tight spaces. By notching the groove-10 in the slot of the mating piece, the connecting piece with the projection can be mounted in the slot with a very short installation distance. If the fastening so requires, it is also possible to install several 1i pieces in the slot.

The prefabrication of the elements with the joint achieves considerable labor and material savings and speeds up the construction schedule. Especially in connection with renovations, there is a need for products whose manufacture and installation provide sufficient dimensional flexibility. The joint according to the invention can be made at any desired finished angle, for example 90 °. It can also be machined on site into parts or materials directly attached with hand tools.

When using the joint according to the invention in the assembly of structures, joints made of other materials, no adhesives or tools are required during installation.

The invention will now be examined in more detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a groove connection before installation,. 30 is an axonometric drawing, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a male connector, Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a female connector, Fig. 94666 is an end view of a portion of the structure provided by a 90 ° connector, Fig. 5 is an end view a part of the structure provided by a 45 ° connecting piece, Fig. 6 shows an end view of a connecting piece with mounted 180 ° and 45 ° angles, Fig. 7 shows a connecting piece allowing stepless angles between 180 ° and 0 °, and Figure 8 shows a connecting piece made of a soft and flexible material 10, which allows angles between 0 ° and 180 ° -0 ° steplessly.

In the embodiment according to Figures 1-4, the joint is shown before installation, the male or female body is pushed into the second joint piece from one end to the other. In Figure 1, the male connector is inserted into the female connector. As shown, the connection according to the figure can be used, for example, to assemble ventilation ducts from polyurethane sheets. Sufficient tensile strength is provided for the joint for such a brittle material without additional consumables.

Figure 2 shows a male joint piece in which three pairs of connecting members 2, 3 and 4 are formed in the protrusion or tongue 1. The possible inclination of the edge line A of the protrusion with respect to its center line B depends on the material used. The thickness and height of the flanges 2, 3 and 4, as well as the width or location and shape of the grooves 5, 6 and 7 between them, are determined by the strength calculations.

Figure 3 shows a female joint piece in which a slot 9 and grooves 10, 11 and 12 have been machined therein to correspond to the connecting members of the male tongue.

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Figure 4 shows an end view of a part of the structure provided by a 90 ° joint piece. The connecting piece is used in the manufacture of, for example, pipes, flues, furniture, edges and various other structures. Figure 5 shows a end view of a part of the structure for the same purpose provided by the 45® joint piece.

Figure 6 shows an end view of a connecting piece with ready-to-install corners for 180®, 90® and 45®. The connecting piece is used, for example, as a corner pillar of the walls. The connecting piece is mounted 180 ° and 45 °.

Figure 7 shows, for example, a connecting piece made of plastic, which enables stepless variation of mounting angles between 180 ° -0 °. The connecting piece is articulated to the reu-15 pin. The joint piece is used in exhibition structures or structures that otherwise require clearance and a certain kind of flexibility.

Figure 8 shows a joint piece made of a soft and flexible material, which allows 20 stepless angles between 0 ° -180 ° -0 ° to enable the folding of truck containers without disturbing the thermal insulation.

The invention is not limited to the appended embodiment and not only to the use described above, but many modifications are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the appended claims. Thus, for example, the connecting members in the joint may be located stepwise or otherwise asymmetrically on both sides of the central axis of the projection. The connectors can comply. 30 other shapes than flange shape.

The connecting surfaces or separate connecting pieces used in the connection can be made of a material stronger than the structure to be connected. For example, aluminum can be injection molded into a joint piece provided with 7,94666 urethane fillers. This connection piece is used, for example, in the manufacture of truck cabinets and containers.

The connecting pieces can be articulated or hinged in different ways. By changing the position of the articulation point and the shape or condition of the Kap-5 pieces to be fastened, it is possible to turn the joint steplessly a full 360 °. Such various fittings and embodiments can be used, for example, in industry to replace adhesives, pop rivets, rivets, nails, screws, in part also welding, 10 as well as hinges or other joints; e.g., the soft joint allows for joint movement and rigidity while still being thermally insulated.

Claims (5)

A joint for use in assembling furniture, transport containers, cabinets, wall structures, ductwork, etc., which joint consists of a projection (1) provided with connecting members (2,3,4), the connecting members being located symmetrically on both sides of the projection and with grooves corresponding to the connecting members (10, 11, 12), characterized in that the projection (1) is trapezoidal in shape and has at least two pairs of substantially parallelepiped-shaped connecting members (2, 3, 4) arranged on opposite sides thereof, which the connecting members are arranged in the grooves 15 (10, 11, 12) in the slot (9) of the second piece. Joint according to Claim 1, characterized in that the material used in the joint is flexible. Joint according to Claim 1, characterized in that the joint is provided with articulation mechanisms to enable bending. Joint according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that one or more projections (1) with connecting elements (2, 3, 4) and / or grooves (10, 11, 12) enabling the joint are grouped in the same body. fitted slot (9). Joint according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the joint is provided with a sealing strip. 30 9 94666