GB2235241A

GB2235241A - Connector for elongate members

Info

Publication number: GB2235241A
Application number: GB8918782A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Douglas Smith; Christopher Guy Howsam
Original assignee: STEPHENSON EVITT SYSTEMS LIMIT
Current assignee: STEPHENSON EVITT SYSTEMS LIMIT
Priority date: 1989-08-17
Filing date: 1989-08-17
Publication date: 1991-02-27
Also published as: GB8918782D0

Abstract

A connector for joining elongate members is described comprising a sleeve (1) with two outwardly resilient projecting rectangular tabs (2) moulded in opposite sides of the wall of the sleeve (1). Each tab (2) has a raised projection (3) formed with a flat abutment surface (4) at one end, the remainder of the projection (3) having flattened side wall (3a) converging to a curved end (3b). One of the sleeve has two inwardly projecting tabs (5) joined by a flexible connector (5a) forming stops blocking one end of the sleeve. The sleeve is provided with inward projections (6) engaging apertures (7) in the elongate member (8) to enable the connector to be secured to one end of the elongate member (8) to be joined to another elongate member (9) formed with D-shaped aperture (10). The member (8) and connector sleeve are located in the end of member (9), such that the resilient tabs (2) lock the raised projections (3) into the D-shaped apertures (10). Relative axial rotation of the member (9) and the connector (1) results in decoupling of the tabs (2) from the apertures (10) owing to the bevelling of the edges (3a), (3b) of the former. <IMAGE>

Description

CONNECTOR This invention relates to a connector for releasably joining together two elongate members.

Various connectors are known for joining together elongate members, for example, two tubular members of the type used in frameworks, however, many of these connectors are difficult to assemble in the framework tubes and can become separated and lost.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a connector which is easily assembled and readily releasable while being retained by one of the members to be connected.

According to the present invention there is provided a connector for joining elongate members the connector comprising at least one outwardly resilient projection with an abutment surface for locating in an elongate member formed with an aperture with a complementary abutment surface, such that rotational movement of the elongate members about its longitudinal axis relative to the connector releases the projection from the aperture enabling the elongate member to be separated from the connector.

Conveniently, the connector may be formed as a sleeve with inwardly projecting stop means joined by a flexible connection to locate it at a predetermined position on a member to be connected to another member.

The connector may be formed as an elongate member with two outwardly resilient projections and means to secure it to a linear surface.

In an alternative construction the connector may be formed as an elongate member with an outwardly projecting collar intermediate its ends.

In a still further embodiment, the connector comprises an elongate member with a hinge intermediate its ends.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a connector according to the invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of two tubular members joined by a second embodiment of a connector; and Fig. 3 is similar view to Fig. 2 of a third embodiment of a hinged connector, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a connector according to the invention.

With reference to the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the connector comprises a sleeve 1 of plastics material such as NYLON having two resilient outwardly extending rectangular tabs 2 integrally moulded on opposite sides of the wall of the sleeve 1. Each tab 2 has a raised projection 3 formed with a flat abutment surface 4 at one end, the remainder of the projection having flattened side walls 3a which converge into a curved surface 3b. One end of the sleeve 1 has two inwardly projecting tabs 5 joined by a flexible connection 5a forming a stop blocking one end of the sleeve.

The sleeve wall is provided on opposite sides to the tabs 2 with round projections 6 to enable the connector to be secured in holes 7 to one end of an elongate member 8 shown in chain-dotted line, to be joined to another elongate member 9 also shown in chain dotted line, having D-shaped apertures 10 on opposite sides thereof.

To assemble the two elongate members 8 and 9 using the connector 1, the sleeve is placed over one end of the elongate member 8 so that the end of the member abuts the stop 5 and 5a. The member 8 has two holes 7 to receive the round projections 6 to lock the sleeve to the member 8. The member 8 with the connector sleeve locked thereto, is located in the end of a second elongate member 9 to which it is to be joined, such that the resilient tabs 2 lock the raised projections 3 into the D-shaped apertures 10 in the member 9 with the flat surfaces 4 abutting the flat sides of the D-shaped apertures 10.

To release the joint and separate the members 8 and 9 the member 9 is rotated about its longitudinal axis forcing the projections 3, by virtue of their flattened side walls 3a and curved surface 3b, out of the apertures 10 and into the member 9, the two members are then pulled apart releasing the connector.

The encircling wall of the member 9 holds the projections 6 captive in their respective holes 7.

To remove the sleeve connector 1 from the end of member 8 the two rectangular tabs 2 are squeezed together elongating the sleeve in one plane thus removing the projections 6 from their holes 7 and the sleeve connector is pulled from the member 8. To allow the sleeve to be squeezed into an oval shape the member 8 is relieved at its side walls. The flexible connection 5a prevents parallelogramming of the sleeve 1 when it is squeezed to remove it from the elongate member 8.

A second embodiment of a connector generally indicated at 11 is shown in Fig. 2 comprising a tubular body integrally moulded from a plastics material with a circular projecting collar 12 intermediate its ends. The collar divides the connector 11 into two hollow tubular members 13 and 14 each having two resilient outwardly extending rectangular tabs 15 located at opposite sides of the tubular members. Each tab 15 is formed with a raised projection 16 with a flat face 17 and flattened side walls. The connector 11 is used to join together two elongate tubular members 18 and 19 also made of a plastics material. The tubular members 18 and 19 are each formed adjacent their ends with D-shaped apertures 20 and 21 on opposite sides of the respective tubes.

Those apertures are punched in the plastics tube a predetermined distance from the ends of the tube such that the flat face 17 of the raised projections 16 engage the flat side of the D-shaped apertures 20, 21, while the end of the respective tube abuts the side of the collar 12, thus the resilience of the tabs 15 securely lock the connector 11 to the tubes 18 and 19 providing a rigid joint.

To release the tubes 18 and 19 from the connector 11 one of the tubes viz tube 18 is rotated about its longitudinal axis while holding the connector by its collar 12. The flattened side walls of the projections 16 guide the projection out of the apertures 20 into the tube 18 against the resilience of the tabs 15 releasing the flat abutment surface from the D-shaped apertures 20 and allowing the elongate tubular member 18 to be pulled and separated from the connector 11.

Although the two tubular ends of the connector 11 have been shown as having the same diameter, it will be apparent that they may be constructed of different diameters to join together two elongate members of correspondingly different diameters.

The third embodiment of a connector shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, and like parts have the same reference numerals, however, the collar 12 has been replaced by two collars 23 and 24 and the tubular members are joined by a hinge 25 moulded integrally with the tubular members 13 and 14. The connector of this embodiment is preferably made of 'NYLON' so that the hinge 25 is both flexible and of robust construction.

The assembly of the hinge connector 11 to the two elongate tubes 18 and 19 is the same as that described with reference to Fig. 2 with the difference that the tubular elongate members 18 and 19 engage the sides of the respective collars 23 and 24 instead of a single collar 12.

To separate the elongate tubes 18 and 19, the one of the tubes viz 18 is rotated about its longitudinal axis while holding the connector 11 at the hinge. The flattened side walls of the projections 16 guide them out of the D-shaped apertures 20 and allows the tube 18 to be pulled from the connector 11.

It will be appreciated that the connector can be removed from both elongate members or retained on the end of one member so that it does not become separated and mislaid or lost.

In the fourth embodiment of the connector shown in Figure 4 the connector 26 is moulded integrally in one piece and comprises an elongate body 27 with two outwardly projecting resilient tabs 28. Each tab has a raised projection 29 with a flat end face 30 The sides of the projection 29 have flattened walls 31 which converge into a curved surface 32. The other end of the connector has a collar 33 from which projects a rib 34 to locate in a groove 35 formed in a framework junction member 36. The connector 26 is provided with a central hole 37 which aligns with a screw-threaded hole 38 formed in the frameworth member 36. The connector is located in the member 36 and secured thereto by a screw 39 which passes through the connector 26 and screws into the hole 38.

A tubular member having D-shaped apertures, as in the previous embodiments, is readily connected to the connector 26 by sliding it over the connector until the flat end faces 30 of the projections abut the flat face of the D-shaped apertures.

Various modifications may be made to the connector according to the invention, for example, the connector may be made in two separate parts each with tabs and projections, the two parts being connected by a ball and socket hinged joint allowing for 360 degrees of movement of one part of the hinge relative to the other.

The elongate tubular members 18 and 19 have been described as hollow tubular members however, although the internal ends of the members have to be of round tubular cross-section the remainder of the members may be of solid plastics or other materials, such as a metal alloy, the cross-section of which may be of any shape e.g.

circular, rectangular or triangular.

Framework structures built from elongate members and connectors, according to the present invention are particularly suitable for use in the construction of exhibition stands or as a framework for scenery used in stage sets for cinema, video or threatre productions.

The connector of the present invention has many advantages over existing connectors used in exhibition stands in that it has a great strength relative to its weight, thus allowing for ease of handling and transportation of the framework.

The joints are readily assembled and disassembled in the minimum of time without the need for separate nuts and bolts or screws, as was hitherto necessary, providing a saving in labour costs. The hinge joints allow for a range of structures to be erected of various shapes and sizes to which preformed backdrops or display can be mounted requiring the minimum of storage and transporting space.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A connector for joining elongate members, the connector comprising at least one outwardly resilient projection with an abutment surface for locating in an elongate member formed with an aperture with a complementary abutment surface such that rotational movement of the elongate member about its longitudinal axis relative to the connector releases the projection from the aperture enabling the elongate member to be separated from the connector.

2. A connector as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connector is formed as a sleeve with inwardly projecting stop means joined by a flexible connection to locate it at a predetermined position on a member to be connected to another member.

3. A connector as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connector is formed as an elongate member with two outwardly resilient projections and means to secure it to a linear surface.

4. A connector as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connector is formed as an elongate member with an outwardly projecting collar intermediate its ends.

5. A connector as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connector is formed as an elongate member with a hinge intermediate its ends.

6. A connector as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the hinge is made of a flexible plastics material of reducing thickness moulded integrally with the connector.

7. A connector as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the hinge is formed in two parts as a ball and socket joint allowing for 360 degree movement of one part relative to the other.

8. A connector as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 7, wherein one end of the connector has a different diameter to the other end.

9. A connector as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the ends of the elongate connector adjacent the hinge has an outwardly projecting collar.

10. A connector as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9 wherein the sleeve has one or more inward projections to engage one or more apertures in the elongate member.

11. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the elongate members to be joined together may be of any desired cross-section throughout their length except at their ends the internal shape of which are of round tubular cross-section with D-shaped apertures to accept the connector.

12. A connector as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein it is made of a resilient plastics material.

13. A connector as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the connector is made of NYLON.

14. A connector for joining elongate members substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as shown in Figures 1, Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.