GB2341656A

GB2341656A - Socket connector

Info

Publication number: GB2341656A
Application number: GB9901076A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul James Sibert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-01-19
Filing date: 1999-01-19
Publication date: 2000-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 2019-01-19
Also published as: WO2000043604A1; GB2341656B; GB9901076D0

Abstract

A connector, e.g. for lengths of wood in building furniture, has one or more sockets (10, 10b, 10c) for the ends of the lengths to be connected and one or more integral brackets (12a, 12b, 12c) for attachment of the connector to a further item such as a table top. The connector can be of plastics or metal.

Description

2341656 ASSEMBLY SYSTEM AND COMPONENTS THEREFOR The present invention

relates to assembly systems and components therefor and particularly to those suitable for interconnecting lengths of wood in order to construct items such as furniture although it could be used for other purposes.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple assembly system which comprises a variety of components which are themselves simple in construction and simple and relatively cheap to manufacture.

According to the present invention an assembly system comprises one or more connecting units each of which has at least one socket member into which a lenath of material. such as wood. can be inserted, the socket member havinL, associated with it a bracket member bv which the socket member may in use be secured to a furlher item such as a table top.

The units may be manufactured from any suitable material depending upon the specific use to which the assembly system is to be put. It is preferred to manufacture the unit from plastics material, typically by injection moulding. However, where it is I - required that the units should have particularly high strength they could be fabricated from pressed and,-,.telded metal plate.

The assembly system will include a variety of types of different units, each designed to serve different assembly or connection purposes.

For example a first unit would have only a single socket with a first type of bracket.

1 A second unit would have only one socket but with a second type of bracket. A third unit would have two sockets configured at 90o to one another together with a 0 mountinc, bracket. A fourth unit would have three sockets configured along the x. v and z axis at 900 to one another with three mounting brackets between adjacent sockets.

How the present invention may be camed out now be described by way of example only and -,xIth reference to the accompanying drawings in which..

Figure 1 is a three quarter view of a first embodiment of the present in-, ,.ention using a single socket:

Figure 2 is a side elevational view taken in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1.

Figure ') is a plan taken in the direction of the arrow B in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an underside view taken in the direction of the arrow C in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an end view taken in the direction of the arrow D in Figure 1 c -- 3 Figures 6 to 10 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention also employing a sinale socket. the views in these figures being equivalent to Figures 1 to 5 =I 0 n 0 respectively.

Figures 11 to 16 illustrate a further embodiment of the ion employing 1 1 present invent C> two sockets with views 11 to 15 being equivalent to views 1 to 5 and Figure 16 being a three quarter perspective view taken in the direction of the arrow X in Figure 11, and Figures 17 to 2 1 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the present invention employing thLree sockets. these views being equivalent to Figures 11 to 16.

FIGURES 1 TO 5 This connection unit comprises a single socket 10 of square box section which has on one of its sides a bracket 11.hich is also connected to the socket 10 b-,- reinforcinú webs 12. The socket 10 is provided with one or more holes or apertures 1 by. which -ithin the socket 10.

an item. such as the end of a len-th of wood, may be secured -, The bracket 11 is also provided with at least one aperture or hole 14 by which another item. such as a table top. may. be secured to the socket unit 10.

The top of the socket 10 is indicated at 15a, the bottom at 1 5b. one side at 1 5c and the other side at 1 5d.

4 FIGURES 6 TO 10 This illustrates a second embodiment which also emplovs a single socket 10, the same reference numerals being used as in Figures I to 5' to indicate the same items.

However. in this embodiment instead of there being a simple bracket I I on only one side 15c of the socket 10. the bracket I I is L shaped and extends along two sides of the square shaped socket 10. there again being reinforcing webs I 2a and 12b interconnecting the bracket I I with the socket 10. As with the embodiment of Figure I there are securing apertures or holes 13 and 14.

FIGURES I I TO 16 A third embodiment of the present invention has two square box section sockets I Oa and I Ob confiLured at 90,' to one another.

The two socket members I Oa and I Ob are interconnected by a bracket 12. The tops I 5a. I 5b. of the sockets 10a and I Ob form part of an integral L-shaped portion 16.

As can be seen in Figure 16 the comer of the unit is open although the %valls I Sa and I 8b could be extended to the comer in order to close it. However. the open-comered construction illustrated in Figure 16 is more versatile in that it would enable the end of an item such as a length of wood to be inserted into that comer area.

Figure 16 also illustrates one application of the present invention which is to interconnect lengths of pre-cut/planed wood, two examples of which are illustrated at 1 1 19 and 20. The ends of each of these lengths of wood are inserted into the two sockets I Oa and I Ob and secured in position by screws through the holes 13.

FIGURES 17 TO 22 This embodiment comprises three square boxed sectioned sockets I Oa. I Ob. and I Oc which are configured aloncy the x, y and z axis respectively v.-hich are at 901, to one another.

Again the same reference numerals have been used to indicate parts which are equivalent to those shown in previous figures. In parilcular each of two adjacent sockets is intercon-nected by webs 12a, l2b and 122c respectively.

As with the embodiment of Figures I I to 16 the comer of the embodiment of Fiaures 17 is open as illustrated in Figure 22 although. as with the previous embodiment, this comer could be enclosed.

The present invention thus provides a versatile assembly or interconnecting- s-,,-stem where it is desired to assemble or interconnect, typically lengths of wood in order to enable a variety of items, such as furniture, to be assembled easily.

6 Although all the embodiments illustrated employ sockets which are of square section the invention is not limited in this way as other sections could be used such as rectangular or circular sections.

Although as indicated earlier the present invention could be applied in a number of fields its particular application would be in the do-ityourself (DIY) field where a non-skilled person desires to construct an item such as a piece of furniture or other structure.

7

Claims

An assembly system comprises one or more connecting units each of which has at least one socket member into which a len-th of material. such as wood. may be W inserted. the socket member having associated with it a bracket member bx- which the socket mav in use be secured to a further item such as a table top.

A s,-sieni as claimed in claim 1 in which the unit has a sin,21e socket and a bracket.

3. A system as claimed in claim in which the single socket has a bracket mounted on one of its sides.

4. A system as claim in claim 2 in which the single socket has an L shaped bracket mounied on two of its sides.

5. A systern as claimed in claim 1 comprising two socket members.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 in which the two socket members are confi(-,ured at 900 to one another.

8 T A system as claimed in claim 6 in which the tops and bottoms of each of the two sockets are extended to form an L-shape which defines an open corner to the unit.

S. A system as claimed in claim 7 in which the comer is closed by extensions of a side of each of the two sockets.

9. A system as claimed in claim I comprising three socket members which are zz configured at 90o to one another.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 in which each adjacent pair of socket members is interconnected by a bracket or web.

11. A system as claimed in any previous claim in which each unit is manufactured from a plastics material.

12. A system as claimed in claim I I in which the plastics material is injection moulded.

13. A system as claim in any one of claims I to I I in,,vhich each unit is fabricated from metal sheet or plate.

14. A socket unit substantially as hereiribefore described with reference to and as shov,rn in figures I to _5 of the accompanying drawings.

9 15. A socket unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 6 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

1 - 16. A socket unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 11 to 16 of the accompanying drawings.

W W 17 A socket unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 17 to 22 of the accompanying drawings.

1 1 1. ' 1 Amendments to the claims have been riled as follows I - An assembly system comprises one or more connecting units each of which has at least one socket member into which a length of material, such as wood, may be C.

inserted or passed through, the socket member having associated with it a bracket/ reinf(yrcing member by which the socket may In use be secured to a further item such I as a table top, the bracket/reinforcing member being located coplanar with a side of the socket member.

As assembly system as claimed in claim I in which the or each socket member has at least one hole in each of two adjacent sides of the socket, the two holes being offset with respect to one another and formed in adjacent sides of the socket.

3. A system as claimed in claim I or 2 in which the unit has a single socket and a bracket.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 in which the single socket has a bracket mounted on one of its sides.

5. A system as claim in claim 33 in which the single socket has an L shaped bracket mounted on two of its sides.

6. A system as claimed in claim I or 2 comprising two socket members.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6 in which the two socket members are configured at 90' to one another.

S. A system as claimed in claim 6 in which the tops and bottoms of each of the two sockets are extended to form an L-shape which defines an open corner to the unit.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 in which the corner is closed by extensions of a side of each of the two sockets.

10, A system as claimed in claim I or 2 comprising three socket members which are configured at 90' to one another.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 in which each adjacent pair of socket members is interconnected by a bracket or web.

12. A system as claimed in any previous claim in which each unit is manufactured from a plastics material.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12 in which the plastics material is injection moulded.

14. A system as claimed in any one of claims I to 12 in which each unit is fabricated from metal sheet or plate.

15. A socket unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

1 1 W 16. A socket unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 6 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

1 W 17. A socket unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 11 to 16 of the accompanying drawings.

Q 1 W is A socket unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 17 to 21 of the accompanying drawings.

cl 1=)