GB2373557A

GB2373557A - Connection Device

Info

Publication number: GB2373557A
Application number: GB0201952A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard James Field
Original assignee: Rack Systems Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Rack Systems Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-20
Filing date: 2002-01-29
Publication date: 2002-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 2022-01-29
Also published as: GB2373557B; GB0106887D0; GB0201952D0

Abstract

A connection device (2), for connecting a member (4) to a support leg (6), comprises an aperture (10) suitable to receive at least a portion of the member and an engagement means (26), which may be a wedge, which when inserted secures the member in position. The connection device is particularly suitable for use in furniture, for example for connecting an elongate support beam to a table leg, with the member acting as an integral part of the frame. The engagement means may be moved into position by rotation of a clamping means (38) such that an angled surface of the engagement member corresponds to at least one angled surface of the member. The cross section of the member is preferably a trapezoid, triangle or parallelogram.

Description

Connection Device The present invention relates to a connection device for connecting at least one item thereto. and particularly to a connection device for the formation of a support frame including an elongate beam and at least one support leg element.

Although the following description relates almost exclusively to a connection device for use with a desk/table for connecting desk/table legs and/or support beams therewith, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the connection device can be used to join any number of items together, such as for use with scaffolding, staging, seating, furniture and/or the like.

It is usual to provide desks with a modesty panel, which is placed at the back of a desk to improve the appearance and to provide lateral stability and increased support to the framework of knock down desking. However, desks including a modesty panel typically only allow the user to be seated at one side thereof. This type of desk may be problematic if two or more people wish to sit at the desk, as the other user (s) cannot move their chair (s) under the desk due to the modesty panel.

There is therefore a requirement for providing knock down desks without modesty panels and replacing the panel with a support beam to maintain the rigidity of the desk structure.

There are a number of methods of connecting the support beam to the framework of the desk and these methods may include welding, nuts and bolts and/or the like. However, conventional methods can be expensive, do not allow the desk to be flat packed and erected by the user on site without requiring special tools or training and may not provide sufficient securement of the support beam to the structure, thereby resulting in wobbling or rattling of the framework of the desk when in use.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a connection device which overcomes the abovementioned problems.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a connection device for use in the formation of a support frame including a member and at least one support leg element, said connection device comprising a port or aperture for the location of at least a portion of said member and an engagement means having at least one surface angled to complement an angled surface or surfaces provided on the member and wherein when the member is inserted in position in the aperture or port said engagement means is moved into contact with the complementary angled surface (s) of said member and continued movement of the engagement means move the member into contact with at least one further part of the aperture or port to secure the member in position with the support leg element.

Typically the member is an elongate beam, as hereinafter referred to.

Preferably the engagement means is moved into engagement with the elongate beam by rotation of clamping means such as a threaded bolt or screw located through corresponding aligned apertures in the engagement member and the connection device.

In one embodiment at least one aperture is defined in a wall of the connection device for location of the elongate beam. In this embodiment the engagement means is in the form of a wedge for positioning in the connection device and the wedge is provided with an angled surface corresponding to at least one angled surface of the elongate beam for engagement therewith.

Preferably two apertures are provided which are defined in opposed walls of the connection device.

In an alternative embodiment at least one shaped recess or port is provided in the connection device.

Preferably the cross section of the elongate beam is in the shape of a trapezoid, triangle or parallelogram.

In one embodiment the portion of the elongate beam which is engaged is an end portion of the beam.

In an alternative embodiment the portion of the elongate beam which is engaged is a portion between the ends of the beam.

The invention is typically used in the construction of an item of furniture where the elongate beam is an integral part of the construction of a rigid frame for the support of a desk top and therefore adds rigidity to the item of furniture.

In one embodiment of the present invention the connection device is provided with two or more apertures or ports, each provided for the location of an elongate beam therewith.

In a preferred embodiment the connection device is provided with a hub with a number of apertures spaced apart and elongate beams extending radially therefrom.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a connection device for use in the formation of a support frame for a table including an elongate beam and at least one support leg element, said connection device comprising a port or aperture for the location of at least a portion of said elongate beam and an engagement means having an angled surface or surfaces complementary to an angled surface or surfaces provided on the elongate beam and wherein with the elongate beam inserted in position in the aperture or port said engagement means is moved into engagement with the complementary angled surface (s) of said elongate beam to move the elongate beam into contact with at least one further wall of the aperture or port and secure the elongate beam in position with the support leg element.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a table having at least one connection device for connecting an elongate beam with at least one support leg element, said connection device comprising a port or aperture for the location of at least a portion of said elongate beam and an engagement means having an angled surface or surfaces complementary to an angled surface or surfaces provided on the elongate beam and wherein with the elongate beam inserted in position in the aperture or port said engagement means is moved into engagement with the complementary angled surface (s) of said elongate beam to move the elongate beam into contact with at least one further wall of the aperture or port and secure the elongate beam in position with the support leg element.

An advantage of the present invention is that the connection means allows at least one elongate beam to be locked in the connection device, thereby providing strength and rigidity to the structure in which the connection device is being used therewith. The connection device does not require any special tools for assembly of the same, thereby allowing it to be used for easy assembly with flat packed desks, tables and/or the like.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures wherein: Figure la is an exploded view of the components of one embodiment of the connection device of the present invention; Figure lb is an end view of the connection device when fitted together in Figure la ; Figure 2 is a detailed end view of the connection device of Figure la ; Figures 3a-3b are examples of further embodiments of the present invention; and Referring to Figures la-2, there is illustrated a connection device 2 for connecting a member, in this case an elongate support beam 4 to a table leg 6. The connection device 2 includes a housing 8.

The housing 8 has a top surface 12, a base 14, side walls 16 and ends 18 and 20. A channel 22 is defined in the housing 8 and passes between ends 18 and 20. Apertures 10 are defined in side walls 16 and are opposed. The table leg formation 6 is attached to ends 18 and 20 of the housing, as shown in Figure lb.

It is noted that the leg 6 can also be integrally formed with the end 18 of the housing if required.

An end portion 24 of support beam 4 is located through the apertures 10 in use as shown by arrow 25, and the apertures 10 are provided with slightly larger dimensions than the end portion 24.

An engagement means in the form of a wedge 26 is preferably first located in the housing 8 through aperture 10. The wedge 26 has an angled surface 28, which is complementary to an angled surface 30 on support beam 4.

An aperture 32 is defined in the top 34 of the engagement means 26 and, in use, is lined up with a corresponding aperture 36 on the top surface 12 of the housing. With the apertures 32 and 36 aligned and the support beam 4 in place in the housing, angled surface 28 of the engagement means 26 engages with angled surface 30 of support beam 4.

Clamping means in the form of a threaded bolt 38 is located through apertures 32 and 36 and can be rotated therein. The apertures 32 and 36 can be provided with corresponding threaded walls for engagement with the threaded bolt. Rotation of the threaded bolt, as shown by arrow 37, causes wedge 26 to move towards the top 12 of the housing, as shown by arrow 39 in Figure 2. This upwards movement of wedge 26 causes edge/surface 40 of the support beam 4 to be moved towards the wall 42 of aperture 10, as shown by arrow 44. A user continues to rotate the bolt 36 until edge 40 of the support beam engages with wall 42 of the side walls 16 defining the aperture 10, thereby securing the beam 4 in the housing 8 of the connection device 2.

A further table leg can then be attached to the end 20 of the housing 8 if required. The table legs can be attached by welding, screws, nuts and bolts and/or the like. Typically the end 20 is capped off in order to retain the wedge 26 and cause it to move vertically upwards when the bolt 38 is turned.

Figure 3a illustrates a similar connection device to that shown in figures la, lb, and 2 but the threaded screw 302 is provided for rotation on the base 304 of the housing 306, thereby moving the engagement means 308 upwardly towards the support beam 310, as shown by arrow 312.

Figure 3b illustrates a similar connection to that shown in Figure 3a but the angled surface 402 of the engagement means 404 differs to that in Figure 3a. Rotation of the threaded screw 406 moves the engagement means 404 towards the support beam 408, thereby resulting in the support beam moving downwardly to engage with the bottom edge 410 of the side wall defining the aperture 412.

Connection devices according to the present invention can be used to join table legs to a support beam for a frame for a table, work surface or similar. Alternatively, the connection device can also be used in scaffolding, staging, bench or seat assembly, for joining a number of items together and/or the like.

The support beam can be provided in a number of different shapes and the shape of the recesses/ports or apertures and the angled surface (s) of the engagement member are altered accordingly.

Claims

Claims 1. A connection device for use in the formation of a support frame including a member and at least one support leg element, said connection device comprising a port or aperture for the location of at least a portion of said member, and an engagement means having at least one surface angled to compliment an angled surface or surfaces provided on the member and wherein, when the member is inserted in position in the aperture or port, said engagement means moved into contact with the complimentary angled surface (s) of said member and continued movement of the engagement means moves the member into contact with at least one further part of the aperture or port to secure the member in position with the support leg element.
2. A connection device according to claim 1 characterised in that the engagement means is moved into engagement with the member by rotation of clamping means.
3. A connection device according to claim 1 wherein an aperture is defined in a wall of the connection device for location of the member.
4. A connection device according to claim 3 wherein the engagement means is in the form of a wedge and is positioned in the connection device with the wedge provided with an angled surface corresponding to at least one angled surface of the member.
5. A connection device according to claim 1 wherein two apertures are provided, said apertures defined in opposed walls of the connection device.
6. A connection device according to claim 1 wherein at least one shaped recess or port is provide in the connection device.
7. A connection device according to claim 1 wherein the cross section of the member is a trapezoidal, triangle or parallelogram.
8. A connection device according to claim 1 wherein the portion of the member which is engaged is an end portion of the same.
9. A connection device according to claim 1 wherein the portion of the member which is engaged is a portion intermediate the ends of the same.
10. A connection device according to any of the preceding claims wherein the connection device is provided as part of an item of furniture with the member acting as an integral part of the frame for the item of furniture.
11. A connection device for use in the formation of a support frame for a table including an elongate beam and at least one support leg element, said connection device comprising a port or aperture for the location of at least a portion of said elongate beam and an engagement means having an angled surface or surfaces complimentary to an angled surface or surfaces provided on the elongate beam and wherein, with the elongate beam inserted in position in the aperture or port, said engagement means is moved into contact with the complimentary angled surface (s) of said elongate beam to move the elongate beam into contact with at least one further part of the aperture or port and secure the elongate beam in position.
12. A table having at least one connection device for connecting an elongate beam with at least one support leg element, said connection device comprising a port or aperture for the location of at least a portion of said elongate beam and an engagement means having an angled surface or surfaces complimentary to an angled surface or surfaces provided on the elongate beam and wherein, with the elongate beam inserted in position in the aperture or port, said engagement means is moved into engagement with the complimentary angled surface (s) of said elongate beam to move the elongate beam into contact with at least one further wall of the aperture or port and secure the elongate beam in position with a support leg element.