GB2394021A

GB2394021A - Connection method and assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2394021A
Application number: GB0320589A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Clive Broadbridge
Original assignee: DALEN Ltd
Current assignee: DALEN Ltd
Priority date: 2002-09-19
Filing date: 2003-09-03
Publication date: 2004-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 2023-09-03
Also published as: GB0320589D0; GB0221752D0; GB2394021B

Abstract

A connection method suitable for fixing the top support plate 10 of a television stand to an, at least part, tubular leg 11. The support plate has a bore 30 to receive a fixing screw 26, the leg has an aperture 14, 15 in the side to receive a plug 16, and the plug has a bore to receive the fixing screw such as to secure the support plate to the end of the leg. Preferably the fixing means is a countersunk self tapping screw. The plug may be held in place in the aperture by means of a snap fit, or by means of compressible ramps provided on the sides of the plug. Ideally the plug has a head portion 17 which is wider than the body portion 18 and aperture. The plug may be formed from plastics or metal. Preferably two connecting means are provided at opposite sides of the leg.

Description

239402 1

- 1 - CONNECTION METHOD AND ASSEMBLY

This invention relates to a connection method, particularly a method of connecting an element to an elongate member, such as a tube, at an open end thereof. In one embodiment the tube is one leg of a multi-legged television stand, the legs having connected thereto a flat top plate for supporting the television, in use.

An object of the invention is to provide such a connection method in a simple and convenient manner.

According to the invention there is provided a connection method for connecting an element at an open end of an at least part-tubular member, the element having a bore therethrough to receive fixing means and the member having an aperture in the side or one of the sides thereof to receive a plug having a bore therein to receive the fixing means' the method comprising inserting said plug into said aperture so that said bore of the plug is within said open end of the member, disposing said element at said open end of the member so that said bore in the element is in alignment with said bore in the plug, passing said fixing means through said bore in the element and into the bore in said plug to engage at least part of the fixing means with said plug, thereby to retain the element connected at said open end of the member.

Preferably the passage of the fixing means into said bore cuts threads therein.

- 2- Advantageously, the plug is held in place within said aperture by means of an interference fit. Conveniently, the plug is held in place within said aperture by means of a snap fit.

Desirably, during insertion of said plug into said aperture, at least one compressible ramp of the plug compresses, and thereafter returns to its uncompressed state, so as to hold said plug in place within said aperture.

More preferably, when the plug is fitted in said aperture, the bore in the plug is disposed relatively close to the interior of said side or one of said sides of the member.

More advantageously, two of said plug and fixing means combinations are employed to connect the element to the member. More conveniently, said two plug and fixing means combinations are employed at opposite parts of said side of the element to connect the element to the member. Alternatively, said two plug and fixing means combinations are employed at respective opposite sides of the element to connect the element to the member.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic interior view of a tubular member of the invention to an open end of which an element is connected by the method of the invention, one connection being shown prior to assembly and another connection being shown after assembly,

- 3 - Figure 2 is an end perspective view of a plug forming one part of the connection of the method, and Figures 3 to 6 are respectively a first side view, a second side view at 90 to the first side view, a top view and an underneath view of the plug.

As specified above, although this invention relates generally to a connection method for connecting an element at an open end of an at least part-tubular member, it has particular application to the production of a multi-legged support stand for a television, with the connection method of the invention relating to the connection of a flat support element to each of the legs, and the description below will be in relation to this application of the invention.

However it will be appreciated that the connection method has much wider application. Schematically shown in Figure 1 is the use of the method of the invention to connect a flat top support plate 10 of a television support stand to at least three tubular support legs, one of which 11 is shown. It will be appreciated from the description hereinafter that it is not necessary for the support leg to

be wholly tubular, although this is most convenient, it merely being required that the leg or equivalent has an open end at which the element such as the support plate 10 is to be connected. Thus, in the present case, the leg could be a solid bar which is cored or otherwise formed with an opening at one of its ends to receive the fixing connection method components as will be described. It will be appreciated that the leg can be of any cross-section, but conveniently it would be circular, triangular, square or hexagonal in cross-

section. The plate 10 is of metal, or other suitable material, such as glass.

- 4 - The support leg 11 shown in Figure 1 is square or rectangular, having one pair of opposite side walls 12, 13 respectively. In the side walls 12, 13, near the open end of the tubular support leg 11, are respective apertures 14, 15 each of generally oval shape. Each aperture is intended to have fitted therein a headed plug 16 shown in detail in Figures 2 to 6.

As can be seen from those Figures, the plug, which is preferably made of plastics material, but could be made of metal, such as aluminium, has an oval head 17 which is larger than the generally oval shaped body part 18 depending integrally at one side thereof. As can be seen from Figures 2 to 6, the general oval shape of the body part 18 includes opposite longer flat side portions 19, 20 which are formed with respective integral ramps 21, 22, which ramps taper into the body in a direction away from the head 17, the thicker end of each ramp being spaced from the undersurface of the head 17 as shown in Figure 4, this distance, in the example illustrated, substantially corresponding to the thickness of the side walls of the support leg, as shown in Figure 1 for the plug at the side wall 13. From Figures 2 to 6 it can be seen that not only is the body part 18 relieved, with reliefs 23, 24 lying generally parallel to the portions 19, 20 and inwards thereof, but a circular section bore 25 extends centrally through the body part 18 parallel to the flat side portions 19, 20 and thus also generally parallel to the reliefs 23, 24.

Finally as shown in Figures 2 to 6, the end of the body part 18 remote from the head 17 is slightly chamfered to assist insertion of the plug into an aperture 14 or 15.

- 5 - As shown in Figure 1, the configuration of the plug is such that when inserted into an aperture 14 or 15 the body part 18 passes through the aperture until the underside of the head 17 engages against the outer surface of the side wall surrounding the aperture therein, as shown for the side wall 13 in Figure 1, the head thus preventing further inward insertion of the plug.

In this state the ramps 21, 22, which have been compressed during their passage through the aperture in the side wall will spring back to their Figure 4 state, given that, as shown in Figure 1, and as mentioned above, the thicker end of the ramp is disposed out of the aperture when the plug is fully inserted therein, the majority of the body part 18 lying in the open end of the support leg as shown. Moreover in this position, with the leg vertical, the bore 25 is also vertical lying generally parallel to the central axis of the leg and also to the side walls 12, 13. With the arrangement shown, the body part is relatively short, and moreover the bore therethrough is disposed generally centrally between the end of the body part 18 and the head 17, so that it is very close to the interior surface of the side wall in which the plug is fitted.

In addition to the plug, the other component of the connection method is fixing means which, in this example is a fixing screw 26 having a countersunk head 27 and neck 28 leading to a threaded shank 29. The support plate 10, in this embodiment, is provided with two countersunk plain circular bores 30, 31 respectively for reception of respective fixing screws therethrough as shown in Figure 1. The support plate is disposed on the end of the support leg, as shown, so that with the plugs 16 inserted into their respective apertures 14, 15, the respective bores 30, 31 in the support plate are aligned with the respective bores 25 in the plugs so that, as will be described, a fixing screw can be passed through each of the bores 30, 31 to

- 6- be received in the bores 25 in the respective plugs. It will thus be appreciated that, as shown in Figure 1, with the support plate 10 correctly positioned the bores 30, 31 are, like the bores 25 in the plugs, disposed very close to the inside surface of the side walls 12, 13 of the support leg 11.

The connection method of the invention is as follows.

Firstly the two plugs 16 are inserted fully into their respective apertures 14, 15, in the side walls 12, 13 of the support leg, each plug effectively being an interference fit in its aperture but also being held in place, to some extent, by the ramps 21, 22 which are compressed during insertion and then form means for preventing inadvertent removal of the plug from its aperture. It will be appreciated that the plugs may be an interference fit, a snap fit, or a combination thereof in the apertures. When fully inserted, each plug accurately defines the position of its bore 25 therethrough in the open end of the leg. The support plate 10 with its bores 30, 31 therein is then placed on top of the support leg 11 and positionally adjusted until its bores 30, 31 are in axial alignment with the respective bores 25 through the plugs 16. To assist this procedure, a fixing screw 26 could be inserted in each of the bores 30, 31 so that the adjustment could involve trying to locate the end of each plug with the top of its respective associated bore 25 in its associated plug 16.

When the support plate 10 has been correctly positioned, the fixing screws are inserted through the bores 30, 31, or, if they have already been inserted therein to aid adjustment as above, these screws are then, in either case, screwed down into the plugs 16 respectively so that, in this example, the screws cut their own threads respectively in the bores 25 of the plugs. The screwing up of each fixing screw is continued until the head is received in the

- 7- upper countersunk parts of each bore 30, 31, as shown for the fixing at the side 13 in Figure 1 whereupon the plug and the screw are securely engaged, thereby securely fixing the support plate 10 to the top of the leg 11 as shown.

As will be appreciated the screw 26 for the bore 30 will similarly be screwed down into the plug inserted in the aperture 14 until it is in a position equivalent to the screw 26 shown at the left hand side of the support leg, i.e. adjacent the side wall 13.

It will be appreciated that the plug could be positioned further inwards from the open end of the support leg, and with such an arrangement it could be that its bore 25 is closed at its lower end, this end not being reached by the end of the screw 26. Alternatively the plugs could be inserted in the apertures 14, 15 as shown in Figure 1 but used with shorter fixing screws so that again the bore 25 need not extend through the body part 18 of each plug.

Fixing means other than screws could be used to engage tightly with the plugs. For example some form of projections or similar ramps could be used so that once the fixing means is forced down into the plug, for example by tapping the fixing means with a hammer or the like, the shape of the projections or ramps would be such as to resist withdrawal of the fixing means from the plug. Clearly this is less advantageous than the arrangement shown where the assembly can be disconnected by unscrewing the fixing screws 26.

It will be appreciated that at a single leg, any suitable number of fixing screws could be provided, along with an equivalent number of apertures in the or each side wall of the support leg and an equivalent number of plugs to be received in said apertures. Generally if the plate 10 is to cover the open

- 8- end of the leg then at least two screw and plug fixings would normally be provided, for example at opposite sides of the leg. However where the plate might cover only part of the open end of the leg, then one screw and plug fixing may be sufficient.

It is particularly desirable that the connection between the fixing means and the plug takes place as close as possible to the interior surface of the side wall in which the plug is disposed. This provides a stable connection which optimises the connection forces and does not make the connection susceptible to bending and the like. That would be the case if the plug were much longer and the bore therethrough was, for example, to be situated midway between the side walls 12 and 13 shown in Figure 1 with the bore 30 for a fixing screw 26 similarly being through substantially the centre of the plate 10 shown in Figure 1. It will be appreciated that with such an arrangement the force on the plug when the screw begins to cut its thread in the plug might well cause the plug to tilt or cantilever unacceptably in its aperture 14. It will also be appreciated that instead of a plain bore through the plugs the bore therein could be threaded complementarily to the threads on the fixing screws 26 rather than the screws 26 cutting their own threads in said plug.

Accordingly this connection method is a significant improvement upon previous television support stand connections where it has been necessary to provide welding of certain parts or alternatively to provide a relatively complex connection structure involving one or more barrel nuts. With the present invention the connection method is simple to effect, but yet provides a secure rigid connection between the support plate and the support legs. It

- 9 - will be appreciated that the procedure shown in Figure 1 for one support leg 11 would be repeated at each of the remaining support legs of the stand.

Claims

- 10 CLAIMS

1. A connection method for connecting an element at an open end of an at least part-tubular member, the element having a bore therethrough to receive fixing means and the member having an aperture in the side or one of the sides thereof to receive a plug having a bore therein to receive the fixing means, the method comprising inserting said plug into said aperture so that said bore of the plug is within said open end of the member, disposing said element at said open end of the member so that said bore in the element is in alignment with said bore in the plug, and passing said fixing means through said bore in the element and into the bore in said plug to engage at least part of the fixing means with said plug, thereby to retain the element connected at said open end of the member.

2. A connection method as claimed in Claim 1, in which passage of the

fixing means into said bore cuts threads therein.

3. A connection method as claimed in either of Claims 1 or 2, in which the plug is held in place within said aperture by means of an interference fit.

4. A connection method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the plug is held in place within said aperture by means of a snap fit.

5. A connection method as claimed in Claim 4, in which, during insertion of said plug into said aperture, at least one compressible ramp of the plug compresses, and thereafter returns to its uncompressed state, so as to hold said plug in place within said aperture.

- 11

6. A connection method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which when the plug is fitted in said aperture, the bore in the plug is disposed relatively close to the interior of said side or one of said sides of the member.

7. A connection method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which two of said plug and fixing means combinations are employed to connect the element to the member.

8. A connection method as claimed in Claim 7, in which said two plug and fixing means combinations are employed at opposite parts of said side of the element to connect the element to the member.

9. A connection method as claimed in Claim 7, in which said two plug and fixing means combinations are employed at respective opposite sides of the element to connect the element to the member.

10. A connection assembly comprising an at least part-tubular member connected to an element, said member being connected to said element by a method as claimed in any of the preceding claims.

11. A connection assembly as claimed in Claim 10, in which said at least part-tubular member is a leg of a stand, and said element is a support plate of said stand.

12. A connection assembly as claimed in either of Claims 10 or 11, in which the fixing means is a headed fixing screw.

- 12

13. A connection assembly as claimed in Claim 12, in which the fixing screw has a countersunk head.

14. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 13, in which the plug comprises a head portion, and a smaller body part depending therefrom.

15. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 14, in which the bore in the plug is disposed generally centrally between the end of the body part and the head portion.

16. A connection assembly as claimed in either of Claims 14 or 15, in which said body part of the plug is formed with at least one compressible ramp such that in use, said at least one ramp is compressed during insertion of the plug into said aperture, and returns to its uncompressed state thereafter, in order to hold said plug in place within said aperture.

17. A connection assembly as claimed in Claim 16, in which said ramp is tapered into said body part in a direction away from said head portion, such that said ramp has a thicker end and a thinner end, said thicker end being disposed from said head portion by a distance corresponding to that of the thickness of the side or one of the sides of the at least parttubular member.

18. A connection assembly as claimed in either of Claims 16 or 17, in which the or each ramp is integral with the body part of the plug.

- 13

l9. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 18, in which the plug is formed from plastics material.

20. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 18, in which the plug is formed from metal.

21. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 20, in which the bore in the plug is threaded.

22. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 14 to 21, in which the bore in the plug extends completely through the body part of said plug.

23. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 22, in which two of said plug and fixing means combinations connect the element to the member.

24. A connection assembly as claimed in Claim 23, in which said two plug and fixing means combinations are at opposite parts of said side of the element.

25. A connection assembly as claimed in Claim 23, in which said two plug and fixing means combinations are at respective opposite sides of the element.

26. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 25, in which the member is connected to the element such that the member is connected to the element perpendicularly.

- 14

27. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 26, in which the bore in the plug is disposed in a direction parallel to a central axis of said member.

28. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 27, in which the element closes the open end of the member.

29. A connection assembly as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 28, in which the bore in the element is countersunk.

30. A connection assembly wherein an element thereof is in the form of a support plate, and an at least part tubular member thereof is in the form of a leg, said support plate being connected to said leg by a method according to any of Claims 1 to 9.

31. A kit of parts for producing a connection assembly according to any of Claims 10 to 30, said kit comprising an at least part-tubular member having an aperture in the side or one of the sides thereof, an element having a bore therethrough to receive, in use, fixing means, and a plug having a bore therein to receive said fixing means.

32. A connection method substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

33. A connection assembly substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.