M<ODULAR WALL BAR ASSEMBLY>
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a wall bar assembly that can be assembled by components that can be packed relatively compact when in a nonassembled state.
Background Art
[0002] Wall bars are well known and have been made by many different manufacturers through many years. Typically they are mounted onto the walls of gyms and fitness studios.
[0003] As an example, patent publication US4772011 discloses a demountable exercise apparatus that has horizontal bars extending between two vertical beams. This apparatus is configured to be mounted in a doorway. A very similar apparatus is shown in US4657242.
[0004] Another example is described in US5156580, which describes an exercising apparatus with vertical beams and horizontal bars. This apparatus is free-standing on a planar surface.
Summary of invention
[0005] According to the present invention, there is provided a modular wall bar assembly comprising a plurality of modules, wherein each module comprises two vertical beams and a plurality of horizontal bars. The horizontal bars extend at their respective ends into bar receiving apertures in the vertical beams. According to the invention, the vertical beams of at least two vertically joined modules are at their facing beam ends provided with a grooved recess, which is provided with horizontal beam grooves. The modular wall bar assembly further comprises module joining and securing elements that comprise a joining section with element grooves that are configured to enter into engagement with the beam grooves. The module joining and securing elements further comprise a securing screw through hole, which is configured to receive a securing screw extending through the module joining and securing elements and into a vertical wall surface.
[0006] The vertical wall surface can typically be a wall inside or outside a house.
[0007] As used herein, terms like “horizontal” and “vertical” relates to the orientation of various features when in an assembled state. It will be appreciated by the skilled person that when the modular wall bar assembly is in a nonassembled mode, such as in a packaging, such orientations will of course be different. For instance, by the term “vertical beam” is meant a beam structure that will have a substantially vertical orientation when the modular wall bar assembly is in a mounted state.
[0008] With the module joining and securing elements, one achieve both joining two vertical beams together as well as securing the assembly to a wall. Such joining and securing may according to many embodiments be accomplished with only one element and one screw / bolt.
[0009] According to the invention, an element module joining and securing element, which is arranged between two beams (and upper and a lower beam), will simultaneously engage with the beam grooves of two beam ends that are joined together. Hence, a part of the element will engage with a first beam end, while another part will engage with a second beam end.
[0010] It will be understood by the skilled person, that for embodiments where two modules are arrange laterally adjacent each other, these two modules will share the vertical beam at their intersection. Hence, by the term “each module comprises a vertical beam”, is meant also embodiments where two horizontally adjacent modules share one single vertical beam.
[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the module joining and securing elements may further comprise a spacing section, which is configured to be arranged between a rear portion of the beam and the wall. In such embodiments, the vertical beams will be arranged with a certain distance from the wall surface. This distance can be chosen by choosing the horizontal length of the spacing section. In particular, the distance may be chosen such that one may climb on the wall bar assembly by comfortably placing the feet onto the horizontal bars, i.e. leaving enough space between the wall and the bar so that one does not climb using only the front portion of the foot. Furthermore, one should advantageously not have too long distance between the horizontal bars and the wall, since that may represent a safety risk. In some embodiments, an ideal distance between the horizontal bars and the wall may be about 8 to 10 cm.
[0012] The ends of the vertical beams may advantageously be provided with a securing screw slot between the front face of the vertical beam and the grooved recess. When to beam ends are arranged together, their respective securing screw slot will be aligned with each other and constitute a bore or access opening for a securing screw.
[0013] The module joining and securing element may further comprises an end edge where the extension of the element grooves ends. Advantageously, the end edge will determine the length by which the elements may be inserted into the grooved recesses of the beam ends.
[0014] The horizontal bars can advantageously comprise bar ends, which are provided with insertion portions that exhibits a semicircular cross section and a mating face. A a bar attachment bore may then extend through the insertion portion and end at the mating face. The bar attachment bore can then be configured to align with an attachment bolt aperture in the vertical beam.
[0015] In such embodiments, the assembly may further comprise bar end pieces that have a mating face, which can be configured to abut the mating face of the insertion portion and which can exhibit a piece bore that is configured to align with the bar attachment bore.
[0016] Moreover, the mating face may advantageously extend along an axial distance and the bar attachment bore can then be arranged centrally on the mating face.
[0017] With such a feature, two adjacently arranged bars can be attached in the same bar receiving aperture of one beam. I.e. two bars can both be attached to the same beam with only one bar attachment bolt.
[0018] In some embodiments, the modular wall bar assembly can further comprise a beam foot, which can be releasably attached to the lower end of a lower beam. The beam foot may comprise a base part, foot grooves that are configured to engage with beam grooves of the lower end of the lower beam, and a securing screw through hole that is configured to receive a securing screw.
[0019] The modular wall bar assembly may in some embodiments also comprise a top end piece, which is configured to be attached on top of an element on top of an uppermost vertical beam. The top end piece may also have a grooved end piece recess, which is provided with internal end piece grooves that are configured to engage with the element grooves of the module joining and securing element.
[0020] In some advantageous embodiments, the vertical beams and/or the horizontal bars may comprise identical ends facing in opposite directions. With such embodiments, one does not need to consider which end, of the beams or of the bars, respectively, which shall be connected. For instance, one does not risk an erroneous assembly of the wall bar assembly by mounting a vertical beam “upside down”, since both directions will be correct.
Detailed description of the invention
[0021] While a general description of the present invention has been given above, a more detailed example of embodiment will be discussed in the following with reference to the drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wall bar assembly according to the invention in an assembled state;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the wall bar assembly shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the wall bar assembly shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one vertical beam;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of two vertical beams, two bars, and attachment equipment;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a module joining and securing element;
Fig. 7 is a side view of the module joining and securing element shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a cross section view of the element shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a bar end piece;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a bar having insertion portions according to some embodiments of the invention;
Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross section top view through the end of a bar, a bar end piece and a vertical beam to which the bar can be attached;
Fig. 12 is another enlarged cross section top view through a vertical beam, showing facing ends of two adjacently positioned bars;
Fig. 13 is a front view of a modular wall bar assembly according to the invention, having five modules, of which some are arranged laterally with respect to other modules;
Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a beam foot;
Fig. 15 is a front view of the beam foot shown in Fig. 14;
Fig. 16 is a cross section top view of the beam foot shown in Fig. 14;
Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a top end piece; and
Fig. 18 is a cross section front view through the top end piece shown in Fig. 17.
[0022] Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 depict a modular wall bar assembly 1 according to the present invention in an assembled state. The assembly 1 in this embodiment comprises three modules 3, which are arranged on top of each other in a vertical stack. Each module 3 has two vertical beams 5, which are arranged with a mutual lateral distance. Between each vertical beam 5 extend four horizontal bars 7. Thus, the assembly 1 shown here has twelve bars 7 arranged in parallel. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that each module 3 may comprise more or less bars, for instance three bars 7 or five bars 7. Moreover, the assembly 1 may comprise another number of modules 3, for instance only two, four, five or significantly more.
[0023] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one separate vertical beam 5, which is not in an assembled state. To support the four bars 7, the beam 5 is provided with four bar receiving apertures 9. The bar receiving apertures 9 are configured to receive an end of a bar 7.
[0024] The vertical beams 5 have an upper and a lower beam end 11, which in this embodiment are identical. At the beam ends 11 there is an end surface 13 that faces in the longitudinal direction of the beam, namely in the vertical direction when in the assembled state. Into the end surface 13 there is a grooved recess 15. The grooved recess 15 comprises horizontal beam grooves 17.
Although not visible in Fig. 4, the lower beam end 11 of the shown beam 5 also comprises such a grooved recess 15 with horizontal beam grooves 17.
[0025] When two vertical beams 5 are arranged on top of each other in an abutting manner, their facing grooved recesses 15 together form a cavity. Fig. 5 depicts with a perspective view two vertical beams 5 arranged in this manner.
Also depicted in Fig. 5 is a module joining and securing element 19, which is configured to be inserted into the cavity formed by the two facing grooved recesses 15.
[0026] A more detailed view of the module joining and securing element 19 is given in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the module joining and securing element 19 (“the element”) comprises a joining section 21 and a spacing section 23. The joining section 21 is the portion of the element 19, which is configured to be inserted into the cavity formed by the grooved recesses 15. The joining section 21 comprises element grooves 25, which are configured to engage with the beam grooves 17 in the grooved recesses 15. Thus, when the element 19 is inserted, it retains two abutting vertical beams 5 from being separated from each other. The element grooves 25 extends in a horizontal direction (when in the assembled mode), corresponding to the beam grooves 17 in the grooved recesses 15.
[0027] The element grooves 25 extend until an end edge 27 on the element 19. Advantageously, the joining section 21 of the element 19 can be inserted into the grooved recesses 15 all the way until the end edge 27 abuts against a part of the vertical beams 5.
[0028] Visible on the joining section 21 in the perspective view of Fig. 6 is a front end of a securing screw through hole 29. The securing screw through hole 29 extend through the entire element 19. It is again referred to Fig. 5, wherein a securing screw 31 is shown in a non-engaged state. The securing screw 31 is configured to extend through the element 19 and into a wall (not shown), to which the modular wall bar assembly 1 shall be mounted.
[0029] Fig. 8 depicts the element 19 with a front cross section view.
[0030] As shown in Fig. 4, the beam end 11 comprises further a securing screw slot 33 through which the securing screw 31 may pass. When two beam ends 11 are joined together, their respective securing screw slots 33 will be aligned and constitute a bore or opening for the securing screw 31. As appears from Fig. 4, the securing screw slot extends between a front face or front edge of the vertical beam 5 and the grooved recess 15.
[0031] Referring again to Fig. 3, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the spacing section 23 of the element 19 will orient the vertical beams 5 with a distance from the wall, that corresponds to the length of the spacing section 23. Thus, the elements 19 may in some embodiments be made without any spacing section 23, so that the vertical beams 5 substantially abut the wall with their rear edges. Fig. 3 depicts, with a side view, the vertical beams 5, the spacing section 23, and the inner ends of the securing screws 31.
[0032] As the skilled person will appreciate, the securing screws may be in the form of bolts, wood screws, or any suitable means for extending through the beams 5, element 19, and into a securing portion of the wall.
[0033] Reference is now made to Fig. 10, as well as Fig. 5. The bars 7 extend into the bar receiving apertures 9 of the beams 5 with their respective bar ends 35. In the shown embodiment, the bar ends 35 comprise an insertion portion 37 with a semicircular cross section, and with a mating face 39. Centrally arranged in the mating face 39 there is an end of a through bar attachment bore 41.
[0034] Fig. 9 depicts a bar end piece 43, which is configured to be attached to the insertion portion 39 of the bar 7, inside the bar receiving aperture 9 of the beam 5. The bar end piece 43 also has a mating face 45, which is configured to abut the mating face of the bar 7. Moreover, the bar end piece 43 has a piece bore 47 that aligns with the bar attachment bore 41 of the bar 7.
[0035] As illustrated in Fig. 5, the bars 7 are secured to the vertical beams 5 with a bar attachment bolt 49. The bar attachment bolt 49 is inserted from the rear side of the beam 5, through a not shown attachment bolt aperture. Further it extends through the bar attachment bore 41 of the bar 7 and the piece bore 47 of the bar end piece 43. The piece bore 47 of the bar end piece 43 may advantageously be threaded, so that the bar attachment bolt 49 remains in place. The bar attachment bore 41 of the bar 7 and/or the (not shown) attachment bolt aperture in the beam may also be threaded.
[0036] Fig. 11 is a cross section top view through the bar end 35 and a bar end piece 43 when joined together, inside the bar receiving aperture 9 of a vertical beam 5. The bar attachment bolt 49 (Fig. 5) is not shown. As can be seen in Fig. 11, the bar attachment bore 41 and the piece bore 47 are aligned and configured to receive the bar attachment bore 49. Fig. 11 also depicts the attachment bolt aperture 51 extending from a rear face of the beam, through the bar receiving aperture 9, and a distance into the material at the opposite side of the bar receiving aperture 9. The attachment bolt 49 will, when inserted, retain the bar 7 in its assembled position, as well as prevent it from rotation within the bar receiving aperture 9.
[0037] Reference is now made to Fig. 12, which is another cross section top view through the bar end 35 of a bar 7. In this view, the bar attachment bolt 49 is not shown. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 12, two bars 7 have been inserted into the bare receiving aperture 9, and have been fastened with a common bar attachment bolt 49. The bar end piece 43 is not present.
[0038] The attachment set-up shown in Fig. 12 finds application when arranging a module 3 laterally with respect to another module. Such an embodiment is depicted in Fig. 13, where one vertical stack of modules 3 comprises three modules 3, while the adjacent one comprises two modules 3. The modules 3 in which the bars 7 share a vertical beam 5 will be arranged according to the solution shown in Fig. 11, in the shared beam 5. In the beams 5 that are not shared by two modules 3, the bars are advantageously attached to the beams 5 according to the setup shown in Fig. 11, i.e. with the bar end piece 43.
[0039] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a beam foot 53. The beam foot comprises a base part 55, which is configured to rest on the floor or on the ground, next to a wall. Further, the beam foot 53 comprises foot grooves 57, which correspond to the element grooves 26 of the element 19. Thus, the foot grooves 57 fit into beam grooves 17 of the grooved recess 15 in a beam end 11.
[0040] Reference is also made to Fig. 15 and Fig. 16, which illustrate the beam foot 53 with a front view and a top view, respectively. Similar to the module joining and securing element 19, the beam foot 53 also has a securing screw through hole 59. Thus, the beam foot 53 can be fixed to the lower end of a vertical beam 5 in the same manner as the element 19 discussed above. In this respect, the base part 55 of the beam foot 53 takes the part of a vertical beam, and the foot grooves 57 take the part of the element grooves 25 of the element.
[0041] Fig. 17 and Fig. 18 depict a top end piece 61 with a perspective view and a rear view, respectively. The top end piece 61 is configured to be attached on top of an element 19 that is arranged on top of an uppermost beam 5. The top end piece 61 has a grooved end piece recess 63, which is provided with internal end piece grooves 65. The top end piece 61 is configured to take the place of an upper beam 5. Thus, the internal end piece grooves 65 correspond to the beam grooves 17 of the grooved recess 15 of a beam end 11.