NZ524859A - A joint arrangement for demountable structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A joint arrangement between adjacent profiled edges of two structural elements (10, 11) includes a joiner element (12) which has projections (17, 18), each engaged in a groove (19, 20) in a respective of the structural elements. The joiner element has a spine (22) which is located between the profiled edges of the structural elements. The spine has at least one lateral projection (25, 26) which is engaged in a groove (27, 28) formed in a profiled edge of the adjacent structural element.

Description

524859 WO 02/26086 PCT/NZO1/00201 A JOINT ARRANGEMENT FOR DEMOUNTABLE STRUCTURE BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in demountable structures such as cabinets which can be used for display-purposes and to a joint arrangement for use in demountable structures.

In our international patent specification WO 99/08575 there is disclosed a cabinet which is demountable. The cabinet has walls which are joined edge to edge by joiner elements. At the apex of each intersection of the walls there is a 15 retainer. The retainers prevent the joiner elements from being removed. One of the retainers which is the last to be installed when the cabinet is assembled is lockable. This lockable retainer needs to be unlocked and removed before any of the other joiner elements and retainer elements can be 20 removed so as to disassemble or demount the cabinet.

The cabinet according to WO 99/08575 has been extremely successful especially in the museum environment. One of the WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 2 attributes of the cabinet is that it can be assembled around the object or objects to be displayed. This is particularly useful where the object is large and would otherwise be difficult to engage an assembled cabinet over the object (s) .

Thus the object can be placed on one side of the cabinet and then the remainder of the cabinet assembled around the object by progressively positioning the sides and top panels edge to edge, insertion of the joiner elements and the retainers.

The cabinet of WO 99/08575 also exhibits good strength characteristics when assembled. This is despite the fact that the walls are joined edge to edge by a joiner element of overall small cross sectional dimensions.

According to the invention of WO 99/08575 the edges of the walls are profiled and the joiner element has a cross sectional profile which is slid on to the adjacent profiled wall edges (the panels being located at right angles to one another). As a result the joiner element couples the profiled edges together to provide a sound and secure manner. This has worked successfully, however, we have now developed further the joiner element and the profiles of the edges such that assembly of the joint between panels is further facilitated by making it easier to slide the joiner element on to the profiled edges of the adjacent wall panels. Also a stronger join is achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly in one aspect of the invention there is provided a joint arrangement between adjacent profiled edges of first and second structural elements each of which includes a face surface and a rear surface with the profiled edge extending between the face and rear surfaces, said profiled edge being of a profile which forms a shoulder spaced from the face surface, the joint arrangement including a recess in the face surface of each structural element said recess being adjacent the profiled edge thereof, an elongate joiner element which has first and second projections the first projection being engaged in the recess in the first structural element and the second projection engaged in the recess of the second structural element, the elongate joiner element further including a spine which is located within an area between the profiled edges of the first and second structural elements, a lateral projection projecting from the spine and engaged Specl 671 INTELLECTUAL m'JFERTY OFFICE Or N.Z. 1 NOVEMBER 2004 1 2 \:jj 200h : £0 ' •: " 3a behind the should relative to the face surface of the first structural element.

According to a second broad aspect of the invention there is a provided joint arrangement between adjacent profiled edges of two structural elements, the joint arrangement including a joiner element which has projections, each engaged in a groove in a respective of the structural elements, the joiner element further having a spine which is located between the profiled edges of the structural elements, the spine having at least one lateral projection which is engaged in a groove formed in a profiled edge.

According to a third broad aspect the invention provides a kit set of parts for assembling a demountable structure the kit set including a first structural element, a second structural element, each of said first and second structural elements including a face surface, a rear surface and a profiled edge extending between the face and rear surfaces, each face surface having a groove which is adjacent to and extends parallel to the profiled edge, a shoulder is provided in the profiled edge of the first structural element spaced from the face surface and extends longitudinally along the profiled INTELLECTUAL PROPFP^ TC!CE OF N2.

NOV 2004 nr^r i wr^ edge, and an elongate joiner element which has first and second projections, a spine and a lateral projection projecting from the spine, the elongate joiner element being slidingly engageable with the first and second structural elements when the profiled edges thereof are placed adjacent one another such that the first and second projections engage within the respective grooves of the first and second structural elements and the lateral projection engages behind (relative to the face surface) the shoulder.

In a fourth broad aspect of the invention there is provided a demountable case including panels, the panels being joined edge to edge by joint arrangements of the type as defined in the first and second broad aspects set forth above, the joiner elements being retained against sliding movement by a retainer element located in each corner of the display case at which the ends of at least two joiner elements are located.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a pair of panel elements joined together by a joiner element according to one form of the invention, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF NZ NOV 2004 INTELLECTUAL PROPER \SR€€EIVED 4a Figure 2 is a similar view but of an alternative embodiment where a more angular joiner element is used, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a retainer suitable for use with the arrangement shown in Figure 2, Figures 4-7 are further views of the retainer as shown in Figure 3, Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing yet a further form of the invention, and WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing how panels or elements of different cross-sectional thickness can be joined together by a joiner element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following describes and illustrates particular embodiments to the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other variations and 10 combinations in shape and configuration may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

The content of WO 99/08575 is hereby incorporated by way of specific reference.

In its simplest form a demountable structure to which the joint arrangement of the present invention applies will be described as a cabinet. The cabinet can comprise a plurality of side walls, a bottom or base wall and a top wall as is 20 disclosed in WO 99/08575. The panel members are joined edge to edge at their peripheral edges by elongate joiner elements, there being one joiner element for each pair of adjacent edges as is described in WO 99/08575. The present WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 6 invention thus relates specifically to the form and construction of the edges of the panel members and the joiner element. For this reason the drawings accompanying the present specification relate to these aspects of 5 construction.

Figure 1 shows in cross section a part length of each of panels 10 and 11. The panels are in the illustrated arrangement located in planes which are right angles to one 10 another. The panels 10 and 11 in the preferred form are manufactured from acrylic sheet with the side edges profiled to have an edge profile of the form illustrated.

In the drawings panels 10 and 11 are shown as physically 15 contacting each other at interface 13. This interface is for the purposes of illustration, thus it is shown somewhat exaggerated in its length. The interface may be extremely small or may not even exist i.e. the opposing surfaces which form the interface 13 may actually be spaced apart so that no 20 physical contact occurs.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 1 the outer surface 14 of the joiner element 12 is curved so as to provide a curved WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 7 transition from the outer surface of panel 10 to the outer surface of panel 11. However, with the arrangement shown in Figure 2 the joiner element 12 is of a more angular cross section at its outer surface where a first surface 15 extends 5 parallel to the outer surface of panel 10 and a second surface 16 extends parallel to the outer surface of panel 11. The actual physical external appearance of the joiner element 12 could take on other appearances such as a plurality of facets or a more complex curved shape.

Projecting inwardly (relative to outer surfaces 14 or 15 and 16 as the case may be) are a pair of ribs 17 and 18 which engage in corresponding recesses, grooves, channels or the like 19 and 20 formed in the profiled edge 21 of each panel.

In contrast to the grooves used in the edge profiling of WO 99/08575 these grooves are shallow and therefore do not provide a profiling where damage, breakage etc. to the profile edge is a possibility.

Projecting inwardly from the inside surface of the joiner element 12 is a major spine 22 and a minor spine 23. This arrangement of two separate spines has been adopted so that a tube die for extrusion of the joiner element 12 is not WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 8 required. However, as shown in dotted detail in Figure 1 the major and secondary spines 22/23 can be connected if the joiner element is extruded by using a tube die. With such an arrangement there will effectively be a single spine.

The major spine 22 extends to an enlarged distal end 24 which provides a pair of outwardly disposed ribs 25 and 26. These ribs 25 and 26 engage in correspondingly shaped grooves 2 7 and 28 formed in the respective profiled edges of panels 10 10 and 11.

The major spine 22 is also provided with an indent 29 into which engages a projection 30 formed in the profiled edge of panel 10. A like projection 31 of panel 11 fits into a 15 shaped portion of the major spine 22 but would if the major and minor spines 22 and 23 were coupled, similarly fit into a recess.

As can be seen in Figure 1 the major spine 22 has a flat 20 surface 31 which engages against a flat surface 32 of the edge of the panel 10. Similarly minor spine 23 engages against flat surface 33 of the edge of panel 10.

WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 9 The joiner element 12 therefore keys onto the profiled edges of panels 10 and 11 as shown in Figure 1. Thus according to the present invention there is no requirement for face to face contact of the respective edges of panels 10 and 11 in 5 order to obtain a secure a robust joint. Because there is no requirement for deep grooves to accept projections from the joiner element the profiled edges of the acrylic panels are not prone to damage or failure. Furthermore, the high degree of accuracy required to ensure the interface between the 10 edges of the panels as required in WO 99/08575 is no longer a requirement.

Because the panels 10 and 11 of the present invention do not need to fit face to face as an interface {e.g. such as 15 interface 13) the panels 10 and 11 can, with suitable adjustment of the profiling and the configuration of the joiner element be located at angles other than 90° as illustrated. Also as shown in Figure 9 panels of unequal thickness can also be joined. This illustrates how the front 20 to back dimension of the panel is not critical to achieving a successful joint.

WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 It is also possible with the present invention to key the joiner element 12 onto one panel and then slide the other panel onto the joiner element. This results in the possibility of being able to slide one of the panels relative 5 to the remainder of the cabinet after a pair of the retainers are removed from opposed adjacent corners to provide a means of opening the cabinet. Generally one of the retainers would be the lockable retainer. Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 8 where the spines 22 and 32 are 11 fatter" . As a 10 result the edges of panels do not overlap thereby permitting the sliding action referred to above to occur.

In Figures 3-7 there is shown a retainer for use with the more angular joiner element shown in Figure 2. As with the 15 joiner elements disclosed in WO 99/08575 this retainer element has a main body 35 which is configured to fit at the corner of the cabinet and provide a smooth transition to the abutting end of a joiner element. A shaft 36 is shaped to fit into openings formed at each corner and a tongue 37 to 20 engage into the space 38 of joiner element 12 in the same manner as disclosed in WO 99/08575. The shaft 36 includes a chamfered surface 39 to facilitate the insertion of the shaft WO 02/26086 PCT/NZ01/00201 11 into the opening as a consequence of the outwardly projecting radial projection 40 which as disclosed in WO 99/08575.

The joining arrangement according to the present invention 5 thus provides a strong joint and obviates the need for edge profiling of the panels in a manner which can either lead to weakness of the joint or be prone to damage. Also a greater degree of accuracy is achieved as face to face engagement of adjacent panels is not required. Furthermore the manner of 10 keying the joiner element onto the profile edges of the panels does facilitate easier fitment of the joiner element to the panels. Also panels of unequal thickness can be joined together. ! 12 V.JJ 2004 12 « L_— P |

Claims (2)

1. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A joint arrangement between adjacent profiled edges of two structural elements, the joint arrangement including a joiner element which has projections, each engaged in a groove in a respective of the structural elements, the joiner element further having a spine which is located between the profiled edges of the structural elements, the spine having at least one lateral projection which is engaged in a groove formed in a profiled edge. 2. A joint arrangement between adjacent profiled edges of first and second structural elements each of which includes a face surface and a rear surface with the profiled edge extending between the face and rear surfaces, said profiled edge being of a profile which forms a shoulder spaced from the face surface, the joint arrangement including a recess in the face surface of each structural element said recess being adjacent the profiled edge thereof, an elongate joiner element which has first and second projections the first projection being engaged in the recess in the first structural element and the second projection engaged in the recess of the second structural element, the elongate joiner element further Spec1671 NOVEMBER 2004 13 further including a spine which is located within an area between the profiled edges of the first and second structural elements, a lateral projection projecting from the spine and engaged behind the shoulder. 3. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the spine means includes a distal end with at least one said lateral projection thereat. 4. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the distal end has two oppositely disposed lateral projections each engaged in a respective one of the profiled edges of the structural elements. 5. The joint arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the joiner element further includes an abutment surface which is engaged with a surface of the first structural element. 6. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein the elongate joiner element further includes a second abutment surface which is engaged with a surface of the profiled edge of the second structural element. Sped 671 NOVEMBER 2004 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. - 7 dec 2004 14 The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the profiled edge of each of the first and second structural elements has an engagement surface and the joiner element has first and second abutments which are respectively-engaged with a said engagement surfaces of the first and second structural elements. The joint arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said spine includes an indented portion in which is engaged a projecting portion of an adjacent profiled edge of one of the structural elements. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said indented portion is located adjacent said lateral projection. The joint arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the joiner element includes a space into which a tongue of a retainer element is engaged. Specl 671 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. RECEIVED 10 nov 20m 15 11. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lateral projection is at a distal end of the spine and is engaged with the first structural element. 12. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 11 wherein the spine has a second lateral projection, which is engaged with the second structural element. 13. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 12 wherein each of the lateral projections is engaged behind a shoulder of the respective profiled edges of the first and second structural elements. 14. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the second lateral projection is located at the distal end of the spine. 15. The joint arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the first and second structural elements are each in the form of a panel. Spec! 671 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF HZ. 10 MOV 2TO RECEIVED 16 16. 17 . 20 . The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein the panel is formed from a plastic material and the joiner element is of extruded construction. The joint arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the joiner element includes an outer surface, which forms a surface transition between the first and second structural elements. The joint arrangement as claimed in claim 17 wherein the outer surface is curved or angular. A demountable case including panels, the panels being joined edge to edge by joint arrangements of the type as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, the joiner elements being retained against sliding movement by a retainer element located in each corner of the case at which the ends of at least two joiner elements are located. The demountable case as claimed in claim 19 wherein the retainer element has a tongue which is engaged in an end of one of the joiner elements at a said corner of the case. Spec! 671 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF NZ RECEIVED 21. The demountable case as claimed in claim 20 w/erein eaq retainer element includes a main body configj/red t said corner and form a smooth transitionywith tt f joiner elements to which the retainer element abi 22. The demountable case as claimed/in cla: tl wherein the retainer element further includes a shaf; lich is engaged in an opening formed in saidf corner. 23. The demountable case Als claime in claim 22 wherein the shaft includes ces at a distal end thereof. 34. The demountable case as in claims 22 or 23 wherein the shaft /includes ar projection which extends outwardly from a /side of shaft. 35. Tl^e demountable case as claimed in any one of claims 19 to wherei^l at least one of the retainer elements is lockablje in the corner in which it is located. 36. A/kit set of parts for assembling a demountable structure the kit set including a first structural element, a second Spec! 671 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF NZ 10 NOV 20M ocp.eivid $J--fWER!Y 0FF!£ Q9WOV-2D04 PROPERTY OPF!G£ ©F N.Z.
2. 2 S MAR 2007 RECEIVED 17 21. The demountable case as claimed in claim 20 wherein each retainer element includes a main body configured to fit at said corner and form a smooth transition with the ends of joiner elements to which the retainer element abuts. 22. The demountable case as claimed in claim 21 wherein the retainer element further includes a shaft which is engaged in an opening formed in said corner. 23. The demountable case as claimed in claim 22 wherein the shaft includes chamfered surfaces at a distal end thereof. 24. The demountable case as claimed in claims 22 or 23 wherein the shaft includes a projection which extends outwardly from a side of the shaft. 25. The demountable case as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 24 wherein at least one of the retainer elements is lockable in the corner in which it is located. 26. A kit set of parts for assembling a demountable structure the kit set including a first structural element, a second structural element, each of said first and second structural elements including a face surface, a rear surface and a profiled edge extending between the face and rear surfaces, each face surface having a groove which is Spec! 671 NOVEMBER 2004 structural element, each of said first and/ i structural elements including a face surfaces, a rear surface and a profiled edge extending between/the face rear surfaces, each face surface having aygroove v h is adjacent to and extends parallel to thfr profiled^ 2, a shoulder is provided structural element edge of /the first face /surface and extends longitudinally elongate joiner projections, a spine from the spine, slidingly engageable elements when the profiled! edge, and an irst and second ojection projecting oiner element being and second structural thereof are placed adjacent one another sucja that the first and second projections engage withjm the respective grooves of the first and ysecond structural elements and the lateral projection engagesyriehind (relative to the face surface) the shdulder. 37. T$e kit set/ of parts as claimed in claim 36 wherein the elongate/joiner element has first and second abutments which .engage in the demountable structure with surfaces of Sped 671 INTELLECTUAL P^PERTVO^^I OF NZ 10 NOV 2 RECEIVED INTELLECTUAL PROPER OFFICE QUO. I te all fvjoV 2004 1 NCpMBER 2004 "received AS AMENDED 18 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.2, 2 8 MAR 2007 adjacent to and extends parallel to th; R>&Gfij Vc&D shoulder is provided in the profiled edge of the first structural element spaced from the face surface and extends longitudinally along the profiled edge, and an elongate joiner element which has first and second projections, a spine and a lateral projection projecting from the spine, the elongate joiner element being slidingly engageable with the first and second structural elements when the profiled edges thereof are placed adjacent one another such that the first and second projections engage within the respective grooves of the first and second structural elements and the lateral projection engages behind (relative to the face surface) the shoulder. 27. The kit set of parts as claimed in claim 26 wherein the elongate joiner element has first and second abutments which engage in the demountable structure with surfaces of respective profiled edges of the first and second structural elements. 28. The kit set of parts as claimed in claim 27 wherein the spine has a second lateral projection which is engageable behind a shoulder in the profiled edge of the second structural element. Spec? 671 NOVEMBER 2004 19 respective profiled edges of the first apn second structural elements. 38. The kit set of parts as claimed in claim 37 wherein the spine has a second lateral projection/which is engageable behind a shoulder in the profile's. edge of/the second structural element. 3 9 The kit set of parts as claimed in clraim 38 wherein each of the first and second structural ^Tements is a panel. 40. The kit set of par^s as claimed in claim 39 wherein the panel is of a plastics material. 41. A joint arrangement substantially as herein described with reference/to Figure/l, 2, 8 or 9 of the accompanying drawinc 42. A/demountabI case substantially as herein described with reference/to the accompanying drawings. END OF Spec! 671 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFRCE OF NZ 10 NOV 2004 received CfRpe Af.NZ. N©V»1B£R 2004 -0'9W9V-"2004"~ .received 19 28. The kit set of parts as claimed in claim 27 wherein the spine has a second lateral projection which is engageable behind a shoulder in the profiled edge of the second structural element. 29. The kit set of parts as claimed in claim 28 wherein each of the first and second structural elements is a panel. 30. The kit set of parts as claimed in claim 29 wherein the panel is of a plastics material. 31. A joint arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1, 2, 8 or 9 of the accompanying drawings. 32. A demountable case substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. MANFRED FRANK PATENT HOLDINGS LIMITED By its Attorney DON HOPKINS & ASSOCIATES Per: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 6 MAR 2007 RECEIVED Sped 671 NOVEMBER 2004 MANFRED FRANK, By its Attorneys DON HOflONS & ASSOCIATES Spec! 671 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFHCE OF N.Z. 10 NOV 2004 received iNTEHECTUAL PROPERTY QFFjCE ^®:0TN2."""* j ""tTSTTfOV 200Covem 2004 received