WO2003059120A1

WO2003059120A1 - Modular union fitting for structural connection, in particular for the construction of shelves

Info

Publication number: WO2003059120A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/000095
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto Belardinelli; Mario Moscatelli
Original assignee: Mep S.P.A.
Priority date: 2002-01-18
Filing date: 2003-01-16
Publication date: 2003-07-24
Also published as: ITRN20020002A0; AU2003235573A1; ITRN20020002A1

Abstract

A union fitting (1) for the structural connection of member elements comprises : at least a pin (2) able to be associated to a first member element, which is provided with a tang (3) having longitudinal axis (4) and with a seat (5); a hollow body (6), able to be associated to a second member element, which is provided with at least an internal cavity (7) conforming to the tang (3), able to receive the tang (3) itself with coupling motion of the pin (2) executed longitudinally to its own axis (4). Limiting means (8, 9; 11, 12) are provided, unidirectionally to limit the coupling travel of the tang (3) in the cavity (7); and locking means (16, 13, 14) equip the union fitting (1) in such a way as to be engaged in the seat (5) of the tang (3) and to exert on the pin (2) an axial action opposing the action of the limiting means (8, 9; 11, 12) and able to fasten the union fitting (1).

Description

MODULAR UNION FITTING FOR STRUCTURAL CONNECTION, IN PARTICULAR FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHELVES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the structural connection of members of prefabricated tubular structure and concerns a modular union fitting, for structural connection, particularly advantageous in the fabrication of shelves for supporting and exhibiting products in storage areas or warehouses and/or in stores and commercial distribution areas in general; this latter sector shall be specifically referenced in the description that follows, without thereby impinging on the general nature of the invention.

Background Art

For the construction of the structural nodes of shelves and modular product exhibit stands, the use is known of tubular elements and prefabricated union fittings which, as the case requires, are variously combined and assembled together in accordance with the desired mounting scheme for the different structures to be constructed. Known union fittings are prefabricated in such a way as to have cavities, variously oriented in space, into which the tubes are inserted by means of axial coupling. Once the union fittings and the tubes are connected, the structural node thus formed is made integral by means of screws or similar fastening systems able to prevent the loosening or disassembly of the nodes due to the sliding out of the tubes. The aforementioned integral condition of the nodes is obtained directly in place and, in case of the connection with screws, the holes for the engagement of the screws are obtained directly on the mounted structure.

While such a method has the undoubted advantage of being able to overcome any errors in the construction of the structure, caused for instance by irregularities in the tubes and union fittings, or even of irregularities in the walls and floors of the spaces destined to receive the structure itself, has the fundamental drawback of requiring long mounting times, both for the material execution of the holes and for the numerous checks for the parallelism and perpendicularity - i.e. for the geometric regularity - of the structure being formed. All this entails high construction costs, long mounting times and the need for specialised technical personnel. Such structures, moreover, have the drawback of a difficult adjustment due to the play that is formed with the repeated use of the structure over time.

Disclosure of Invention

The primary aim of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art by means of totally prefabricated union fittings, that do not require completion interventions during construction.

An additional aim of the invention is to enable even inexperienced personnel to mount the structure rapidly and easily.

Another aim of the invention is to allow the easy and rapid adjustment of the structure, both during its first mounting, and in use, without thereby using particular tools and/or control instruments, such as would enable to verify the geometric regularity of the structure. In accordance with the invention, said aims are achieved by a union fitting for structural connection of member elements, comprising at least a pin, able to be associated to a first member element, which is provided with a tang, having longitudinal axis and bearing a lateral seat; a hollow body, able to be associated to a second member element, which is provided with at least an inner cavity conforming to the tang, able to receive the tang itself with a coupling motion longitudinal to the axis of the tang; limiting means able to limit unidirectionally the coupling run of the tang in the cavity; locking means which are engaged in the seat of the tang, exerting on the pin an axial action opposing the action of the limiting means. Description of the Drawings

The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the aforesaid aims, can be clearly seen from the content of the claims set out below and its advantages shall become more readily apparent from the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show an embodiment provided purely by way of non limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view in exploded axonometry of a union fitting according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectioned plan view of the union fitting of Figure 1; - Figures 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of union fittings according to the invention, respectively with 2, 3 and 4 coplanar ways; ^• - Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are perspective views of union fittings according to the invention, respectively with 3, 4, 5 and 6 ways variously oriented in space.

Description of the Illustrative Embodiments

In Figure 1, the reference number 1 globally indicates a three-dimensional union fitting for the structural connection of member elements, usable in particular for joining rods - such as cross-members and uprights - in the construction of shelves and/or structures for storing or exhibiting products in general. The union fitting 1 essentially comprises: three pins, indicated as 2; a hollow body, mdicated as 6; and screws 16, preferably having cylindrical shaped, headless and provided with slot 19, usually called grub screws. The pins 2 can be associated to, or can be an integral part of, member elements not shown in the drawings, because they are not specifically comprised in the invention, constituted for example by conventional cylindrical rods, possibly obtained with tubular construction, i.e. internally hollow.

Each of the pins 2 is provided with a body 10 and with a tang 3, which are mutually monolithic and are consecutive and aligned along a common longitudinal axis 4 ofthe pin 2. The body 10, preferably with cylindrical shape, is suitable to be inserted in the inner cavity of a tubular rod and to the stably associated to the rod itself by means of welding, seaming or by means of other equivalent fastening systems.

The tang 3 has generally smaller size, throughout its length, than the body 10; the latter in correspondence with the attachment to the tang 3 thus projects therefrom, defining in combination therewith a shoulder 11 transverse to the longitudinal axis 4 of the pin 2. The tang 3 also has two conical segments 8, connected by an intermediate segment 20 of smaller transverse size, which are slightly tapered with an angle 0 having an amplitude of a few degrees and are convergent towards a vertex located on the longitudinal axis line 4, at the side opposite from that of the body 10.

The tang 3, which is provided with circular contour, is also provided with a - preferably annular - seat indicated as 5 embodied by a groove, running along the contour of the tang 3, delimited by opposite cone f stum walls 18, which are inclined in mutual opposition and form with the longitudinal axis 4 angles of inclination, preferably measuring 45 ° .

The hollow body 6 is provided with three mutually converging sleeves 21, delimiting in twos an interposed angle β, preferably measuring 90°. Each of said sleeves 21 bears a corresponding segment 17 of internal cavity 7, which has complementary shape with respect to the tang 3 of the pins 2, i.e. has circular contour, and is tapered longitudinally to the axis 4 with its shape complementary thereto. The segments 17 of cavity 7 are therefore able to receive a tang 3 each, by means of a coupling motion longitudinal to the axis 4, clearly shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 1, and even more clearly in Figure 2, one can readily observe that the hollow body 6 is provided with a contour lateral wall 13 which, in correspondence with the bisecting line of the angle ^β formed by two contiguous sleeves 21 , is traversed by a through hole 14, having its axis 15 inclined by 45° relative to the longitudinal axis 4 of the tang 3; hole 14 that is internally provided with a thread complementary to the outer thread of the screw 16. Said screw 16, associating itself to the hold 14, is able to traverse the lateral wall 13 of the hollow body 6 and to become engaged with the seat 5 of the tang 3 coupled into the hollow body 6, or with the seat 5 of each of the tangs 3 of the contiguous sleeves 21 that concur in the vertex 22 common to them and to the screw 16 itself.

From Figure 2, the mounting and operation in use of the union fitting 1 can be readily determined, observing that the pins 2 are inserted into the sleeves 21 with motion directed along its own longitudinal axis 4 and made to advance, within the cavity segment 17, by the maximum travel made possible by the reaching of the circumferential interference condition between the conical segments 8 of the tang 3 and the corresponding opposite conical segments 17 of the cavity 7. The subsequent insertion of the screw or threaded grub screw 16 leads to intercept the seats 5 of the tangs 3 and to align the tangs 3 to each other when they are located at a different distance from the shared vertex 22; subsequently, it causes the pins 2 to advance together, further forcing their interference condition, until reaching its own end stop to the coupling travel in the cavity 7; end stop determined by the reaching of the condition of mutual abutment between the shoulders 11 of the tangs

2 and the opposite faces 12 of the hollow body 6.

The segments 8 of tang 3, the opposite segments 9 of cavity 7, the shoulders 11 of the pins 2 and the faces 12 of the hollow body 6 thus define means for limiting the coupling travel of the pins 2 which impose predetermined and rigorously repetitive geometric coupling conditions that assure an extreme geometric regularity and an extreme rapidity of progression for mounting the shelf, with no need for personnel tasked with mounting the structure to perform specific or particularly frequent checks.

The screw 16 interacts with the lateral wall 13 of the hollow body 6 and with the seats 5 of the pins 2, acting with an axial action countering the reaction opposed by the limiting means 8, 9, 11 and 12, said action, having adjustable intensity, allows during the mounting phase easily to adapt the structure in terms of alignment and orthogonality of its structural elements; concurs in positioning the component parts of the union fitting 1 in correct a geometric relationship; and, lastly, it also contributes further to wedge the segments 8 of tang 3 and the corresponding segments 9 of cavity 7 in such a way as to determine in the union fitting 1 static interactions between their own component parts, which ensure an optimal overall integrity of the union fitting 1, a behaviour very proximate to the ideal structural fitting, and a consequent high overall rigidity of the shelves obtainable with the union fittings 1 according to the invention. The locking means 16, 13, 14 described above are also able to determine a progressively increasing securing action, able to be modulated according to specific requirements for mounting the shelves in place, being also reversible or adjustable over time, by anyone and with the use of a simple screwdriver.

The positioning of the locking means 16, 13, 14 correspondence with the interior curve of the angles β delimited by contiguous sleeves 17 of the hollow body 6 has the additional advantage of being hidden from the view of an observer of the shelves, which allows to obtain pleasant aesthetic effects, appreciable in numerous constructive solutions of employment of the union fitting 1.

The union fitting 1 according to the invention allows for numerous possible variations, without thereby departing, in any case, from the same inventive concept.

Some such possible variations are illustrated in Figures 3 through 9.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show examples of union fitting 1 whose hollow body 6 is formed respectively by two, three and four coplanar sleeves 21, mutually inclined two by two with angles β of 90°. In Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 the hollow body 6 is formed respectively by sleeves 21 mutually inclined by angles β of 90°, oriented along three distinct directions x,y,z of space and constituted respectively by 3, 4, 5 and 6 sleeves 21, variously oriented, according to types so-called with 3, 4, 5 and 6 ways.

The arrangement of the various sleeves 21, according to angles of inclination β of 90°, is to be considered indicative of preferable embodiments of the union fitting

1 ; however, this must not be construed in a limiting sense, because it is evident that the angles β can have different amplitudes. Starting from this assumption, the same Figure 3 allows to deduct that by means of an angle β of 180° of the two sleeves 21 it is possible to obtain also union fittings 1 able to allow the axial connection of two members, placed in mutual continuation, with the proviso that a sleeve 21 and the associated pin 2 is to be destined to the connection of a first member and the other sleeve 21 is to be connected directly to the second member.

The invention thus conceived is capable of evident industrial applications, and it can be subject to numerous modifications and variations, without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all components can be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. Union fitting for the structural connection of member elements characterised in that it comprises: at least a pin (2), able to be associated to a first member element, which is provided with a tang (3), having longitudinal axis (4), and with a seat (5); a hollow body (6), able to be associated to a second member element, which is provided with at least an internal cavity (7) conforming to the tang (3), able to receive the tan

(3) itself with a coupling motion longitudinal to the axis (4) thereof; limiting means (8, 9; 11, 12) able unidirectionally to limit the coupling travel of the tang (3) in the cavity (7); locking means (16, 13, 14) which are engaged in the seat (5) of the tang (3) exerting on the pin (2) an axial action opposite to the action of the limiting means (8, 9; 11, 12).

2. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said limiting means include at least a segment (8) of tang (3) and at least a segment (9) of cavity (7) that are complementarily tapered in such a way as mutually to wedge in correspondence with the reaching of a predetermined axial penetration length of the tang (3) in the cavity (7).

3. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the pin (2) is provided with a body (10) transversely projecting relative to the tang (3), which delimits in combination with the tang (3) a shoulder (11) transverse to the longitudinal axis (4) of the pin (2); the hollow body (6) is provided with a face (12) opposite said shoulder (11); the limiting means comprise said shoulder (11) and said face (12) which in correspondence with the end of the travel of axial coupling of the tang (3) in the cavity (7) reach mutual abutment.

4. Union fitting, as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that said locking means (16, 13, 14) are able to exert on the tang (3) capable of exerting on the tang (3) an action of progressively increasing intensity along the direction of said longitudinal axis (4).

5. Union fitting, as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that the hollow body (6) is provided with a lateral wall (13) traversed by a through hole (14), having its axis (15) inclined relative to the longitudinal axis (4) of the tang (3); said locking means including a screw (16) which can be associated to the hole (14) and, traversing the lateral wall (13) of the hollow body (6), is able to engage the seat (5) of the tang (3) becoming locked therein against the reaction opposed by the limiting means (8, 9; 11, 12).

6. Union fitting, as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that the hollow body (6) is provided with at least two sleeves (21) delimiting corresponding segments (17) of cavity, which sleeves (21) are mutually converging and delimit an angle (β) interposed to them.

7. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that said angle (β) is a right angle.

8. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said hollow body

(6) comprises three mutually coplanar sleeves (21).

9. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said hollow body (6) comprises three sleeves (21), coplanar in twos, oriented along three distinct directions (x,y,z) of space.

10. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said hollow body (6) comprises four mutually coplanar sleeves (21).

11. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said hollow body (6) comprises four sleeves (21) coplanar in twos, oriented along three distinct directions (x,y,z) of space.

12. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised in that said hollow body

(6) comprises five sleeves (21) coplanar in twos, oriented along three distinct directions (x,y,z) of space.

13. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6 or 7, comprises six sleeves (21) coplanar in twos, oriented along three distinct directions (x,y,z) of space.

14. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that said angle (β) is a flat angle.

15. Union fitting, as claimed in any of the claims 6 through 14, characterised in that said locking means (16, 13, 14) are positioned in correspondence with the interior curve of said angle (β).

16. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 15, characterised in that said angle (β) is a right angle.

17. Union fitting, as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that the seat (5) of the tang (3) is delimited by two walls (18) inclined in opposition relative to the longitudinal axis (4) of the tang (3)

18. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that said seat (5) has the shape of a groove running along a contour of the tang (3).

19. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 18, characterised in that the walls (18) of the groove have cone frustum shape.

20. Union fitting, as claimed in claim 19, characterised in that the walls (18) of the groove are inclined at 45° relative to the longitudinal axis (4) of the tang (3).

21. Union fitting, as claimed in any of the previous claims, characterised in that said tang (3) has circular contour.