WO2018134806A1

WO2018134806A1 - Elongated profile gripper and methods for using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2018134806A1
Application number: PCT/IL2017/050066
Authority: WO
Inventors: Refael RUBIN
Original assignee: Rubin Refael
Priority date: 2017-01-18
Filing date: 2017-01-18
Publication date: 2018-07-26
Also published as: IL268172A

Abstract

An elongated profile gripper comprising: a first element configured to grip an elongated profile, attached to a second element configured to grip and slide over a fastener head of a fastener. Various embodiments of the elongated profile gripper and methods for using the same are described herein.

Description

ELONGATED PROFILE GRIPPER AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of construction, more particularly to attaching elongated profiles to surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During a construction process there is a need to attach elongated profiles, normally made of metal or plastic, to a surface, for example a wall, for decoration or other purposes, in a leveled manner. The currently available devices and methods do not allow fast and easy leveling of elongated profiles while being attached to a surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an elongated profile gripper comprising: a first element configured to grip an elongated profile, attached to a second element configured to grip and slide over a fastener head of a fastener. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for attaching and leveling an elongated profile to a surface, comprising: inserting at least one fastener, having a fastener head, into a surface along a line to which an elongated profile is to be attached; accommodating each of the at least one fastener head in a second element of an elongated profile gripper; gripping an elongated profile with the at least one elongated profile gripper, attached to the surface, by accommodating the elongated profile in a first element of the at least one elongated profile gripper; and leveling the elongated profile by sliding the second element of the at least one elongated profile gripper over the head of the at least one fastener inserted in the surface. According to one embodiment, the size and shape of the first element corresponds to the size and shape of the elongated profile.

According to another embodiment, the first element of the elongated profile gripper has a quadrangular shape that is configured to accommodate a quadrangular shaped elongated profile.

According to yet another embodiment, the first element comprises a first edge, a second edge and a third edge, wherein the first edge is perpendicularly attached to one side of the second edge, and the third edge is perpendicularly attached to a second side of the second edge, in a manner that the first edge and the third edge are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the size and shape of an inner space formed by the first edge, the second edge and the third edge of the first element is configured to fit the size and shape of the elongated profile.

According to still another embodiment, the first edge and the third edge of the first element have a curved shape, wherein concave sides of the first edge and the third edge face each other.

According to a further embodiment, the second element has a shape of an elongated gripper comprising a first bent barrier attached to a first side of a surface, and a second bent barrier attached to a second side of the surface, in a manner that the first barrier and the second barrier are parallel to each other, and wherein the surface, the first barrier and the second barrier form a rail-like structure configured to grip a fastener head and slide over the gripped fastener head.

According to yet a further embodiment, the size and shape of a space enclosed by the surface, the first barrier and the second barrier of the second element corresponds to the size and shape of the fastener head, while the distance between the edges of the first barrier and the third barrier is slightly higher than the width of a fastener body, thus enabling tight gripping of the and sliding over the fastener head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the embodiments. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how several forms may be embodied in practice. In the drawings:

- Fig. 1 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a prospective back view of an elongated profile gripper, an elongated profile and a fastener.

- Fig. 2 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a top side view of a first element of an elongated profile gripper tightly gripping an elongated profile having a cross- sectional quadrangular shape.

- Fig. 3 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a top view of an elongated profile gripper gripping an elongated profile using the first element and gripping a fastener head using the second element.

- Fig. 4 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a prospective back view of an elongated profile gripper gripping an elongated profile using the first element and gripping a fastener head using the second element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Before explaining at least one embodiment in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. In discussion of the various figures described herein below, like numbers refer to like parts. The drawings are generally not to scale.

For clarity, non-essential elements were omitted from some of the drawings. All the dimensions of parts, specifically stated or inferred from the drawing should be viewed as non-limiting examples.

One aim of the present invention is to provide an elongated profile gripper for gripping and attaching an elongated profile to a surface.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide an elongated profile gripper for fast and easy leveling of an elongated profile while gripping and attaching the elongated profile to a surface.

Yet another aim of the present invention is to provide a method for attaching and leveling an elongated profile to a surface.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a prospective back view of an elongated profile gripper 1, an elongated profile 20 and a fastener 30.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides an elongated profile gripper 1 comprising a first element 100 configured to grip an elongated profile 20, attached to a second element 200 configured to grip and slide over a fastener head 32.

The first element 100 of the elongated profile gripper 1 is configured to grip any elongated profile 20 known in the art. Thus, the size and shape of the first element 100 corresponds to the size and shape of the elongated profile 20. Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an elongated profile 20 having a cross- sectional quadrangular shape, and an elongated profile gripper 1 having a first element 100 configured to grip the elongated profile 20. The elongated profile, according to this embodiment, comprises a first edge 22 perpendicularly attached to one side of a second edge 24, and a third edge 26 perpendicularly attached to a second side of the second edge 24, in a manner that the first edge 22 and the third edge 26 are parallel to each other.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the first element 100 of the elongated profile gripper 1 has a quadrangular shape that is configured to accommodate the quadrangular shaped elongated profile 20. The first element 100 comprises a first edge 110, a second edge 120 and a third edge 130. The first edge 110 is perpendicularly attached to one side of the second edge 120, and the third edge 130 is perpendicularly attached to a second side of the second edge 120, in a manner that the first edge 110 and the third edge 130 are substantially parallel to each other. The size and shape of the inner space formed by the first edge 110, the second edge 120 and the third edge 130 of the first element 100 is configured to fit the size and shape of the elongated profile 20, thus enabling the first element 100 to tightly grip the elongated profile 20.

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a top side view of a first element 100 of an elongated profile gripper 1 tightly gripping an elongated profile 20 having a cross-sectional quadrangular shape. It should be noted that the second element 200 was omitted from Fig. 2 only for purposes of convenience.

According to another embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 2, the first edge 110 and the third edge 130 of the first element 100 have a curved shape, wherein concave sides of the first edge 110 and the third edge 130 face each other. This configuration of the first element 100 facilitates the engagement with, and gripping of, the elongated profile 20.

It should be noted that the size and shape of the first element 100 of the elongated profile gripper 1 is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and that any size and shape of the first element 100 that corresponds to the size and shape of any elongated profile 20 known in the art, is under the scope of the present invention. For example, in an embodiment where the elongated profile 20 has a tube-like cross-sectional structure, the first element 100 of the elongated profile gripper 1 has a tube-like structure that is configured to grip the elongated profile 20. Turning now back to Fig. 1, the second element 200 of the elongated profile gripper 1 is configured to grip and slide over a fastener head 32. A "fastener" 30, as disclosed herein, is a member configured to fasten one object to another, comprising an elongated body 34 having a sharpened first edge 36 and a second edge having a substantially flat wide, preferably round, structure, known as a fastener head 32. Examples of fasteners known in the art are a screw and a nail.

According to one embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 1 , the second element 200 has a shape of an elongated gripper comprising a first bent barrier 210 attached to a first side of a surface 220, and a second bent barrier 230 attached to a second side of the surface 220, in a manner that the first barrier 210 and the second barrier 230 are parallel to each other. The surface 220, the first barrier 210 and the second barrier 230 form a rail-like structure configured to grip a fastener head 32 and slide over the gripped fastener head 32.

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a top view of an elongated profile gripper 1 gripping an elongated profile 20 using the first element 100 and gripping a fastener head 32 using the second element 200.

Fig. 4 schematically illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, a prospective back view of an elongated profile gripper 1 gripping an elongated profile 20 using the first element 100 and gripping a fastener head 32 using the second element 200.

According to the embodiments shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the size and shape of a space enclosed by the surface 220, the first barrier 210 and the second barrier 230 of the second element 200 corresponds to the size and shape of the fastener head 32, while the distance between the edges of the first barrier 210 and the third barrier 230 is slightly higher than the width of a fastener body 34, thus enabling tight gripping of the fastener 30 on one hand and sliding over the fastener head 32 on the other hand.

It should be noted that the size and shape of the second element 200 of the elongated profile gripper 1 is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, any size and shape of the second element 200 that corresponds to the size and shape of any fastener 30 and any fastener head 32 known in the art, is under the scope of the present invention.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method for attaching and leveling an elongated profile 20 to a surface, comprising:

inserting at least one fastener 30, having a fastener head 32, into a surface along a line to which an elongated profile 20 is to be attached;

accommodating each of the at least one fastener head 32 in a second element 200 of an elongated profile gripper 1 ;

- gripping an elongated profile 20 with the at least one elongated profile gripper 1, attached to the surface, by accommodating the elongated profile 20 in a first element 100 of the at least one elongated profile gripper 1 ; and

leveling the elongated profile 20 by sliding the second element 200 of the at least one elongated profile gripper 1 over the head 32 of the at least one fastener 30 inserted in the surface. All the embodiments of the elongated profile gripper 1 described above apply also to the method for attaching and leveling an elongated profile 20 to a surface described above.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub combination.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An elongated profile gripper comprising: a first element configured to grip an elongated profile, attached to a second element configured to grip and slide over a fastener head of a fastener.

2. The elongated profile gripper of claim 1 , wherein the size and shape of the first element corresponds to the size and shape of the elongated profile.

3. The elongated profile gripper of claim 2, wherein the first element of the elongated profile gripper has a quadrangular shape that is configured to accommodate a quadrangular shaped elongated profile.

4. The elongated profile gripper of claim 3, wherein the first element comprises a first edge, a second edge and a third edge, wherein the first edge is perpendicularly attached to one side of the second edge, and the third edge is perpendicularly attached to a second side of the second edge, in a manner that the first edge and the third edge are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the size and shape of an inner space formed by the first edge, the second edge and the third edge of the first element is configured to fit the size and shape of the elongated profile.

5. The elongated profile gripper of claim 4, wherein the first edge and the third edge of the first element have a curved shape, wherein concave sides of the first edge and the third edge face each other.

6. The elongated profile gripper of claim 1, wherein the second element has a shape of an elongated gripper comprising a first bent barrier attached to a first side of a surface, and a second bent barrier attached to a second side of the surface, in a manner that the first barrier and the second barrier are parallel to each other, and wherein the surface, the first barrier and the second barrier form a rail-like structure configured to grip a fastener head and slide over the gripped fastener head.

7. The elongated profile gripper of claim 6, wherein the size and shape of a space enclosed by the surface, the first barrier and the second barrier of the second element corresponds to the size and shape of the fastener head, while the distance between the edges of the first barrier and the third barrier is slightly higher than the width of a fastener body, thus enabling tight gripping of the and sliding over the fastener head.

8. A method for attaching and leveling an elongated profile to a surface, comprising: inserting at least one fastener, having a fastener head, into a surface along a line to which an elongated profile is to be attached;

accommodating each of the at least one fastener head in a second element of an elongated profile gripper;

gripping an elongated profile with the at least one elongated profile gripper, attached to the surface, by accommodating the elongated profile in a first element of the at least one elongated profile gripper; and

leveling the elongated profile by sliding the second element of the at least one elongated profile gripper over the head of the at least one fastener inserted in the surface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the size and shape of the first element corresponds to the size and shape of the elongated profile.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first element of the elongated profile gripper has a quadrangular shape that is configured to accommodate a quadrangular shaped elongated profile.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first element comprises a first edge, a second edge and a third edge, wherein the first edge is perpendicularly attached to one side of the second edge, and the third edge is perpendicularly attached to a second side of the second edge, in a manner that the first edge and the third edge are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the size and shape of an inner space formed by the first edge, the second edge and the third edge of the first element is configured to fit the size and shape of the elongated profile.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first edge and the third edge of the first element have a curved shape, wherein concave sides of the first edge and the third edge face each other.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the second element has a shape of an elongated gripper comprising a first bent barrier attached to a first side of a surface, and a second bent barrier attached to a second side of the surface, in a manner that the first barrier and the second barrier are parallel to each other, and wherein the surface, the first barrier and the second barrier form a rail-like structure configured to grip a fastener head and slide over the gripped fastener head.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the size and shape of a space enclosed by the surface, the first barrier and the second barrier of the second element corresponds to the size and shape of the fastener head, while the distance between the edges of the first barrier and the third barrier is slightly higher than the width of a fastener body, thus enabling tight gripping of the and sliding over the fastener head.