US 12,404,669 B2Granted

Construction using bundled tube and threaded stepped dowels

AssigneeMiller Dowel Company

InventorsMichael R. Miller, Robert Daly

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system and method for creating a column for construction using bundled tube are provided. The column having a bottom portion, a middle portion, and a top portion. Each portion consists of a bundle of individual pillars, comprising a center pillar, a plurality of corner pillars, and a plurality of middle pillars. From the bottom portion of the column, addition pillars can be affixed on top of the pillars of the bottom portion, thus forming the middle and the top portion of the column. Each pillar can be secured to another component using a thread stepped dowel comprising of a base section, at least one middle section, and a tip section, with each section being progressively smaller in circumference than the last. The at least one middle section of the threaded stepped dowel further comprises thread spiraling around the outer surface of the at least one middle section.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A system for construction comprising:

a threaded stepped dowel comprising:
a base section having a first circumference;
a first middle section having a first middle circumference smaller than the first circumference;
a second middle section having a second middle circumference smaller than the first middle circumference;
and
a tip section having a third circumference smaller than the second middle circumference,
wherein each of the first and the second middle sections are generally cylindrical in shape and include a threaded outer surface,
wherein a continuous thread spirals around each of the first and the second middle sections, and
wherein the tip section is a cylinder that includes a smooth outer surface;
a first component having a first bore for receiving the first and the second middle sections and the tip section of the threaded stepped dowel;
and
a second component having a second bore for receiving the base section of the threaded stepped dowel;
wherein the base section of the threaded stepped dowel is affixed into the second bore, and
wherein the first component is attached to the second component through twisting the first component onto the threaded stepped dowel.

11 more elements

A system for construction comprising:

a threaded stepped dowel comprising:
a first middle section having a first circumference;
a second middle section having a second circumference;
a first tip section adjoining the first middle section, the first tip section having a circumference smaller than the first circumference;
and
a second tip section adjoining the second middle section, the second tip section having a circumference smaller than the second circumference,
wherein the first middle section and the second middle section are each generally cylindrical in shape with a threaded outer surface that includes a thread, the thread comprising alternating outer portions and round recess portions immediately following one another,
wherein the first tip section and the second tip section are each a cylinder that includes a smooth outer surface,
wherein the first middle section further comprises a first plurality of sections, with each successive section having a smaller circumference than the last, and each of the first plurality of sections is generally cylindrical in shape with a threaded outer surface that includes a thread, and
wherein the second middle section further comprises a second plurality of sections, with each successive section having a smaller circumference than the last, and each of the second plurality of sections is generally cylindrical in shape with a threaded outer surface that includes a thread;
a first component having a first bore for receiving the first middle section and the first tip section of the threaded stepped dowel;
and
a second component having a second bore for receiving the second middle section and the second tip section of the threaded stepped dowel;
wherein the threaded stepped dowel is attached to the second component through twisting the threaded stepped dowel onto the second component, and
wherein the first component is attached to the second component through twisting the first component onto the threaded stepped dowel.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/174,432Filed 24 Feb 2023 · continuation
Priority: 27 Jan 2020
Published: US 2023/0220660 A113 Jul 2023
Granted: 2 Sep 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

E04B 1/2604
The supporting parts consisting of wood: connections specially adapted therefor
E04B 1/486
Dowels, i.e. members adapted to penetrate the surfaces of two parts and to take the shear stresses: shear dowels for wood
E04C 3/36
Columns; Pillars; Struts: of materials not covered by groups E04C3/32 or E04C3/34; of a combination of two or more materials
F16B 12/24
For non-metal furniture parts, e.g. made of wood, of plastics: using separate pins, dowels, or the like

Family

Application62/966,405Us provisional application · filed 27 Jan 2020
Application63/057,399Us provisional application · filed 28 Jul 2020
Application17/158,933Parent of this division · filed 26 Jan 2021
Application17/811,264Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Jul 2022
US 2023/0220660 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Jul 2023
US 11,613,885 B2Parent of this continuation
US 11,846,096 B2Parent of this division
Application17/811,264Parent of this division
US 2021/0230857 A1Published application
US 2022/0341153 A1Published application
US 12,404,669 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.