US 2015/0305539 A1Published application

Trophy Interlocking Connector

AssigneeWilliam Steven Schwartz Revocable Trust

InventorWilliam S. Schwartz

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Abstract

The present invention to provide a trophy assembly that can be assembled quickly and easily by using a connection insert in the base and optionally in top attachments that eliminates the need for the threaded rods and associated hardware of conventional trophy assemblies. It consists of a tubular column having molded or extruded ribs positioned longitudinally and circumferentially around the inside surface that are slotted to engage clips in a base connection (or top) insert; abuse (or top) connector insert (mounting ring) that is generally circular and cylindrical, dimensioned such that the outer cylindrical sidewall is substantially equal to the diameter of a recess cut into the trophy base The connection insert has interference members that project outwardly from that cylindrical surface to provide an interference fit with the sidewall of recess when the insert is pressed into the recess in the base. It is also methods of assembling trophies using the assembly above described.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A trophy assembly comprising a base, a hollow tubular column, and an connection insert receivable into a recess in the base, wherein

the column has a first column end, an opposed second column end and a longitudinally extending central axis and an interior column surface having a plurality of inwardly and longitudinally extending ribs affixed to interior column surface and being configured and dimensioned to be received within connection insert;
the base has an upper surface and a lower surface, with the recess being formed into its upper surface,
the base recess having an annular surface and a bottom surface spaced from the base upper surface, the annular surface being generally normal to the base upper side and extending from the base upper surface to the recess bottom surface;
and wherein
the connection insert comprises a mounting ring and a column-retaining clip, the mounting ring comprising an annular ring including a lower portion having an external annular surface dimensioned to be inserted as a press fit into the base recess and an internal annular surface of the ring to receive insertion of one end of the tubular column;
the column-retaining clip comprises a sloped unsupported end and a lower stop;
the column ribs each have a slot lying in a plane that is generally normal to central axis and proximal the first column end, the slots being configured and dimensioned such that the column retaining clips engage the slots when the first column end is placed over the column-retaining clip and rotated;
the stop is configured and dimensioned to engage at least one of the ribs substantially upon column-retaining stop contact the slots;
and
whereby the base and the column are joined, the lower stop resists over-rotation.

7 more elements

A method assembling a trophy having a base with a recessed opening in the top side, a tubular column having ribs disposed longitudinally on the inside surface with slots cut into the ribs at a position proximate the column end, comprising;

inserting a connection insert into a recessed opening in the trophy base;
inserting the column lower section into the connection insert, the recess and column diameter being configured and dimensioned such that when the column is inserted it forms a compression fit of the insert into the recess;
and
rotating the column to engage slots in the column ribs with spring clips in the connection insert.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.