Back to results
US 2026/0201691 A1Published application
Corner Connector for Pergolas
OwnerJin-Jie Lin, Dallas Hindsinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A corner connection of a plurality of elongated structural members is provided where a cross member and an enclosing member secure the plurality of elongated members together and receive the elongated structural members, with the enclosing member being attached to a supporting structural member and being joined to the cross member, and the cross member being attached to the supporting structural member and attached to the supported structural members.
Claims28
A method for forming a connector made up of a plurality of separate pieces, the method comprising:
- a. providing a cross member having left and right ascension members connected to left and right connection members, the left ascension member being a planar member and extending from a bottom edge to a top edge, the right ascension member being a planar member and extending from a bottom edge to a top edge, with the left ascension member having an outer edge and the right ascension member having an outer edge, with the left connection member being joined to the left ascension member at the outer edge of the left ascension member and with the right connection member being joined to the right ascension member at the outer edge of the right ascension member;
- b. the left connection member having a left outer side member joined to a left seat member which is joined to a left inner side member, with the left outer side member being a planar member that is aligned with an upper portion of the left ascension member, with the left seat member being disposed orthogonally to the left outer side member, and the left seat member being disposed orthogonally to the left inner side member and with the left inner and outer side members being disposed parallel to each other and spaced from each other by the left seat member, with the left outer side member having a bottom edge where it joins to the left seat member and the left seat member has an inner edge where it joins to the left inner side member, and the left seat member has an inner lateral edge that extends orthogonally to the bottom edge of the left outer side member, and the left inner side member has an inner lateral edge that extends orthogonally to and in the same plane as the inner lateral edge of the left seat member;
- c. the right connection member having a right outer side member joined to a right seat member which is joined to a right inner side member, with the right outer side member being a planar member that is aligned with an upper portion of the right ascension member, with the right seat member being disposed orthogonally to the right outer side member, and the right seat member is disposed orthogonally to the right inner side member with the right inner and outer side members being disposed parallel to each other and spaced from each other by the right seat member, the right outer side member having a bottom edge where it joins to the right seat member, the right seat member having an inner edge where it joins to the right inner side member, the right seat member having an inner lateral edge that extends orthogonally to the bottom edge of the right outer side member, and the right inner side member has an inner lateral edge that extends orthogonally and in the same plane as the inner lateral edge of the right seat member;
- and
- d. providing an enclosing member having a left enclosing member and a right enclosing member, with the left enclosing member being a planar member and extending from a bottom edge to a top edge, and with the right enclosing member being a planar member and extending from a bottom edge to a top edge, with the left enclosing member having an outer edge and an opposed joining edge, and the right enclosing member having an outer edge and an opposed joining edge, and the left enclosing member has an inner surface and an opposed outer surface and the right enclosing member has an inner surface and an opposed outer surface;
- e. inserting the separate enclosing member into the separate cross member so portions of the outer edge of the left ascension member align with and are in contact with or closely adjacent to portions of the outer edge of the left enclosing member, and welding portions of the outer edge of the left enclosing member to the left ascension member, and portions of the outer edge of the right ascension member align with and are in contact with or closely adjacent to portions of the outer edge of the right enclosing member, and welding portions of the outer edge of the right enclosing member to the right ascension member, the inner lateral edge of the left seat member is disposed closely adjacent to or in contact with the outer surface of the left enclosing member and welding portions of the inner lateral edge of the left seat member to the outer surface of the left enclosing member, and the inner lateral edge of the right seat member is disposed closely adjacent to or in contact with the outer surface of the right enclosing member and welding portions of the inner lateral edge of the right seat member to the outer surface of the right enclosing member.
3 more elements
A connection between a supporting structural member and left and right supported structural members made with a cross member and an enclosing member, the connection comprising:
- a. the supporting structural member, the supporting structural member being disposed substantially vertically and being an elongated member and the left and right supported structural members being elongated structural members disposed orthogonally to the supporting structural member, the supporting structural member having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with the elongated dimension of the supporting structural member extending along the longitudinal axis of the supporting structural member, the supporting structural member having a front surface, an opposed back surface, a left side surface, a right side surface, and a top surface, with the front surface, the back surface, the left side surface and the right side surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the supporting structural member and being substantially planar;
- b. the left supported structural member, the left supported structural member having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with the left supported structural member being elongated along the longitudinal axis of the left supported structural member, with the longitudinal axis of the left supported structural member extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the supporting structural member, with the left supported structural member having an inner surface, an opposed outer surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface with the inner surface, the outer surface, the bottom surface and the top surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis;
- c. the right supported structural member, the right supported structural member having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis with the right supported structural member being elongated along the longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of the right supported structural member extending orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the supporting structural member, the right supported structural member having an inner surface, an opposed outer surface, a bottom surface, and a top surface, with the inner surface, the outer surface, the bottom surface and the top surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the right supported structural member;
- d. the cross member being attached to the supporting structural member and the left and right supported structural members with separate fasteners, and the cross member does not interface with or overlie the top surface of the left supported structural member, and the cross member does not interface with or overlie the top surface of the right supported structural member;
- and
- e. the enclosing member being attached to the supporting structural member with separate fasteners and the enclosing member being attached to cross member, and the enclosing member overlies the top surface of the supporting structural member and does not interface with or overlie the top surface of the left supported structural member, and the enclosing member does not interface with or overlie the top surface of the right supported structural member.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.