US 6,602,017 B2 · Connector device assembly

Abstract

A connector device assembly of the add-on type and suitable for securing a second member, such as a metal tube, as a branch extending from a position between the ends of a first member, such as another metal tube, without the need to slide components along the first member includes two connector devices each having a first body region which defines a recess formation to accommodate a first member of a structural assembly, and at least one of the connector devices including a second body region for securing relative to a second member which is required to be connected to the structural assembly, the two connector devices each having at least one edge formation provided with an aperture which extends substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the first member and respective edge formations of the two connector devices being aligned in the assembly to receive a locking member extending therethrough, the locking member being arranged in the assembly to be loaded substantially only in shear to hold the connector devices in position relative to one another and the first member.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims9

Dependent claims

A connector device assembly comprising:

at least two connector devices;
a first and a second rigid members;
and
two locking members,
each connector device having a first body region which defines a recess formation to accommodate a part of an outer periphery of the first rigid member of a structural assembly,
said first rigid member having a longitudinal direction, and
at least one of the connector devices comprising a second body region for securing relative to the second rigid member which is required to be connected to the structural assembly,
said two connector devices each having two edge formations,
each of said edge formations being provided with at least two lugs, said lugs each having a cylindrical aperture extending substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of said first rigid member and spaced apart in said longitudinal direction from an adjacent lug of an associated edge formation,
said edge formations of said two connector devices being aligned as aligned neighboring edge formations in the device assembly, each of the aligned neighboring edge formations to receive one of the locking members extending therethrough,
the locking member in each of the aligned neighboring edge formations being a tapered pin which is an interference fit in at least one of the aligned apertures through which the locking member extends,
the locking member being arranged in the device assembly to be loaded substantially only in shear to hold the connector devices in position relative to one another and the first rigid member, and
at least one of the connector devices being provided with retention means operable to load each locking member in shear and to lock assembled connector devices to said first rigid member.

10 more elements

Method of forming a structural assembly of two rigid members comprising use of a connector device assembly which comprises at least two connector devices,

each connector device having a first body region which defines a recess formation to accommodate a part of an outer periphery of a first rigid member to be connected to a second rigid member, said first rigid member having a longitudinal direction,
at least one of the connector devices comprising a second body region for securing relative to an end of a second rigid member which is required to be connected to the structural assembly,
said two connector devices each having two edge formations,
one said edge formation provided with at least one first cylindrical aperture extending substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of said first rigid member and the other said edge formation provided with at least two second cylindrical apertures extending substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of said first rigid member, and
said first and second cylindrical apertures of the edge formations of said two connector devices being aligned in the device assembly to form aligned apertures to receive a locking member extending therethrough,
said locking member being a tapered pin which is an interference fit in at least one of the aligned apertures through which the locking member extends,
retention means associated with one of the connector devices and operable to secure an assembled plurality of connector devices in position relative to the first rigid member,
wherein the method comprises first positioning the locking member to extend through the aligned apertures and to be an interference fit in one of the aligned apertures thereby to provide an interconnection of the connector devices without creating any substantial axial pre-load between the connector devices in said longitudinal direction and then operating the retention means simultaneously to secure a connector device relative to the first rigid member and apply shear load to the locking member.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,358 words

Summary3,147 words

#The present invention relates to a connector device assembly, and a method, for forming a structural interconnection between two rigid members.

#More specifically, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a connector device assembly of an “add on” type, sometimes known as a split type connector device assembly, which allows an existing structural assembly of interconnected members to be extended or modified without the need to dismantle any part of the existing assembly.

#The structural assembly with which the connector device assembly of the present invention may be used to advantage, and to which the method may be applied, may be of the type comprising rods or tubes interconnected by multi-way connectors for joining two or more lengths of said rods or tubes. One or more pairs of said “lengths” typically may each be aligned sections of a continuous length of rod or tube. Additionally or alternatively the assembly may comprise one or more lengths of a rod or tube having an end which terminates at the connector device.

Brief description of the drawings10 figures

#Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known connector device

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another known connector device;

Detailed description1,018 words

#FIG. 1 shows a connector assembly 10 comprising two rigid cast connector devices 11a & 11b which define two passage 12, 13 through which tubes 14, 15 extend. A side tube 16 is located in a passages 17 of the connector device 11b. The three tubes are secured to the connector devices by grub screws in bosses (not shown). The assembly is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,795. The two connector devices 11a, 11b are held together about the tubes 14, 15 by threaded bolts 9 and lock nuts 8. The integrity of the assembly is dependent on the bolts 9 being set to the correct torque to resist separation of the connector device surfaces 7 that contact one another whilst also withstanding vibration and thermal expansion effects.

#FIG. 2 shows in perspective a connector device for use in forming an assembly of the present invention.

#The connector device 20, shown in more detail at FIGS. 3a, b, and c, has a tubular body portion 21 with a central region 22 adapted to receive the end of a side tube (not shown).

Facts

Application

09/439,345Filed 15 Nov 1999

Priority

GB 982483513 Nov 1998

Published

US 2002/0164199 A17 Nov 2002

Granted

5 Aug 2003

Term ended

15 Nov 2019

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination. Patent term adjustment is unavailable; no adjustment was added.

Classification7 codes

F16B 7/0486
For rods or for tubes without using the innerside thereof: forming an abutting connection of at least one tube
F16B 2200/67
Constructional details of connections not covered for in other groups of this subclass: rigid angle couplings
Y10T 403/44
Joints and connections: three or more members connected at single locus
Y10T 403/443
Three or more members connected at single locus: all encompassed

Connector device assembly

Life of this patent

Connector device assembly

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims9

Description4,358 words

Drawings

Classification7 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,358 words