BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, and the manner in which it can be made and used, can be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rack mounted to a vehicle body illustrating how a preferred embodiment of the adjustable clamp assembly is mounted to a vertical stake to securely clamp sheet glass on a rack.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable clamp assembly, configured to clamp sheet materials.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the adjustable clamp assembly shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective cut-away view of the a preferred embodiment of the adjustable clamp assembly, showing the quick-release member in a first position where the threaded portion of the adjustable object retainer and the third partially-threaded bore are not engaged, allowing for straight inward or outward motion of the adjustable object retainer.
FIG. 5 is a perspective cut-away view of the a preferred embodiment of the adjustable clamp assembly, showing the quick-release member in a second position where the threaded portion of the adjustable object retainer and the third partially-threaded bore are engaged, thus requiring a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the adjustable object retainer in order to achieve inward or outward motion.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the coupling portion of the adjustable object retainer, showing a preferred removable padded contact member coupled to the adjustable object retainer in a manner allowing the padded contact member to tilt and rotate independently from the rotation of the adjustable object retainer.
FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the removable clamping member coupled to the adjustable object retainer, whereby the removable clamping member is a C-clamp.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a rack 2 mounted on a vehicle 1. The rack 2 has two opposed sides, one affixed to a side of the vehicle (21) and one adjacent thereto (22). The first side 21 consists of a horizontal bottom shelf 210, a horizontal top member 211 and horizontally spaced-apart vertical posts 212 joining the bottom shelf 210 and top member 211 together. A plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontal support bars 213 are fastened to the vertical posts 212 over the shelf 210.
The second side 22 of the supporting rack 2 comprises a plurality of vertical stakes 3. The stakes 3 are adapted to be mounted to the first side 21 of the rack 2 between the bottom shelf 210 and top member 211 and to extend generally parallel to the vertical posts 212 but spaced a short distance therefrom, and from the support bars 213 carried by the posts 212. The vertical stakes 3 are removably mounted on the first side 21 of the rack 2. In FIG. 1 each stake 3 has a square profile, but other profile shapes are conceivable. Means, not shown, but widely known in the art, are provided at each end of the stake for removably mounting the stake on both the bottom shelf 210 and the top member 211 of the first side 21.
Each stake 3 carries at least two adjustable clamp assemblies 5 vertically spaced along its length. The clamp assemblies 5 must be mounted to the stakes 3 before the stakes are mounted between the bottom shelf 210 and the top member 211 of the first side 21 of the rack 2.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the assemblage of the adjustable clamp assembly 5. In order to mount the clamp assembly 5 to the stake 3, the sleeve portion 50 is slid onto the stake 3 whereby the receiving channel 501 is configured to receive the profile and dimensions of stake 3. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, both the stake 3 and the receiving channel 501 have a square profile. It is understood, that the receiving channel 501 could also have a round profile to receive a round vertical stake, i.e. the receiving channel can be configured to receive different stake profiles. Thus, by changing the shape of the receiving channel 501 of the sleeve portion 50, the disclosed clamp assembly 5 can easily be retrofitted onto rack and stake configurations currently in widespread use, allowing users to keep their current racks and stakes while, at the same time, benefiting from the greatly improved functionality of the disclosed clamp assembly 5.
After sliding the sleeve portion 50 over the vertical stake 3, the clamp assembly 5 can be securely fastened at any position along the length of the stake 3. The ideal fastening position of the clamp assembly 5 will depend on the dimensions of the sheet glass 4a placed on the supporting rack 2. To securely fasten the clamp assembly 5, the fastener 503, threadedly engaged in a first threaded bore 502, is turned clockwise, thereby compressively engaging the inner surface of the sleeve portion 50 with the outer surface of the stake 3. To slide the clamp assembly 5 up or down along the stake 3 to a new position or in order to remove the clamp assembly 5 from the stake 3, the fastener 503 is turned counterclockwise to decrease the friction between the inner surfaces of the sleeve portion 50 and the outer surfaces of the vertical stake 3.
Coupled to the sleeve portion 50 is a retention portion 51 configured to receive an adjustable object retainer 52 for clamping sheet glass 4a against the support bars 213 of the rack 2. The adjustable object retainer 52 has a handle portion 521 on a first end providing a secure grip when rotating the object retainer 52. The handle portion 521 is preferably made out of a rubber-like material for improved tactile feel.
As better shown in FIG. 6, the second end of the object retainer 52 has a coupling portion 523 configured to receive a removable clamping member 524. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, the clamping member 524 is a padded contact member 524a configured to provide a relatively large padded contact surface for contact with the surface of the sheet glass 4a placed on the shelf 210 between the first side 21 and second side 22 of the rack 2. In a preferred embodiment the padded contact member 524a may be mounted to the coupling portion 523 in a manner allowing the object retainer 52 to be rotated independently from the padded contact member 524a when compressing the padded contact surface of the padded contact member against the surface of the sheet glass 4a.
In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 the retention portion 51 coupled to the sleeve portion 50, has formed therein an unthreaded bore 512 substantially parallel to the first threaded bore 502 and extending from the front surface to a back surface of the retention portion 51, and an axial chamber 511, extending from a first side wall of the sleeve portion 50, configured to receive a quick-release member 53.
The quick-release member 53, as illustrated in FIG. 3, has an elongated third threaded bore 532, which is partially threaded, wherein the threaded portion is opposite to the user-accessible contact surface 531 of the quick-release member 53.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the proper assembly of the quick-release member 53 inside the retention portion 51. The quick-release member 53 is inserted into the axial chamber 511 of the retention portion 51, whereby the user-accessible contact surface 531 of the quick-release member 53 must extend outside the retention portion 51. The quick-release member 53 and the sleeve portion 50 are coupled by a resilient member 533, preferably a coil spring, allowing two distinct positions of the quick-release member 53.
FIG. 4 illustrates the first position of the quick-release member 53. By pushing the user-accessible contact surface 531 into the axial chamber 511 of the retention portion 51, the quick-release member 53 compresses the resilient member 533, thereby aligning the third partially-threaded bore 532 with the unthreaded bore 512 formed in the retention portion 51. In this first position, the threaded portion of the third partially threaded bore 532 and the threaded portion 522 of the object retainer 52 are not engaging, thus enabling a user to easily and quickly push or pull the object retainer 52 through the aligned bores, without having to rotate the object retainer 52 trough the engaged threads.
FIG. 5 illustrates the second position of the quick-release member 53. By releasing pressure off the user-accessible contact surface 531 of the quick-release member 53, the resilient member 533 decompresses and causes the threaded portion of the third partially-threaded bore 532 and the threaded portion 522 of the object retainer 52 to engage. In this second position the user must rotate the object retainer 52 either a) clockwise, to gradually clamp the sheet glass 4a between the clamping member 524 and the second side 22 of the rack 2, or b) counterclockwise, to gradually move the clamping member 524 away from the sheet glass 4a, thus releasing the clamping grip. The threaded engagement of the object retainer 52 and the quick-release member 53 enables a user to make very fine adjustments in the amount of clamping force exerted from the object retainer 52 onto the surface of the sheet glass 4a. This is especially desirable when clamping the sheet glass 4a to the rack 2. However, the disengaging of the threaded portion of the third partially-threaded bore of the quick-release member 53 and the threaded portion 522 of the object retainer 52 by compressing the resilient member 533 enables a user to quickly release the clamping force of the object retainer 52 by simply pushing the user-accessible contact surface 531 of the quick-release member 53 with one hand, and, with the other hand, simultaneously pulling back the object retainer 52 by gripping the handle portion 521.
It should be noted that other designs and configurations of the resilient member relative to the quick-release member are conceivable, that are not shown in the drawings, but which would achieve the same or similar results.
Furthermore, a much simpler alternative embodiment of the disclosed clamp assembly 5 is perceivable. Such an alternative embodiment, which is not shown in the drawings, would not have the quick-release member 53 and the unthreaded bore 512 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Instead, the retention portion 51 would have a second threaded bore in place of the unthreaded bore 512. Such second threaded bore would be configured to engage the threaded portion 522 of the object retainer 52 enabling the user to rotate the object retainer 52 either a) clockwise, to gradually clamp the sheet glass 4a between the clamping member 524 and the second side 22 of the rack 2, or b) counterclockwise, to gradually move the clamping member 524 away from the sheet glass 4a, thus releasing the clamping grip.
Further still, different designs of removable, i.e., interchangeable, clamping members are also perceivable. The preferred embodiment of a clamping member is best shown in FIG. 6. The clamping member in FIG. 6 is a padded contact member 524a removably mounted to the object retainer 52 via a coupling portion 523. The padded contact member 524a having a padded contact surface for contact with the surface of sheet glass 4a. The coupling portion 523 is configured to receive alternative clamping members. An example of an alternative clamping member is shown in FIG. 7. Instead of a padded contact member, a c-shape clamp 524b is removably mounted to the object retainer 52 via a coupling portion 523. Such a c-shape clamp could be used to secure portable objects other than sheet-like materials to the rack 2. These other portable objects could include, for example, pieces of scaffolding.
The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. The description was selected to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application of these principles to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the specification, but be defined by the claims set forth below.
Patent Application
20070284493
