Patent Application
20250188736
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates to a connector or a set of connectors that together are used to form modular frames, in particular a connector or set of connectors for connecting elongate members; more particularly but not exclusively battens, lengths of timber, synthetic plastics, recycled material such as plastic lumber, or metal.
Many people wish to assemble structures temporarily, for example large structures and/or structures formed of rigid members such as timber lengths, for example as modular or frame-based structures.
However this can be problematic as existing joints between lengths, for example of timber, can be fiddly, flimsy, or heavy, and difficult to assemble, single-use and/or prone to damage when disassembled.
The present invention arose in order to overcome problems suffered by existing devices.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a connector comprising: a body with at least one guide for receiving an edge of a sheet of material and at least two sockets for each receiving an end of a length of material, each socket opening in a different direction; at least one slot extending axially along a wall of each socket a to permit a tool to be inserted through the slot to engage with the elongate length of material and at least one hole through the wall of each socket for passage of a securing means to prevent axial movement of the elongate length of material.
In this way lengths of material can be arranged between connectors to form a modular framework. The lengths of material may be of various different materials depending on the structure to be formed. For example the lengths of material may be wood or formed from synthetic plastics, metal, metal alloy or carbon fiber.
In some embodiments at least one socket may include one or more internal ribs to locate and fix the ends of lengths of material in the socket. The ribs may be provided on all or some of the walls, or parts of each wall that form the socket. For example ribs may be provided on opposed faces of a rectangular socket rather than all faces, thereby reducing material required to form the connector and thereby also reducing the weight of the connector. It is appreciated that in some embodiments, some or all ribs may extend to the body.
Each socket is an opening defined by a wall that receives an end of a length of material.
The sockets extend from the body in different directions so that ends of lengths of materials project in different directions. For example, the sockets may extend in opposed directions, or in orthogonal directions, or in different angles or orientations to each other. In this way frameworks of different shapes can be made.
One or more slot is provided in the wall of each socket in order to enable a tool such as screw driver to pass through the slot and engage with the length of material to urge the end into the socket during assembly and out from the socket during disassembly.
The socket wall also has at least one hole for receiving a securing means such as a screw, or nail, or locking key or other fixing. For example in some embodiments a hexagonal screw key is provided that can easily put in hexagonal headed screws, similar to Allen keys. Or in some embodiments a locking key is provided to fix the end of the length of material to the connector. For example a locking key may be provided for the hole so that it can be tightened by hand, without requirements of tools, such as a butterfly handle or similar.
It is appreciated that slots and/or holes may be provided on one or more side of the socket. Ideally a slot or hole is positioned where easily accessible so that a tool can be easily used.
For example in some such embodiments the slot is located in a short side of a rectangular socket to provide effective purchase for sliding movement of the lengths of material. It is also appreciated that the lengths of material may have pre-made indentations for receiving a securing means to further help guide positioning of the length of material and ease of assembly.
The connector has at least one guide for receiving an edge of a sheet of material. In this way a sheet of material can be easily fitted to a connector to extend across an area between lengths of material. For example, such as plywood boards or a sheet of mesh.
In a preferred embodiment the guide is formed by at least two parallel sections that define a channel for holding an edge of a sheet of material. In this way the edge of the sheet of material can be slotted between the sections and held in place. It is appreciated that the edge of the sheet of material includes a corner of the sheet.
In some embodiments the guide may be formed from three or more parallel sections to define multiple channels for separate sheets of material. For example there may be four parallel sections that provide three channels to receive two sheets of plywood arranged either side of a sheet of insulation. In this way an insulated wall can be formed.
The channels created by the guide may be of different widths to accommodate different materials. For example in some embodiments the channel may be 3 mm to receive cardboard, and in some embodiments the channels may be 6 mm to receive plywood.
A guide may be provided on one or more location on the outer face of the socket and/or body. For example for a square or rectangular socket guides may be provided on one, two, three or four of the sides. In this way, with more guides on different faces, more complex modular assemblies can be formed.
In a preferred embodiment the guide has at least one aperture for receiving a securing means. This allows the sheet of material to be fixed to the connector by the guide. For example a screw, a tie or a bolt may be used to connect the sheet to the guide. These apertures are also designed to be used as tie holes to support other materials such as fabric tied to the apertures by string or wire.
In preferred embodiments the connector is formed as a single part. For example, in a preferred embodiment the connector may be injection molded to form a single part. It is appreciated that in some embodiments the connector may be formed from two or more parts.
Preferably the connectors are formed from recycled synthetic plastics, but it is appreciated that the connectors may be made from many other suitable materials.
In some embodiments the body is shaped to provide a fixed angle between the at least two sockets. In this way the orientation of the sockets is fixed, for example at right angles so that two lengths of material extend at for example 90 degrees with respect to each other. It is appreciated that the sockets may open at any other pre-defined angle for creating different modular designs.
In another embodiment the body has at least one articulated joint to adjust the angle between the sockets. In this way sockets can move in more than one axis and a user can select and adjust orientation of the sockets to increase the number of modular frameworks that can be formed from use of one connector.
Preferably each articulated joint has a locking means to selectively lock the angle between the sockets. For example the locking means may be a threaded key or handle that is used to prevent movement at the articulating joint.
In one embodiment the articulated joint has two contacting faces that each have a raised and lowered surfaces and a tighten able locking means to bring the contacting faces together, so they are locked in position. As the contacting faces come together, they engage and cannot articulate with respect to each other.
The connectors may have sockets of different shapes to accommodate different lengths of material. For example the sectional profile of each socket may be rectangular, square, or round. The dimension may also match standard materials such as lengths of batten.
In some embodiments the socket opening is tapered to help guide an end of the length of material into the socket. For example the socket may be wider at the distal end and taper to a narrower cross section at the proximal end so that the end engages with the inner surface of the socket more completely when it is fully inserted to the socket.
In some embodiments each rib may vary in depth and or width. For example the depth of the rib may increase from the distal end of the socket to the proximal end of the socket so that the end engages with the ribs more tightly when the end is fully inserted to the socket.
In some embodiments the socket includes a stopper plate or stopper to limit entry of the end of the length of material into the socket. For example, in some embodiments a closed end is created by the body so that the length of material can only be received a fixed distance into the socket. Or in an alternative embodiment an inner face of the body has a ridge or lip that blocks the length of material from passing through. Advantageously the ridge or lip may reduce the weight of the connector, rather than having a complete close end provided by a stopper plate.
The connector may be provided as a kit of parts including at least two connectors, at least one length of material, and/or at least one sheet of material.
Some preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which:
i, 1C show an embodiment of a connector with three sockets;
The Figures show various embodiments of connectors 100, 101, 102, 200, 300, 400, 401, 500, 600, 601 that can be used together to form a modular framework using lengths and sheets of material.
Each embodiment has at least two sockets 1, 2, 3, 4 that extend from a body 50.
Each socket 1, 2, 3, 4 has at least one slot 11 through a wall of the socket to enable movement of an end of a length of material, such as plank or batten, into and out of the socket 1, 2, 3, 4 by use of a tool to engage with the material and urge it to or from the socket. It is appreciated that the slots may be provided on any part of the wall of the socket.
The sockets 1, 2, 3, 4 have internal ribs 12 extending axially from the opening towards to body 50 to grip the end of the length of material that is inserted.
Holes 10 are provided on the sockets 1, 2, 3, 4 to allow a fixed engagement of an end of a length of material to the connector. An attachment means is inserted through the hole, for example with a bespoke locking key, a nail, or a screw.
In particular reference to
In all embodiments 100, 101 and 102 sockets 1 and 2 are in the same plane and extend at 90 degree angles with respect to each other. The third socket 3 extends in a second plane. In the embodiment shown in
Embodiments 100, 101, 102, 400, 600 have guides 20 for receiving an edge of a sheet of material. The guides 20 are formed from two or more planar sections that together define one or more channel for receiving a sheet of material. The guides 20 include apertures 21 that enable securement of the or each sheet of material to the connectors. The apertures 21 may also provide a securing point for other materials, for example to tie on a sheet of fabric.
The guides 20 in embodiments 100, 101, 102, 200, 400, 600 are substantially triangular and connect to outer faces of the body 50 and sockets 1, 2, 3, 4.
In
In
In
In
A locking means 7, 8 is provided to fix the location of the sockets 1, 2, 3 with respect to each other. The locking means 7 comprises a screw thread and a handle 8, locking in a nut 17 and the joint is provided by two discs which have opposing and contacting circular faces 18 (see
Such faces 18 are provided with a raised and lowered surface formed by radially extending ribs, wherein an opposed surface on the opposing disc is pushed against the raised and lowered face 18 so as to form a friction lock when the handle 8 is turned clockwise.
In this way the sockets 1, 2, 6 can be rotated relative to the support 6 by means of the articulated joints 4, 5.
This third socket 3 includes substantially triangular guides 20 to either side. On the third socket 3 on the wider sides there are provided a slot 11 on one side and a hole 10 on the opposed side.
The narrow sides of the sockets 1, 2, 3, 4 have slots 11 and one of the larger sides has a hole 10.
The embodiments shown in
The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims.
