Patent Application
20110170983
1. Field
The present invention relates generally to fasteners. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention concern a children's playset and a fastener to be used with a playset.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Locking fasteners are well known in the prior art. For instance, it is known in the art to use complementally threaded fasteners, such as a threaded screw and nut, with a locking element designed to limit the threaded fasteners from being inadvertently unthreaded from each other. Conventional fastener locking elements include lock washers and thread-locking substances. Prior art lock washers operate as a spring to urge the screw and nut away from each other and thereby maintain an enhanced amount of frictional engagement between the threads of the screw and nut. Prior art lock washers also frictionally engage and thereby directly restrict rotation of the screw and/or nut.
Children's playsets are also conventional and often include a combination of modular playset components, such as a swing, slide, sandbox, or playhouse. Prior art modular playsets commonly include components that are interconnected by fasteners at component joints.
Prior art locking fasteners are deficient and have various limitations. For example, prior art locking fasteners allow ready loosening of the fastener. Prior art fasteners also allow the fastener to be loosened or otherwise altered in a manner that was not intended. While some fasteners include a head constructed to be engaged by a customized tool, the head can be modified to permit engagement with a standard tool.
Conventional playsets are also deficient and suffer from certain limitations. For instance, prior art playsets component joints are prone to loosening with extended playset use. In particular, it is known where relative cyclical movement between components can cause loosening or failure of the corresponding fasteners. Prior art playsets also permit tampering of the component joints (e.g., by purposely loosening the corresponding fasteners).
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a locking fastener and playset that effectively prevents fastener loosening and tampering.
The following brief summary is provided to indicate the nature of the subject matter disclosed herein. While certain aspects of the present invention are described below, the summary is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a playset and ratcheting fastener assembly that do not suffer from the problems and limitations of the prior art playsets and fasteners set forth above.
A first aspect of the present invention concerns a ratcheting fastener assembly operable to be secured to an object. The fastener assembly broadly includes a rotatable threaded fastener and a ratchet washer. The rotatable threaded fastener includes a serrated ratchet head and a threaded fastener body extending axially from the ratchet head. The ratchet head includes a plurality of axially projecting serrations spaced around the body, with adjacent serrations presenting a notch therebetween. The ratchet washer is in ratcheting engagement with the head and includes an annular washer frame that presents opposite washer sides. The ratchet washer includes at least one tooth that projects axially from one of the washer sides and is operable to engage the object and restrict washer rotation when the fastener is rotated in either a tightening or loosening direction. The ratchet washer includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced pawls that project axially from the other of the washer sides. The pawls are received in corresponding notches. The pawls and corresponding serrations rotatably ratchet relative to each other when the fastener is rotated in the tightening direction to permit relative rotation between the fastener and washer. The pawls and corresponding serrations engage each other when the head is rotated in the loosening direction to restrict relative rotation between the fastener and washer.
A second aspect of the present invention concerns a playset broadly including first and second structural members and a ratcheting fastener assembly. The first and second structural members are positioned adjacent each other, with one of the members supporting the other member. The ratcheting fastener assembly is secured to the members and thereby holds the members in secured engagement with each other. The fastener assembly includes a rotatable threaded fastener with a serrated ratchet head and a threaded fastener body extending axially from the ratchet head. The threaded fastener body is attached relative to the first structural member. The ratchet head includes a plurality of axially projecting serrations spaced around the body, with adjacent serrations presenting a notch therebetween. The fastener assembly includes a ratchet element in ratcheting engagement with the head and includes a frame that presents opposite sides. The ratchet element includes at least one tooth that projects axially from one of the frame sides and engages the second structural member to restrict element rotation when the fastener is rotated in either a tightening or loosening direction. The ratchet element includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced pawls that project axially from the other of the frame sides. The pawls are received in corresponding notches. The pawls and corresponding serrations rotatably ratchet relative to each other when the fastener is rotated in the tightening direction to permit relative rotation between the fastener and ratchet element. The pawls and corresponding serrations engage each other when the head is rotated in the loosening direction to restrict relative rotation between the fastener and ratchet element.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the preferred embodiment.
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The tower base 40 includes a plurality of side boards 46 that are fastened together to present sides of a box structure (e.g., for use as a sandbox) and outrigger boards 48 that project outwardly from opposite sides of the box structure. Boards 46,48 are secured by a plurality of base ratchet fastener assemblies 50, which will be discussed in greater detail. The principles of the present invention are applicable where base 40 has an alternative construction. Furthermore, for some aspects of the invention, the tower 22 could be devoid of the tower base 40.
The illustrated enclosure 42 includes upright elongated stanchions 52a,b,c,d that present upper and lower stanchion ends, with the lower stanchion ends being attached to respective corners of the box structure. The enclosure 42 further includes a deck 54, front panel 56, rear panel 58, left panel 60, right panel 62, and roof 64 that interconnect the stanchions 52. The roof 64 preferably includes a roof frame 66 and a flexible cover 68 supported by the frame 66. The frame 66 is secured to stanchions 52 with roof ratchet fastener assemblies 70.
The rear and right panels 58,62 include corresponding lateral braces 72,74 that extend between and interconnect respective stanchions 52. The panels 58,62 also include upright slats attached to the braces 72,74. The front panel 56 includes lateral braces 76,78 that extend between and interconnect respective stanchions 52. The front panel 56 also includes upright slats 80 that interconnect the braces 76,78. The lateral brace 76, slats 80, and deck 54 cooperatively present an opening 82 that receives the upper end 32 of the slide 24.
The left panel 60 includes lateral braces 84,86,88 that extend between and interconnect corresponding stanchions 52. The left panel 60 also includes upright slats 90 that are spaced uniformly along and interconnect the braces 86,88. The panels 56,58,60,62 are fastened to the stanchions 52 with panel ratchet fastener assemblies 92, as will be discussed further.
The gusset beams 44 each interconnect a corresponding stanchion 52 and outrigger board 48. The gusset beams 44 include a board 94 with upper and lower ends and a bracket 96 attached to the upper end of the board 94. The bracket 96 is preferably formed of metal, although other suitable materials are certainly within the ambit of the present invention. The bracket 96 presents a lower opening 97 that receives the upper end of board 94. The bracket 96 also presents a countersunk hole 98. The lower end of board 94 is attached to the outrigger board 48 with one of the base ratchet fastener assemblies 50. The bracket 96 is secured within the lower opening 97 with a panel ratchet fastener assembly 92. Also, the bracket 96 is secured to the stanchion 52a by extending another panel ratchet fastener assembly 92 through the hole 98 and into the stanchion 52a (see
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The wood screw 99 includes an axially-extending externally-threaded body 102 that extends in a forward direction from a shank end to a tap end. The threaded body 102 preferably comprises a self-tapping screw. It is also within the scope of the present invention where the ratcheting fastener assembly includes an alternative screw body, such as a machine screw body, as will be discussed further. While the illustrated body 102 has right-hand threads, it is within the ambit of the present invention where the body 102 has left-hand threads.
The wood screw 98 also preferably includes a head 104 presenting a socket 106 on a socket side of the head 104 and a plurality of circumferentially spaced serrations 108 on the opposite shank side. The illustrated serrations 108 preferably project radially inwardly from the circumferential margin of the head 104 so that the serrations 108 present an annular serrated face.
Each serration 108 presents a locking serration flat 110 and a serration cam surface 112 that meet at a radial edge. The serration flat 110 extends substantially parallel to the fastener axis. As will be discussed in greater detail, the flats 110 are configured to engage corresponding flats of the washer 100. Each cam surface 112 extends from the radial edge to an adjacent flat 110 in a counterclockwise circumferential direction when the wood screw 98 is viewed from the front. The cam surface 112 also extends in an aft direction from the radial edge so as to intersect the adjacent flat 110 at a base thereof. Thus, each cam surface 112 lies generally in a plane that is preferably at an acute angle relative to the fastener axis. While the cam surfaces 112 preferably extend from the radial edge in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from the front, it is also within the scope of the present invention where the cam surfaces 112 extend in a clockwise direction when viewed from the front, e.g., where the body 102 has left-hand threads. The cam surface 112 is operable to engage corresponding surfaces of the washer 100.
Adjacent pairs of serrations 108 each cooperatively present a notch 113 therebetween that is operable to receive a respective pawl of the washer 100, as will be discussed. In the usual manner, the head 104 is integrally formed with the body 102 so that the shank end of the body 102 is fixed to the shank side of the head 104 and the body 102 extends axially from the head 104.
As will be discussed, the star washer 100 serves to engage the substrate and the socket head 104 to restrict loosening rotation of the screw 98. The illustrated washer 100 preferably includes an annular washer body 114 and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced radial projections 116. The washer body 114 preferably comprises an endless construction and presents substantially flat sides 115a,b.
The illustrated projections 116 are preferably unitary and each include a pawl 118 configured to appropriately engage the serrations 108 and a substrate-engaging tooth 120. In particular, each integrally formed pawl 118 and tooth 120 project circumferentially away from each other to present a pawl flat 122 and tooth flat 124, respectively (see
The pawls 118 and teeth 120 are preferably substantially identical in shape. However, the principles of the present invention are applicable where pawls 118 have a different shape than teeth 120, e.g., so that the teeth 120 are constructed to securely engage an adjacent substrate.
The projections 116 are preferably attached to an outermost circumferential margin of the body 114 and project radially outwardly from the body 114. The illustrated projections 116 are arranged so that the pawls 118 project in one axial direction from the side 115b of body 114 and the teeth 120 project in the opposite axial direction from the other side 115a of body 114. Furthermore, the projections 116 are preferably uniformly spaced about the circumferential margin. While washer 100 preferably has the same number of pawls 118 and teeth 120, it is also within the scope of the present invention where the washer has different numbers of pawls 118 and teeth 120. For instance, the washer 100 preferably includes at least one tooth 120 so that the washer 100 is operable to mechanically engage a substrate to restrict washer rotation.
The washer 100 is received onto the screw 98 by inserting the body 102 through a central hole of the washer body 114. The washer 100 is arranged so that the pawls 118 are in ratcheting engagement with serrations 108. Preferably, the number of pawls 118 is identical to the number of notches 113 so that each pawl 118 can be received by a corresponding notch 113. However, for some aspects of the present invention, the number of pawls 118 could be greater or lesser than the number of notches 113.
The pawls 118 and serrations 108 are in ratcheting engagement with each other to permit rotation of the screw 98 relative to the washer 100 in the tightening rotational direction and restrict rotation of the screw 98 relative to the washer 100 in the loosening rotational direction. The screw 98 preferably has right-hand threads so that the tightening rotational direction of the screw 98 is clockwise about the screw axis when viewing the screw 98 from the rear (i.e., viewing the screw along the forward direction). Thus, the loosening direction is counterclockwise about the screw axis when viewing the screw 98 from the rear. However, the principles of the present invention are applicable where the screw 98 has left-hand threads that result in a counterclockwise tightening direction and a clockwise loosening direction. When the screw 98 rotates in sliding engagement with washer 100 in the tightening direction, cam surfaces 112 slide along corresponding outer pawl faces 128, which also serve as cam surfaces.
The screw 98 and washer 100 are also relatively positioned so that serration flats 110 and pawl flats 122 face in substantially opposed circumferential directions. Thus, when the pawls 118 engage corresponding serrations 108, serration flats 110 engage corresponding pawl flats 122 to restrict relative rotation between the screw 98 and washer 100.
As will be discussed, the teeth 120 are constructed to frictionally engage a substrate when the fastener assembly 92 is threaded into the substrate. In particular, the teeth 120 are preferably constructed to permit rotation of the fastener assembly 92 relative to the substrate in the tightening rotational direction so that the fastener assembly 92 can be installed into a fastened condition. The teeth 120 are also constructed to restrict rotation of the screw 98 relative to the substrate out of the fastened condition. Specifically, the teeth 120 frictionally engage the substrate when the fastener assembly 92 is rotated in the loosening rotational direction, and in instances when the substrate includes a material softer than the washer, the flats 124 of teeth 120 can dig into and mechanically engage the substrate.
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As the tightened screw 98 is rotated in the loosening rotational direction, the serration flats 110 engage corresponding pawl flats 122 to restrict relative rotation between the screw 98 and washer 100. Thus, loosening rotation of the screw 98 causes rotation of the washer 100 in the loosening direction. Because the tooth flats 124 generally point in the loosening direction, the flats 124 dig into the substrate material and restrict further loosening rotation when the washer is rotated in the loosening direction. Consequently, loosening rotation of the screw 98 causes the washer 100 to dig into and mechanically engage the substrate to hold the fastener assembly 92 in the fastened condition.
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The ratchet fastener assemblies 50,70,92 are preferably substantially identical to one another. However, it is also within the scope of the present invention where assemblies 50,70,92 have different configurations, e.g., different materials, fastener sizes, or fastener types, for securing respective playset components.
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The side support 142 includes lateral and upright boards 146,148 and an angle beam 150. The angle beam 150 is elongated and is preferably made of carbon steel, but could include other metal materials such as aluminum or stainless steel. The beam 150 presents a substantially continuous L-shaped cross section, with lateral and upright beam portions arranged at a right angle to one another and positioned adjacent to corresponding boards 146,148.
The boards 146,148 are connected to corresponding portions of the beam 150 by respective ratcheting fastener assemblies 152,154. Fastener assembly 152 includes a ratcheting male fastener 156 and a female fastener 158 (see
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In the illustrated embodiment, the machine screw 168 is inserted into aligned holes of the board 146 and beam 150, with the head 174 positioned adjacent the beam 150. The female fastener 158 is inserted into the corresponding hole of board 146 so that teeth 166 penetrate into the board 146. Thus, the head 174 and flange 162 are opposed to each other, with the male fastener 156 having a first tightening direction and the female fastener 158 having a second tightening direction opposite the first tightening direction. While the illustrated female fastener 158 is removably attached to board 146, it is also within the scope of the present invention where female fastener 158 is captively secured to board 146.
As the fasteners 156,158 are rotatably tightened into a fastened condition by rotating at least one of the fasteners 156,158 in the respective tightening direction, the head 174 slidably engages the washer 170 and the washer 170 frictionally engages the beam 150.
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In the illustrated embodiment, the machine screw 168 of fastener 176 is inserted into aligned holes of the board 148 and beam 150, with the head 174 positioned adjacent the beam 150. The female fastener 178 is inserted into the corresponding hole of board 148, with head 186 positioned adjacent board 148. Thus, the heads 174,186 are opposed to each other, with the male machine screw 168 having a first tightening direction and the female screw 180 having a second tightening direction opposite the first tightening direction.
As the fasteners 176,178 are rotatably tightened into a fastened condition by rotating at least one of the fasteners 156,158 in the respective tightening direction, the heads 174,186 slidably engage the corresponding washers 170,182 and the washers 170,182 frictionally engage the board 148 and beam 150, respectively.
The illustrated fastener assemblies 152,154 have been found to particularly minimize the number of fasteners needed for securement of variously-sized members. Specifically, the combination of male and female fasteners allows a single type of female fastener to be used with male fasteners of various lengths.
It has also been found that the illustrated construction of fastener assemblies 50,70,92, 152,154 provide enhanced fastening securement of playset members such that fewer screw diameters are required, i.e., such that the fastener does not have to be oversized in order to restrict fastener removal. This is particularly useful in playset applications where the sizes of fasteners are limited by industry standards so as to avoid risking injury to children.
The illustrated ratchet fastener assemblies 50,70,92,152,154 preferably include a ratcheting washer removably received on the corresponding ratcheting screw. But it is also within the ambit of the present invention where the ratcheting washer is captively rotatably mounted on the screw body (i.e., where the washer is not removable from the screw by simply sliding the washer off the screw body). Alternatively, for some aspects of the present invention, the ratcheting washer could be captively secured to the corresponding board of the playset (e.g., where the ratcheting washer is in the form of a plate or endless band secured to the board).
In use, the ratchet fastener assemblies secure members of the playset 20 to one another and restrict separation of the members. The threaded ratchet screw is rotatably tightened into a member by rotating the screw counterclockwise, with the ratchet washer being slidably received on the screw. As the screw is tightened, the serrations of the screw head are operable to slide along pawls of the ratchet washer. Furthermore, the illustrated washers include teeth that frictionally engage, and in some instances mechanically engage, the corresponding member to restrict washer rotation as the fastener assembly is located in the fastened condition.
Loosening rotation of the fastener assembly is restricted by the fastener construction when the fastener assembly is in the fastened condition. In particular, the toothed washer restricts washer rotation in either rotational direction. Furthermore, counterclockwise loosening rotation of the screw relative to the washer is restricted by engaged pairs of serrations and pawls. Thus, the screw, washer, and the corresponding member cooperatively restrict loosening of the fastener.
The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
