Patent Application
20220228333
The present inventions generally pertain to protective structures, and more particularly to guards for protecting columns and other structures.
It is not unusual for buildings such as multi-level storage buildings and warehouses used in various commercial and other settings to include various physical items vertically situated therein. Examples of vertical structures may include vertical concrete columns or steel beams that form part of the structure of the building. These vertical structures might be interspersed throughout the interior spaces of the building and also along the periphery of the building, such as adjacent exterior building walls including in building corners. Other examples of items vertically disposed within open building structures such as storage buildings or warehouses might include pipes and electrical conduits, which again may be disposed in interior spaces and/or adjacent exterior walls of buildings. Other examples of vertically disposed items within such buildings may include internal walls, such as part of an internal room or office disposed within the building structure, which may include, for example, exterior corners. Still further examples of vertically disposed items may include elevated tanks, piping, and machinery supports.
It is also not uncommon for movable machinery such as fork-lifts to be used for various reasons within such building structures. It is inevitable that such movable machinery will come into contact with items vertically disposed within the building, examples of which are described above. Accordingly, there is a need and desire for protective guard structures to be constructed adjacent to and/or surrounding such vertically disposed items to act as a protective barrier or guard to prevent the movable machinery from coming into contact with the vertically disposed items, such as to prevent a fork-lift from contacting and damaging a concrete column.
Various patent publications exist that may be tangentially related to the above-described need, including for example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,301 to Fox entitled “Corrosion-Resistant Encasement For Structural Members”; U.S. Pat. No. 9,732,485 to McCue et al. entitled “Column Protector”; U.S. Pat. No. 10,648,175 to Ryan et al. entitled “Column Protector and Column Protection System”; United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2010/0024335 by Blanco entitled “Service Tower Base Installation and Protective Barrier Assembly Therefor”; and CN Patent No. CN 1080035280 entitled “Novel Concrete Base Safety Guard Device.” These items, however, do not satisfy the present need as described above.
There is thus a need for a solution that by virtue of its design and components would be able to address at least one of the above-mentioned needs, or overcome or at least minimize at least one of the above-mentioned drawbacks. As will become apparent from the description and explanation set forth below, the present inventions accomplish such solutions.
In one aspect, a specific embodiment of the present inventions may be a protective guard comprising: a front wall and a side wall disposed in generally perpendicular relationship and joined at a corner, the intersection of the front wall and the side wall defining a first angled wall at the corner, the first angled wall extending from a top surface of the corner to a first connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the corner, and the front wall having a left edge defining a second angled wall extending from a top surface of the front wall to a second connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the front wall. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the first connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the first connecting tab, and the second connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the second connecting tab. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the front wall and the side wall define an L-shaped cross section. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the side wall may include a right edge defining a third angled wall extending from a top surface of the side wall to a third connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the side wall, the third connecting tab including an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the third connecting tab.
In another aspect, a specific embodiment of the present inventions may be a corner protective guard comprising: a front wall and a side wall disposed in generally perpendicular relationship to each other and joined to form a corner, the intersection of the front wall and the side wall defining a first angled wall at the corner, the first angled wall extending from a top surface of the corner to a first connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the corner, the front wall having a left edge defining a second angled wall extending from a top surface of the front wall to a second connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the front wall, and the side wall including a right edge defining a third angled wall extending from a top surface of the side wall to a third connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the side wall. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the first connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the first connecting tab, the second connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the second connecting tab, and the third connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the third connecting tab.
In another aspect, a specific embodiment of the present inventions may be a corner protective guard comprising: a left wall, a front wall, and a right wall, the left wall joined in generally perpendicular relationship to a left edge of the front wall to form a left corner, the right wall joined in generally perpendicular relationship to a right edge of the front wall to form a right corner, a first angled wall disposed adjacent a left edge of the left wall and extending from a top surface of the left wall to a first connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the left wall, a second angled wall disposed adjacent the left corner and extending from a top surface of the left corner to a second connecting tab formed adjacent the bottom edge of the left wall, a third angled wall disposed adjacent the right corner and extending from a top surface of the right corner to a third connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the right wall, and a fourth angled wall disposed adjacent a right edge of the right wall and extending from a top surface of the right wall to a fourth connecting tab formed adjacent the bottom edge of the right wall. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the first connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the first connecting tab, the second connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the second connecting tab, the third connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the third connecting tab, and the fourth connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the fourth connecting tab. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the left wall, the front wall, and the right wall may define a generally U-shaped cross section.
In another aspect, a specific embodiment of the present inventions may be a protective guard comprising: a left wall, a front wall, and a right wall, the left wall joined in generally perpendicular relationship to a left edge of the front wall to form a left corner, the right wall joined in generally perpendicular relationship to a right edge of the front wall to form a right corner, a first angled wall disposed adjacent the left corner and extending from a top surface of the left corner to a first connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the left wall, and a second angled wall disposed adjacent the right corner and extending from a top surface of the right corner to a second connecting tab formed adjacent a bottom edge of the right wall. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the first connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the first connecting tab, and the second connecting tab may include an upper surface and a generally vertically-disposed passageway extending through the second connecting tab. Another feature of this aspect of the present inventions may be that the left wall, the front wall, and the right wall may define a generally U-shaped cross section.
Other features, aspects and advantages of the present inventions will become apparent from the following discussion and detailed description.
While the inventions will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the scope of protection is not intended to limit the inventions to those embodiments. On the contrary, the scope of protection is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined by the appended claims.
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals denote identical elements throughout the several views, and referring initially to
Referring now to
The half guard sections 10/12 may be formed from any material and in any dimensions. In a specific embodiment, each half guard section 10/12 may have an overall height of approximately forty-two inches. In a specific embodiment, the thickness of the front wall 20 and the side wall 22 may be approximately eight inches. In a specific embodiment, each of the first and second connecting tabs 30 and 42 may have a height of approximately six inches, and a depth from outside corner to their respective angled wall 26 and 40 of approximately five inches. In a specific embodiment, each passageway 36 and 46 may be circular and have a diameter of approximately one inch. In a specific embodiment, the respective widths of the front wall 20 and the side wall 22 may be sized according to the size of the column 16 or other structure to be protected.
As mentioned above, various embodiments, guard shapes, and applications are contemplated and intended to be encompassed by the present inventions. One application mentioned above is directed to protection of columns or other structures located in an interior corner of a building or room. Referring now to
In another specific embodiment, as shown in
In a specific embodiment, a left edge 78 of the left wall 64 may be provided with a first angled wall 80 extending from a top surface 82 of the U-corner guard 62 to a first connecting tab 84 formed adjacent a bottom edge 86 of the U-corner guard 62. The first connecting tab 84 may include an upper surface 88 and a generally vertically-disposed passageway 90 through the first connecting tab 84 adapted for receiving an anchor bolt 18 as described above.
In a specific embodiment, the left corner 72 may be provided with a second angled wall 92 extending from the top surface 82 of the U-corner guard 62 to a second connecting tab 94 formed adjacent the bottom edge 86 of the U-corner guard 62. The second connecting tab 94 may include an upper surface 96 and a generally vertically-disposed passageway 98 through the second connecting tab 94 adapted for receiving an anchor bolt 18 as described above.
In a specific embodiment, the right corner 76 may be provided with a third angled wall 100 extending from the top surface 82 of the U-corner guard 62 to a third connecting tab 102 formed adjacent the bottom edge 86 of the U-corner guard 62. The third connecting tab 102 may include an upper surface 104 and a generally vertically-disposed passageway 106 through the third connecting tab 102 adapted for receiving an anchor bolt 18 as described above.
In a specific embodiment, a right edge 108 of the right wall 68 may be provided with a fourth angled wall 110 extending from a top surface 82 of the U-corner guard 62 to a fourth connecting tab 112 formed adjacent a bottom edge 86 of the U-corner guard 62. The fourth connecting tab 112 may include an upper surface 114 and a generally vertically-disposed passageway 116 through the fourth connecting tab 112 adapted for receiving an anchor bolt 18 as described above.
In another specific embodiment, as shown in
In a specific embodiment, the left corner 128 may be provided with a first angled wall 134 extending from a top surface 136 of the face guard 118 to a first connecting tab 138 formed adjacent a bottom edge 140 of the face guard 118. The first connecting tab 138 may include an upper surface 142 and a generally vertically-disposed passageway 144 through the first connecting tab 138 adapted for receiving an anchor bolt 18 as described above.
In a specific embodiment, the right corner 132 may be provided with a second angled wall 146 extending from the top surface 136 of the face guard 118 to a second connecting tab 148 formed adjacent the bottom edge 140 of the face guard 118. The second connecting tab 148 may include an upper surface 150 and a generally vertically-disposed passageway 152 through the second connecting tab 148 adapted for receiving an anchor bolt 18 as described above.
In a specific embodiment, the U-corner guard 62 and the face guard 118 may be placed, for example, against a wall to enclose and protect items such as piping, valves, electrical boxes, ducts, conduit, or other utilities running along the wall. The various embodiments of guards described herein could have many applications in a variety of industrial and manufacturing facilities, and are not limited to the examples included herein.
It is to be understood that the inventions disclosed herein are not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials or embodiments shown and described. Although specific embodiments of the inventions have been described, various modifications, alterations, alternative constructions, and equivalents are also encompassed within the scope of the inventions. Although the present inventions may have been described using a particular series of steps, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present inventions is not limited to the described series of steps. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will be evident that additions, subtractions, deletions, and other modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the inventions as set forth in the claims set forth below. Accordingly, the inventions are therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
