Patent Application
20200165813
This invention relates generally to the field of architectural panels and more specifically to a new and useful universal mounting system in the field of architectural panels.
The following description of the embodiments of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments but rather to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use this invention. Variations, configurations, implementations, example implementations, and examples described herein are optional and are not exclusive to the variations, configurations, implementations, example implementations, and examples they describe. The invention described herein can include any and all permutations of these variations, configurations, implementations, example implementations, and examples.
As shown in
As shown in
Generally, the universal mounting system 100 functions as a railing system and can be installed in deck, balcony, handicap ramp, staircase, and/or other applications to mount and secure a guardrail panel 160, such as shown in
The universal mounting system 100 also defines a geometry that carries shear forces predominantly in the mount 110 rather than in fasteners that attach the mount 110 to a substrate (e.g., a floor joist, a rim joist, a concrete slab, a steel structural member, etc.) such that the universal mounting system 100 may be installed with common construction fasteners (e.g., wood screws, concrete anchors, masonry screws, nails) driven into a substrate with common construction tools (e.g., a drill, a hammer) without significant modification to the substrate (e.g., setting of large anchors). In particular, the mount 110 includes a horizontal flange 111 and a vertical flange 113, each of which defines an array of bores configured to accept a fastener. When the mount 110 is installed over a horizontal corner of a substrate at the junction of floor sheathing and a rim joist, the horizontal flange 111 can be fastened to the floor sheathing by a set of fasteners (e.g., wood screws), and the vertical flange 113 can be fastened to the rim joist by a similar set of fasteners, as shown in
Furthermore, because the mount 110 enables installation with screws rather than with larger, more obtrusive fasteners, a waterproofing membrane or other vapor barrier may be installed over the mount 110 and these fasteners up to the return flange 116, as shown in
For brevity, the universal mounting system 100 is described herein as configured for installation on a balcony. However, the universal mounting system 100 can be similarly installed on a deck, a handicap ramp, a staircase, or an elevated platform, etc. Furthermore, a single mount 110 (“the mount 110”), a single bracket 120 (“the bracket 120”) and a single panel 160 (“the panel 160”) are described herein; however, the universal mounting system 100 can include any number of identical, similar, or dissimilar mounts 110, brackets 120, and/or panels 160, each including any permutation of features and elements described herein.
In one example application, the universal mounting system 100 is installed on a balcony constructed with dimensional wood joists, including double-wide outer floor joists and a double-wide rim joist (or a rim joist with blocking, as shown in
At a later time, a sex bolt 140 (or barrel nut, etc.) is installed in the lower receiver 126 of each bracket 120 in the universal mounting system 100, and a bracket 120 is fitted over the threaded studs of a corresponding mount 110 previously installed on the balcony; a pair of washers and nuts are then installed over the threaded studs and finger-tightened to anchor each bracket 120 to a corresponding mount 110. Starting at one end of the balcony, an installer standing on the balcony and over the mounts 110 can then lower a panel 160 into position on two adjacent brackets 120 by: slipping the open slot 162 on each projection of the panel 160 over the sex bolts 140 installed in the lower receivers 126 of the adjacent brackets 120; pivoting the panel 160 into a substantially vertical orientation to align the closed slots 161 on each side of the panel 160 with the upper receivers 125 of the adjacent brackets 120; with one hand holding the panel 160 upright, slipping a threaded fastener through the upper receiver 125 of the bracket 120 at the end of the balcony and through the corresponding closed slot of the panel 160; and installing a nut and washer over the threaded fastener to retain the panel 160 against the bracket 120 at the end of the balcony, such as shown in
The mount 110 of the universal mounting system 100 includes a horizontal flange 111, a vertical flange 113, a vertical capture channel 115, a return flange 116, an upper threaded stud 130A, and a lower threaded stud 130B, as shown in
The mount 110 includes a horizontal flange 111 configured to rest on a substantially horizontal surface of the substrate and to transfer vertical loads into the adjacent substrate through compression. In one implementation in which the universal mounting system 100 is configured for installation on a wood joist substrate, the horizontal flange 111 can include an array of bores defining two rows of bores spaced along the horizontal flange 111 and substantially parallel to the corner of the mount 110, as shown in
In another implementation, the first array of bores 112 can be distributed across the horizontal flange 111 according to a spacing that accommodates for sizes and spacing of rebar cast in an adjacent concrete structure. In this implementation, bores in the horizontal flange 111 can be sized to receive countersunk, self-tapping concrete anchors and can be countersunk such that installed fasteners are substantially flush with the outer broad face of the horizontal flange 111.
The mount 110 also includes a vertical flange 113 that extends below the horizontal flange 111. The vertical flange 113 can be perpendicular to the horizontal flange 111 for installation over a square structure, such as over a square balcony ledge, over a square deck ledge, over a square-edged staircase, or over a square-edged landing. Alternatively, the vertical flange 113 and the horizontal flange 111 can form any other included angle to seat over an edge of any other geometry. For example, the mount 110 can be configured for installation on the cantilevered edge of a balcony that slopes outwardly from a structure at an angle of 5° below horizontal. In this example, the interior face of the vertical flange 113 and the interior face of the horizontal flange 111 can define an included angle of 95° in order to seat squarely on the top of the balcony (e.g., on sheathing) and on the side of the balcony (e.g., on a rim or floor joist).
The horizontal flange 111 defines an outer broad face and a second array of bores 114 across the outer broad face, as shown in
The horizontal flange 111 and vertical flange 113 can cooperate to translate vertical loads and torques applied to the adjacent installed panel 160 into (predominantly) tensile forces across fasteners that anchor the mount 110 to a substrate. In particular, the fasteners anchoring the mount 110 to the substrate can remain predominantly in tension across a range of loads and torques applied to the installed panel 160, and the mount 110—rather than the fasteners—can carry a substantial portion of shear loads within the universal mounting system 100, such as along a junction between the horizontal and vertical flanges 113. For example, with a first set of fasteners passing through the first array of bores 112 normal to the horizontal flange 111 and a second set of fasteners passing through the second array of bores 114 normal to the vertical flange 113 thus anchoring the mount 110 to a substrate, the vertical load of the panel 160 on the mount 110 is transferred from the horizontal flange 111 directly into the substrate, the second set of fasteners remain in tension to prevent the horizontal flange 111 from sliding off of the substrate, and tension on the first set of fasteners remains relatively unchanged. Thus, the horizontal flange 111 carries a substantial portion of applied shear forces due to vertical loads on the universal mounting system 100 (e.g., rather than the second set of fasteners). Furthermore, in this example, when a lateral force is applied to either side of the panel 160, a moment (i.e., torque) is transferred into the mount 110; however, this moment is resisted by tension in the first and second sets of fasteners. The horizontal and vertical flanges 113 of the mount 110 can therefore cooperate to carry shear loads, thereby reducing diameter and length requirements for fasteners that anchor the mount 110 to a substrate—compared to fastener diameter and lengths necessitated by classical balustrade mounts 110 that excludes such a horizontal flange 111—to withstand target live loads and dead loads.
The mount 110 can be anchored to the substrate with one or more various types of fastener to satisfy load requirements for the installation. For example, the first and second arrays of bores in the horizontal flange 111 and vertical flange 113, respectively, can each include a linear array of twelve bores, and the mount 110 can be anchored to the substrate with 24 10-penny nails—which may sustain relatively large shear loads—driven through these bores. In another example, the mount 110 can be anchored to the substrate with a similar number of screws—which may sustain relatively large tensile loads—driven through and countersunk into these bores. The mount 110 can also be anchored to the substrate with a combination of screws and nails to achieve a target combination of tension and shear performance across the fasteners. For example, the first array of bores 112 can be configured to house nails driven through the horizontal flange 111 while the second array of bores 114 can be counter sunk to receive screws driven through the vertical flange 113 and into the substrate. Therefore, the nails fastening the horizontal flange 111 to the substrate can withstand the greater shear stresses affecting the horizontal flange 111, while the screws fastening the vertical flange 113 to the substrate can withstand the tensile stresses distributed across the vertical flange 113. However, the horizontal flange 111 and vertical flange 113 can define any other number of bores in any other pattern and configured to receive any other suitable type or combination of types of fasteners to anchor the mount 110 to a substrate.
In one variation shown in
The upper capture channel 115A and lower capture channel 115B can be welded, brazed, or otherwise assembled onto the vertical channel of the mount 110 and can define parallel linear tracks through which corresponding threaded studs can slide when assembling and aligning one or more panels 160 on the mount 110, as shown in
As described above, the upper threaded stud 130A of the universal mounting system 100 is captured by and extends outwardly from the upper capture channel 115A, the lower threaded stud 130B of the universal mounting system 100 is captured by and extends outwardly from the lower capture channel 115B, and the upper threaded stud 130A and lower threaded stud 130B cooperate to attach the bracket 120 to the mount 110 within a range of lateral and roll positions, as shown in
Alternatively, the universal mounting system 100 can include upper and lower threaded nuts or fasteners defining geometries similar to the heads of the threaded studs described above and similarly installed in the upper capture channel 115A and lower capture channel 115B. The bracket 120 can thus be anchored to the mount 110 by a pair of bolts passing through the first slot 122 and the second slot 123 in the bracket 120 and into the upper and lower nuts in the upper capture channel 115A and lower capture channel 115B.
In another variation shown in
Therefore, in this variation, the mount 110 can include a single vertical capture channel 115 that accommodates both vertical and horizontal adjustment of the bracket 120 relative to the mount 110 while also defining a narrow profile that may be (nearly) fully obscured by the bracket 120 when installed.
The mount 110 further includes a return flange 116 extending from the outer broad face, arranged about the capture channel(s), and inset from a perimeter of the outer broad face. Generally, the return flange 116 defines a finish edge for exterior cladding installed over the outer broad face of the vertical flange 113.
In the variation described above in which the mount 110 includes an upper capture channel 115A and a lower capture channel 115B, the return flange 116 includes a continuous annular eave 117 extending from the outer broad face of the vertical flange 113 and configured to abut an edge of a moisture barrier and an edge of an exterior cladding installed over the horizontal flange 111. In this implementation, the return flange 116 can define a rectilinear extension set inside the perimeter of the outer broad face of the vertical flange 113. In one example in which the mount 110 includes an upper capture channel 115A and a lower capture channel 115B, the return flange 116 includes: a right eave (shown in
The perimeter of the vertical flange 113 is offset beyond the perimeter of the return flange 116 by an offset distance, and the vertical flange 113 defines the second array of bores 114 between its perimeter and the perimeter of the return flange 116. In one example, the perimeter of the flange extends beyond the perimeter of the return flange 116 by at least a minimal overlap span specified for a moisture barrier (e.g., a water-proofing membrane) installed over the horizontal flange 111 and vertical flange 113 and abutting the perimeter of the return flange 116, as shown in
The outer ends of the eaves—opposite the vertical flange 113—can be finished square. Alternatively, the return flange 116 can include a lip extending laterally outward and toward the perimeter of the vertical flange 113 such that exterior cladding can be finished up to and behind the lip around the full perimeter of the return flange 116, as shown in
In the foregoing implementation, because a lip extending from the upper eave 118 may collect moisture from the face of the exterior cladding above and funnel this moisture behind the cladding and the moisture barrier, the return flange 116 can exclude a lip along the upper eave 118. The upper eave 118 of the return flange 116 can additionally or alternatively include one or more drainage holes passing from the top of the upper eave 118 into the upper capture channel 115A to drain moisture collected by the upper lip. In particular, the mount 110 can include vertical drainage holes in the upper eave 118, through the upper and lower sections of the upper capture channel 115A, and through the upper section of the lower capture channel 115B such that moisture collecting above the upper eave 118, in the upper capture channel 115A, and above the lower capture channel 115B passes vertically downward into the lower capture channel 115B. The lower capture channel 115B can also include drainage features that discharge this moisture—thus collected in the lower capture channel 115B—laterally over the lower eave 119 and out of the mount 110. For example, the lower outer corners of the lower capture channel 115B may not be welded to the return flange 116, thereby preserving a pass-through for moisture collecting in the lower capture channel 115B to drip out of the lower capture channel 115B, over the lower lip extending from the lower eave 119, and onto the exterior cladding below. Alternatively, the lower lip of the capture channel can include a through-bore near each end adjacent the right and left eaves of the return flange 116 such that moisture collecting in the lower capture channel 115B is discharged through these through-bores. Thus, as in the foregoing examples, the mount 110 can define multiple drainage features along or adjacent the lower capture channel 115B such that at least one of the drainage features intersects a low point of the lower capture channel 115B to preserve drainage even when the mount 110 is installed on a sloped surface (e.g., on a staircase or a handicap ramp). However, the mount 110 can include any other suitable number and configuration of draining features on the upper eave 118, the lower eave 119, the upper capture channel 115A, and/or the lower capture channel 115B to release
The horizontal flange 111 and the vertical flange 113 can define a singular structure. In one example, 18-gauge steel sheet is cut to size and the first and second arrays of bores are formed, such as by laser-cutting, water-jet cutting, punching, and/or shearing. This sheet is then bent in a sheet metal brake to form the horizontal and vertical flanges 113. Alternatively, the horizontal flange 111 and vertical flange 113 can be formed from disparate structures and welded together. For example: a first plate can be trimmed to size and punched to form the first array of bores 112; a second plate can be trimmed to size and punched to form the second array of bores 114; and the first and second plates can be welded along abutting edges to form the horizontal flange 111 and vertical flange 113, respectively. The upper capture channel 115A and lower capture channel 115B can then be welded onto the vertical flange 113, the upper threaded stud 130A inserted into the upper capture channel 115A, and the lower threaded stud 130B inserted into the lower capture channel 115B. Four separate eaves can then be installed around and welded to the capture channels and to the vertical flange 113, thereby closing the ends of the capture channels. Alternatively, the return flange 116 can be formed and welded into an annular ring before being slipped over and welded to the capture channels, such as with a continuous weld bead or an intermittent weld bead around the perimeter of the return flange 116. However, the mount 110 can be formed and assembled in any other suitable way.
Alternatively, in the variation described above in which the mount 110 includes a single vertical capture channel 115 assembled (e.g., welded) onto the vertical flange 113, the return flange 116 can include: an upper eave 118 that closes the upper end of the vertical capture channel 115; a lower eave 119 that closes the lower end of the vertical capture channel 115; and flanges extending along the vertical sides of the vertical capture channel 115 to meet the upper eave 118 and lower eave 119. The return flange 116 can thus close the ends of the vertical capture channel 115 and can define a flange or “lip” extending about the full perimeter of the vertical capture channel 115. As described above, the upper eave 118 can be perforated to permit moisture infiltrating a gap between the lip of the upper eave 118 and the exterior facade to pass downwardly toward the lower eave 119. The lower eave 119 can be fully welded or otherwise sealed against the lower end of the vertical capture channel 115 to prevent moisture collecting on the lower eave 119 inside the vertical capture channel 115 from exiting the vertical capture channel 115 behind the exterior facade below the lower eave 119; rather moisture that collects on the lower eave 119 inside vertical capture channel 115 can exit the vertical capture channel 115 by flowing down the lower lip of the lower eave 119 and over the exterior facade below. Furthermore, the upper eave 118 and lower eave 119 can be declined toward the front of the vertical capture channel 115 (i.e., away from the vertical flange 113), such as by 5°, such that moisture collecting on the tops of the upper eave 118 and lower eave 119 is funneled toward the front of the capture channel and away from the vertical flange 113, which may prevent moisture from penetrating and collecting behind a waterproofing barrier installed over the vertical flange 113. The mount 110 can then be fabricated as described above.
However, the mount 110 can define any other form and can be fabricated in any other way.
The bracket 120 of the universal mounting system 100 can include: a first member 121 defining a first slot 122 configured to receive the upper threaded stud 130A and a second slot 123 configured to receive the lower threaded stud 130B, the first slot 122 and the second slot 123 sharing a common radial center; and a second member 124 extending from and substantially perpendicular to the first member 121 and defining an upper receiver 125 and a lower receiver 126 offset below the upper receiver 125, as shown in
In the variation described above in which the mount 110 includes a single vertical capture channel 115, the first member 121 of the bracket 120 is configured to face the vertical capture channel 115 of the mount 110 and defines a first slot 122 and a second slot 123 configured to receive threaded studs extending outwardly from the vertical capture channel 115, as shown in
Alternatively, in the variation described above in which the mount 110 includes two distinct capture channels, the first member 121 of the bracket 120 is configured to face the capture channel(s) of the mount 110 and defines a set of radial slots that receive threaded studs extending outwardly from the capture channel(s), as shown in
One variation of the universal mounting system 100 includes a set of brackets 120, each bracket 120 defining radial slots spanning a different angular distance within the set. For example, the set of brackets 120 can include a first bracket 120 defining radial slots spanning 20°, a second bracket 120 defining radial slots spanning 40°, and a third bracket 120 defining radial slots spanning 60° that can be positioned up to 10°, 20°, and 30°, respectively, from either side of vertical on the mount 110. In this example, an installer can select a particular bracket 120—from the set of brackets 120—to accommodate a range of angular positions required for each mount 110 position within an installation.
The first slot 122 and the second slot 123 can be sized for close running fit with the threaded studs installed in the capture channel(s). Alternatively, the first slot 122 and the second slot 123 can each be wider than the diameters of the upper threaded stud 130A and lower threaded stud 130B, respectively, such that bracket 120 can be shifted both laterally and vertically—in addition to rotationally—on the mounts 110. Yet alternatively, rather than radial slots, the first member 121 of the bracket 120 can define a pair of vertical slots configured to receive the threaded studs extending from the mount 110 such that the bracket 120 can be shifted vertically relative to the mount 110. However, the first member 121 of the bracket 120 can include any other number and configuration of slots configured to receive threaded studs extending out of (or threaded fasteners passing into) the capture channel(s).
The second member 124 of the bracket 120 extends from and is substantially perpendicular to the first member 121. In one implementation, the first member 121 and the second member 124 define a unitary structure, such as cut from a single section of angle iron or formed (e.g., bent) from steel plate. Alternatively, the first member 121 and the second member 124 of the bracket 120 can be fabricated by welding the first member 121 to the second member 124.
The upper receiver 125 of the second member 124 of the bracket 120 can define a horizontally-elongated slot such that a fastener passing through the upper receiver 125 and a corresponding bore in an adjacent panel 160 can be shifted inward toward and outward in the horizontal plane relative to the mount 110. The lower receiver 126 of the second member 124 can be of similar geometry and can be offset below the upper receiver 125. Thus, for a set of mounts 110 and panels 160 installed in series along the perimeter of a balcony or other structure, fasteners that fix each plate to a corresponding bracket 120 can be shifted along the upper receiver 125 and lower receiver 126 to set the depth positions of the panels 160 on their respective mounts 110, such as to align the broad faces of the panels 160 in a vertical plane. Alternatively, the upper receiver 125 and the lower receiver 126 can define circular bores that are oversized for their designated fasteners; fasteners installed in the upper receiver 125 and the lower receiver 126 can thus be adjusted vertically and longitudinally within their respective oversized receivers. However, the second member 124 of the bracket 120 can define one or more receivers or any other geometry and position to couple one or more adjacent panels 160 to the mount 110.
The universal mounting system 100 can also include a set of fasteners that mount 110 the panel 160 to the bracket 120. In one implementation, the universal mounting system 100 includes: a threaded bolt, a flat washer, a lock washer, and a threaded nut designated for the upper receiver 125; and a sex bolt 140 defining a center cylinder of a first diameter terminating on each end in larger-diameter flanges, separable into two halves, and designated for the lower receiver 126, as shown in
In one implementation, the bracket 120 includes a third member, which extends from and is substantially perpendicular to the first member 121 and is opposite the second member 124. The third member is similar to the second member 124 in that the third member can define a unitary structure with the first member 121 and the second member 124, such as cut from a single section of angle iron or formed (e.g., bent) from steel plate. The third member defines a second upper receiver 125 and a second lower receiver 126 opposite the upper receiver 125 and the lower receiver 126 of the second member 124. Therefore, a panel 160, post, or any other component configured to attach to the bracket 120 can be inserted between the second member 124 and the third member of the bracket 120 and fastened, via the aforementioned fasteners passing through the upper receiver 125 of the second member 124 and the third member and through the lower receiver 126 of the second member 124 and the third member.
The panel 160 of the universal mounting system 100 includes a projection defining an open slot 162 and a closed slot 161 configured to receive a set of fasteners (e.g., a threaded bolt and a sex bolt 140) passing through the upper receiver 125 and the lower receiver 126 of the bracket 120. Generally, the panel 160 defines an integrated banister and balustrade unit (or “guardrail panel 160”) configured for installation on the bracket 120. In one implementation, the universal mounting system 100 includes multiple identical panels 160 installed in series along a structure to form a continuous guardrail.
A panel 160 in the universal mounting system 100 can be formed by cutting and bending sheet metal into a singular structure defining a banister and balustrade. For example, the panel 160 can be formed from 18-gauge cold-rolled steel sheet or 14-gauge aluminum sheet. Each side of the panel 160 can also be bent—such as at a 90° angle—and welded along its corners to form a continuous flange around the perimeter of the panel 160, and the right and left flanges of the panel 160 defining later projections that each include an open slot 162 and a closed slot 161, as described below. Alternatively, the panel 160 can be fabricated from multiple elements. For example, the panel 160 can include a banister, a set of balustrades, two end uprights, and a lower beam welded, brazed, or riveted into a single panel 160, wherein end upright defines a projection including an open slot 162 and a closed slot 161 that cooperate to mount the corresponding side of the panel 160 to a bracket 120 in the universal mounting system 100, as described below. However, a panel 160 in the universal mounting system 100 can be formed or fabricated in any other suitable way and in any other suitable material, and the panel 160 can be plated, coated, painted, or finished in any other suitable way.
The panel 160 can therefore include a projection (i.e., a flange) extending rearward (e.g., at an angle of 90° from the outer broad face of the panel 160) from each vertical side of the panel 160 to meet the second member 124 of an adjacent bracket 120. Each projection on the panel 160 can define a set of bores or slots that align with corresponding receivers in the adjacent bracket 120. For example, a projection on a side of the panel 160 can include: a vertically elongated closed slot 161 configured to align with the upper receiver 125 of an adjacent bracket 120; and an L-shaped open slot configured to align with the lower receiver 126 of an adjacent bracket 120, as shown in
For a panel 160 including a first projection installed substantially perpendicular to the outer broad face of the vertical flange 113 of an adjacent mount 110, the first projection of the panel 160 can further include a lip extending along and substantially perpendicular to the first projection, and the lip can define the open slot 162 and the closed slot 161 for this first side of the panel 160, as shown in
In one variation, the universal mounting system 100 further includes one or more reference markers for recording relative positions of mounting brackets 120 installed across a structure (e.g., around the perimeter of a balcony). Generally, the universal mounting system 100 can include one or more reference markers that enable quick, repeatable manual field measurements across an installation, such as center-to-center distances between mounts 110. For example, a mount 110, bracket 120, and panel 160 assembly can be associated with known pitch, yaw, roll, vertical, horizontal (i.e., lateral), and depth (i.e., longitudinal) adjustment ranges—relative to the reference marker on the mount 110 or on the bracket 120—for the panel 160. Thus, once a set of mounts 110 is installed, such as on a balcony, deck, or staircase, the installer can measure center-to-center, vertical, horizontal, and depth distances between reference markers across the set of installed mounts 110. These “field measurements” can then be combined with the known adjustment ranges for the mount 110 assemblies to determine a single panel 160 geometry (e.g., width, height, projection depth, and the open and closed slot position) or a limited number of panel 160 geometries that can be fabricated to fit the installation.
In one implementation, the mount 110 includes a tongue, dimple, or other fiducial extending outwardly from or arranged on the return flange 116 such that the fiducial is physically accessible even after exterior cladding is installed over the vertical and horizontal flanges 113, such as shown in
In the foregoing variation, the field measurements can alternatively be recorded between reference markers defined on brackets 120 installed on mounts 110 across an installation. For example, the bracket 120 can include a physical fiducial, as described above, and an installer can thus install the bracket 120 loosely on the mount 110 in an approximate final position and then record field measurements between fiducials across adjacent brackets 120 within the installation. In this implementation, the bracket 120 can also cooperate with the mount 110 to visually indicate its relative angular position on the mount 110.
In one example implementation, the universal mounting system 100 further includes an indicator washer configured for installation on the upper threaded stud 130A or the lower threaded stud 130B and between a threaded nut and the bracket 120, as shown in
In another example implementation, the bracket 120 includes a graduated angle gauge embossed, debossed, printed, or otherwise applied to the first member 121 between the upper receiver 125 and lower receiver 126. In this implementation, the mount 110 also includes a gauge needle extending from the vertical center of one side of the return flange 116 and over the first member 121 of the bracket 120 once installed; the gauge needle thus indicates a reading on the graduated angle gauge corresponding to the relative angle of the bracket 120 on the mount 110. For example, the mount 110 can include an elongated needle spot welded to the right eave of the return flange 116 between the upper capture channel 115A and the lower capture channel 115B, extending horizontally outward from the return flange 116, and cutting back laterally toward the opposite left eave of the return flange 116 to meet the graduated angle gauge on the installed bracket 120. Thus, in this example implementation, the needle can indicate the relative angular position of the bracket 120 on the mount 110 despite the lateral position of the bracket 120 on the mount 110.
In yet another example implementation, the universal mounting system 100 includes a drop gauge configured for installation between the upper threaded stud 130A and the lower threaded stud 130B. In this example implementation, the bracket 120 similarly includes a graduated angle gauge embossed, debossed, printed, or otherwise applied to the first member 121 between the upper receiver 125 and the lower receiver 126, and the drop gauge can define an upper bore configured to receive the upper threaded stud 130A, a lower elongated slot configured to receive the lower threaded stud 130B, and an indicator configured to indicate a reading on the graduated angle gauge corresponding to the relative angle of the bracket 120 on the mount 110.
However, the universal mounting system 100 can include any other type or configuration of reference markers, gauge, or indicators to support recordation of relative positions of mounts 110 and/or brackets 120 across an installation.
As a person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures and claims, modifications and changes can be made to the embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.
This Application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/044,394, filed on 24 Jul. 2018, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/536,219, filed on 24 Jul. 2017, each of which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62536219 | Jul 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16044394 | Jul 2018 | US |
| Child | 16776206 | US |
