WOODEN CORNER MEMBER

Abstract

A wooden corner member includes a first segment and a second segment. Each of the first and second segments includes a first wood piece and a second wood piece. The first and second wood pieces are stacked on and bonded to each other. The first wood pieces of the first and second segments are bonded to each other along a first bonding line. The second wood pieces of the first and second segments are bonded to each other along a second bonding line. The first and second bonding lines are staggered from each other.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Chinese utility model patent application no. 202020162793.8, filed on Feb. 11, 2020.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a stair handrail, more particularly to a wooden corner member for a stair handrail.

BACKGROUND

A large section of the trunk or a main branch of a tree can be cut and sculpted into various articles based on the design, but is relatively expensive. In order to save on manufacturing cost, as shown in FIG. 1, a conventional wooden corner member 9 for serving as a corner portion of a wooden handrail (not shown) may include two wood segments 91 each of which is made by bonding a plurality of small wood pieces 911. The wood segments 91 may be fastened to each other using fasteners 92 so as to prevent the wood segments 91 from moving relative to each other along a bonding line (X).

However, a stress concentration at the bonding line (X) may cause breaking or damaging of the conventional wooden corner member 9 after being used for a period of time. In addition, a stress concentration at the place where the fasteners 92 are mounted may also cause the braking or damaging of the conventional wooden corner member 9.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a wooden corner member for a stair handrail, which has good durability, and which may be made in a relatively low-cost way.

According to the disclosure, a wooden corner member for a stair handrail includes a first segment and a second segment. Each of the first and second segments includes a first wood piece and a second wood piece. The first and second wood pieces are stacked on and bonded to each other. The first wood pieces of the first and second segments are bonded to each other along a first bonding line. The second wood pieces of the first and second segments are bonded to each other along a second bonding line. The first and second bonding lines are staggered from each other.

Because, in the wooden corner member of the present disclosure, each of the first and second segments is made by bonding the first and second wood pieces, the wooden corner member may be made in a relatively low-cost way. In addition, the first and second bonding lines are staggered from each other to permit stress in the wooden corner member to be dispersed, and thus, the wooden corner member may have good durability in comparison with the conventional wooden corner member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment (s) with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional wooden corner member;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wooden corner member according to a first embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a wooden corner member according to a second embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a product which is made by processing the wooden corner member of the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.

To aid in describing the disclosure, directional terms may be used in the specification and claims to describe portions of the present disclosure (e.g., front, rear, left, right, top, bottom, etc.). These directional definitions are intended to merely assist in describing and claiming the disclosure and are not intended to limit the disclosure in any way.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a wooden corner member 1 according to a first embodiment of the disclosure may be provided for a stair handrail and is shown to include a first segment 11 and a second segment 11′. Each of the first and second segments 11, 11′ includes a first wood piece 111 and a second wood piece 112 which are bonded to and stacked on each other.

The first segment 11 extends mainly in a longitudinal direction (X), and the second segment 11′ extends mainly in a transverse direction (Y) relative to the longitudinal direction (X).

The first and second wood pieces 111, 112 in each of the first and second segments 11, 11′ are stacked on each other in a stacking direction (Z) transverse to both the longitudinal and transverse directions (X, Y). In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stacking direction (Z) is an upright direction, and the second wood piece 112 is stacked under the first wood piece 111.

The first wood pieces 111 of the first and second segments 11, 11′ are bonded to each other along a first bonding line (L1). The second wood pieces 112 of the first and second segments 11, 11′ are bonded to each other along a second bonding line (L2). The first and second bonding lines (L1, L2) are staggered from each other. In other words, projections of the first and second bonding lines (L1, L2) in the stacking direction (Z) are staggered from each other.

It should be noted that although each of the first and second segments 11, 11′ includes two wood pieces 111, 112 in this embodiment, in other embodiment, each of the first and second segments 11, 11′ may include three or more wood pieces as long as the numbers of the wood pieces respectively in the first and second segments 11, 11′ are the same.

In addition, each of the first and second boding lines (L1, L2) is a straight line. In other embodiment, each of the first and second boding lines (L1, L2) may be, but not limited to, a curved line or a saw-toothed line.

In this case, each of the first and second segments 11, 11′ of the wooden corner member 1 may be made in a relatively low-cost way by bonding the first and second wood pieces 111, 112 together. The first and second bonding lines (L1, L2) are staggered from each other to permit stress in the wooden corner member 1 to be dispersed, and thus, the wooden corner member 1 may have good durability. Moreover, because the first and second bonding lines (L1, L2) are staggered from each other, the first and second segments 11, 11′ are less likely to move relative to each other. As such, it is unnecessary to fasten the first and second segments 11, 11′ using the fasteners as in the prior art, and the first and second segments 11, 11′ may be bonded to each other using an adhesive.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a wooden corner member 1 according to a second embodiment of the disclosure. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment except that in the second embodiment, each of the first and second segments 11, 11′ further includes a third wood piece 113. The first, second, third wood pieces 111, 112, 113 are stacked on and bonded to each other in the stacking direction (Z). The second wood piece 112 is stacked between the first and third wood pieces 111, 113. The third wood pieces 113 of the first and second segments 11, 11′ are bonded to each other along a third bonding line (L3). The projections of the second and third bonding lines (L2, L3) in the stacking direction (Z) are staggered from each other, while the projections of the first and third bonding lines (L1, L3) in the stacking direction (Z) are arranged to overlap with each other.

After bonding the first and second segments 11, 11′ together to obtain the wooden corner member 1, the wooden corner member 1 may be further processed along the contour shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 4 to obtain a more aesthetic product 2 shown in FIG. 6.

In sum, because each of the first and second segments 11, 11′ in the wooden corner member 1 is made by bonding the first, second, and third wood pieces 111, 112, 113, the wooden corner member 1 may be made in a relatively low-cost way. In addition, the first and second bonding lines (L1, L2) and/or the second and third bonding lines (L2, L3) are staggered from each other to permit stress in the wooden corner member 1 to be dispersed, and thus, the wooden corner member 1 may have good durability in comparison with the conventional wooden corner member.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is (are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A wooden corner member comprising a first segment and a second segment, each of said first and second segments including a first wood piece and a second wood piece, said first and second wood pieces being stacked on and bonded to each other, said first wood pieces of said first and second segments being bonded to each other along a first bonding line, said second wood pieces of said first and second segments being bonded to each other along a second bonding line, characterized in that said first and second bonding lines are staggered from each other.

2. The wooden corner member according to claim 1, wherein said first segment extends mainly in a longitudinal direction, and said second segment extends mainly in a transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction.

3. The wooden corner member according to claim 2, wherein said first and second wood pieces in each of said first and second segments are stacked on each other in a stacking direction transverse to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, andwherein projections of said first and second bonding lines in the stacking direction are staggered from each other.

4. The wooden corner member according to claim 3, wherein the stacking direction is an upright direction.

5. The wooden corner member according to claim 1, wherein said first bonding line is selected from the group consisting of a straight line, a curved line, and a saw-toothed line.

6. The wooden corner member according to claim 5, wherein said first bonding line is a straight line.

7. The wooden corner member according to claim 1, wherein said second bonding line is selected from the group consisting of a straight line, a curved line, and a saw-toothed line.

8. The wooden corner member according to claim 7, wherein said second bonding line is a straight line.

9. The wooden corner member according to claim 2, wherein each of said first and second segments further includes a third wood piece, said first, second, third wood pieces being stacked on and bonded to each other in a stacking direction transverse to both the longitudinal and transverse directions, said second wood piece being stacked between said first and third wood pieces, said third wood pieces of said first and second segments being bonded to each other along a third bonding line,wherein projections of said first and second bonding lines in the stacking direction are staggered from each other,wherein projections of said second and third bonding lines in the stacking direction are staggered from each other, andwherein projections of said first and third bonding lines in the stacking direction are arranged to overlap each other.