[0001] The present invention relates to a angle joint for the joining of at least six bars
extending under a mutual angle of 90 or 180°.
[0002] Such angle joints are generally known.
[0003] Such angle joints are, however, only fit for the connection of a certain configuration
of bars. For instance, there are angle joints for the connection of two bars extending
under a mutual angle of 90°, for two bars extending under an angle of 180°, for three
bars extending in the same plane under an angle of 90°; for three bars extending orthogonally;
for four bars extending in one plane under an angle of 90°; for four bars extending
under a mutual angle of 90°, of which three bars are in one plane; for five bars extending
under a mutual angle of 90° and for six bars extending under a mutual angle of 90°.
[0004] Depending on the configuration in which such an angle joint has to be used, one of
said angle joints has to be applied. This means that all angle joints have to be in
stock, which implies a rather great diversity of parts to be stocked. This is of utmost
importance as such angle joints are often used in the field of stand building on trade
fairs and so on, in which the stock keeping of a great number of different parts is
cumbersome.
[0005] The aim of the present invention is the providing of an angle joint, in which the
stock keeping of parts is limited even in the application of a great diversity of
bar configurations.
[0006] This aim is reached by an angle joint being composable from at least two elements
of a set comprising first elements, second elements and third elements.
[0007] As a consequence of this measure, only three different parts, i.e. first elements
(a), second elements (c) and third elements (b) have to be kept in stock, which is
of utmost importance, in particular in trade fairs.
[0008] Subsequently the present invention will be elucidated with the help of the accompanying
drawings, in which show:
figure 1: a perspective view of a bar structure in which the advantages of the angle
joint according to the present invention are well shown;
figure 2A-I: perspective views of several configurations of the angle joint according
to the present invention;
figure 3: a perspective view, partially broken away, of a first element according
to the present invention in the condition in which this element has been manufactured;
figure 4: a perspective view of the element shown in figure 3 in the condition in
which this element is fit for application;
figure 5: a perspective view of a second element according to the present invention
in the condition in which this element is fit for application;
figure 6: a perspective view of a third element according to the present invention
in the condition in which this element has been manufactured;
figure 7: a perspective view of the element depicted in figure 6 in the condition
in which this element is fit for use;
figure 8: a perspective view, partly broken away of a joint according to the present
invention in which this joint is used for the connection of three bars; and
figure 9: a perspective view of two bars according to the present invention, wherein
these are connected through a arched plate.
[0009] When composing a configuration of bars of which an example has been depicted in figure
1, it is necessary to use angle joints with several configurations. All configurations
of angle joints possibly necessary for the building of such a system of bars have
been shown in figures 2A-2I. Further it is noted that the configurations shown in
figure 2D and in figure 2E are the same.
[0010] The present invention provides three different types of elements: first elements
a, second elements c and third elements b, with which elements all angle joints shown
in figure 2A-2I can be composed.
[0011] In figure 3 a first element d has been depicted. This element d comprises a box-shaped
part 3, and a longitudinal part 4, solidly connected therewith. By means of a hinged
joint 5, a clamping piece 6 has been connected with the part 4.
[0012] The box-shaped part 3 comprises four side faces 7 which have been connected with
an upper face 8. In the upper face 8 a square aperture 9 has been provided, which
is delimited by a lower face 10 and side faces 11. The edges between the side faces
7 mutually and between the side faces 7 and the upper face 8 comprise bevels. A through
aperture has been provided in the lower face 10.
[0013] The longitudinal part 4 is being composed of an upper face 14, side faces 15 and
a rearface 16. Against the lower part of the upper face 14 a guid shaft 17 has been
provided.
[0014] The clamping piece 6 comprises again an upper face 18, two side faces 19 and a rearface
not being visible in the drawing. The hinged connection 5 is between both two rearfaces.
Against the lower side of the upper face 18 of the clamping piece 6 a nut berth 20
has been provided of which the inner faces are hexagonal.
[0015] In the guide shaft 17 a stud 21 can be provided, unto which a nut 22 has been screwed.
When the clamping piece 6 is folded around the hinge 7, the nut 22 will enter the
inner parts of the nut berth 20. The upper face 18 comprises an aperture 23 through
which a screw driver can be inserted for connection with a slit 24 provided in the
stud 21.
[0016] The situation, obtained by the folding of the clamping piece 6 has been shown in
figure 4. It is visible how the slit 24 of the stud 21 can be reached through the
aperture 23. Further figure 4 shows how a bolt 25 can be inserted in the hole 13,
so that the first element can be connected with another element. Figure 4 also shows
that the lower edge of the side faces 7 comprise both fixation cams 26 and fixation
apertures 27. With the help of these fixation means the position of the first element
is fixed relative to the element, with which the first element is connected by means
of the bolt connection 25.
[0017] The second element c shown in figure 5 is equal to the first element, but it deviates
in the fact that the second element comprises a second protrusion, which is also
composed by a longitudinal part 4 and a clamping piece 6. Also in this case the clamping
pieces 6 have been connected by means of hinges 5 with the relevant longitudinal part
4. Further the remark is made that both longitudinal parts 4 have been fixed against
adjacent sides 7 of the box shaped part 4, so that both protrusions composed by the
longitudinal part 4 and the clamping piece 6 extend under an angle of 90°.
[0018] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a third element b. This third element is equal
to the first element shown in figures 3 and 4, but deviates in the fact that the box
shaped part 3 has been replaced by a block 28, of which the external size is equal
to the internal size of the aperture 9. Further the block 28 comprises a hole 29,
which has been provided with a thread, in which the thread of the bold 25 fits. Further
the longitudinal part and the clamping pie ce are equal to the longitudinal part
4 and the clamping piece 6, as has been described with the first element with the
help of figures 3 and 4.
[0019] Finally figure 8 shows how a combination of two first elements and of one third element
is fit for the composition of an angle joint which is suitable for the connection
of three bars extending within one plane, under a mutual angle of 90°. Said angle
joint is being composed by two first elements 2, in which in the aperture of one of
said first elements a third element has been located, and in which all elements have
been connected to each other by a bolt 25. When an angle joint is being composed without
a third element said bolt connection comprises a nut.
[0020] On the angle joint thus developed bars, or as in the present case profiles are fitted
of which the internal size is equal to the external size of the protrusions of the
anglejoint, after which the studs 21 are being tensioned, through which the clamping
pieces of said box shaped parts are being urged away and the profiles are being clamped.
To reach the slit of the studs the profiles have been provided with suitable apertures.
As such apertures do not enhance the appearance of the profile, the profile has been
adapted for the taking of strips which cover said apertures 31. Therefore the sides
of the profiles are provided with slits 32 with a T-shaped cross-section, in which
strip, not depicted in the drawings, can be fitted. Because of optical appearance
these strips are preferably provided on all four sides of the profiles.
[0021] Further the slits are shaped such that plates extending perpendicular on the slits
can be fitted therein.These plates can be composed by mirrors, glass plates, perspex
plates, plastic plates, and so on. Further as a consequence of the angle joint according
to the present invention it is thus possible to make rectangular structures for displays
and stands on trade fairs with the help of only three different elements, profiles
and plates. Further suspensions elements, etc. can be provided in the T-shaped slits
with the help of a nut and bolt connection.
[0022] According to a prefered embodiment, the profiles have been provided with slits 33
on their corners. These slits are substantially circular, so that a thin, plate, provided
of a leveled edge on its sides, and which has been made of flexable material, can
be provided into the slits, as has been shown in figure 9. By providing such plates
between several profiles, it is - by means of the flexibility of the plates - possible
to build structures from arched planes in which, by the variation of the width of
the plates, a large degree of freedom can be obtained. So, for instance, columns can
be constructed, on to which a table top can be provided.
[0023] When the protrusions comprise apertures extending longitudinally the protrusions
can be fitted over the bars to be connected, so that also solid bars can be connected
with the angle joint according to the present invention.
[0024] As has been shown in figure 2, all configurations depicted in figure 2A-2I can be
composed by means of said three described elements. For instance, the configuration
depicted in figure 2A has been developed by two first elements, which is also the
case in the configuration depicted in figure 2B. The configuration depicted in figure
2C comprises two first elements and one third element, just as the configuration
depicted in figure 2D. The configuration depicted in figure 2E comprises a combination
of a first and a second element. The remark is made that the configurations depicted
in figure 2D and figure 2E are equal. The configuration depicted in figure 2F comprises
a combination of a first element, a second element and a third element and the combination
depicted in figure 2G comprises a combination of two second elements. The configuration
depicted in figure 2H is composed by two second elements and one third element.
[0025] With the elements according to the present invention, it is also possible to compose
a joint comprising six protrusions. In this case two second elements and two third
elements are used. In the case of one of said third elements the aperture 29 is being
cleared away, so that the thread is being removed. All elements are connected by a
bolt, in which the bolt has been screwed into the thread of said other third element.
1. Angle joint for the joining of at least six bars extending under a mutual angle
of 90 or 180° characterized in that the angle joint is composable of at least two elements of a set comprising first
elements, second elements and third elements.
2. Angle joint according to claim 1, in which the angle joint comprises a basic body
located on the intersection of the axes of the bars to be connected and protrusions
extending in the directions of the bars, characterized in that the first elements and the second elements each comprise a part of said basic body
and at least one protrusion and that the third elements each comprise one protrusion.
3. Angle joint according to claim 1, characterized in that that each of the first elements comprise the half of a basic body and a protrusion,
and that each of the second elements comprise half of a basic body and two protrusions
extending perpendicularly.
4. Angle joint according to claim 3, characterized in that the partation plane between the two halves of the basic body is parallel with the
direction of the protrusion connected with said half and with the direction of another
bar.
5. Angle joint according one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protrusions are fit to be clamped into hollow bars.
6. Angle joint according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elements composing an angle joint can be mutually connected by means of a bolt
connection.
7. First element to be used with the angle joint according to one of the preceding
claims, characterized in piece, forming a part of the basic body and a protrusion connected therewith and
extending perpendicular from a side face thereof.
8. Second element to be used with the angle joint according to one of the preceding
claims, characterized by a part, forming a part of said basic body and two protrusions, solid therewith and
extending mutually perpendicularly to the side faces concerned.
9. Element according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by joining means for joining it to another element.
10. Third element to be used with the angle joint according to one of the preceding
claims, characterized by a body forming a protrusion and by joining means for joining to first or second elements.
11. Element according to one of the claims 7-10, characterized in that the body composing the protrusion comprises two parts which are linked through a
hinge located on the side from the basic body.
12. Element according to claim 11, characterized by means for urging the parts away from each other.
13. Element according to claim 12, characterized in that the means for urging the parts away from each other are composed by a nut and a stud.
14. Bar to be used with the angle joint according to one of the claims 1-6, characterized in that the bar comprises means for the fixation of a decorative strip.
15. Bar according to claim 14, characterized in that the means for fixation of the decorative strip are such that the decorative strip
covers the holes provided in the bar.
16. Bar according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the bar comprises means for the fixation of at least one plate.
17. Bar according to claim 14, 15 or 16, characterized in that the means for the fixation of a decorative strip and the means for the fixation of
a plate are being composed by slits provided in the sides of the profile which slits
have a T-shaped cross-section.
18. Bar according to one of the claims 14-17, characterized in that the bar comprises means for the fixation of a plate extending initially in the diagonal
direction.
19. Bar according to claim 18, characterized in that the means for the fixation of a diagonal plate are being composed by a slit provided
in the edge with a substantially circular cross-section.