Apparatuses and methods for joining structural members, such as composite structural members
First Claim
1. An apparatus for joining a first member to a second member, the apparatus comprising:
- a first part having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface; and
a second part configured to be engaged with the first part, the second part having a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface, wherein the third surface is configured to receive adhesive for bonding the third surface to the first surface, the fourth surface is configured to receive adhesive for bonding the fourth surface to the second surface, the first protuberance is configured to be received by the first recess, and the second protuberance is configured to be received by the second recess, when the second part is engaged with the first part.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for joining structural members. In one embodiment, an apparatus for joining a first member to a second member includes a first part and a second part configured to be engaged with and bonded to the first part. In one aspect of this embodiment, the first part includes a first surface facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, a first recess at least proximate to the first surface, and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface. In another aspect of this embodiment, the second part includes a third surface facing a third direction, a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface, and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface. In yet another aspect of this embodiment, the first protuberance is configured to be received by the first recess, and the second protuberance is configured to be received by the second recess, when the second part is engaged with the first part to join the structural members.
75 Citations
86 Claims
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1. An apparatus for joining a first member to a second member, the apparatus comprising:
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a first part having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface; and
a second part configured to be engaged with the first part, the second part having a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface, wherein the third surface is configured to receive adhesive for bonding the third surface to the first surface, the fourth surface is configured to receive adhesive for bonding the fourth surface to the second surface, the first protuberance is configured to be received by the first recess, and the second protuberance is configured to be received by the second recess, when the second part is engaged with the first part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for joining a first member to at least a second member, the apparatus comprising:
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a first part having at least two sets of associated flange portions, wherein each set of associated flange portions has a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, each set of associated flange portions further having a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface; and
at least a second part configured to be engaged with one of the sets of associated flange portions of the first part, the second part having a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface, wherein the first protuberance is configured to be received by the first recess of the one set of associated flange portions, and the second protuberance is configured to be received by the second recess of the one set of associated flange portions, and wherein the third and fourth surfaces of the second part are configured to receive adhesive for bonding the second part to the one set of associated flange portions of the first part. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for joining a first member to at least a second member, the apparatus comprising:
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a first part having at least two sets of associated flange portions, wherein each set of associated flange portions has a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, each set of associated flange portions further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the first surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the second surface; and
at least a second part configured to be engaged with one of the sets of associated flange portions of the first part, the second part having a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first recess at least proximate to the third surface and a second recess at least proximate to the fourth surface, wherein the first protuberance of the one set of associated flange portions is configured to be received by the first recess, and the second protuberance of the one set of associated flange portions is configured to be received by the second recess, and wherein the first and second surfaces of the one set of associated flange portions are configured to receive adhesive for bonding the second part to the one set of associated flange portions of the first part. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for joining a first member to a second member, the apparatus comprising:
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a first part having a first base portion and first and second flange portions projecting from the first base portion, wherein the first flange portion includes a first surface facing a first direction and the second flange portion includes a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface, wherein the first base portion includes a first base surface configured to receive adhesive for bonding the first part to the first member; and
a second part configured to be engaged with the first part, the second part having a second base portion and third and fourth flange portions projecting from the second base portion, wherein the third flange portion includes a third surface facing a third direction and the fourth flange portion includes a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface, wherein the second base portion includes a second base surface configured to receive adhesive for bonding the second part to the second member, and wherein the third surface is configured to receive adhesive for bonding the third surface to the first surface, the fourth surface is configured to receive adhesive for bonding the fourth surface to the second surface, the first protuberance is configured to be received by the first recess, and the second protuberance is configured to be received by the second recess when the second part is engaged with the first part. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An apparatus for joining a first member to a second member, the apparatus comprising:
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a first part configured to be attached to the first member, the first part having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are configured to receive adhesive for bonding the first part to the second member, and a second part configured to be attached to the second member, the second part having a first protuberance and a second protuberance, wherein the first protuberance is configured to be received by the first recess, and the second protuberance is configured to be received by the second recess, for bonding the first part to the second member. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An apparatus for joining a first member to a second member, the second member including a first protuberance and a second protuberance, the apparatus comprising:
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a first surface facing a first direction;
a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, wherein the first and second surfaces are configured to receive adhesive for bonding the apparatus to the second member;
a first recess at least proximate to the first surface; and
a second recess at least proximate to the second surface, wherein the first recess is configured to receive the first protuberance, and the second recess is configured to receive the second protuberance. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A structural assembly comprising:
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a first member;
a second member;
a first part attached to the first member, the first part having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface; and
a second part engaged with the first part and attached to the second member, the second part having a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface, wherein the first protuberance is received by the first recess and the second protuberance is received by the second recess to engage the second part with the first part. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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60. A method for joining a first member to a second member, the method comprising:
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providing a first part having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having at least a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface;
providing a second part having a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface;
applying adhesive at least proximate to the third and fourth surfaces of the second part;
engaging the first protuberance of the second part with the first recess of the first part; and
engaging the second protuberance of the second part with the second recess of the first part. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A method for joining a first member to a second member, the method comprising:
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providing a first part having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having at least a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface;
providing a second part having a third surface facing a third direction and a fourth surface facing a fourth direction different than the third direction, the second part further having a first protuberance at least proximate to the third surface and a second protuberance at least proximate to the fourth surface;
applying adhesive to the third and fourth surfaces of the second part;
moving the first and second surfaces of the first part relative to each other; and
allowing the first and second surfaces of the first part to spring back relative to each other to contact the adhesive applied to the third and fourth surfaces of the second part. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73)
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74. A method for joining a first member to at least a second member, the method comprising:
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providing a first part having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, the first part further having at least a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface;
providing a second part having a first protuberance and a second protuberance;
applying adhesive at least proximate to the first and second protuberances of the second part;
engaging the first protuberance of the second part with the first recess of the first part; and
engaging the second protuberance of the second part with the second recess of the first part. - View Dependent Claims (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A method for joining a first member to a second member, the second member including a first protuberance and a second protuberance, the method comprising:
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providing an apparatus, the apparatus having a first surface facing a first direction and a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction, wherein the first and second surfaces are configured to receive adhesive for bonding the apparatus to the second member, the apparatus further having a first recess at least proximate to the first surface and a second recess at least proximate to the second surface, wherein the first recess is configured to receive the first protuberance and the second recess is configured to receive the second protuberance;
applying adhesive to the second member at least proximate to the first and second protuberances;
engaging the first protuberance with the first recess; and
engaging the second protuberance with the second recess. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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Specification