Coupling Member, Method for Producing Coupling Member, and Wooden Member Joint Structure

• US 20150043966A1
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.), Sumitomo Forestry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Forestry Company Limited
• Inventors: Masuko, Takayuki, Nakashima, Hiroki, Nagashima, Taisuke, Kagei, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 9,739,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 403/343
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/12 the heat being generated by friction; Friction welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/129 specially adapted for particular articles or workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/06 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/20 Tools
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/02 relating to soldering or welding dip or wave soldering in the manufacture of printed circuits H05K3/34
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 25/0015 the material being a soft organic material, e.g. wood or plastic F16B25/0031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/18 using screw-thread elements F16B7/025 takes precedence; for turnbuckles F16B7/06

Abstract

Disclosed is a coupling member that enables a joint between a wooden member and a mating member to absorb vibration energy, and a method for producing the same and a joint structure using the same. The metal coupling member is embedded in the wooden member. The wooden member is connected with a mating member by the coupling member. The coupling member includes a metal rod-like main body portion to be embedded in the wooden member, and an inner rod portion protruding from the main body portion. The inner rod portion axially extends from a protruding portion thereof to a predetermined depth in the main body portion, has a periphery separated from the main body portion to allow axial displacement of the inner rod portion relative to the main body portion, and is integrally connected to the main body portion at the deepest part thereof.

Claims

1. A coupling member, comprising:

a metal rod-like main body portion to be embedded and held in an wooden member; and

an inner rod portion protruding from an end face of the main body portion and to be coupled to a mating member, the mating member to be joined to the wooden member or the inner rod portion to be coupled to a joint device secured to the mating member,

wherein the inner rod portion axially extends from a protruding portion thereof to a predetermined depth in the main body portion, has a periphery separated from the main body portion to allow axial displacement of the inner rod portion relative to the main body portion, and is integrally connected to the main body portion at the deepest part thereof.

2. The coupling member according to claim 1,

wherein a hole is formed axially in the main body portion from the end face thereof, a connecting portion is at a bottom portion of the hole, the connecting portion integrally connecting the inner rod portion to the main body portion.

3. The coupling member according to claim 1,

wherein the inner rod portion has a flange formed integrally with the protruding portion thereof, the flange extending perpendicular to an axis of the inner rod portion.

4. The coupling member according to claim 3,

wherein a hole is formed axially in the main body portion from the end face thereof, a connecting portion is at a bottom portion of the hole, the connecting portion integrally connecting the inner rod portion to the main body portion, and

wherein the flange is in pressure contact with the end face of the main body portion.

5. The coupling member according to claim 2,

wherein a raised portion protruding axially from the deepest part of the hole toward an opening of the hole and separated from the inner periphery of the hole is formed, and

wherein the inner rod portion is formed by connecting a tip of a shaft member and the raised portion by welding, the shaft member being inserted in the hole.

6. The coupling member according to claim 4,

wherein a raised portion protruding axially from the deepest part of the hole toward an opening of the hole and separated from the inner periphery of the hole is formed, and

wherein the inner rod portion is formed by connecting a tip of a shaft member and the raised portion by welding, the shaft member being inserted in the hole.

7. A wooden member joint structure, comprising:

a coupling member according to claim 1,

a wooden member in which the coupling member is fixedly embedded; and

a mating member joined to the wooden member by the coupling member.

8. A wooden member joint structure, comprising:

a coupling member according to claim 2,

a wooden member in which the coupling member is fixedly embedded; and

a mating member joined to the wooden member by the coupling member.

9. A wooden member joint structure, comprising:

a coupling member according to claim 3,

a wooden member in which the coupling member is fixedly embedded; and

a mating member joined to the wooden member by the coupling member.

10. A method for producing a coupling member, comprising the steps of:

forming a hole in a metal rod-like main body portion axially to a predetermined depth from an end face thereof;

inserting a first end of a shaft member into the hole, the shaft member having a diameter that allows axial displacement of the shaft member in the hole relative to the main body portion;

heating a tip at the first end of the shaft member inserted into the hole and a bottom portion of the hole; and

connecting the shaft member and the main body portion by pressing and welding the tip of the shaft member and the bottom portion of the main body portion each other.

11. The method for producing a coupling member according to claim 10,

wherein the shaft member has a flange formed integrally with an intermediate portion between the first end and a second end of the shaft member, and the heating step is performed with the flange separated from the end face of the main body portion;

wherein the connecting step includes a step of pushing the shaft member toward the bottom portion of the hole until the flange abuts the end face of the main body portion after the heating step, and a step of cooling the main body portion and the shaft member after the pushing step, whereby pressing the flange to the end of the main body portion.

12. The method for producing a coupling member according to claim 10,

wherein the step of forming the hole includes a step of forming a raised portion protruding axially from a bottom of the hole toward an opening of the hole, the raised portion being separated from an inner periphery of the hole, and

wherein the connecting step includes a step of connecting the tip of the shaft member to the raised portion.

13. The method for producing a coupling member according to claim 11,

wherein the step of forming the hole includes a step of forming a raised portion protruding axially from a bottom of the hole toward an opening of the hole, the raised portion being separated from an inner periphery of the hole, and

wherein the connecting step includes a step of connecting the tip of the shaft member to the raised portion.

14. The method for producing a coupling member according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

forming a convex or concave conical surface having a central axis coincident with that of the shaft member at the tip of the shaft member; and

forming a concave or convex conical surface having generally the same inclination, respectively, as that of the convex or concave conical surface of the tip of the shaft member at the bottom of the hole;

wherein the step of connecting includes a step of having the conical surface formed at the tip of the shaft member face the conical surface formed at the bottom of the hole.

15. The method for producing a coupling member according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

forming a convex or concave conical surface having a central axis coincident with that of the shaft member at the tip of the shaft member; and

forming a concave or convex conical surface having generally the same inclination, respectively, as that of the convex or concave conical surface of the tip of the shaft member at the bottom of the hole;

wherein the step of connecting includes a step of having the conical surface formed at the tip of the shaft member face the conical surface formed at the bottom of the hole.

16. The method for producing a coupling member according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

forming a convex or concave conical surface having a central axis coincident with that of the shaft member at the tip of the shaft member; and

forming a concave or convex conical surface having generally the same inclination, respectively, as that of the convex or concave conical surface of the tip of the shaft member at the raised portion;

wherein the step of connecting includes a step of having the conical surface formed at the tip of the shaft member face the conical surface formed at the raised portion.