Cubic connector structure for connecting frame bars and method of producing same

• US 5,580,181 A
• Filed: 09/29/1995
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NIC Autotec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NIC Autotec, Inc.
• Inventors: Nomura, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US08/536,006
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 403/169, 403/170, 403/11, 403/6, 403/7, 403/217, 403/231
• US Class Current: 403/170
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2230/04 Cubic corner parts joining sectional strips for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0016 Node corner connectors, e.g. cubic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/341 Three or more radiating members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/44 Three or more members connected at single locus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/4602 Corner joint

Abstract

A connector structure for connecting together a plurality of elongated frame bars at their ends includes a main part having three side walls with mutually perpendicular quadrangular outer surfaces and a cover piece also having three side walls with mutually perpendicular outer surfaces such that they together assume a cubic form when they are attached to each other in a closed relationship with an engagement member on the inner surfaces of the three walls of the main part and a protrusion on the cover piece engaged to each other. Each side wall of the main part is provided with a throughhole for passing a screw through such that it can be attached to end surface of a frame bar. Such main part is produced by using only two mold pieces, an upper molding piece with a convex part and a lower molding piece with an indentation. The indentation has three inner surfaces, each making a same angle to the vertical direction. Each of the screw-passing throughholes is formed by two small hole-forming protrusions, one protruding vertically downward from the convex part of the upper molding piece and the other protruding vertically upward from one of the sloped inner surfaces of the lower molding piece. Each hole-forming protrusions have a vertical wall such that a pair of upward and downward protrusions can be put next to each other.

Claims

1. A connector structure comprising:

a main part which comprises three side walls with mutually perpendicular quadrangular outer surfaces and inner surfaces provided with an engagement member protruding inwardly therefrom, each of said side walls having an screw-passing hole therethrough; and

a cover piece which comprises three side walls with mutually perpendicular outer surfaces and inner surfaces provided with a protrusion adapted to engage with said engagement member when said main part and said cover piece are in a closed relationship, said main part and said cover piece together forming a cubic shape when in said closed relationship.

2. The connector structure of claim 1 wherein said engagement member is formed along peripheries of the inner surfaces of the side walls of said main part.

3. The connector structure of claim 2 wherein the inner surfaces of the side walls of said main part have indentations which together form a concave surface inside said engagement member, said protrusion on said cover piece being adapted to engage with said concave surface.