Pole connector assembly and method for racks and shelving

• US 6,626,605 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SPG International, LLC (SPG International Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walters, Peterjohn R. C., Dean, Douglas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STERLING, AMY JO
• Application Number:
  US10/085,179
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 248/146, 108/147.11, 108/147.12, 108/147.13, 108/147.15, 108/107, 403/172, 403/97, 403/344, 403/375, 403/369, 403/370, 403/368, 403/379.6, 403/DIG.12, 403/297
• US Class Current: 403/344
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/40 Joints for furniture tubing
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2012/403 with inserts for joining tubes coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/025 with the expansion of an element inside the tubes due to axial movement towards a wedge or conical element for rods or tubes telescopically engaged F16B7/1463
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/0413 for tubes using the innerside thereof F16B7/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7054 Plural, circumferentially related shims between members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7091 Expansible retainer

Abstract

Several embodiments of the present invention provide a pole connector assembly for connecting adjacent pole sections in order to construct a pole. Preferably, these pole connector assemblies have two inserts connected together by a fastener. Each of the two inserts is received within an open end of a respective pole section. The fastener is preferably received within an aperture in each of the inserts in order to connect the pole sections together. In some preferred embodiments, each insert has at least one projection that extends into the pole section within which the insert is received. Preferably, the projection can be deflected in order to engage (or more fully engage) the insert within its corresponding pole section. Preferably, the projection can be deflected by the fastener and/or by one or more internal surfaces of the pole section as the insert is inserted within the pole section.

Claims

1. A pole connector assembly for connection of two sections of a pole, the pole connector assembly comprising:

an insert dimensioned to be received within an end of a first pole section, the insert having;

a one-piece unitary body portion having at least one projection, the projection extending from and being deflectable with respect to a remainder portion of the insert, the remainder portion having a surface; and

an aperture defined in the surface of the remainder portion; and

a fastener engageable within the aperture in the body portion of the insert and connectable to a second pole section, the fastener movable from a first position with respect to the projection and remainder portion of the insert in which the projection is deflected by the fastener a first amount to a second position with respect to the projection and remainder portion of the insert in which the projection is deflected by the fastener a second amount toward an internal wall of the first pole section.

2. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert has a base from which at least two projections extend, the aperture extending through the base and defined in part by the at least two projections.

3. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the aperture and fastener are threaded, the fastener movable between the first and second positions by threading the fastener with respect to the insert.

4. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fastener is in a loosened state with respect to the insert when the fastener is in the first position and is in a tightened state with respect to the insert when the fastener is in the second position.

5. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert is a first insert, the pole connector further comprising a second insert dimensioned to be received within an end of the second pole section, the second insert having:

a body portion having at least one projection, the projection being deflectable with respect to a remainder portion of the second insert; and

an aperture defined in the body portion;

wherein opposite ends of the fastener are engagable within the apertures in the body portions of the first and second inserts, the fastener being movable with respect to each of the first and second inserts from respective first positions with respect to the first and second inserts in which the at least one projection of each insert is not deflected by the fastener to respective second positions with respect to the first and second inserts in which the at least one projection of each insert is deflected by the fastener toward an internal wall of the first and second pole sections, respectively.

6. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the fastener and aperture are threaded; and

the aperture is at least partially defined by the at least one projection for threaded engagement with the fastener.

7. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one projection is shaped to engage an internal wall of the first pole section upon deflection of the at least one projection.

8. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one projection is engagable with the internal wall of the first pole section by a tongue and groove connection.

9. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one projection is frictionally engagable with the internal wall of the first pole upon deflection of the at least one projection.

10. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises a cap portion shaped to abut an end of the first pole section upon insertion of the insert into the first pole section.

11. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cap portion of the insert has a recessed peripheral edge at least partially defining a circumferential groove about the insert.

12. The pole connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert is snap fit into a position within the first pole section, wherein the snap fit is between an internal wall of the first pole section and the at least one projection of the insert.

13. A pole assembly, comprising:

a first pole section;

a second pole section;

a first one-piece unitary insert received within the first pole section;

a second one-piece unitary insert received within the second pole section;

each of the first and second inserts having;

a base;

at least one deflectable projection extending from the base; and

an aperture defined in the base; and

a fastener having opposite ends received within the apertures of the first and second inserts, the fastener adjustable in the apertures from a first position with respect to the base of each of the first and second inserts in which the at least one deflectable projection of each of the first and second inserts is deflected a first amount by the fastener to a second position with respect to the base of each of the first and second inserts in which the at least one deflectable projection is deflected by the fastener a second amount toward respective inner walls of the first and second pole sections, the second amount being greater than the first amount.

14. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

each of the first and second inserts has at least two deflectable projections extending from the base; and

the aperture of each of the first and second inserts extends through the base and between the at least two deflectable projections.

15. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the fastener and the apertures in the first and second inserts are threaded; and

the fastener is adjustable in the apertures of the first and second inserts by being threaded therein.

16. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first and second inserts are secured within the first and second poles, respectively, by engagement of the deflectable projections with inner surfaces of the first and second poles, respectively, when the deflectable projections are deflected by the fastener.

17. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the engagement of the deflectable projections with the inner surfaces of the first and second poles is frictional engagement against the inner surfaces of the first and second poles.

18. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the deflectable projections are shaped to engage the inner surfaces of the first and second poles via tongue and groove connections.

19. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one deflectable projection of each insert is engagable with the first and second poles, respectively, via a tongue and groove connection.

20. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the first and second inserts has a cap which at least partially covers an end surface of the first and second poles, respectively.

21. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein at least one of the caps of the first and second inserts has a recessed peripheral edge defining a circumferential groove about the first and second inserts.

22. The pole assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first and second inserts are in abutting relationship with one another and are connected together by the fastener.

23. A method of assembling a pole, comprising:

inserting a first insert into an end of a first pole section;

inserting a fastener into an aperture in the first insert;

deflecting a portion of the first insert located within the first pole section with the fastener responsive to insertion of the fastener into the aperture in the first insert;

tightening the fastener in the aperture in the first insert by axially moving the fastener with respect to the portion of the first insert, the fastener further deflecting the portion of the first insert;

engaging an inner surface of the first pole section with the portion of the first insert; and

connecting the fastener to a second pole section.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising abutting a portion of the first insert against an end of the first pole section.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein inserting a fastener includes threading the fastener into a threaded aperture in the first insert.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising threading the fastener against the portion of the first insert.

27. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein:

the portion of the first insert is one of at least two portions of the first insert; and

inserting a fastener includes threading the fastener between the at least two portions of the first insert.

28. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein inserting the fastener into the aperture includes inserting the fastener between the portion of the first insert and another portion of the first insert.

29. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein engaging the inner surface includes frictionally engaging the inner surface.

30. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein engaging the inner surface includes pressing together inter-engaging elements of the first pole section and the portion of the first insert.

31. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising snap-fitting the first insert within the first pole.

32. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein connecting the fastener to a second pole section includes performing the deflecting, engaging, and both inserting steps with a second insert and a second pole section.

33. A pole connector assembly for connecting two pole sections, the pole connector assembly comprising:

an insert dimensioned to be received within an end of a first pole section, the insert having;

a body having at least one portion being deflectable outwardly from the body; and

an aperture defined in the body; and

a fastener having one end engageable within the aperture, the fastener being adjustable in the aperture from a first axial position with respect to the at least one portion to a second axial position with respect to the at least one portion to directly deflect the at least one body portion toward an internal surface of the first pole section, and a second end coupled to a second pole section.