Drive anchor

• US 6,991,413 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McCue Corporation
• Original Assignee: McCue Corporation
• Inventors: Ballou, Daniel B., McCue, David S., Stevens, Adam P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saether, Flemming
• Application Number:
  US10/758,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20050152766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 411/15, 411/41, 411 44- 48, 411/57.1, 411 71- 73, 521/57, 521/65
• US Class Current: 411/15
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 13/063 by the use of an expander

Abstract

A method and apparatus removably and replaceably mounting a member in a hole that provides sufficient support for the member while also improving installation time of the anchor holding the member in place includes use of a drive anchor system. The drive anchor system includes a drive anchor. The drive anchor includes a hollow shaft having an internal chamber, an external wall, a first end, and a second end. A surface feature is disposed on the external wall for providing anchoring functionality. A bifurcating crevice extends from the second end of the hollow shaft toward the first end of the hollow shaft, and creates a first leg and a second leg of the hollow shaft. A member coupling is sized and dimensioned to fit within the internal chamber of the drive anchor, such that the member can couple with the member coupling. The drive anchor can be positioned in a hole and the member coupling is configured to be driven into the internal chamber expanding the first leg and the second leg outwardly against walls of the hole to frictionally mount the member coupling within the internal chamber and also to frictionally mount the drive anchor within the hole and anchored with the surface feature.

Claims

1. A drive anchor system for mounting a member, the drive anchor system comprising:

a drive anchor, comprising;

a hollow shaft having an internal chamber, an external wall, a first end and a second end;

a surface feature disposed on the external wall for providing anchoring functionality; and

a bifurcating crevice extending from the second end of the hollow shaft toward the first end of the hollow shaft, and creating a first leg and a second leg of the hollow shaft;

a hollow member coupling sized and dimensioned to fit within the internal chamber of the drive anchor, such that the member can mount within the member coupling, the hollow member coupling having a closed end with which the mounting member meets when mounted and an open end opposite the closed end, the open end sized to received the mounting member;

wherein the drive anchor can be positioned in a hole and the member coupling is configured to be driven into the internal chamber expanding the first leg and the second leg outwardly against walls of the hole to frictionally mount the member coupling within the internal chamber and also to frictionally mount the drive anchor within the hole and anchored with the surface feature.

2. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the external wall comprises a longitudinal taper decreasing from the first end to the second end of the hollow shaft.

3. The drive anchor system of claim 1, further comprising an end flange disposed at the first end of the hollow shaft.

4. The drive anchor system of claim 1, further comprising a centering ridge disposed around a perimeter of the hollow shaft proximal to the first end of the hollow shaft to center the hollow shaft in the hole.

5. The drive anchor system of claim 1, further comprising the hollow shaft having a cross-section of a geometric shape.

6. The drive anchor system of claim 5, wherein the geometric shape comprises at least one of a circle, a parallelogram, and a multi-sided shape.

7. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the surface feature comprises at least one ridge.

8. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the surface feature comprises at least one raised protrusion.

9. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the surface feature is disposed along a substantial portion of the external wall of the hollow shaft.

10. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the member coupling closed end comprises a capping structure extending across the closed end of the member coupling.

11. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the member coupling further comprises an end flange.

12. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the mounting member comprises a shaft.

13. The drive anchor system of claim 1, wherein the member coupling is removably and replaceably mounted.