×

Coupling apparatus for structural members

  • US 20050123346A1
  • Filed: 10/18/2004
  • Published: 06/09/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A coupling apparatus for structural members, comprising a pair of couplers which couples structural members independent of each other with each other, each of the pair of couplers including:

  • a cylindrical inner coupler main body rotationaly mounted on the structural member at a predetermined position thereof, the structural member corresponding to the each coupler;

    a cylindrical outer coupler main body rotatinally fitted on the outer periphery of the inner coupler main body;

    a plurality of engaging projections disposed on each of the inner coupler main body and the outer coupler main body at the projecting end thereof opposite to the corresponding structural member, and projecting in a direction along the center line of each coupler main body from a plurality of positions spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of each coupler main body;

    an engaging hook projecting in one circumferential direction of the inner coupler main body from one side surface of the projecting end portion of each of the engaging projections of the inner coupler main body;

    an engaging hook projecting in the other circumferential direction of the outer coupler main body from the other side surface of the projecting end portion of each of the engaging projections of the outer coupler main body; and

    an urging unit interposed between the inner coupler main body and the outer coupler main body and urging the inner coupler main body and the outer coupler main body in opposite cicumferential directions, wherein, when the plurality of engaging projections of the inner coupler main body and the plurality of engaging projections of the outer coupler main body of one coupler are inserted into a plurality of recesses between the plurality of engaging projections of the inner coupler main body and a plurality of recesses between the plurality of engaging projections of the outer coupler main body of the other coupler, the plurality of engaging hooks of the plurality of engaging projections of the inner coupler main body of the one coupler come into contact with the plurality of engaging hooks of the plurality of engaging projections of the inner coupler main body of the other coupler to rotate the inner coupler main body of the one coupler and the inner coupler main body of the other coupler with respect to each other in the predetermined opposite circumferential directions against the urging force of the urging unit, and thereafter the inner coupler main body of the one coupler and the inner coupler main body of the other coupler are rotated in the anti-predetermined opposite circumferential directions by the urging force of the urging unit, thereby the plurality of engaging hooks of the plurality of engaging projections of the inner coupler main body and the plurality of engaging hooks of the plurality of engaging projections of the outer coupler main body of the one coupler are engaged with the plurality of engaging hooks of the plurality of engaging projections of the inner coupler main body and the plurality of engaging hooks of the plurality of engaging projections of the outer coupler main body of the other coupler in a direction where the couplers are separated from each other along the center line of each of them.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×