U.S. patent application number 10/112299 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-17 for flexible mounting bracket.
Invention is credited to Chambers, Charles K..
Application Number | 20020148935 10/112299 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26809810 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020148935 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chambers, Charles K. |
October 17, 2002 |
Flexible mounting bracket
Abstract
A flexible mounting bracket for attaching partitions to a
mounting surface is provided. The flexible mounting bracket has a
retaining member for securing the partition, a mounting member for
securing the bracket to a mounting surface, and a biasing connector
for flexibly attaching the mounting member to the retaining member.
The flexible mounting bracket of the present invention absorbs
forces applied to the partition without transferring these forces
to the mounting surface, thereby preventing or significantly
limiting damage to the mounting surface. The flexible mounting
bracket of the present invention may also be used in conjunction
with a shim to allow adjustment of the retaining member relative to
the mounting member.
Inventors: |
Chambers, Charles K.;
(Morrison, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SHERIDAN ROSS PC
1560 BROADWAY
SUITE 1200
DENVER
CO
80202
|
Family ID: |
26809810 |
Appl. No.: |
10/112299 |
Filed: |
March 28, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60279807 |
Mar 28, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/231.9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 13/0805 20130101;
E04B 2/82 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/231.9 |
International
Class: |
A47F 005/08 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flexible mounting bracket adapted for attaching a panel to a
structure, comprising: a retaining member for interconnecting said
bracket to the panel; a mounting member for interconnecting said
bracket to the structure; and a biasing connector for flexibly
interconnecting said retaining member to said mounting member.
2. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said retaining member is U-shaped.
3. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said biasing connector is a spring.
4. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 3, wherein
said spring is about 0.5 inches in diameter.
5. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said biasing connector further comprises a nut.
6. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said biasing connector further comprises a bolt.
7. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a restraint member, wherein said restraint member limits
the movement of said retaining member relative to said mounting
member.
8. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising a shim for maintaining a desired position of said
restraining member relative to said mounting member.
9. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said retaining member is capable of movement relative to said
mounting member in an angular displacement of between 0.degree. and
about 25.degree..
10. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said biasing connector is adjustable to selectively vary the force
required to move said retaining member relative to said mounting
member.
11. A mounting bracket adapted for flexibly securing a panel to a
structure, comprising: a retaining member including two opposing
arms, a base, and at least one connecting aperture through said
base; a mounting member having at least one connector passage; and
a biasing connector including a bolt and a spring, wherein said
bolt is disposed through said connecting aperture, said connector
passage and said spring for flexibly interconnecting said retaining
member to said mounting member.
12. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 11, wherein
said retaining member is U-shaped.
13. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 11, further
comprising a restraint member for limiting movement of said
retaining member relative to said mounting member.
14. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 11, further
comprising a shim for maintaining a desired position of said
restraining member relative to said mounting member.
15. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 11, wherein
said retaining member is capable of movement relative to said
mounting member in an angular displacement of between 0.degree. and
about 25.degree..
16. The flexible mounting bracket as claimed in claim 11, wherein
said biasing connector is adjustable to selectively vary the force
required to move said retaining member relative to said mounting
member.
17. A method of flexibly mounting a panel to a wall comprising:
providing a bracket having a retaining member, a mounting member,
and a biasing connector, the biasing connector including a bolt, a
spring and a nut, wherein a rear portion of the biasing connector
extends beyond the back of the mounting member; drilling a hole in
a wall, the hole sized to accept the rear portion of the biasing
connector; feeding the rear portion of the biasing connector into
the hole in the wall; interconnecting the bracket to the wall; and
placing a panel in the bracket.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step
of securing the panel to the retaining member of the bracket.
19. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step
of inserting a shim between the retaining member and the mounting
member.
20. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising the step
of adjusting the tension of the bracket by tightening or loosening
the nut of the biasing connector.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Priority is claimed from U.S. Provisional Patent Application
No. 60/279,807 filed Mar. 28, 2001 entitled "Flexible Mounting
Bracket," which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to devices for attaching
panels and partitions to walls, and more particularly, to a
flexible mounting bracket for connecting a panel or partition to a
wall in a biased manner which allows travel and movement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Prefabricated panels are commonly used in building
construction to partition off selected areas of a building to form
restroom stalls, dressing rooms and the like. It is often necessary
or desirable to secure these panels to a wall or other solid
structure.
[0004] One known attachment device comprises a U-shaped bracket
with attached tabs for securement to a wall or other solid
formation. The tabs are typically attached to the wall by screws,
or similar mechanical connection devices known in the art. This
one-piece bracket has several drawbacks.
[0005] First, the one-piece, solid bracket provides a rigid
connection to the partition and the wall. Jarring of the partition,
or other force applied to the partition, may cause structural
damage to the wall. For example, if the wall is comprised of gypsum
board, the force may cause the screws to be torn from the wall. In
many bathroom stall installations, the bracket is attached to
ceramic tile. A force on the partition may cause the ceramic tile
to crack. In either case, the secure connection between the
partition and the wall may be compromised. This damage, in turn,
may cause misalignment of any hinged door in the partition system
or cause the partition to become dislocated.
[0006] Additionally, the one-piece solid bracket does not allow for
post-installation adjustment. Often walls are not constructed in a
square manner. Thus, opposing walls may not be parallel to one
another. Therefore, partitions which span the distance between
opposing walls may be necessarily connected by brackets which
cannot be properly aligned and, consequently, partitions may be
subject to undesirable forces. The undesirable forces may cause the
structural damage and door alignment problems mentioned above.
[0007] In view of the above, there is a long felt but unsolved need
for a partition connection device that avoids the above-mentioned
deficiencies of the prior art and that provides an effective system
that absorbs undesirable forces acting on a partition wall and
which may provide for adjustment of the connection device during or
after the partition wall is installed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to
provide a partition mounting bracket which will prevent undesirable
forces acting on the partition from being transmitted to the
connection, wall or other adjacent structure. To this end, the
present invention provides a multiple piece, biased bracket which
allows movement between the partition wall and adjacent structural
wall.
[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a
certain type of biasing means between the multiple bracket pieces
such that when an undesirable force is removed, the bracket pieces
return to their original orientation.
[0010] Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide an
adjustable bracket to account for non-uniformity in the mounting
surface. The present invention maybe used with a shim or other
object, thereby creating a desired displacement between the
multiple pieces of the bracket, and resulting in a desired
relationship between the pieces of the bracket that allows the
bracket and partition to be properly interconnected to the mounting
surface.
[0011] Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide
an adjustable bracket with a biasing means which has an adjustable
tension. The tension of the biasing means of the present invention
may be adjusted by selectively compressing the adjustment.
[0012] These and other aspects of the present invention are
fulfilled by providing a flexible mounting bracket having a
retaining member for attaching said bracket to a panel; a mounting
member for attaching said bracket to a structure, a biasing
connector for flexibly connecting said retaining member to said
mounting member, and one or more shims to selectively adjust the
orientation between the partition wall and adjacent structural
wall.
[0013] Additional advantages of the present invention will become
readily apparent from the following discussion, particularly when
taken together with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the flexible
mounting bracket of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
flexible mounting bracket of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of an alternative embodiment of
the flexible mounting bracket of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of the
flexible mounting bracket shown in FIG. 3; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of another alternative embodiment
of the flexible mounting bracket of the present invention shown
with a shim.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] A flexible mounting bracket includes a retaining member to
engage a partition. The bracket also includes a mounting member for
attaching the bracket to an adjacent structural wall surface. The
bracket further includes a biasing connector for attaching the
retaining member to the mounting member while allowing some
movement between the two members. The biasing connector, and thus
the relative movement between the retaining member and the mounting
member, prevents damage to the mounting surface when an undesirable
force is applied to the partition.
[0020] With reference to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the flexible
mounting bracket is shown. The flexible mounting bracket 10 is
comprised of a retaining member 12, a mounting member 14, and a
biasing connector 16. In this embodiment, the retaining member 12
is a U-shaped member having a base 18 and opposing arms 20. A
connecting aperture 22 is provided in the base 18 for connection of
the retaining member 12 to the mounting member 14 by the biasing
connector 16. Panel attachment apertures 24 are provided in the
arms 20 for connecting retaining member 12, and thus the bracket
10, to a panel.
[0021] The mounting member 14 is shown in the figures as a
generally rectangular bracket. It is noted, however, that other
shapes or geometries of the mounting member could be employed. The
mounting member 14 has, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, two bolt or
screw holes 26 for attaching the mounting member 14 to a surface.
The mounting member 14 also has a biasing connector passage 28 for
connecting the retaining member 12 to the mounting member 14 by the
biasing connector 16. When assembled, the biasing connector passage
28 of the mounting member 14 and the connecting aperture 22 of the
retaining member 12 must be substantially in alignment.
[0022] The biasing connector 16, as described above, holds the
retaining member 12 and the mounting member 14 in a biased
relationship. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the biasing connector 16
is constructed of a bolt 30, a spring 32 and a nut 34. Spring 32 is
preferably about a 0.5 inch diameter spring, although various sizes
of springs may be used. Furthermore, spring 32 may be replaced with
a substitute resilient material, such as a plastic or rubber tube
or bushing (not shown). The bolt 30 is inserted through the
connecting aperture 22 of the retaining member 12 and the biasing
connector passage 28 of the mounting member 14. The connecting
aperture 22 and the biasing connector passage 28 preferably have a
diameter that is larger than the diameter of the shaft of bolt 30
such that neither the retaining member 12 nor the mounting member
14 interfere with the movement of the bolt 30 unless the bolt 30 is
severely deflected. Preferably, a nut 34 is employed to secure the
bolt 30 to the retaining member 12, mounting member 14, and spring
32. Preferably, nut 34 is a self-locking type nut. Flat washers and
lock washers (not shown) may be used in conjunction with bolt 30
and/or nut 34, but are not required. Additionally, although not
required, as shown in FIG. 2 a spring cup 38 may be used on one or
both ends of the spring 32. A spring cup 38 has a recess to receive
a portion of the spring 32 to prevent its movement relative to the
spring cup 38.
[0023] With further reference again to FIG. 1, the biasing force of
the screw 32 may be adjusted by selectively compressing the spring
32 to a desired length. The screw 32 can be compressed by threading
the nut 34 farther onto the bolt 30, that is, toward the head of
the bolt 30. The opposite effect, i.e., decompressing the spring
32, can be accomplished by threading the nut 34 farther away from
the head of the bolt 30. An increase in the compression of the
spring 32 creates the requirement of a greater force to move the
retaining member 12 relative to the mounting member 14. Different
materials of construction of the mounting surface may have
different mechanical properties. Thus, the adjustable biasing force
of the present invention may allow the use of a standard flexible
mounting bracket with virtually any construction material.
[0024] Referring now to FIG. 2, the flexible mounting bracket 10 of
FIG. 1 is shown in a perspective view. In this embodiment, the
opposing ends of mounting member 14 preferably have equivalent
lengths which extend beyond the opposing arms 20 of the retaining
member 12. While this symmetry is desirable in many cases, it is
understood that various geometries are possible with the flexible
mounting bracket 10 of the present invention.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the
flexible mounting bracket 10 is shown in a bottom plan view. In
this embodiment, mounting member 14 includes a restraint member 40.
The restraint member 40 extends beyond the surface of the mounting
member 14 and adjacent to at least one surface of the retaining
member 12. The restraint member 40 of mounting member 14 may be
used to prevent movement of the retaining member 12 relative to the
mounting member 14 in at least one direction. In this embodiment,
the retaining member 12 is prevented from moving downward relative
to the mounting member 14. The restraint member 40 should be of an
appropriate size to prevent the displacement of the retaining
member 12 relative to the mounting member in that direction.
Preferably, restraint member 40 is comprised of stainless steel,
steel or a steel alloy, but may also be comprised of other metals
or metal alloys, wood, plastic, or other suitable material.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 4, the embodiment of the flexible
mounting bracket 10 of FIG. 3 is shown in a side view. The
restraint member 40 in this position would prevent the retaining
member 12 from being displaced downward relative to mounting member
14, provided mounting member 14 is securely attached to a
structure. The restraint member 40, however, does not prevent
relative movement between the retaining member 12 and mounting
member 14 in either side-to-side or in an upward direction. It is
understood that the restraint member 40 could be placed in
different positions to prevent motion in a specific direction. It
is also understood that multiple restraint members 40 could be used
to prevent motion in more than one direction.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternative embodiment of the
present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the position of the
retaining member 12 relative to the mounting member 14 is selected
to be at an angle, .theta., other than substantially parallel.
Preferably, the biasing connector 16 is designed to allow movement
between the retaining member 12 and the mounting member 14 such
that the angle .theta. may be between 0.degree. and about
25.degree.. In this embodiment, a shim 42 or other displacement
mechanism is used to maintain the position between the retaining
member 12 and the mounting member 14. The shim 42 allows an
installer to change the relative position between the retaining
member 12 and the mounting member 14 during installation to account
for non-parallel or non-square walls and ceilings. FIG. 5 also
shows how the flexible mounting bracket can prevent damage to the
mounting surface by absorbing force through the spring 32 and the
bolt 30 deflection "d" without transferring all of the force to the
mounting member 14. The mounting member 14 remains substantially
stationary while the retaining member 12 and the biasing connector
16 absorb the force. In this way, damage to the gypsum board or
tile mounting surface may be prevented.
[0028] The shim 42 may be inserted between the mounting member 14
and the retaining member 12 either during or after the installation
of a partition wall. After the flexible mounting bracket 10 is
attached to a structural wall, an installer may insert a shim 42
between retaining member 12 and the mounting member 14 by applying
a force to the retaining member 12 to overcome the force of the
biasing connector 16, inserting the shim 42 between the retaining
member 12 and the mounting member 14, and removing the applied
force to allow the force of the biasing connector 16 to maintain
the retaining member 12 and mounting member 14 in contact with the
shim 42. The installer may apply the necessary force by hand, or
may employ a tool to increase leverage. If a partition wall is
already connected to the retaining member 12, the installer may use
the length of the partition wall to gain additional leverage, if
necessary, to overcome the biasing connector 16 by hand. If a known
angular position of the retaining member 12 relative to the
mounting member 14 is available, a pre-selected shim 42 may be
inserted between the retaining member 12 and the mounting member 14
prior to connection of a structural wall. The pre-installation
adjustment could even be done prior to delivery of the flexible
mounting bracket 10 to a job site.
[0029] Typically, the shim 42 is a tapered article, i.e., having a
varying cross-section, although shims 42 of a constant
cross-section could be used. With a tapered shim 42, only one shim
is required to provide a variety of selected relative positions
between the retaining member 12 and the mounting member 14. With a
tapered shim 42, an installer could incrementally advance the shim
42 between the retaining member 12 and the mounting member 14,
while measuring or otherwise verifying the displacement after
incremental advancements, to obtain the desired relative position.
The shim 42 should be constructed of a material strong enough to
resist significant deformation by the biasing force supplied by the
biasing connector 16 when placed between the retaining member 12
and mounting member 14. Preferably, shim 42 is constructed of
steel, aluminum, or other metal or metal alloys, wood, or a plastic
or plastic composite.
[0030] In a preferred method of use, the flexible mounting bracket
is preassembled prior to installation; thus, retaining member 12 is
interconnected to mounting member 14 using biasing connector 16
that includes bolt 30, spring 32 and nut 34. A hole having a
diameter of about 0.5 inches is drilled into a wall to receive the
panel. The rear surface 44 of mounting member 14 is placed against
the wall while feeding the rear portion 46 (shown in FIGS. 1, 3,
and 4 using a bracket) of biasing connector 16 into the pre-drilled
approximately 0.5 inch diameter hole in the wall. Mounting member
14 is then screwed or bolted onto the wall surface by placing
screws through screw holes 26. Finally, a panel is placed into
retaining member 12. Screws or bolts may then be placed through
panel attachment apertures 24 to secure the panel to retaining
member 12. Additional steps may include inserting a shim 42 between
retaining member 12 and mounting member 14 to adjust the bracket 10
for angular distortion of the wall. In addition, the tension of
spring 32 may be adjusted during the installation process by
tightening or loosening nut 34 which compresses spring 32.
[0031] While various embodiment of the present invention have been
described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and
abdications of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the
art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such
modifications abdications are within the scope and spirit of the
present invention, as set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *