U.S. patent application number 10/683404 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-08 for assembly fitting with bayonet coupling.
This patent application is currently assigned to Giroflex-Entwicklungs-AG. Invention is credited to Curiger, Erwin.
Application Number | 20040129186 10/683404 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32034715 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040129186 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Curiger, Erwin |
July 8, 2004 |
Assembly fitting with bayonet coupling
Abstract
An assembly fitting has a first fitting part (1), which is
provided for attachment to a first component, and a second fitting
part (10), which is provided for attachment to a second component.
The first fitting part (1) and the second fitting part (10) can be
connected to one another by means of a bayonet coupling, whereby a
sleeve part (2) of the bayonet coupling is formed in the first
fitting part (1) and an insertion part (11) of the bayonet coupling
is formed in the second fitting part (10). The insertion part (11)
has a number of radial tongues (12). The sleeve part (2) has an
inner sleeve opening (4) and tongue openings (5) radially formed
thereon, corresponding to the number of tongues (12). Each radial
tongue (12) has at least one lug (13), whose outer radial distance
from a center of the insertion part (14) essentially lies on a
circle and the shape of the inner sleeve opening (4) corresponds
essentially at least in part to this circle. The advantage consists
in a well centered and fixed connection that is fixed in three axes
between the first fitting part (1) and the second fitting part
(10).
Inventors: |
Curiger, Erwin; (Ennetbaden,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VENABLE, BAETJER, HOWARD AND CIVILETTI, LLP
P.O. BOX 34385
WASHINGTON
DC
20043-9998
US
|
Assignee: |
Giroflex-Entwicklungs-AG
Koblenz
CH
|
Family ID: |
32034715 |
Appl. No.: |
10/683404 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/157.16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B 9/023 20130101;
F16B 9/052 20180801; A47B 95/00 20130101; A47B 13/021 20130101;
F16B 12/42 20130101; F16B 12/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
108/157.16 |
International
Class: |
A47B 013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 14, 2002 |
CH |
CH 1695/02 |
Claims
1. An assembly fitting, which includes a first fitting part (1),
which is provided for attaching to a first component, and a second
fitting part (10), which is provided for attachment to a second
component, wherein the first fitting part (1) and the second
fitting part (10) can be connected to one another by means of a
bayonet coupling, whose sleeve part (2) is formed in the first
fitting part (1) and whose insertion part (11) is formed in the
second fitting part, and wherein the insertion part (11) is
provided with a number of radial tongues (12), and the sleeve part
(2) is provided with an inner sleeve opening (4) and a number of
tongue openings (5) formed thereon corresponding to the number of
radial tongues (12), characterized in that each radial tongue (12)
has at least one lug (13), whose outer radial distance from a
center of the insertion part (14) lies essentially on a circle and
the shape of the inner sleeve opening (4) corresponds essentially
at least in part to this circle.
2. The assembly fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that
each radial tongue (12) has two lugs (13), whose outer radial
distances from the center of the insertion part (14) lie
essentially on the circle.
3. The assembly fitting according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the shaping of the inner sleeve opening (4) corresponds at
least in part essentially to a generally spiral-shaped or
spiral-related curve characteristic, which converges with the
circle.
4. The assembly fitting according to one of claims 1 through 3,
characterized in that the radial tongues (12) each have a radial
grooving (15) in their outer edges.
5. The assembly fitting according to claim 4, characterized in that
on the sleeve part (2), a resilient locking device with a release
lever and a locking cam is mounted, whereby the locking cam is
formed to engage in the radial grooving (15) of the tongues
(12).
6. The assembly fitting according to one of claims 1 through 5,
characterized in that the sleeve part (2) and the insertion part
(11) in a coupled state form a centered and fixed connection in
three axes between the first fitting part (1) and the second
fitting part (10), or between the first component and the second
component.
7. The assembly fitting according to one of claims 1 through 6,
characterized in that the assembly fitting can be combined with
auxiliary or intermediate parts, with which, in addition to the
first and second components, adjacent further components can be
connected.
8. A use of the assembly fitting according to one of claims 1
through 7 for attachment of furniture parts.
9. The use of the assembly fitting according to claim 8 for
attachment of table legs to table tops.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a assembly fitting with a bayonet
coupling according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as its
particular use in the area of attachment of furniture parts
according to claim 7.
[0002] There are many areas of use, in which different components
must be able to be assembled to an unit related to a need with
reference to different momentary specifications in the fastest
possible manner and possibly without the use of tools.
[0003] One of these areas of use, for example, is the furniture of
restaurants and conference rooms, etc., in which, many times, in a
short amount of time, furniture must be assembled according to a
very often differing number of guests. Often, then, in a short
amount of time, a number of further tables must be assembled, which
often are stored in a disassembled state for space-saving reasons.
Fast assembly systems, such as bayonet connection for attachment of
furniture parts and in particular, also table legs, basically are
already known. Popular and, in particular, constructively simple
solutions often have the disadvantage, however, that they are only
minimally exact and also minimally stable.
[0004] From U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,648, an assembly fitting with a
bayonet coupling for the mounting of table legs to table tops is
known. This assembly fitting comprises a leg mounting part, which
is provided for attachment to a table leg, as well as a table top
mounting, which is provided for attachment to a table top. The leg
mounting part and the table top mounting can be connected to one
another with the assistance of a bayonet coupling. Thus, on the
table top mounting, a sleeve part is formed and on the leg mounting
part, an insertion part is formed.
[0005] The insertion part has four radial tongues and the sleeve
part has a hollow chamber and an opening, which corresponds in its
shape to the four radial tongues of the insertion part and which
makes possible guiding the tongues of the insertion part into the
hollow chamber. By twisting the insertion part relative to the
sleeve part in the hollow chamber, the bayonet coupling between the
insertion part and the sleeve part is operative. The stability in
the coupled state essentially comes from the action of a positive
connection between the table top mounting and the leg mounting
part. Since guiding the insertion part into the sleeve part must
take place smoothly, with this solution only a minimal centering
accuracy can be achieved.
[0006] Here, the present invention attempts to achieve an
improvement. The goal of the invention is to provide an assembly
fitting with a bayonet coupling, which makes possible a precise
centering of the two fitting parts to be coupled.
[0007] This object is solved with the features of claim 1.
[0008] With an assembly fitting of this type with an insertion part
with a number of radial tongues and a sleeve part with an inner
sleeve opening and a number of tongue openings formed thereon
corresponding to the number of radial tongues, each radial tongue
has at least one lug.
[0009] The outer radial distance of the lug from a center of the
sleeve part lies essentially on a circle and the form of the inner
sleeve opening corresponds essentially at least in part to this
circle. In the coupled state, the lugs rest on the essentially
circular form of the inner sleeve opening and center and hold the
insertion part.
[0010] The advantages of this arrangement, in particular, are that
the centering accuracy is substantially improved. Nevertheless,
with this manner of construction, the insertion part can be
inserted very easily into the hollow chamber of the sleeve part,
because for the tongue openings on the first fitting part, very
ample clearance tolerances can be used. By subsequent twisting of
the insertion part relative to the sleeve part, the tongues of the
insertion part come into engagement with the sleeve part and by
this twisting movement, the insertion part also is increasingly
centered in the above-described manner.
[0011] Further advantages are that the sleeve part as well as the
insertion part can be made generally very flat, as one-piece, and
therewith, also cost-effectively.
[0012] By using two lugs per tongue, the stability can be improved
further. Likewise, the possibility exists of achieving an
increasingly better centering with increased twisting by means of
an essentially spiral-shaped curve progression of the form of the
inner sleeve opening.
[0013] In addition, the radial tongues can be provided on their
outer edges with a radial grooving and the sleeve part, with a
resilient locking device. On the sleeve part, a release lever can
be mounted with a locking tappet, whereby the locking tappet
engages in the coupled position of the assembly fitting into the
radial grooving of the tongues and secures against twisting. Thus,
in a simple manner, the assembly fitting can be secured against
unintended release.
[0014] By means of an essentially triangular shaping of the fitting
part with the integrated sleeve part, good assembly possibilities
can be achieved with relatively minimal weight. Both fitting parts
can be attached by screw connections to the respective components,
for example, whereby, in addition and according to need, protection
against twisting can be provided still.
[0015] The use of the assembly fitting of the present invention
makes possible many versatile use possibilities. Generally,
different uses are contemplated, in which components with reference
to different momentary needs must be assembled to a correctly and
precisely oriented and stabile unit as quickly as possible and
possibly without the use of tools. These types of use possibilities
include, for example:
[0016] the assembly of exhibition and display constructions;
[0017] shelves;
[0018] mountings for barriers, etc.;
[0019] the attachment of furniture parts;
[0020] the attachment of table legs to table tops;
[0021] camping furniture;
[0022] transportable market stands;
[0023] generally for supports and parts on surface elements, and so
on.
[0024] Further uses are possible, if a proportional minimization of
all parts is taken into consideration.
[0025] Possibilities of combinations exist in the area of the
attachment of furniture parts also, in so far that the assembly
fittings of the present invention can be combined with auxiliary
parts, with which, for example, table tops can be arranged on one
another, such that on the separating point, two or more table tops
are supported by a single table leg.
[0026] Next, the invention will be described in greater detail with
reference to the drawings of one example for the use for attachment
of table legs to table tops. In the drawings:
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a sleeve part formed in a first fitting
part;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows an insertion part formed in a second fitting
part.
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a first fitting part 1 with a sleeve part 2
formed thereon. The first fitting part 1 comprises essentially a
one-piece, essentially flat and generally triangular base plate 3
in the shown example. The base plate 3 has an essentially circular
sleeve opening 4 and three outward, radially formed tongue openings
5. In an area of the base plate 3, which essentially does not
correspond to that which is included by the formed tongue openings
5, the base plate 3 is heightened in a bent-out manner, which as a
result creates a kind of hollow chamber 6. Under the sleeve part 2
formed from on the first fitting part 1, a region is to be
understood, which is formed by the inner sleeve opening 4 of the
base plate 3, the tongue openings 5 and the hollow chamber 6
existing in this region by the bending out of the base plate 3. The
first fitting part 1 has attachment holes 7 as well as holes 8 for
mounting of a locking device (not shown).
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a second fitting part 10 with an insertion part
11 formed thereon. The second fitting part 10 is essentially flat
and round and has three radially, outwardly extending tongues 12.
The tongue openings 5 of the first fitting part 1 are designed with
a large clearance tolerance, such that the second fitting part with
the tongues 12 can be inserted very easily into the hollow chamber
6 of the sleeve part 2.
[0031] Each radial tongue 12 has on its top side (that side, which
faces away from the sleeve part upon the insertion of the insertion
part 11 into the sleeve part 2) two lugs 13, whose outer radial
distances from a center 14 of the insertion part essentially lie on
a circle. The tongues 12 preferably are provided with radial
groovings 15, which are formed for receiving locking cams (not
shown) of a preferably resilient locking device (likewise not
shown). Locking devices, with which assembly fittings can be
secured against unintended release in a simple manner, are known
pertinently, and therefore, are not further explained. This also is
the case for lever devices, with which these types of locking
devices can be released again in a simple manner.
[0032] For connection of the first fitting part 1 with the second
fitting part 10 with the bayonet coupling (which is formed by the
sleeve part 2 and the insertion part 11), the insertion part 11 of
the second fitting part 10 first is inserted into the opening
formed by the inner sleeve opening 4 and the tongue openings 5.
This is very easy because of the large clearance tolerances of the
tongue openings 5. Next, the second fitting part 10 is twisted
relative to the first fitting part 1. In this manner, the tongues
12 of the second fitting part 10 are shifted into the hollow
chamber 6 of that part of the base plate 3, which lies in the area
of the inner sleeve opening 4. At the same time, the outer contact
surfaces of the lugs 13 of the second fitting part 10 come into
contact with the contact surfaces of the inner sleeve opening 4 of
the first fitting part 1. In this manner, an accurate centering of
the first fitting part 1 relative to the second fitting part 10
takes place. With a locked bayonet coupling, one obtains an
accurately centered and fixed connection, fixed in three axes,
between the first fitting part 1 and the second fitting part
10.
[0033] The outer radial distance of the (at least one) lug 13 per
tongue 12 from a center of the insertion part 14 lies essentially
on a circle and the shaping of the inner sleeve opening 4
corresponds at least in part essentially to this circle. In the
coupled state, the lugs 13 rest on the essentially circular shaping
of the inner sleeve opening 4 and the lugs thereby center and hold
the insertion part 11.
[0034] The shaping of the inner sleeve opening 4 can correspond at
least in part essentially also to a generally spiral-shaped or
spiral-related curve characteristic, which converges on the circle.
In this manner, the transition with the attachment of the insertion
part 11 on the sleeve part 2 is further facilitated.
[0035] In conclusion, thanks to the flat structure of the first and
second fitting parts 1, 10, a very minimal structural height of the
assembly fitting of the present invention is achieved, which with
the stacking of components, which are provided with such fitting
parts, likewise is advantageous with regard to space
requirements.
* * * * *