U.S. patent application number 11/322301 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-05 for securing device for combining floor plates.
Invention is credited to Feng-Ling Yang.
Application Number | 20070151189 11/322301 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38222895 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070151189 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang; Feng-Ling |
July 5, 2007 |
Securing device for combining floor plates
Abstract
A securing device has a base with two longitudinal sides, an
extended tongue, a rib, two buffers and at least one pin. The
extended tongue is formed on one of the longitudinal sides on the
top surface and has a first mounting slit defined in the inner
surface of the extended tongue. The rib is formed on the top
surface of the base to form a receiving recess between the extended
tongue and the rib. The rib is aligned with the extended tongue and
has a second mounting slit. The at least one hole is defined in the
base at the other longitudinal side. The two buffers are
respectively mounted in the first mounting slit and the second
slit. The at least one pin is mounted respectively in the at least
one hole. With the two buffers, the noise caused from piecing the
floor plates will be reduced.
Inventors: |
Yang; Feng-Ling; (Taichung,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
38222895 |
Appl. No.: |
11/322301 |
Filed: |
January 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/582.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04F 2201/042 20130101;
E04F 2201/0153 20130101; F16B 5/008 20130101; E04F 2201/0517
20130101; E04F 15/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/582.2 |
International
Class: |
E04B 2/00 20060101
E04B002/00 |
Claims
1. A securing device comprising: a base having two longitudinal
sides and a top surface, an extended tongue formed on one of the
longitudinal sides on the top surface of the base and having an
inner surface, and a first mounting slit defined in the inner
surface of the extended tongue, a rib formed on the top surface of
the base and aligned with the extended tongue to form a receiving
recess between the extended tongue and the rib, and having a second
mounting slit, at least one hole defined in the base at the other
longitudinal side, two buffers respectively mounted in the first
mounting slit and the second slit, and at least one pin mounted
respectively in the at least one hole.
2. The securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rib is
formed away form the center of the base.
3. The securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
cross-section of each mounting slit is semi-circular.
4. The securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each buffer
is made of rubber.
5. The securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each buffer
is made of ethylene vinyl acetate.
6. The securing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each buffer
is made of rubber.
7. The securing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each buffer
is made of ethylene vinyl acetate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a securing device, and more
particularly to a securing device for combining two adjacent floor
plates conveniently.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, combinable floor plates are pieced together
via applying adhesive agent on bottom faces of the floor plates to
allow the floor plates to securely attached onto a surface, i.e.
ground. Further, securing elements such as nails are applied to
enhance the attachment between the floor plates to the ground.
[0005] A kind of conventional floor plate (20) and a securing
device (50) are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The floor plate (20) has
two longitudinal sides, a first connection part (21) and a second
connection part (22). The first connection part (21) is defined in
one of the sides of the floor plate (20) and a second connection
part (22) is formed on the other side of the floor plate (20) to be
opposite and complementary to the first connection part (21). The
securing device (50) is mounted between the adjacent floor plates
(20).
[0006] The first connection part (21) is defined in the side face
of the floor plate (20) The first connection part (21) has an upper
cutout (211) and a lower cutout (212) respectively defined in the
side face of the floor plate (20).
[0007] The second connection part (22) defined in the side face of
the floor plate (20) opposite the first connection part (21). The
second connection part (22) has a tongue (221) extending from the
side face and a slit (222) defined in the bottom of the floor plate
(20) besides the tongue (221).
[0008] The securing device (50) mounted between the adjacent floor
plates (20) has an extended tongue and a rib. The extended tongue
is mounted inside the slit (222) in the floor plate (20) and the
rib formed on the top surface of the securing device (50) for
mounting inside the first connection part (21) of the floor plate
(20). The securing device (50) further comprises a buffer (51)
mounted on the rib for the adjacent floor plates (20) mounting more
securely.
[0009] When the connector (50) is applied to a bottom side of one
of the floor plates (20) and the floor plate (20) with the securing
device (50) is placed on top of the ground, a different floor plate
(20) is connected to the previous floor plate (20) with the tongue
(221) being received in the first connection part (21). Therefore,
the floor is completed via piecing the floor plates (20).
[0010] However, when the conventional securing device (50) is
assembled to the floor plates (20), a loud noise is always made due
to the hard material of the floor plates (20) and the securing
device (50). Further, the buffer (51) mounted on the rib of the
securing device (50) is adhered one by one manually and is time
consuming.
[0011] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to
provide a securing device to mitigate the aforementioned
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a securing device to securely combine two adjacent floor plates
conveniently.
[0013] In order to accomplish the above objective, the securing
device of the present invention has a base with two longitudinal
sides, an extended tongue, a rib, two buffers and at least one pin.
The extended tongue is formed on one of the longitudinal sides on
the top surface and has a first mounting slit defined in the inner
surface of the extended tongue. The rib is formed on the top
surface of the base to form a receiving recess between the extended
tongue and the rib. The rib is aligned with the extended tongue and
has a second mounting slit. The at least one hole is defined in the
base at the other longitudinal side. The two buffers are
respectively mounted in the first mounting slit and the second
slit. The at least one pin is mounted respectively in the at least
one hole. With the two buffers, the noise caused from piecing the
floor plates will be reduced.
[0014] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of floor plates and
securing devices in accordance with the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the securing
device in FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is an operational side plan view in partial cross
sectional of the floor plates and the securing device in FIG. 1
showing combination between two adjacent floor plates with the
securing device;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the combination between
adjacent floor plates in FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of conventional floor
plates with securing devices in accordance with the prior art;
and
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the combination between
adjacent floor plates with securing devices in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a floor plate (20) includes
a first connection part (21) formed on a first side face of the
floor plate (20) and a second connection part (22) formed on a
second side face of the floor plate (20) opposite to the first
connection part (21). The floor plate (20) may have a structure
same as that of a conventional one.
[0022] A securing device (10) in accordance with the present
invention is mounted between adjacent floor plates (20) and has a
base (11), an extended tongue (12), a rib (13), a receiving recess
(122), at least one hole (14), two buffers (15) and at least one
pin (16).
[0023] The base (11) has two longitudinal sides and a top
surface.
[0024] The extended tongue (12) is formed on one of the
longitudinal sides on the top surface of the base (11) and has an
inner surface and a first mounting slit (121). The mounting slit
(121) is defined in the inner surface of the extended tongue (12).
In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the mounting slit
(121) is semi-circular.
[0025] The rib (13) is formed on the top surface of the base (11)
away the center of the base (11) to form a receiving recess (122)
between the extended tongue (12) and the rib (13) and is aligned
with the extended tongue (12). The rib (13) has a top, a side
surface, a top plate and a second mounting slit (131). The second
mounting slit (131) is defined in the side surface facing the
extended tongue (12). The top plate is formed on the top of the rib
(13) to make the rib (13) bend toward the same direction as the
extended tongue (12).
[0026] The at least one hole (14) is defined in the base (11) at
the other longitudinal side. In a preferred embodiment, two holes
(14) are respectively defined through the base (11).
[0027] The two buffers (15) are respectively mounted in the first
mounting slit (121) and the second slit (131). The two buffers (15)
may be made of rubber, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), foam rubber or
any material that can eliminate noise.
[0028] The at least one pin (16) is mounted respectively in the at
least one hole (14). In a preferred embodiment, two pins (16) are
respectively mounted through the two holes (14) and are securely
inserted into the floor plate (20).
[0029] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, when the securing device is
assembled to adjacent floor plates (20), the extended tongue (12)
is mounted inside the slit (222) in the second connection part (22)
in the floor plate (20). The rib (13) and the base (11) are
respectively mounted in the upper cutout (211) and the lower cutout
(212) in the first connection part (21) of the adjacent floor plate
(20). The tongue (221) of the second connection part (22) is
mounted inside the receiving recess (122) in the securing device
(10) and abuts with the buffers (15) mounted in the mounting slits
(121, 131). Finally, the pins (16) are respectively inserted into
the floor plate (20) through the holes (14). The advantages of the
securing device of the present invention describe as follows.
[0030] First, to mount the buffers (15) in the receiving slits
(121, 131) is easier than the conventional one. In manufacturing,
multiple securing devices (10) may be made by aluminum extrusion.
When the aluminum extrusion process is made, the two buffer strips
(15) are adhered inside the slits (121,131), then the pre-securing
device (10) is cut into multiple pieces to obtain multiple securing
devices (10). Accordingly, to manufacture the securing device (10)
in accordance with the present invention is easy and
convenient.
[0031] Second, the adjacent floor plate (20) mounted inside the
receiving recess (122) will make the noise reduce due to the two
buffers (15) mounted inside the mounting slits (121, 131). With the
arrangement of the buffers (15), the tongue (221) can be kept from
bumping with the base (11) directly, so that noise generated during
assembling the floor plates (20) will be reduced.
[0032] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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