U.S. patent application number 12/164427 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-31 for baluster assembly.
Invention is credited to Min-Ju Chung.
Application Number | 20090321704 12/164427 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41446282 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090321704 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chung; Min-Ju |
December 31, 2009 |
Baluster Assembly
Abstract
A baluster assembly is adapted to be disposed between an armrest
and a floor. The baluster assembly includes an adjustment element
and a baluster post. The adjustment element has a first end adapted
to be fixed on the floor, a second end opposite to the first end,
and a screw-threaded section between the first and second ends. A
nut engages and is movable on the screw-threaded section. The
baluster post has a sleeve-endportion sleeved onto the
screw-threaded section and abutting against the nut, and an insert
end opposite to the sleeve-end portion and adapted to be fitted
into an insert hole in the armrest. The baluster post is co-movable
with the nut relative to the screw-threaded section. A decorative
cover is sleeved on the sleeve-end portion to cover the nut and
junctions between the nut and the sleeve-end portion and between
the nut and the screw-threaded section.
Inventors: |
Chung; Min-Ju; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIDSON BERQUIST JACKSON & GOWDEY LLP
4300 WILSON BLVD., 7TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Family ID: |
41446282 |
Appl. No.: |
12/164427 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
256/65.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 12/2253
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
256/65.14 |
International
Class: |
E04H 17/00 20060101
E04H017/00 |
Claims
1. A baluster assembly adapted to be disposed between an armrest
and a floor, the armrest having an insert hole, said baluster
assembly comprising: an adjustment element having a first end
adapted to be fixed on the floor, a second end opposite to said
first end along an axial direction, and a screw-threaded section
between said first and second ends; a nut engaging and movable on
said screw-threaded section; a baluster post having a sleeve-end
portion sleeved onto said screw-threaded section and abutting
against said nut, and an insert end opposite to said sleeve-end
portion along the axial direction and adapted to be fitted into the
insert hole in the armrest, said baluster post being co-movable
with said nut relative to said screw-threaded section along the
axial direction; and a decorative cover sleeved on said sleeve-end
portion of said baluster post to cover said nut and junctions
between said nut and said sleeve-end portion and between said nut
and said screw-threaded section.
2. The baluster assembly of claim 1, wherein said adjustment
element further has a self-tapping threaded section connected to
said screw-threaded section and adapted to be driven into the
floor, said self-tapping threaded section being proximate to said
first end, said screw-threaded section being proximate to said
second end.
3. The baluster assembly of claim 1, wherein said baluster post is
hollow.
4. The baluster assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pliable
centering gasket sleeved on said screw-threaded section and
disposed between said screw-threaded section and said sleeve-end
portion of said baluster.
5. The baluster assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lock bolt
disposed on said decorative cover and pressing against said
sleeve-end portion of said baluster post for locking said
decorative cover on said sleeve-end portion of said baluster post.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a structural element used in
residential and commercial buildings, more particularly to a
baluster assembly.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional baluster assembly disposed
between a floor 3 and an armrest 4. The conventional baluster
assembly includes a baluster post 1 and a decorative cover 2. The
baluster post 1 includes a first insert end 101 having a
rectangular cross section, and a second insert end 102 opposite to
the first insert end 101 and having a circular cross section. Since
the distance between the floor 3 and the armrest 4 is shorter than
the total length of the baluster post 1, the armrest 4 is provided
with an insert hole 401 that has a depth and a diameter
respectively larger than the length and the diameter of the second
insert end 102 in order to allow mounting of the baluster post 1
between the floor 3 and the armrest 4. Thus, during assembly, the
user must first move the baluster post 1 in a slanting manner
(shown by the phantom lines) before the second insert end 102 can
be inserted into the insert hole 401, after which the first insert
end 10 is pushed to engage a mounting hole 301 in the floor 3.
Finally, the decorative cover 2 is fixed to the floor 3 so as to
cover a junction between the first insert end 101 and the mounting
hole 301 in the floor 3.
[0005] Although the aforementioned conventional baluster assembly
can achieve its intended purpose, in actual practice, it has the
following drawbacks:
[0006] 1. Since the insert hole 401 in the armrest 4 has a depth
and a diameter that are respectively larger than the length and the
diameter of the second insert end 102 of the baluster post 1, the
second insert end 102 of the baluster post 1 is connected to the
insert hole 401 in a loose-fitting manner after assembly. Hence,
the baluster post 1 is able to undergo shaking relative to the
armrest 4.
[0007] 2. After the first insert end 101 is inserted into the
mounting hole 301, the bottom end of the second insert end 102 is
exposed outwardly of the insert hole 401, thereby adversely
affecting the aesthetic appearance of the baluster post 1.
[0008] 3. The bottom of the first insert end 101 is prone to
scratch the floor 3 during mounting of the baluster post 1 between
the floor 3 and the armrest 4. That is, when the baluster post 1 is
pushed from a slanting position to engage the mounting hole 301 in
the floor 3, the bottom of the first insert end 101 may scratch the
floor 3.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a baluster assembly that is capable of overcoming the
aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art. According to this
invention, a baluster assembly is adapted to be disposed between an
armrest and a floor. The armrest has an insert hole. The baluster
assembly comprises an adjustment element, a nut, a baluster post,
and a decorative cover. The adjustment element has a first end
adapted to be fixed on the floor, a second end opposite to the
first end along an axial direction, and a screw-threaded section
between the first and second ends. The nut engages and is movable
on the screw-threaded section. The baluster post has a
sleeve-endportion sleeved onto the screw-threaded section and
abutting against the nut, and an insert end opposite to the
sleeve-end portion along the axial direction and adapted to be
fitted into the insert hole in the armrest. The baluster post is
co-movable with the nut relative to the screw-threaded section
along the axial direction. The decorative cover is sleeved on the
sleeve-end portion of the baluster post to cover the nut and
junctions between the nut and the sleeve-end portion and between
the nut and the screw-threaded section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional baluster
assembly n a state of use;
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic side view of a baluster
assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an assembled schematic side view of the preferred
embodiment in a state of use; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating a nut
and a baluster post that are moved relative to an adjustment
element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, a baluster assembly according to
the preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted to be
disposed between a floor 100 and an armrest 200. The armrest 200
has an insert hole 210. The baluster assembly comprises an
adjustment element 10, a nut 20, a pliable centering gasket 30, a
baluster post 40, a decorative cover 50, and a lock bolt 60.
[0016] The adjustment element 10 has a first end 11, a second end
12 opposite to the first end 11 along an axial direction (A), a
screw-threaded section 13 between the first and second ends 11, 12,
and a self-tapping threaded section 14 connected to the
screw-threaded section 13 and adapted to be driven into the floor
100 so as to fix the first end 11 on the floor 100. The
self-tapping threaded section 14 is proximate to the first end 11,
while the screw-threaded section 13 is proximate to the second end
12.
[0017] The nut 20 engages the screw-threaded section 13, and is
movable upwardly or downwardly on the same along the axial
direction (A).
[0018] The pliable centering gasket 30 is sleeved on the
screw-threaded section 13.
[0019] The baluster post 40 has a sleeve-end portion 41 sleeved
onto the screw-threaded section 13 and abutting against the nut 20,
and an insert end 42 opposite to the sleeve-end portion 41 along
the axial direction (A) and adapted to be fitted into the insert
hole 210 in the armrest 200. In this embodiment, the baluster post
40 is hollow. The sleeve-end portion 41 has a rectangular cross
section. The insert end 42 has a circular cross section.
[0020] The decorative cover 50 is sleeved on the sleeve-end portion
41 of the baluster post 40.
[0021] The lock bolt 60 is disposed rotatably on the decorative
cover 50, and presses against the sleeve-end portion 41 of the
baluster post 40 so as to lock the decorative cover 50 on the
sleeve-end portion 41. When the lock bolt 60 is loosened, the
decorative cover 50 can move relative to the sleeve-end portion
41.
[0022] With particular reference to FIG. 3, to mount the baluster
post 40 between the floor 100 and the armrest 200, the self-tapping
threaded section 14 of the adjustment element 10 is first driven
into the floor 100, so that the adjustment element 10 is situated
under the insert hole 210. The nut 20 is then engaged to the
screw-threaded section 13, and is threaded downwardly until it
abuts against the floor 10 subsequently, the pliable centering
gasket 30 is sleeved downwardly onto the screw-threaded sect ion 13
until a bottom end thereof abuts against the nut 20, and the
sleeve-end portion 41 is sleeved onto the pliable centering gasket
30 and the screw-threaded section 13 until the sleeve-end portion
41 also abuts against the nut 20. At this time, the pliable
centering gasket 30 is disposed between the screw-threaded section
13 and the sleeve-end portion 41. The decorative cover 50 is
sleeved onto the sleeve-end portion 41 prior to sleeving of the
sleeve-end portion 41 onto the pliable centering gasket 30 and the
screw-threaded section 13. With the lock bolt 60 in a loose state,
the user can move the decorative cover 50 upwardly on the
sleeve-end portion 41 so as to facilitate sleeving of the
sleeve-end portion 41 onto the pliable centering gasket 30 and the
screw-threaded section 13. Since the distance between the armrest
200 and the floor 100 is larger than the length of the baluster
post 40, the sleeve-end portion 41 of the baluster post 40 can be
easily sleeved onto the pliable centering gasket 30 and the
screw-threaded section 13 of the adjustment element 10.
[0023] With reference to FIG. 4, the user can hold the decorative
cover 50 while rotating the nut 20 using a wrench, so that the nut
20 can move upwardly relative to the screw-threaded section 13
along the axial direction (A). Hence, the pliable centering gasket
30 and the baluster post 40 are co-movable with the nut 20. As a
result, the insert end 42 of the baluster post 40 can move upwardly
into the insert hole 210. Afterwards, the decorative cover 50 is
moved downwardly to contact the floor 100 so as to cover the nut 20
and junctions between the nut 20 and the sleeve-end portion 41 and
between the nut 20 and the screw-threaded section 13. The lock bolt
60 is then tightened against the sleeve-end portion 41 so as to
lock the decorative cover 50 on the sleeve-end portion 41.
[0024] From the aforementioned description, the advantages of the
present invention may be summarized as follows:
[0025] 1. Since the baluster post 40 is co-movable with the nut 20
relative to the screw-threaded section 13 of the adjustment element
10, the baluster post 40 can be made shorter than the distance
between the armrest 200 and the floor 100, so that the insert end
42 of the baluster post 40 can be inserted easily into the insert
hole 210. Thus, the depth and the diameter of the insert hole 210
can be substantially and respectively equal to the length and the
diameter of the insert end 42. In comparison with the existing
technique, the baluster post 40 of the present invention does not
undergo any shaking due to size differences between the insert end
42 and the insert hole 210.
[0026] 2. The baluster post 40 is co-movable upwardly with the nut
20 until the insert end 42 thereof is fully inserted into the
insert hole 210 and is not exposed outwardly of the insert hole
210, thereby enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the baluster
post 40.
[0027] 3. Unlike the conventional baluster assembly, the sleeve-end
portion 41 of the baluster post 40 is first sleeved onto the
pliable centering gasket 30 and the screw-threaded section 13,
after which the insert end 42 is inserted into the insert hole 210
by adjusting the nut 20. Hence, the sleeve-end portion 41 does not
scratch the floor 100 during mounting of the baluster post 40.
[0028] 4. Through the presence of the pliable centering gasket 30
on the screw-threaded section 13 of the adjustment element 10, when
the sleeve-end portion 41 is sleeved on the screw-threaded section
13, the pliable centering gasket 30 fills in the gap between the
sleeve-end portion 41 and the screw-threaded section 13, thereby
preventing the sleeve-end portion 41 from shaking relative to the
screw-threaded section 13.
[0029] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretations and equivalent arrangements.
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