Mechanically interlocking frame assemblies

Referring to FIG. 1, a frame assembly constructed from components in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10. As hereinafter described, the components of the present invention may be used to construct frame assemblies of various configurations. As such, frame assembly 10 is merely exemplary of the type of frame assembly that may be constructed utilizing the components of the present invention. Other configurations of frame assembly 10 and multiple interconnected frame assemblies 10 that are usable as structural supports or fixture components for automation equipment, as well as for furniture and building components, are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention.

Frame assembly 10 includes first and second opposite, spaced apart longitudinally extending side frame members or rails 14 and 16, respectively, and spaced apart upper and lower frame members or rails 18 and 20, respectively. First frame rail 14 is rigidly interconnected at joints to upper and lower frame rails 18 and 20, respectively, by a pair of

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PCT/US2012/059531 brackets shown as comer-engaging brackets 25. Similarly, second side frame rail 16 is rigidly interconnected at joints to upper and lower frame rails 18 and 20, respectively, by a pair of comer-engaging brackets 25. In the depicted embodiment, the frame rails 14, 16, 18, and 20 are identical in structure and, as such, the description hereinafter of frame rail 14 is understood to also describe the other frame rails 16, 18, and 20, as if fully described herein. Referring to FIGS, land 2, frame rail 14 has a generally square configuration or crosssectional profile shape and extends along a longitudinal axis. In alternate embodiments, the frame rails 14 may have different cross-sectional profile shapes, for example, round, rectangular, triangular, or some other polygonal shape (not illustrated), depending on the desired end-use configuration.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, frame rail 14 has an outer surface that is defined by four faces 30a-30d. Each face 30a-30d is identical in structure and, as such, the description hereinafter of face 30a is understood to describe faces 30b-30d, as if fully described herein. Referring to FIG. 3, each face 30a of frame rail 14 is generally flat and includes slot 32 therein that extends along the entire length thereof and that opens into a longitudinally extending cavity 33. Slot 32 and cavity 33 are substantially symmetrical, whereby description of structures at one side of the slot 32 and/or cavity 33 are equally applicable to the corresponding structures on the other side of the slot 32 and/or cavity 33, only being mirror images thereof. Slot 32 is defined between first and second sidewalls 34 and 36, respectively, extending from face 30a at an angle 38 thereto. It is contemplated that angle 38 falls within the range of 1° and 89°, but is preferably between about 30° to about 80° and is most preferably about 70°. Correspondingly, in such a most preferred embodiment, each of the first and second sidewalls 34, 36 defines an angle of about 20° with respect to an imaginary line that extends through the centerline of the slot 32, whereby the first and second sidewalls 34, 36 define an angle of about 40° between each other. Slot 32 is further defined between first and second outer abutment walls 42 and 44, respectively, which diverge from corresponding terminal edges 34a and 36a, respectively, of first and second sidewalls 34 and 36, respectively. First abutment wall 42 angularly intersects first sidewall 34 to define an angle that is greater than 90° therebetween and second abutment wall 44 angularly intersects

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WO 2013/055779 PCT/US2012/059531 sidewall 36 to define an angle that is greater than 90° therebetween. Preferably an angle defined between the first abutment wall 42 and the first sidewall 34 is between about 110° to about 160° and is most preferably about 130°. From respective outermost portions, first and second inner abutment walls 46 and 48 define lines that extend angularly down and away from the face 30a, toward a middle portion of the cavity 33. Stated another way, from the inner lands 42a and 44a that connect the outer and inner abutment walls 42, 46 and 44,48 to each other, respectively, the first and second inner abutment walls 42, 44 extend in opposing directions that diverge from each other and toward the face 30a. Each of the lands 42a, 44a defines a flat surface that extends between and connects the respective outer and inner abutment walls 42, 46 and 44, 48 to each other, defining an edge at each intersection of the lands 42a, 42a and outer and inner abutment walls 42, 46 and 44, 48. First and second outer abutment walls 42, 44 are at steeper angles or relatively closer to orthogonal with respect to the face 30a than are the inner abutment walls 46, 48 which are relatively closer to parallel with respect to the face 30a. The first and second outer abutment walls 42,44 in one preferred embodiment define angles of about 60° with respect to the face 30a, whereas the inner abutment walls 46, 48 of this embodiment define angles of about 20° or 19° with respect to the face 30a. Concave terminal wall 50 extends between terminal edges 46a and 48a, respectively, of first and second inner abutment walls 46 and 48, respectively, and the cavity 33 is defined between the inner abutment walls 46,48 and the concave terminal wall 50.

Referring now to FIG. 10 an alternate embodiment of frame rail 14 includes recesses 52 at the respective intersections of pairs of the faces 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d. The recesses 52 extend into and longitudinally along the frame rail 14. Each recess 52 is defined by recess sidewalls 54, 56 that perpendicularly intersect each other. Referring now to FIG. 11, this alternate embodiment of frame rail 14 includes recesses 62 at the respective intersections of pairs of the faces 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d and, like recesses 52, recesses 62 extend into and longitudinally along the frame rail 14. Each recess 62 is defined by recess walls 64, 66 that extend angularly into the frame rail 14 and intersect with opposing sides of a recess bottom wall 67.

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Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, brackets 25 interconnect ends of respective ones of the rails 14, 16, 18, 20 to each other. Each bracket 25 defines a substantially triangular perimeter shape when viewed from a side elevation. Bracket 25 includes an L-shaped body defined by orthogonally intersecting first and second legs 80, 90 and a brace 100 that extends angularly between the first and second legs 80 and 90. First leg 80 includes inward and outward ends 81, 82 and substantially flat opposing inner and outer surfaces 85, 86. A bracket rail 87 extends outwardly from the outer surface 86 in a longitudinal direction and along an intermediate or middle segment of the first leg 80. Bracket rail 87 (FIG. 5) has a perimeter shape that corresponds to the perimeter shape of the portion of slot 32 that is defined between the first and second slot sidewalls 34 and 36 (FIG. 9). This allows the bracket rail 87 to nest into the slot 32, between the slot sidewalls 34, 36. Second leg 90 includes inward and outward ends 91, 92 and substantially flat opposing inner and outer surfaces 95, 96. A bracket rail 97 (FIG. 5) extends outwardly from the outer surface 96 in a longitudinal direction and along an intermediate or middle segment of the second leg 90. Bracket rail 97 is identical to bracket rail 87, whereby the description of bracket rail 87 is applicable here with respect to bracket rail 97.

Still referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, brace 100 has a first end 101 that connects to the outward end 82 of first leg 80 and a second end 102 that connects to the outward end 92 of second leg 90. Brace 100 includes substantially flat opposing inner and outer surfaces 105, 106. The inner surfaces 85, 95 and 105 of the first and second legs 80, 90 and brace 100, in combination, define an outer periphery of a triangular opening 110 that extends transversely through the bracket 25.

Bracket 25 includes two pairs of bolt-receiving bores 122, 124, and 126, 128 that extend angularly, in a transverse direction, through the first and second legs 80 and 90, respectively. Bores 122 and 124 of the first leg 80 extend parallel to the second leg 90 and angularly with respect to a plane extending from a centerline of the first leg 80, orthogonally through the inner and outer surfaces 85, 86 of the first leg 80. In this way, the bores 122,124 of the first leg 80 define lower openings at an outer surface of the bracket rail 87 such that the lower openings of the bores 122, 124 are substantially aligned with a centerline of the

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PCT/US2012/059531 first leg 80. Bore 122 defines an upper opening and counter bore that can receive a bolt head and is recessed into the inner surface 85 at the inward end 81 of the first leg 80. Bore 122 aligns with a groove 123 that extends into a side of the brace 100 adjacent the outward end 92 of the second leg 90. Groove 123 is positioned with respect to the bore 122 so that a bolt can be inserted into the bore 122 through the triangular opening 110 and a shaft of a tool (not shown) that tightens or loosens such bolt can nest into the groove 123 and drive the bolt through the bore 122, parallel to the second leg 90 and transversely angled with respect to the first leg 80. Bore 124 of the first leg 80 defines an upper opening and counter bore that can receive a bolt head and is recessed into the outer surface 106 at the first end 101 of the brace 100.

Still referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, bores 126 and 128 of the second leg 90 extend parallel to the first leg 80 and angularly with respect to a plane extending from a centerline of the second leg 90, orthogonally through the inner and outer surfaces 95, 96 of the second leg 90. In this way, the bores 126, 128 of the second leg 90 define lower openings at an outer surface of the bracket rail 97 such that the lower openings of the bores 124, 126 are substantially aligned with a centerline of the second leg 90. Bore 126 defines an upper opening and counter bore that can receive a bolt head and is recessed into the inner surface 95 at the inward end 91 of the second leg 90. Bore 126 aligns with a groove 127 that extends into a side of the brace 100 adjacent the outward end 82 of the first leg 80. Groove 127 is positioned with respect to the bore 126 so that a bolt can be inserted into the bore 126 through the triangular opening 110 and a shaft of a tool (not shown) that tightens or loosens such bolt can nest into the groove 127 and drive the bolt through the bore 126, parallel to the first leg 80 and transversely angled with respect to the second leg 90. Bore 128 of the second leg 90 defines an upper opening and counter bore that can receive a bolt head and is recessed into the outer surface 106 at the second end 102 of the brace 100.

It is preferred that the angles at which the bores 122, 124, and 126, 128 extend transversely through the first and second legs 80, 90 are acute angles with respect to the corresponding outer surfaces 86 and 96 of the first and second legs 80 and 90. Each of such acute angles falls in the range of 1° and 89°, but preferably between about 30° and about 80°,

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PCT/US2012/059531 and is most preferably about 70° but, regardless, is selected to align with a corresponding bore of a nut 150 which is described in greater detail below.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the brace 100 includes a reinforcement 103, 104 at each of the first and second ends 101, 102. Each reinforcement 103, 104 in this embodiment includes and extra layer attached to or a thickening of the material of the first and second ends 101, 102 of the brace 100. The reinforcement 103, 104 overlies the intersections of the first and second ends 101, 102 with the legs 80, 90 of the bracket 25. In this particular embodiment, each reinforcement 103, 104 varies in thickness along its length, providing a curved outer surface and an arching sectional profile shape that tapers downwardly toward relatively thinner opposing ends from a relatively thicker middle segment.

In alternate embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the bores 122, 124,126, and 128 have lower openings at the outer surface 86, 96 of the first and second legs 80, 90 instead of at the bracket rail 87, 97 because each bracket rail 87, 97 is positioned adjacent a side edge of the outer surfaces 86, 96 instead of along a centerline of the legs 80, 90 as previously described. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, each bracket rail 87, 97 (only bracket rail 87 being shown) has a perimeter shape that corresponds to the perimeter shape of the recess 52, such that the bracket rail 87, 97 engages both the recess sidewalls 54, 56 of the recess. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, each bracket rail 87, 97 (only bracket rail 87 being shown) is configured to extend into recess 62 and engage the entire recess wall 64 in a dovetail-like manner.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-11, regardless of the particular configuration of the bracket rails 87, 97, the bracket rails 87, 97 provide mechanical interfaces that resist transverse sliding between interconnected components of the joints and which properly align the rails 14, 16, 18, 20, the brackets 25, and nuts 150 so that bolts 200 can extend through the bores 122, 124, and 126, 128 and engage corresponding nuts 150. Nuts 150 are provided within terminal ends of the cavities 33 so that the nuts 150 are accessible through the slots 32 in first face 30a of rail 14 by bolts 200 so as to rigidly connect the bracket 25 to the rail 14. The

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PC17US2012/059531 nuts 150 are sized to slide longitudinally through the cavities 33 and are captured within the cavities so that the nuts 150 do not rotate in unison with rotation of the bolts 200.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, each nut 150 has a substantially planar upper wall 155 and a pair of outwardly tapering sidewalls 162, 164. As shown in FIGS. 9-11, the tapering sidewalls 162, 164 extend angularly from the upper wall 155 at angles that correspond to the angles of outer abutment walls 42 and 44 between which the lower portion of the slot 32 is defined in rail 14. A distance between the tapering sidewalls 162, 164 is smaller than a distance between the outer abutment walls 42, 44 so that, during use, a clearance is defined between the tapering sidewall 162 and outer abutment wall 42 in a manner that is described in more detail elsewhere herein. Referring again to FIGS. 7 and 8, a pair of shoulders 166, 168 extends outwardly from lower portions of the tapering sidewalls 162, 164 and upwardly in a direction of the upper wall 155.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-11, the shoulders 166, 168 of nut 150 extend at angles 163, 165 (FIG. 8) that generally correspond to the angles defined between inner abutment walls 46, 48 and outer abutments walls 42,44 (FIG. 9) of the rail 14. It is preferred that angles 163 are obtuse angles, falling in the range of 91° and 179°, but preferably between about 95° and 105°, and is more preferably about 100°. Angles (not labeled) between shoulder 166 and a longitudinal axis of the bore 180, and between shoulder 168 and a longitudinal axis of the bore 180 are different. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the angle between shoulder 166 and the longitudinal axis of bore 180 is about 90°, and the angle between shoulder 168 and the longitudinal axis of bore 180 is about 55°. A lower curved wall 170 extends along an arcuate path between and connects outer ends of the shoulders 166,168. The profile shape and radius of curvature of the lower curved wall 170 of the nut 150 correspond to those characteristics of the concave terminal wall 50 that define the lower periphery of the cavity 33 of rail 14.

Referring again to FIGS. 7 and 8, nut 150 includes a pair of bores 180 that are spaced from each other along the length of the nut 150. The bores 180 extend orthogonally through the nut 150 in a longitudinal direction of the nut 150 and angularly in a transverse direction of the nut 150. Bores 180 extend at the same angles that the bores 122, 124, and 126, 128

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PC17US2012/059531 extend through the first and second legs 80, 90, namely, transversely at acute angles. Each of such acute angles of bores 180 falls in the range of 1° and 89°, but is preferably between about 30° and about 80°, and is most preferably about 65° with respect to the upper wall 155 of the nut 150. In this configuration, each bore 180 has an upper opening that is substantially at a centerline of the nut 150 and a lower opening that is offset from the centerline of the nut, being positioned below the outwardly tapered sidewall 162.

Referring to FIG. 9, in order to interconnect a pair of the rails 14, 16, 18, and 20 to each other, for example, to interconnect rail 14 and 18, a bracket 25 and a pair of nuts 150 and bolts 200 are used. A first nut 150 is slid longitudinally into the cavity 33 of face 30a of rail 14. Bracket rail 87 of the first leg 80 of bracket 25 is slid into the slot 32 of the face 30a of rail 14. The first leg 80 of bracket 25 and nut 150 are slid lengthwise through the slot 32 and cavity 33 of rail 14 until the bracket 25 is in the desired position and the bores 122,124 of the first leg 80 align with the pair of bores 180 of the nut 150. Bolts 200 are inserted through the unthreaded bores 122, 124 and are threaded into threads bores 180 of the nut 150.

Still referring to FIG. 9, tightening the bolts 200 into nut 150 provides multi-axial tightening to the joint in a manner that clamps the stack of the rail nut 150, rail 14, and bracket 25 together and transversely compresses the rail 14. Tightening each bolt 200 draws the nut 150 by advancing the nut 150 along the threads of the bolt 200. This pulls the nut 150 angularly up and across the cavity 33, toward the outer abutment wall 44 at the left-hand side (as illustrated) of the slot 32. The shoulder 166 engages the inner abutment wall 46 at the right-hand side (as illustrated) of cavity 33 while the nut 150 is being drawn angularly up and across the cavity 33, which establishes a clearance between the outer abutment wall 42 of the rail 14 and tapering sidewall 162. Such clearance provides enough space for the nut 150 to pivot within the cavity 33. This is done by further tightening the bolt 200 after the shoulder 166 engages the inner abutment wall 46 so that further advancing the nut 150 along bolt 200 pivots the nut 150 about the inner land 42a between the inner and outer abutment walls 46, 42. Nut 150 then pivots about the inner land 42a until the shoulder 168 engages the inner abutment wall 48 at the left-hand side (as illustrated) of cavity 33. When both

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PCT/US2012/059531 shoulders 166, 168 of the nut 150 are engaging the inner abutment walls 46,48 of the rail 14, further tightening of the bolt 200 moves nut 150 closer to the bracket 25. This urges the inner abutment walls 46, 48 closer to each other, transversely compressing the rail 14 because of the wedging action between the inner abutment walls 46,48 and shoulders 166, 168 that slides the inner abutment walls 46, 48 across the shoulders 166, 168 and toward the tapering sidewalls 162, 164 of the nut 150. This also provides a clamping force that squeezes the rail 14 between the bracket 25 and nut 150 while tensioning the bolt 200.

To connect rail 18 to the bracket 25 and rail 14, bracket rail 97 of the second leg 90 of bracket 25 is slid into slot 32 of face 30a of rail 18. The procedure for tightening bolts 200 into a nut 150 to provide multi-axial tightening of the joint as described above is repeated so as to clamp the rail 18 between the bracket 25 and nut 150 and arrive at an assemblage of the bracket 25 and rails 14 and 18. Of course, the process may be repeated as many times as desired to interconnect the various brackets, rails, or other components with each other and make a frame assembly 10 which may then be used as a component or subassembly of a larger system or structure. .

To make a frame assembly 10 with the alternate embodiments of rails 14, 16, 18, 20 and brackets 25 of FIGS. 10 and 11, the procedures are the same as those described above, only bracket rails 87, 97 are inserted into recesses 52 (FIG. 10) and/or 62 (FIG. 11) instead of slot 32.

Regardless of the particular configuration of the brackets 25, it is noted that profile shapes of the nuts 150, rails 14, slots 32, cavities 33, and brackets 25 are selected so that such components cooperate with each other in a manner that allows their respective mechanical interfaces that engage each other so that such joint components mechanically align themselves while being tightened. In preferred embodiments, this provides a frame assembly 10 that, during tightening of fasteners and without manual measuring and adjusting, automatically self-aligns with a relatively high amount of precision and that has a tendency to “return to zero” or realign at the joints during use, for example, when returning to a relaxed state after being loaded or vibrated.

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Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter, which is regarded as the invention. For example, although bracket 25 has been described as being an interior mounted bracket, it is contemplated that the bracket 25 may be 5 configured as an exterior mounted bracket by providing the rail engaging structures of the bracket 25 on opposite sides of the first and second legs 80, 90. It is also contemplated that the bracket 25 may be flat with the first and second legs 80, 90 being orthogonally intersected and coplanar with each other that all of the bolts 200 extend in a common direction. The bracket may also be configured with a single leg 80, 90 or with the legs 80, io 90 longitudinally aligned with each other so that the bracket 25 can splice longitudinally aligned rails 14, 16, 18, 20 with each other.