Abstract
An interlock connector interlocks building blocks that are assembled so as to provide a wall structure. The building blocks have respective front surfaces for defining a front façade of the wall structure and respective rear surfaces with at least one respective horizontal groove. The interlock connector comprises first and second bodies. The first body is inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of a first building block. The second body is inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of a second building block adjacent the first building block. Insertion of the first and second bodies in the respective rear surface horizontal grooves of the first and second building blocks provides for interlocking the first and second building blocks.
Claims
1. An interlock connector for interlocking building blocks for being assembled so as to provide a wall structure, the building blocks having respective front surfaces for defining a front façade of the wall structure and having respective rear surfaces with at least one respective horizontal groove, the building blocks being arranged with at least a first building block being adjacent to a second building block, the interlock connector comprising: three separate connector bodies being interconnected, wherein of one of the three similar and separate connector bodies acts as a backing connector body connectively receiving a first one and a second one of the other two of the three separate connector bodies; each of the connector bodies having a rectangular configuration defining opposite connecting sections and opposite lateral sides, each connecting section defining an opening near each lateral side thereby defining a median section therebetween and a finger portion at each lateral side being spaced apart from the median section, the median section having a cylindrical external edge, each of the openings having a relatively narrower outer portion thereof and a relatively wider inner portion thereof, each opening being circumscribed by inner walls which form deformable clamping elements; the backing connector body defining at one of the connecting sections thereof the openings comprising first and second openings, the first opening receiving one connecting section of the first connector body being clamped thereby by the clamping elements defined by the first opening, the other connecting section of the first connector body providing for being inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of the first building block, the second opening receiving one connecting section of the second connector body being clamped thereby by the clamping elements defined by the second opening, the other connecting section of the second connector body providing for being inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of the second building block.
2. An interlock connector according to claim 1, wherein the building blocks are arranged in vertical columns with one of the first or second building blocks being an upper building block and the other of the first or second building blocks being a lower building block, the upper building block resting on the lower building block.
3. An interlock connector according to claim 2, wherein when the interlock connector is mounted to the upper and lower building blocks, the first and second bodies provide for positioning the upper and lower blocks with respect to each other such that the front faces of the upper and lower blocks are offset with respect to one another.
4. An interlock connector according to claim 1, wherein the backing connector body provides for being connected to a third building block of the building blocks.
5. An interlock connector according to claim 1, wherein the backing connector body provides for being connected to another interlock connector comprising first and second bodies.
6. An interlock connector according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth body connected to the backing connector body.
7. A kit for building a wall structure comprising: at least two building blocks for being assembled so as to provide the wall structure, the building blocks having respective front surfaces for defining a front façade of the wall structure and having respective rear surfaces with at least one respective horizontal groove; and at least one interlock connector as defined in claim 1; wherein insertion of the first and second connector bodies in the respective rear surface horizontal grooves of the first and second building blocks provides for interlocking the first and second building blocks.
8. A wall structure comprising: at least two building blocks being assembled so as to provide the wall structure, the building blocks having respective front surfaces for defining a front façade of the wall structure and having respective rear surfaces with at least one respective horizontal groove; and at least one interlock connector as defined in claim 1; wherein insertion of the first and second connector bodies in the respective rear surface horizontal grooves of the first and second building blocks provides for interlocking the first and second building blocks.
9. A method of building a wall structure comprising: providing at least two building blocks having respective front surfaces for defining a front façade of the wall structure and having respective rear surfaces with at least one respective horizontal groove; assembling the at least two building blocks so as to provide the wall structure; providing at least one interlock connector as defined in claim 1; and mounting the at least one interlock connector to the at least two assembled building blocks by inserting the first and second connector bodies in respective rear surface horizontal grooves of the first and second building blocks provides for interlocking the first and second building blocks.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the appended drawings, where like reference numerals denote like elements throughout and in where:
(2) FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a wall structure comprising a plurality of budding blocks and interlock connectors in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an interlock connector in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of the interlock connector of FIG. 2;
(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the interlock connector of FIG. 2 in a disassembled position;
(6) FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a wall structure comprising upper and lower building blocks and the interlock connector of FIG. 2 in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(7) FIG. 6 is another rear perspective view of a wall structure comprising upper and lower building blocks and the interlock connector of FIG. 2 in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(8) FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the wall structure of FIG. 6;
(9) FIG. 8 is a further rear perspective view of a wall structure comprising upper and lower building blocks and the interlock connector of FIG. 2 in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(10) FIG. 9 is yet another rear perspective view of a wall structure comprising upper and lower building blocks and the interlock connector of FIG. 2 in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(11) FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of wall structure corner comprising lateral adjacent building blocks and the interlock connector of FIG. 2 in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(12) FIG. 11 is a lateral view of two building blocks interlocked at their respective rear surfaces with the interlock connector of FIG. 2 in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(13) FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of a wall structure comprising upper and lower building blocks and an interlock connector in accordance with another non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(14) FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an interlock connector in accordance with a further non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(15) FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an interlock connector in accordance with yet another nonrestrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(16) FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a connector body of the interlock connector of FIG. 14;
(17) FIG. 16 is a rear perspective view of a wall structure comprising an upper building block and a pair of adjacent lower building blocks and the interlock connector of FIG. 14 in accordance with a non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(18) FIG. 17 is a top perspective view of an interlock connector body in accordance with another non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(19) FIG. 18 is rear perspective view of a wall structure defining a corner structure and comprising adjacent upper and lower building blocks connected together via an interlock connector formed of two interconnected connector bodies, similar to the one shown in FIG. 17 in accordance with a further non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(20) FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of the wall structure of FIG. 18 showing the interlock connector connecting vertically stacked upper and lower building books;
(21) FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an interlock connector formed of three removably interconnected interlock connector bodies similar to the one shown in FIG. 17 mounted to upper and lower building blocks;
(22) FIG. 21 is a top plan view of an interlock connector body in accordance with another non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure;
(23) FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an interlock connector formed of three removably interconnected interlock connector bodies similar to the one shown in FIG. 21 mounted to upper and lower building blocks;
(24) FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an interlock connector formed of three removably interconnected interlock connector bodies similar to the one shown in FIG. 21 mounted to upper and lower building blocks in a different position than that shown in FIG. 22;
(25) FIG. 24 is a lateral bottom perspective view connector body in accordance with a further non-restrictive illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; and
(26) FIG. 25 is lateral view of view of an interlock connector formed of upper and lower removably interconnected interlock connector bodies, each being similar to the one shown in FIG. 24 mounted to respective upper and lower building blocks.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
(27) Generally stated and in accordance with an embodiment, there is provided an interlock connector interlocks building blocks that are assembled so as to provide a wall structure. The building blocks have respective front surfaces for defining a front façade of the wall structure and respective rear surfaces with at least one respective horizontal groove. The interlock connector comprises first and second bodies. The first body is inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of a first building block. The second body is inserted in the rear surface horizontal groove of a second building block adjacent the first building block. Insertion of the first and second bodies in the respective rear surface horizontal grooves of the first and second building blocks provides for interlocking the first and second building blocks.
(28) With reference to the appended drawings, illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure will be described herein so as exemplify the disclosure and by no means limit the scope thereof.
(29) FIG. 1 shows a wall structure W comprising a plurality of building blocks 10 interlocked with interlock connectors 12. The building block 10 comprise respective top surfaces 14, bottom surfaces 16 (see FIG. 5), front surfaces 18 (see FIG. 7), rear surfaces 20, and opposite lateral surfaces 22. The blocks 10 are stacked together in side by side columns C.
(30) As better shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rear surface 20 of each block 10 comprises an upper horizontal groove 24 formed near the top surface 14 and a lower horizontal groove 28 formed near the bottom surface 16
(31) With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the interlock connector 12 includes two bodies 30 and 32 respectively mounted to a support member 34 in the form an elongated median member interposed therebetween which spaces bodies 30 and 32 apart. Each of the bodies 30 and 32 is a T shaped body including plank 36 directly mounted on the elongate median member 34 and a front flange 38 mounted to the front plank 36. In this example bodies 30 and 32 are similarly configured and referred herein for convenience only as the first body 30 and the second body 32. Of course that the terms “first” and “second” are interchangeable. The bodies 30 and 32 are connected to the median member 34 at different positions along their respective planks 36 thereby causing their respective front flanges 38 to be offset relative to one another. In this example, the front 38 of the first body 30 is positioned slightly behind the front 38 of the second body 32.
(32) In this example, the first body 30 is inserted in the upper groove 24 and the second body 32 is inserted in the lower groove 26.
(33) As shown in FIG. 1 grooves 24 and 26 are T shaped grooves having an inner groove portion 40 that is wider than the outer groove portion 42 thus forming inner wall shoulders 44 that interfere with the inner wall side 46 (see FIG. 2) of the front flanges 38 when the bodies 30 or 34 are inserted therein with the plank extending through the outer groove portion 42. Thus the bodies 30 and 23 are inserted and removed from grooves 26 and 28 by sliding them in and out of the side slots 48 (see FIG. 1) formed on the lateral surfaces 22 of the blocks 10. Hence, the interlock connector 12 cannot be pulled out from the opening defined in the rear surface 20 of the block defined by the outer groove portion 44. Thus the present interlock connector 12 and blocks 10 allow for locking the blocks together in a fully interlocked wall structure W.
(34) As explained above the first and second bodies 30 and 32 are offset and therefore when the interlock connector 12 is mounted an upper block 10a stacked on a lower block 10b as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, causing an offset O between the front faces 18 of the upper and lower blocks 10a and 10b that define the façade F of the wall structure W.
(35) In another body embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first and second bodies 30 and 32 respectively are pivotable with respect to one another at thereby allowing to connect the blocks 10a and 10b along various angles such as α and β with respect to one another. Turning to FIG. 4, the first body 30 is mounted to the median member 34 about a pivot element 50.
(36) As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 9 a wall structure W is formed by connecting the interlocking connector to the upper groove 24 of a lower block 10b and to the lower groove 26 of the upper block 10a.
(37) In an embodiment, the distance between the upper groove 24 of a lower block 10b and the lower groove 26 of the upper block 10a is constant within a stacked column C. In an embodiment, the distance between the upper and lower grooves 24 and 26 of the same block 10 are the same as the distance between the upper groove 24 of this block 10 and the lower groove 26 of an upper block 10a stacked thereon and the distance between the lower groove 26 of this block 10 and the upper groove 24 of a lower block 10b, this block 10 is stacked on.
(38) FIG. 10 shows a wall structure W comprising two adjacent blocks 10′ and 10″ that form an angle or corner K there between with the lateral side 22 of one adjacent block 10″ engaging the rear surface 20 of the other adjacent block 10′. The Interlock connector 13 is mounted to the adjacent blocks 10′ and 10″. The first body 30 of the interlock connector 13 is mounted to the upper grooves 4 of both blocks 10′ and 10″ and the second body 33 of the interlock connector 13 is mounted to the of one adjacent block and the second body 33 is mounted to the lower grooves 26 of the blocks 10′ and 10″.
(39) FIG. 11 shows two adjacent blocks 10i and 10ii with their respective rear surfaces interfacing. An interlock connector 52 comprising a first body 54 mounted to a support 55 and having two connectable ends 56 and 58 is interposed between and mounted to the blocks 10i and 10ii with one end 56 mounted to the upper groove of one block 101 and the other end 58 mounted to the lower groove of the other block 10ii.
(40) FIG. 12 shows an interlock connector 60 comprising a first body 30 mounted and a second body 62 both of which are mounted to a support 64. The second body 62 is pivotally mounted to the support 64 and configured as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,535 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thus the second body 64 provides for varying degrees of offsetness between upper and lower blocks 10a and 10b.
(41) FIG. 13 shows main body 66 of an interlock connector comprising a connector body 68 with a base portion 70 from which protrudes an extension 72 that carries an elliptical or cylindrical thicker section 74 for being retained within the grooves of blocks as explained herein. A support section 76 is upstanding from the base body 70 and includes at it top end 78 a pivot element 80 for receiving an additional connector body.
(42) Turning now to FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, there is provided an interlock connector 82 comprising first and second bodies 84′ and 84″ mounted to a support body 84″, the foregoing bodies 84′, 84″ and 84″ are all similarly constructed and are generally denoted 84 in FIG. 15. Each body 84 includes rear portion 88 with an ring opening 90, a middle portion 92 defined by a vertical plank and a front portion 94 including an extension 96 protruding from the vertical plank and carrying a thicker elliptical or cylindrical section 98 for being received within a block groove as described herein. The extension 96 defines two openings 86.
(43) The first and second bodies 84 and 84″ are pivotally mounted to the support body 84′″ about its cylindrical section 98. More specifically, the rings 9—of each body 84′ and 84″ respectively engage the extension 98 of body 84″ via its openings 86.
(44) The interlock connector 82 provides for providing a wall structure W shown in FIG. 16 having an upper block 100a mounted on two adjacent lower blocks 100bi and 100bii. The first body 84′ is mounted to the lower groove 126 of the upper block 100a and the second body 84″ is mounted to the upper grooves of both the adjacent lower blocks 100bi and 100bii. The grooves 124 and 126 are correspondingly configured to the shape of section 98. Side slots 130 are also provided in the blocks for inserting and removing the connector bodies.
(45) Turning now to FIGS. 17, 18, 19, and 20 show a connector 200 for being mounted and interconnecting building blocks 202 stacked and assembled together to define a wall structure W defining a corner area K. The connector 200 includes similar upper and lower connector bodies 204 pivotably connected together via third body 206 in the form of a rod. Each body 204 comprises a connecting section 208 fitted within the respective rear horizontal groove 210 of each respective building block 202. Furthermore, the respective rear section 212 of each body 204 includes resilient fingers 214 at each lateral side 216 thereof defining an opening 218 for removably receiving the rod 206 and thus forming the connector. Of course, a plurality of connector bodies 204 can be similarly mounted to a longer rod. FIG. 18 shows the connector 200 interconnecting an upper block 202U-1 of one side of corner area K and a lower block 202L-2 whereas FIG. 19 shows the connector interconnecting an upper block 202U-2 and the lower block 202L-2 on the same side of the corner area K. As such, the bodies 204 pivot about rod 206 between the positions of FIGS. 18 and 19.
(46) FIG. 20 shows an interlock connector 200′ formed of three interconnected connector bodies 204. As shown in FIG. 17, the connecting section defines opening 220 further forming staff sections 222 at each lateral side 216 thereof. As such a given body 204v can be vertically interconnected to the upper and lower bodies 204u and 204l with the respective fingers 214 thereof clamping a respective staff section 222.
(47) FIG. 21 shows a connector body 300 comprising a flat rectangular configuration defining opposite and similarly configured connecting sections 302 and opposite lateral side 304. Each connecting section 302 defines an opening or notch 306 near each lateral side 304. The openings 306 have an narrower outer portion 306a and a wider inner portion 306b defined by inner walls 308 which form deformable finger portions 310 for mutually engaging or clamping the similarly constructed connector bodies 300. The connector section 302 includes a median portion 312 positioned between the notches 306 and having a cylindrical like external edge 314.
(48) FIG. 22 shows an interlock connector 301 comprising three interconnected bodies such as body 300, namely upper body 300u, lower body 300l and vertical body 300v interconnecting the upper and lower bodies, 300u and 300l respectively. The interlock connector 301 is mounted to and interconnects stacked upper and lower blocks 316u and 316l.
(49) The connecting section 302 of the upper body 300u is fitted within the horizontal groove 314 on the rear face 316 of the upper block 312u. The connecting section 302 of the lower body 300l is fitted within the horizontal groove 314 on the rear face 316 of the lower block 312u.
(50) In FIG. 22, the vertical body 300v is mounted to the upper and lower bodies 300u and 300l by having its finger portions 310 clamp the respective median portions 312 of each body 300u and 300l. The body 300v projects rearwardly from the bodies 300u and 300l. As such, the free finger portions 310F of the vertical body 300v can clamp additional bodies 300 which are connected to other building blocks (not shown) spaced apart from the building blocks 300u and 300l shown here and having a rear side or face that defines a plane that interfaces with the plane defined by the rear faces 316 of building blocks 300u and 300l.
(51) In FIG. 23, the vertical body is mounted to the upper and lower bodies 300u and 300l by having its finger portions 310 clamp respective finger portions 310 of each body 300u and 300l. The body 300v projects laterally from the bodies 300u and 300l. As such, the free finger portions 310F of the vertical body 300v can clamp additional bodies 300 which are connected to other building blocks (not shown) positioned side by side with the building blocks 300u and 300l.
(52) FIGS. 24 and 25 show an interlock connector 400 comprising a pair of similarly constructed interconnected connector bodies 402. Each connector body 402 comprises a front connecting portion 404 for being inserted within the respective rear horizontal groove 406 of vertically stacked building blocks 408. The connector bodies 402 also include rear mating portions 410 having fingers 412 and notches 414 for being connected to each other at different positions along their mating portions 410 in order to create an offset between their connecting portions 404 which provides a complementary offset O between the front faces 414 of the stacked blocks 408.
(53) In general the backs provided herein include one or more horizontal groove for receiving connectors to retain the upper and lower blocks and the side by side blocks.
(54) The present disclosure provides a variety of interlock connectors such as, without limitation: interlock connectors with pivoting connector bodies for providing offsets between interconnected or interlocked blocks; fixed non-pivotable connectors; interlock connectors that are locked with a pin or screw element; and the like.
(55) The interlock connectors and blocks described herein provide, without limitation the following: building wall structures without adhesives; providing angles between multiple wall sections; providing round wall structures; locking wall corners.
(56) The interlock connector and blocks provided herein can be used in a variety of fields.
(57) The various characteristics, features and configurations of the various embodiments described herein can be combined in a variety of ways and such it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation, Hence, although the present disclosure has been described hereinabove by way of embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit, scope and nature of the claims.
