T- SLOT BAR INTERCONNECT SYSTEM

Abstract

T-slot interconnects that include a body portion and two orthogonally elongated interlock tabs positioned on opposed sides of the body portion are used for building T-bar structures, including grow-light canopies. In operation, the elongated interlock tabs are placed into T-channels of the T-slot bars and/or T-slot light bars. The T-slot interconnects are then rotated to secure the elongated interlock tabs within the T-channels of the T-slot bars and/or T-slot light bars and, thereby, secure the T-slot bars and/or T-slot light bars together through the T-slot interconnects.

Claims

1. A T-slot interconnect comprising: a) a body portion; and b) a first interlock tab with opposed curved edges and that is attached to and positioned a side of the body portion; c) a second interlock tab with opposed curved edges and that is attached to and positioned an opposed side of the body portion relative to the first elongated interlock tab, wherein first interlock tab and the second interlock tab are orthogonally elongated with respect to each other and wherein placing the first interlock tab in a T-channel of a first T-slot bar, placing the second interlock tab within a T-channel of a second T-slot bar and rotating the body portion of the T-slot interconnect secures the first T-slot bar and the second T slot-bar together through the T-slot interconnect.

2. The T-slot interconnect of claim 1, further comprising support structures attached to the body portion of the T-slot interconnect for securing or holding wires.

3. A T-slot interconnect for making T-slot bar structures, the T-slot interconnect comprising: a) a body portion; and b) two interlock tabs each with opposed curved edges and that are orthogonally elongated with respect to each other and that are positioned on opposed sides of the body portion for placing into T-channels of T-slot bars and wherein rotating the body portion of the T-slot interconnect rotates the interlock tabs within the T-channels securing the interlock tabs within the T-channels and thereby securing the T-slot bars together through the T-slot interconnect.

4. The T-slot interconnect of claim 3, with support structures attached to the body portion of the T-slot interconnect for securing or holding wires.

5. A T-slot interconnect comprising: a) a body portion; and b) a first elongated interlock tab positioned one side of the body portion for placing into a T-channel of a first T-slot bar and/or a T-slot light bar, wherein rotating the body portion secures the T-slot interconnect to the first T-slot bar and/or the T-slot light bar.

6. The T-slot interconnect of claim 5, further comprising a loop structure, a hook structure or a bracket structure for mounting for attaching the T-slot interconnect, and any T-slot bar and/or a T-slot light bar attached thereto, to a wall, ceiling or other support structure.

7. The T-slot interconnect of claim 5, with support structures attached to the body portion of the T-slot interconnect for securing or holding wires and/or cables in clip portions.

8. The T-slot interconnect of claim 5, further comprising a second elongated interlock tab positioned on an opposed side of the body with respect to the side first elongated interlock tab, wherein placing the second elongated interlock tab within a T-channel of a second T-slot bar and/or a T-slot light bar and the rotating of the body portion secures the first T-slot bar and/or the T-slot light bar and the second T-slot bar and/or the T-slot light bar together through the T-slot interconnect.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIGS. 1A-B show schematic representations of a T-slot interconnect for securing to a T-slot bar, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.

[0014] FIGS. 2A-B illustrate representations of a T-slot interconnect for orthogonally connecting two T-slot bars with opposed and elongated interlock tabs that secure within T-channels of the T-slot bars, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.

[0015] FIGS. 3A-D shows detailed engineering drawings of a T-slot interconnect with a support structure attached to a body portion of the T-slot interconnect, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.

[0016] FIGS. 4A-C illustrate T-slot interconnects used to form T-slot bar structures and securing T-slot light bars to the T-slot bar structures, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The system utilizes a T-slot interconnects. A T-slot interconnect 103 includes body portion 104 and two orthogonally elongated and opposed interlock tabs 105 and 109 positioned on opposed sides of the body portion 104. In operation one of the elongated interconnect tabs 109 is fitted into a T-slot channel 119 of a T-slot bar 101 and the body portion 104 is turned, as indicated by the arrow 112, such that the elongated interconnect tab 109 is locked within the T-channel 119 of the T-slot bar 101.

[0018] In other operations, the two orthogonally elongated interlock tabs 105 and 109 of a T-slot interconnect 103 or 203 are placed into orthogonally positioned T-channels 219 and 219′ of two orthogonally positioned T-slot bars 201 and 201′ (FIG. 2A). Then the interconnect 103 or 203 is rotated through the body portion 104 using a extended clip, hook, harnesses or other structure 111 or 211 and thereby secure the of two orthogonally positioned T-slot bars 201 and 201′ in their positions.

[0019] Alternatively, after the elongated interconnect tabs 109 is fitted into a T-slot channel 119 and secured therein, the remaining elongated interconnect tab 105 is placed into a T-channel 219′ of a second T-slot bar, such as 201′ (FIG. 2A) and the second T-slot bar 201 is rotated such the remaining elongated interconnect tab is locked or secured within the T-channel 219′ of the second T-slot bar 201′. The structure 111/211 attached to the body portion 104 the T-slot interconnect 103/203 cab be used for supporting or securing wiring or cables.

[0020] Regardless, of how the T-slot interconnects are rotated relative to a T-channel of a T-slot bar, FIG. 2B illustrates how to build a T-bar structure 250 using T-slot bars and the T-slot interconnects of the present invention. In operation elongated interlock tabs 105 and 109 (FIGS. 1A-B) of T-slot interconnects 261 and 261′ are places within T-channels 252, 254′/256′ of orthogonally positioned T-slot bars 251 and 253′/255′. The T-slot interconnects 261 and 261′ are then turned, such the elongated interlock tabs 105 and 109 turn within the T-channels 252, 254′ and 256′ and are secured therein to form the T-slot bar structure 250.

[0021] Alternatively, one of the elongated interlock tabs from each of the T-slot interconnects 261 and 261′ are place within a T-channel 252 of a T-slot bar 251 and secured therein by turning the T-slot interconnects 261 and 261′. Then the remaining elongated interlock tabs from each of the T-slot interconnects 261 and 261′ are positioned within T-channels 254 and 256 of the T-slot bars 253 and 255 and the T-slot bars 253 and 255 are rotated as indicated by the arrows 257 and 257′ to secure the remaining elongated interlock tabs from each of the T-slot interconnects 261 and 261′ within the T-channels 254 and 256 of the T-slot bars 253 and 255 to form the T-slot bar structure 250.

[0022] FIGS. 3A-D shows detailed engineering drawings of a T-slot interconnect 300 with support structures 305 and 307 attached to a body portion 303 of the T-slot interconnect 300 for securing or holding wires and/or cables in clip portions 309, in accordance with the embodiments of the invention. The T-slot interconnect 300 has two opposed and orthogonally elongated interlock tabs 302 and 304 that are fitted into T-channels of T-slot bars and/or T-slot light bars. The opposed and orthogonally elongated interlock tabs 302 and 304 preferably have opposed curved edges 311 and 311′ that allow the T-slot interconnect 300 to be preferentially turned or rotated in one rotational direction 312 with T-channels of T-slot bars and/or T-slot light bars to secure the T-slot bars and/or T-slot light bars together through the T-slot interconnect 300, as described in detail above. The support structures 305 and 307 can act as handles to leverage or assist turning or rotating the opposed and orthogonally elongated interlock tabs 302 and 304 within T-slot channels and can hold or secure wiring or cables in a clip portion 309.

[0023] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention the T-slot interconnect 300 is a molded as a single unit (monolithic) with no detachable or individually movable portions. The T-slot interconnect 300 has a body portion 303 with a first interlock tab 302 protruding from the body portion 303 by a first rounded neck portion. The first interlock tab 302 and the first rounded neck portion are fixed to the body portion 303 or are monolithic with respect to the body portion 303. The first interlock tab 302 has opposed curved edges 311 and 311″. On an opposed side of the body portion 303 portion there is a second interlock tab 304 protruding from the body portion 303 by a second rounded neck portion. The second interlock tab 304 and the second rounded neck portion are fixed to the body portion 303 or are monolithic with respect to the body portion 303. The second interlock tab 302 also has opposed curved edges, such as the opposed curved edges 311 and 311″ on the first interlock tab 302 and the first interlock tab 301 and the second interlock tab 304 are orthogonally elongated with respect to each other. In operation, placing the first interlock tab 302 in a T-channel of a first T-slot bar, placing the second interlock tab 304 within a T-channel of a second T-slot bar and rotating the body portion 303, as indicated by the arrow 312, also rotates that fixed and attached first interlock tab 302 within the T-channel of the first T-slot bar and simultaneously rotates fixed and attached second interlock tab 304 within T-channel of a second T-slot bar to thereby secure the first T-slot bar and the second T slot-bar together through the T-slot interconnect.

[0024] FIG. 4A shows a view of a T-bar structure 400 with a T-slot interconnect 411 (300; FIGS. 3A-D) with an elongated interlock tab secured within a T-channel 403 of a T-slot light bar 401 and with support structure securing and holding a cable 413 for powering the T-slot light bar 401. The T-slot bar structure 400 also has a T-slot interconnect 411 with elongated interlock tab secured within T-channel 403 of the T-slot light bar 401 and a T-channel of a T-slot bar 405 for securing the T-slot light bar 401 to the T-slot bar 405 of the T-slot bar structure 400.

[0025] FIG. 4B shows a view of a T-slot bar structure 425 formed from multiple T-slot light bars 433, 433′ and 433″. The T-slot bar structure 425 includes an LED driver 435 that is secured in positioned through two T-slot interconnects 431 and 431′ with elongated interlock tabs secured within T-channels of the T-slot light bars 433 and 433′. The T-bar structure 425 also includes a T-slot interconnects 432 and 432′ secured within T-channels of the T-slot light bars 433″ and 434 for holding or supporting power cables, such as the power cable 443.

[0026] FIG. 4C shows a view of a T-slot bar structure 475 formed from T-slot light bars 485 and 485′ and a T-slot bar 482. The T-slot light bars 485 and 485′ are secured to the T-slot bar 482 via T-slot interconnects 481 and 481′ (300; FIGS. 3A-D). Again, the T-slot interconnects 481 and 481′ are secured within T-channels of the T-slot light bars 485 and 485′ and/or T-slot bar 482 by elongated interlock tabs, as described above.

[0027] In further embodiments of the invention, one of the elongated interlock tabs 105 or 109 (FIGS. 1A-B) of the T-slot interconnect 103 is replaced by a loop structure, a hook structure or bracket structure 111 for mounting for attaching the T-slot interconnect 103, and any T-slot bar attached thereto, to a wall, ceiling or other support structure. In still further embodiments of the invention the body portion 104 of the T-slot interconnect 103 is formed from two hexagonally shaped parts or portions that are capable of being rotated independently and with respect to each other using, for example, a wrench, to secure the one or more of the interconnect tabs 105 and 109 within T-channels of T-slot bars or T-slot light bars.

[0028] The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments incorporating details to facilitate the understanding of the principles of construction and operation of the invention. As such, references herein to specific embodiments and details thereof are not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made in the embodiments chosen for illustration without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.