CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING A COMPONENT TO A RECTANGULAR STRUCTURE

Abstract

A connector to connect a first part to a rectangular tube or rectangular beam includes first and second receiving elements that form a receptacle for the rectangular tube or rectangular beam. The first and second receiving elements are moveable relative to one another between a first position in which the rectangular tube or rectangular beam is clampable between the first and second receiving elements in the receptacle and a second position in which the rectangular tube or rectangular beam can be introduced into or released from the receptacle. The connector further includes a guide predefining a direction during movement of the first and second receiving elements from the first position into the second position and vice versa.

Claims

1. A connector to connect a first part to a rectangular tube or rectangular beam, the connector comprising: first and second receiving elements that form a receptacle for the rectangular tube or rectangular beam, the first and second receiving elements being moveable relative to one another between a first position in which the rectangular tube or rectangular beam is clampable between the first and second receiving elements in the receptacle and a second position in which the rectangular tube or rectangular beam can be introduced into or released from the receptacle; and a guide predefining a direction during movement of the first and second receiving elements from the first position into the second position and vice versa.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second receiving elements has a first bearing surface, the first bearing surface of the first receiving element and the first bearing surface of the second receiving element forming two mutually opposing sides of the receptacle.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein, in the first position, the first bearing surfaces of the first and second receiving elements are spaced a smaller distance apart from one another than in the second position.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the first receiving element has a second bearing surface that, in the first position, is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first bearing surface of the first receiving element, and the second receiving element has a second bearing surface that, in the first position, is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first bearing surface of the second receiving element.

5. The connector of claim 4, wherein the second bearing surface of the first receiving element and the second bearing surface of the second receiving element form two mutually opposing sections of sides of the receptacle.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein, in the first position, the second bearing surfaces of the first and second receiving elements are spaced a smaller distance apart from one another than in the second position.

7. The connector of claim 4, wherein the first receiving element has a third bearing surface that, in the first position, is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first bearing surface of the first receiving element, and the second receiving element has a third bearing surface that, in the first position, is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first bearing surface of the second receiving element.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the third bearing surface of the first receiving element and the third bearing surface of the second receiving element form two mutually opposing sections of sides of the receptacle.

9. The connector of claim 8, wherein, in the first position, the third bearing surfaces of the first and second receiving elements are spaced a smaller distance apart from one another than in the second position.

10. The connector of claim 7, wherein the guide comprises at least one guide system.

11. The connector of claim 10, wherein the at least one guide system comprises first and second slotted guide systems.

12. The connector of claim 11, further comprising a first sliding block fastened to the second receiving element, wherein the first receiving element has a first slot, and the first sliding block is arranged in the first slot, the first slot being oriented such that, during a movement into the first position, at least the first bearing surfaces of the first and second receiving elements are moved toward one another, and the second bearing surfaces of the first and second receiving elements are moved toward one another.

13. The connector of claim 11, further comprising a second sliding block fastened to the second receiving element, wherein the first receiving element has a second slot, and the second sliding block is arranged in the second slot, the second slot being oriented such that, during a movement into the first position, at least the first bearing surfaces of the first and second receiving elements are moved toward one another, and the third bearing surfaces of the first and second receiving elements are moved toward one another.

14. The connector of claim 13, wherein the first and second slots are inclined with respect to the second and third bearing surfaces of the first receiving element and extend obliquely thereto.

15. The connector of claim 13, wherein the first and second slots are inclined in opposite directions with respect to the second and third bearing surfaces of the first receiving element.

16. The connector of claim 1, further comprising a clamping element, wherein the first and second receiving elements are brought from the first position into the second position in response to actuation of the clamping element.

17. The connector of claim 1, wherein the rectangular tube or rectangular beam constitutes as least part of a side rail, a headboard, or a footboard of a bed.

18. A bed, comprising: a rectangular tube or rectangular beam; at least one side rail; a headboard; and a footboard, wherein the at least one side rail, the headboard, and/or the footboard are releasably fastened to the rectangular tube or rectangular beam by at least one connector according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Additional features and advantages of exemplary embodiments of the disclosed device will be described hereafter with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are used for identical or like parts and for parts having identical or like functions.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a view from the front of a first variant of a connector in a first position of a first receiving element and of a second receiving element with respect to one another.

[0025] FIG. 1a shows a view from the front of the first variant of the connector in a second position of the first receiving element and of the second receiving element with respect to one another.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a view from the rear of the first variant of the connector in the first position of the first receiving element and of the second receiving element with respect to one another.

[0027] FIG. 2a shows a view from the rear of the first variant of the connector in the second position of the first receiving element and of the second receiving element with respect to one another.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the first variant of the connector in the first position of the first receiving element and of the second receiving element with respect to one another.

[0029] FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of the first variant of the connector in the second position of the first receiving element and of the second receiving element with respect to one another.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the first variant of the connector.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows a sectional illustration of a clamping lever of the first variant.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a view of the first variant of the connector from the front and a rectangular tube, which are connected to one another.

[0033] FIG. 7 shows a view from the rear of a second variant of the connector in the second position of the first receiving element and of the second receiving element with respect to one another.

[0034] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the second variant of the connector in the second position of the first receiving element and of the second receiving element with respect to one another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] It is not necessary for a device according to the disclosure to have all the features described hereafter. It is also possible for a device according to the disclosure to have only individual features of the variants described hereafter. Hereafter, the features are described which the first variant and the second variant have. If only one variant has certain features, this is described.

[0036] The variants of the connector according to the disclosure can be used to fasten a first part to a rectangular tube R or a beam.

[0037] Referring to FIGS. 1, la, 2, 2a, 3, 3a, and 4-8, in addition to a first receiving element 1, a second receiving element 2 and, in the first variant, a clamping lever 3, or, in the second variant, a screw 3a instead of the clamping lever, the variants of the connector according to the disclosure comprise two screws 41 and two sleeve nuts 42a.

[0038] The first receiving element 1 and the second receiving element 2 are made of sheet metal. For this purpose, the receiving elements 1, 2 are cut from the sheet metal with an outer contour and provided with elongated holes. Each of the two receiving elements 1, 2 has a substantially rectangular base 19, 29 (FIG. 1).

[0039] So as to produce the first receiving element 1, the cut-out sheet metal piece provided with the elongated holes is bent so as to have a projecting leg 16, which is connected to the base 19.

[0040] The leg 16 has slits 17, 18, which serve the connection between the connector and the first part. The connection can be arbitrary for the disclosed device and is therefore not described in greater detail here.

[0041] The first receiving element 1, at the upper end thereof, comprises an arm projecting from the base 19 to the left, the free end of which is elbowed. An inner side of the arm forms a first bearing surface 11 (FIG. 4), and an inner side of the elbow forms a second bearing surface 12. In the first position of the receiving elements 1, 2, the first bearing surface 11 bears against the upper side of the rectangular tube R. In the first position, the second bearing surface 12, which is perpendicular to the first, bears against the upper, left side of the rectangular tube R. A lower end of the side of the base 19 located opposite the second bearing surface 12 forms a third bearing surface 13 of the first receiving element 1, which in the first position of the receiving elements 1, 2 bears on the lower, right side against the rectangular tube R.

[0042] The second receiving element 2, at the lower end thereof, comprises an arm projecting from the base 29 to the left, the free end of which is likewise elbowed. An inner side of the arm forms a first bearing surface 21, and an inner side of the elbow forms a third bearing surface 23. In the first position of the receiving elements 1, 2, the first bearing surface 21 bears against the lower side of the rectangular tube R. In the first position, the third bearing surface 23, which is perpendicular to the first, bears against the lower, left side of the rectangular tube R. An upper end of the side of the base 29 located opposite the third bearing surface 23 forms a second bearing surface 22 of the second receiving element 2, which in the first position of the receiving elements 1, 2 bears against the upper, right side against the rectangular tube R.

[0043] As a result, in the first position of the receiving elements 1, 2, the first bearing surfaces 11, 21, the second bearing surfaces 12, 22 and the third bearing surfaces 13, 23 bear against opposing sides of the rectangular tube R. The two receiving elements 1, 2 form a receptacle in which the rectangular tube is received.

[0044] In the second position of the receiving elements 1, 2, the mutually opposing first bearing surfaces 11, 21, the mutually opposing second bearing surfaces 12, 22 and the mutually opposing third bearing surfaces 13, 23 are spaced further apart from one another than in the first position. During a change from the first position into the second position, the receiving elements 1, 2 are moved apart. The bearing surfaces 11, 21, 12, 22, 13, 23 are moved so far apart in the process that the rectangular tube can be taken out of the receptacle, or the connector can be removed from the rectangular tube R. In relation to the first receiving element, the second receiving element 2 is displaced downwardly and, at the same time, is displaced with the lower end, based on the view of the connector, to the left and with the upper end is displaced to the right. During the change from the first position into the second position, the second receiving element does not perform a linear movement, but is linearly moved while being pivoted.

[0045] The movement direction from the first into the second position, and also from the second into the first position, is predefined by a guidance by two slotted guide systems. Each of the slotted guide systems comprises a slot 14, 15 and sliding blocks 41, 42. Elongated holes are provided as slots in the base 19 of the first receiving element 1, and the screws 41 and sleeve screws 42 serve as sliding blocks, which, on the one hand, are guided through round holes in the base 29 of the second receiving element 2 and, on the other hand, are guided in the slots 14, 15. The screws 41 are screwed into the sleeve nuts 42. In the first position, the sliding blocks 41, 42 are situated at the upper ends of the slots 14, 15.

[0046] The slot 14, which is the upper slot in the illustrations of the figures, is slightly curved so that the sliding part 41, 42 guided in this slot 14 is moved along a curve during the change from the first position into the second position. The upper end of the second receiving element 2 is thus moved to the right.

[0047] The lower slot 15 is substantially linear and extends from the top to the bottom, wherein it is slightly inclined to the right. During a movement from the first position into the second position, the lower end of the second receiving element 2 is thus moved to the left and down in relation to the first receiving element 1. As a result, the second receiving element 2 can clear the rectangular tube, and the connector can be removed from the rectangular tube.

[0048] In the first variant of the connector, the movement from the first position into the second position is effectuated by an actuation of a clamping lever 3, which is pivotably mounted at the first receiving element 1 with a cotter pin 32. The cotter pin 32 is inserted for this purpose through a hole in the pivoting lever 3 and a hole in the first receiving element 1. The clamping lever is furcated in the region of the pivot joint thus formed and surrounds the first receiving element 1.

[0049] The clamping lever 3 comprises a lobe 31. In the first position, this lobe bears against a lower side of the second receiving element 2, pushing the same against the rectangular tube in the second position, so that this tube is clamped between the first bearing surfaces 11, 21, the second bearing surfaces 12, 22, and the third bearing surfaces 13, 23. The clamping lever 3 is then in an approximately horizontal position.

[0050] So as to release the connection between the connector and the rectangular tube, the clamping lever 3 is pivoted into an approximately vertical position. In the process, the lower side of the second receiving element 2 can clear the lobe 31, and the bearing surfaces 21, 22, 23 of the second receiving element 2 move away from the rectangular tube R in the manner predefined by the slotted guide systems.

[0051] So as to prevent the clamping lever 3 from being inadvertently actuated, a linearly displaceable locking bar 5 is provided at the clamping lever 3. In the clamping position, one end of this locking bar 5 is pushed by a spring 34 into a notch of the first receiving element 1, whereby pivoting of the clamping lever 3 is prevented. When the locking bar 5 is pulled back against the pressure of the spring 34, the clamping lever 3 can be pivoted.

[0052] In the second variant of the connector according to the disclosure, a screw 3a is provided, instead of the clamping lever, as the clamping element, by way of which the receiving elements 1, 2 can be moved relative to one another so as to be brought from the first position into the second position, and vice versa. The screw 3a can have a hexagon socket, serving as the screw head drive. A tool can be applied to this drive so as to turn the screw, and thereby actuate the clamping element designed as a screw of the second variant of the connector. The screw is screwed into a threaded hole, which is provided in a tab 16a of the first receiving element 1 projecting from the leg 16. This tab 16a is approximately situated at a right angle with respect to the leg 16 and the base 19 of the first receiving element 1.

[0053] One end of a screw shank of the screw 3a bears against a lateral surface of the base 29 of the second receiving element 2. When the screw 3a is screwed into the hole, the end of the screw 3a pushes on the second receiving element, thereby moving the first and second receiving elements relative to one another from the first position into the second position. By loosening the screws, it is possible to move the first receiving element and the second receiving element relative to one another from the second position into the first position.