The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 09, 1997
Filed:
Sep. 16, 1994
David G Blackburn, Long Beach, CA (US);
Steven P Kettenburg, Mission Viejo, CA (US);
Andy J Scherer, San Dimas, CA (US);
John E Smith, Mission Viejo, CA (US);
Panel Concepts, Inc., Santa Ana, CA (US);
Abstract
A connector system for demountable wall modules, including a pair of adjoining vertical channel members having mating structure. The channel members are cut from the same extrusion, and one member is inverted with respect to the other. The mating structure which that provides includes an outwardly extending flange having a mating protrusion, a central wall, and a U-shaped rail having a mating cavity. The mating protrusion on one channel member is positioned to fit within the mating cavity of the other channel member, and vice versa. The central walls are slightly offset from a central plane of the panels to lie in an overlapped relationship. One or more locking keys are inserted through slots in the extending flanges to bias the flange away from the central wall of the opposed channel member. In this manner, the mating protrusions are held within the mating cavities to securely fasten the two panels together. The panels may be aligned to form a straight wall or may be disposed at various angles with the use of a separate connector member having mating structures similar to those on the channel members. The slots in the extending flanges are visible through gaps between the panels for inserting the locking keys. Shelving brackets or other such structure may also be mounted in channel slots or may replace the locking keys in the slots to join the panels.