Patent ID: 9556893
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: F16B,Y10T

Claim:
1. A breakaway connector, comprising: a first connector component having an exterior threaded portion, a breakaway portion adjacent the exterior threaded portion, and a longitudinal axial bore of constant diameter formed completely through the first connector component, the longitudinal axial bore having internal threads; a second connector component having an exterior threaded portion, a breakaway portion adjacent the exterior threaded portion, and a longitudinal axial bore of constant diameter formed completely through the second connector component, the longitudinal axial bore having internal threads; an intermediate breakaway segment having a first end adapted to bear against the breakaway portion of the first connector component to form a first breakpoint, a second end adapted to bear against the breakaway portion of the second connector component to form a second breakpoint, and a longitudinal axial bore having internal threads; and a single rod having external threads configured to be threadably engage the internal threads within the longitudinal axial bores of the first and second connector components and the intermediate breakaway segment to couple the first and second connector components and the intermediate breakaway segment together and to hold the breakaway portion of the first connector component in an abutting relationship against the first end of the intermediate breakaway segment and to hold the second end of the intermediate breakaway segment in an abutting relationship against the breakaway portion of the second connector component to form the first and second breakpoints, respectively, the rod configured to break only at a location of one or both of the two breaking points when the connector is subjected to a lateral load in response to an impact.