Patent ID: 7481235
Filing Date: 2009-01-27
Classification: E04H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An articulating hub assembly suitable for use in collapsible structures comprising: a hub body comprising rigid octagonally-shaped mating top and bottom components, said octagonal shape of said hub body defined by a periphery having eight straight edges at said periphery of said hub body and eight slits, each said slit extending radially inwardly from said periphery through said top and said bottom components from and normal to each said straight edges at said periphery of said hub body, each said slit is located at a vertex formed at intersections of each of said edges around said periphery of said hub body, and consistent with the octagonal configuration of said periphery of said hub body, adjacent slits emanating from each succeeding and preceding slit relative to said slit which is normal to said edge are aligned 45° with respect thereto; and said hub top-component defined by a periphery, having an exterior and an interior surface, a central boss receiving opening, a plurality of said radial slits extending through said hub top, and a plurality of openings disposed radially toward the periphery of said hub top component, said openings being arranged to provide a single opening positioned in each of the areas defined in-between two adjacent said slits and arranged to conform to the position of said openings through said hub bottom when the hub top and hub bottom are joined; and said hub bottom-component wherein each of said edges of said periphery is in alignment with said edges of said top component, having an exterior and an interior surface, a boss extending upwardly from said interior surface of said bottom component, a central opening within said boss and a plurality openings disposed radially toward the periphery of said component, said openings being arranged to provide a single opening positioned in each of the areas defined in-between two adjacent said slits and arranged to conform to the position of said openings through said hub top when said hub top and said hub bottom are joined; and each said slit in said hub bottom component having a discontinuous groove located perpendicular thereto and extending across said slit into each of said areas defined in-between two adjacent said slits; said hub top component and said hub bottom component being assembled contiguously so that said central openings, said radial slits and said openings extending through said hub top component and said hub bottom component, and into said hub top component and said hub bottom component, are in registry; and a removable fastening means extending through said openings in said hub top component and being secured in said openings in registry therewith in said hub bottom component; and an integrally formed keeper element having a top and a shaft extending downwardly therefrom, wherein said shaft is capable of being inserted into and withdrawn from said central openings through said hub body and said hub cover, and said integrally formed keeper element, has means to secure said hub top component to said hub bottom component; and a plurality of tangs, each tang having a first side and a second side, a tail, and a head section with a roll pin extending from each side, said head section of said tang positioned in one of said radial slits in said hub bottom component and said hub top component in registry therewith, said tang being held in place by said roll pin nested in said discontinuous groove; and a cylindrical plug and a structural element secured to said tang.