Patent ID: 7950194
Filing Date: 2011-05-31
Classification: E06B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. In a corner key comprising: a body comprising a first end and an opposite second end, a first upright leg and a second upright leg joined to a base and spaced from one another to provide the body as viewed from one of the ends with a generally U-shaped cross section; the first upright leg comprising an inner surface facing the second upright leg; an opposite outer surface; a first outer portion; a second outer portion spaced from the first outer portion of the first leg; and an intermediate portion between and interconnecting the first and second outer portions of the first leg, wherein the intermediate portion of the first leg comprises a V-shaped cut out defined as a first V-shaped cut out, the first V-shaped cut out having a first sloping surface and a second sloping surface meeting at a first vertex, the first vertex level with or above the inner surface of the base to provide the intermediate portion of the first upright leg with a first V-shaped bending location; the second upright leg comprising an inner surface facing the first upright leg; an opposite outer surface; a first outer portion; a second outer portion spaced from the first outer portion of the second leg; and an intermediate portion between and interconnecting the first and second outer portions of the second leg, wherein the intermediate portion of the second leg comprises a second V-shaped cut out, the second V-shaped cut out having a third sloping surface and a fourth sloping surface meeting at a second vertex, the second vertex level with or above the inner surface of the base to provide the intermediate portion of the second upright leg with a second bending location, and the base comprising an inner surface facing the space between the first and second upright legs; an opposite outer surface; a first outer portion, a second outer portion spaced from the first outer portion of the base and an intermediate portion between and interconnecting the first and second outer portions of the base, wherein moving the first end and the second end of the body toward one another in a direction over the inner surface of the intermediate portion of the base, bends the body about the first and the second bending locations to move the first sloping surface and the second sloping surface of the first V-shaped cut out toward one another, and the third sloping surface and the fourth surface of the second V-shaped cut out toward one another, the improvement comprising: a first segment of the intermediate portion of the first upright leg between and joined to the first and the second sloping surfaces of the first V-shaped cut out, wherein the first segment at the first sloping surface is defined by a first pressed weakening line and the first segment at the second sloping surface is defined by a second pressed weakening line, wherein the first and the second pressed weakening lines meet at the first vertex and define a first bending area, the first bending area comprises a third pressed weakening line, the third pressed weakening line extending from the first vertex in a direction away from the first vertex to divide the first bending area into a first section and a second section, wherein the first section of the first bending area is between the first and the third pressed weakening lines, and the second section is between the second and the third pressed weakening lines, and the thickness of the intermediate portion of the first upright leg outside of the first bending area is greater than the thickness of the first section and the second section of the first bending area, and the thickness of the first and the second sections is greater than the thickness of the intermediate portion at the first, second and third pressed weakening lines, wherein the thickness of the intermediate portion of the first leg outside the first bending area is measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the intermediate portion of the first leg outside the first bending area; the thicknesses of the first and the second sections are measured between inner and outer surfaces of the first and second sections, and the thickness of the intermediate portion of the first upright leg at the first, second and third pressed weakening lines is measured between inner and outer surfaces of the intermediate portion of the first upright leg at the deepest portions of the first, second and third pressed weakening lines; a second segment of the intermediate portion of the second upright leg between and joined to the third and the fourth sloping surfaces of the second V-shaped cut out, the second segment at the third sloping surface defined by a fourth pressed weakening line and the second segment at the fourth sloping surface defined by a fifth pressed weakening line, wherein the fourth and the fifth pressed weakening lines meet at the second vertex and define a second bending area, the second bending area comprising a sixth pressed weakening line, the sixth pressed weakening line extending from the second vertex in a direction away from the second vertex to divide the second bending area into a third section and a fourth section, wherein the third section is between the fourth and the sixth pressed weakening lines, and the fourth section is between the fifth and sixth pressed weakening lines, and the thickness of the intermediate portion of the second upright leg outside of the second bending area is greater than the thickness of the third section and the fourth section of the second bending area, and the thickness of the third and the fourth sections is greater than the thickness of the intermediate portion at the fourth, fifth and sixth pressed weakening lines, wherein the thickness of the intermediate portion of the second leg outside the second bending area is measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the intermediate portion of the second leg outside the second bending area; the thickness of the third and the fourth sections is measured between inner and outer surfaces of the third and the fourth sections, and the thickness of the intermediate portion of the second upright leg at the fourth, fifth and sixth pressed weakening lines is measured between inner and outer surfaces of the intermediate portion of the second upright leg at the fourth, fifth and sixth pressed weakening lines; and wherein moving the first and the second ends of the body toward one another over the intermediate portion of the base bends the first and the second sections about the third pressed weakening line toward one another, the first section about the first pressed weakening line and the second section about the second pressed weakening line to move the first and the second sections over the inner surface of the base toward the second upright leg and bends the third and the fourth sections about the sixth pressed weakening line toward one another, the third section about the fourth pressed weakening line and the fourth section about the fifth pressed weakening line to move the third and fourth sections over the inner surface of the base toward the first upright leg.