Abstract:
A clip for steel stud walls, including a steel stud having a stud width; a front surface; a back surface; a pair of fasteners being set apart an inner width, the inner width sized at least as large as the stud width and the steel stud being positioned between the fasteners.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to fasteners for steel stud walls and more particularly to fasteners that allow for deflection.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Homes have long been built with wood studs, commonly referred to as 2×4 lumber. As the amount of uses for wood increased and the consumption within the known uses increased, heavy pressure has been placed on the supply of wood. At this time, this pressure is severe enough that it is being felt in the rain forests of South America.  
         [0003]     The use of steel for the structure of buildings has been one solution to the over consumption of trees. Buildings, however stationary they may seem, are constantly moving. Temperature and weight causes the structure to heave at times and contract at other times. Wood is quite flexible and withstands normal changes with minimal problems. The steel, however, has a tendency to buckle under these changes. Therefore, builders using steel studs allow for deflection, that is movement of the structure.  
         [0004]     A variety of devices have been developed to allow for deflection. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,915 (Ruggles et al.) shows a clip joined to the top track, which braces against the ceiling. While this does allow for deflection, the clip does not secure about the stud.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,898 (Josey) discloses a fastener that joins steel studs to the top or bottom track and nominally allows for deflection. Specifically, the inventor here proposes the use of a double sided foam tape on either end of the stud. Certainly, the tape will loses its resilience over time and poses a difficult problem, i.e. how to avoid getting dirt on the tape.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,087 (diGirolamo) discloses a bracket that joins a steel stud to a top track and such bracket can be fastened in a manner to allow for deflection. This structure, however, requires the drilling of four holes and use of a socket set to install.  
         [0007]     What is needed is a clip that is snap fit into place that secures the steel stud to the top track. The clip should allow for deflection. The clip may also provide an aperture for a fastener to communicate between the top track and the clip. Most desirably, the clip, while designed for use on the top track should also be usable on the bottom track.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is a clip that is snap fit into place, securing the steel stud to the top track. The clip allows for deflection. The clip may also provide an aperture for a fastener to communicate between the top track and the clip. The present inventive clip, while designed for use on the top track, is also usable on the base track.  
         [0009]     The present invention is a clip for steel stud walls and may be provided with a clip portion and a steel stud. The steel stud may have a stud width. The clip portion may have a front surface, a back surface, and a pair of fasteners being set apart an inner width. The inner width preferably is sized at least as large as the stud width such that the steel stud can be positioned between the fasteners. The fasteners may be structured to be attachable to either a top track or a base track, while being positioned about the steel stud.  
         [0010]     Advantageously, the present clip is a selective fastener and may secure a steel stud to the top track or base track with or without the aid of screws.  
         [0011]     Also as an advantage the present fastener is slidably joined about the steel stud, allowing for temperature and weight to flex the dimensions of the walls, i.e. deflection.  
         [0012]     As still yet another advantage, the present clip is connectable either to the top track or base track.  
         [0013]     These and other advantages will become clear through reading the below detailed description together with reference to the appended drawings. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a partial view of a steel stud wall with the clip joining the steel stud to the top track and the upper fastener exploded away from the clip;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a portion of a steel stud wall with the fasteners of the clip biasing against opposing sides of the steel stud;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a back view of the clip;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the clip;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the clip;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a right end view of the clip;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a left end view of the clip;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the clip; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the clip. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0023]     The present invention preferably is a steel stud and clip combination which may include a steel stud wall  10  and a clip  30 . The clip  30  may join the steel stud  16  to the top track  14  or base track  12  and allow for deflection. This inventor&#39;s preferred mode of making and using the invention is fully described below.  
         [0024]     The base track  12 , top track  14  and steel stud  16  may be made in the manner customarily available and in use at the time of this disclosure. Generally, the base track  12  will be secured to the floor or other foundational point. The top track  12  will be secured to the ceiling and the studs  16  will traverse between the base track  12  and top track  14 . A lower fastener  20 , such as a screw, may join the steel stud  16  to the base track  12 , passing through both the base track  12  and steel stud  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 . As an alternative, the clip  30 , as will be described below, can be used in accordance with the description below in lieu of the lower fastener  20 .  
         [0025]     The steel stud  16  has a stud width  18 . For the purposes herein, the stud width  18  is defined as the distance between opposing surfaces of the steel stud  16  such that the opposing surfaces fall within planes extending perpendicular to the length of the wall  10 . Steel studs available on the market come in several different widths and others may be made available in the future. All of these studs are intended to be encompassed within the scope of this invention. The stud width  18  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
         [0026]     The clip  30  may join the steel stud  16  to the top track  14 , principally shown in  FIGS. 3-7 . Preferably, the clip  30  is monolithic, e.g. of a unitary piece of material, having a back surface  32 , a front surface  34 , a top edge  40 , a bottom edge  42 , a right end  36 , a left end  38 , and a pair of fasteners  46 . The words “top”, “bottom”, “left”, and “right” are for reference only and are not to be read limiting on the invention. Such terms have the plain English meaning when the clip  30  is joined to a top track  14 , and have the opposite of the plain English meaning when joined to the bottom track  12 , e.g. top edge is on the bottom, right edge is on the left side when the clip is joined to the bottom track  12 . An aperture  44  may be defined through the front and back surfaces  34 ,  32 . Such aperture is sized to receive an upper fastener  22 ,  FIG. 1 , which may be used to secure the clip  30  relatively immovable with respect to the top track  14 .  
         [0027]     The fasteners  46  are separated a distance referred to herein as the inner width  48 . The inner width  48  is defined as the distance between the closest edges of the fasteners  46 , see  FIG. 4 . The inner width  48  is sized the same size or larger than the stud width  18 . This allows for the stud  16  to be positioned between the fasteners  46  in a puzzle-like fashion, embracing or biasing against the opposing sides of the stud  16  that are not held by the top track  14 . (See  FIG. 2 ). The clip  30 , while partially surrounding the steel stud  16 , preferably does not fixedly secure to the stud  16 . The stud  16 , likewise, is not fixedly secured to the top track  14 . Rather, the clip  30  and top track  14  in combination form a channel, specifically defined by the sides of the track and the fasteners, through which the stud  16  passes. In this manner of vertical sliding securement, the stud  16  has been connected to the top track  14  with full allowance for deflection.  
         [0028]     The fasteners  46  desirably are curls, although other shapes may be used, as this provides for sufficient contact area to bias against the stud  16  and to ease the connection between the clip  30  and top track  14 . A portion of the top track  14  may be positioned between the back surface  32  and the fasteners  46  and more particularly the tips  50  of the fasteners  46 . Pointed tips  50  may be formed into the ends of the fasteners  46  for extra grip. Upper fastener  22 , preferably a screw, may fixedly secure the clip  30  to the top track  14  through aperture  44 . Most desireably, the clip  30  is friction fit to the top track  14  or bottom track  12 , replacing the need for a screw or other fastener.  
         [0029]     In operation, a base track  12  is secured to a floor or other foundational point and the top track  14  is secured to the ceiling. Studs  16  are positioned within the tracks provided by the base track  12  and top track  14  in the traditional manner. A lower fastener  20  traditionally secures the stud  16  to the base track  12  or the newly developed clip  30  may be used in lieu of the lower fastener  20 . The clip  30  is positioned about the stud  16  with fasteners on opposing sides and pushed towards the top track  14  until fastened. An upper fastener  22  may secure the clip  30  to the top track  14 , precluding laterally movement, while allowing vertical movement, e.g. deflection.  
         [0030]     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the clip  30  may be used to join the stud  16  to the base track  12  to better control lateral movement. However, gravity can interfere with the ability of the clip  30  to allow for deflection when joined to the base track  12 .