Abstract:
A modular fountain includes a base, a bowl and a top or statue supported on the bowl by a pump housing in the bowl. Twist and lock bayonet type connectors are provided for connecting the base to the bowl and the top, if used, to the bowl at the pumping housing. A through passage between the pump housing, the bowl and the base is formed for training a pump power cord therethrough, for example.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/864,539, filed: May 23, 2001 now abandoned which claims priority of application Ser. No. 60/206,411 filed on May 23, 2000. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Decorative placements, for example, fountains, statuary, monuments, and bird baths, are fabricated in multiple sections to allow for easier packaging and shipment. Various ways have been provided to connect the sections together so as to assemble a placement. Sections of traditional fountains, whether made of a natural or man-made material, are typically fastened together using threaded fasteners, such as bolts and nuts or threaded inserts. Sections of statuary or bird baths are often interconnected by having mating sections with a socket formed in one and having a pin or dowel protruding from the other. Sections of monuments often are interconnected using the dowel/socket mechanism, as described above, or by grouting the sections together. 
   Each of these prior connection mechanisms and methods require the assembler to have tools and assembly knowledge in order to assemble the placement. Thus, a mechanism is needed which allows the easy assembly of a placement from multiple sections without the need for tools. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a new and advantageous connector that allows interconnecting sections of a fountain to be assembled using few, if any, hand tools. The present invention also provides an interconnection structure for sections of a fountain that allow the sections to be readily engageable and disengageable from one another. 
   More specifically, the present invention provides a modular connector including a collar having a first collar portion, a second collar portion, a third collar portion, two ears, two flanges and at least two mounting tabs. The first collar portion has a first outside diameter and a first inside diameter. The second collar portion is disposed between the first collar portion and the third collar portion and has the first outside diameter and a second inside diameter, the second inside diameter being smaller than the first inside diameter. The third collar portion has a second outside diameter and the second inside diameter, the second outside diameter being smaller than the first outside diameter. The two ears oppose one another, each ear extending from the second collar portion through the first collar portion and above the first collar portion, each ear disposed between the first inside diameter and the second inside diameter. The two flanges oppose one another, each flange extends inwardly from the first collar portion to form a channel with the second collar portion. The at least two mounting tabs extend outwardly from the third collar portion and are approximately equally spaced from one another. 
   The present invention also provides a modular connector system including a first collar and a second collar. Each collar has a first collar portion, a second collar portion, a third collar portion, two ears, two flanges and at least two mounting tabs. The first collar portion has a first outside diameter and a first inside diameter. The second collar portion is disposed between the first collar portion and the third collar portion and has the first outside diameter and a second inside diameter, the second inside diameter being smaller than the first inside diameter. The third collar portion has a second outside diameter and the second inside diameter, the second outside diameter being smaller than the first outside diameter. The two ears oppose one another, each ear extending from the second collar portion through the first collar portion and above the first collar portion, each ear disposed between the first inside diameter and the second inside diameter. The two flanges oppose one another, each flange extends inwardly from the first collar portion to form a channel with the second collar portion. The at least two mounting tabs extend outwardly from the third collar portion and are approximately equally spaced from one another. The first collar is engageable with the second collar by engaging the ears of the first collar with the flanges of the second collar and the ears of the second collar with the flanges of the first collar. 
   In addition, the present invention provides a modular fountain having a top portion collar, a base and a bayonet connector. The top portion collar has a cavity therein and a lower surface, the lower surface has an opening extending therethrough for access to the cavity. The base supports the top portion and has a cavity therein, an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having an opening extending therethrough, the lower surface for resting on a support surface. The bayonet connector is for removably connecting the top portion and the base. The bayonet connector includes a first collar and a second collar. The first collar of the bayonet connector is rigidly disposed in the opening extending through the lower surface of the top portion. The second collar of the bayonet connector is rigidly disposed in the opening extending through the upper surface of the base. The first collar of the bayonet connector is engageable with the second collar of the bayonet connector. The bayonet connector has a passage therethrough so that, when the first collar of the bayonet connector is engaged with the second collar of the bayonet connector, a passageway exists between the cavity of the top portion and the cavity of the base. 
   Moreover, the present invention provides a modular fountain having a pump, a statue, a bowl, a pump housing, a first bayonet connector, a base, a second bayonet connector and a tube. The pump circulates water in the modular fountain and has a power cord for supplying electrical power to the pump. The statue has a cavity therein and a lower surface, the lower surface has an opening extending therethrough for access to the cavity. The bowl has an upper curved surface defining a concave portion for storing water and a lower surface, the bowl has an opening extending through the lower surface and the upper curved surface. The pump housing supports the statue and contains the pump. The pump housing has a wall with an inner surface, the wall connected to and extending from the upper curved surface of the bowl and a top having an inner surface. The upper curved surface of the bowl, the inner surface of the wall and the inner surface of the top define an internal portion of the pump housing. The top has an opening extending therethrough for access to the internal portion of the pump housing. The pump housing is disposed on the upper curved surface of the bowl so that the opening in the bowl allows access to the internal portion of the pump housing. The first bayonet connector is for removably connecting the statue and the pump housing. The first bayonet connector includes a first collar rigidly disposed in the opening extending through the lower surface of the statue and a second rigidly disposed in the opening extending through the top of the pump housing. The first collar of the first bayonet connector is engageable with the second collar of the first bayonet connector. The first bayonet connector has a passage therethrough so that, when the first collar of the first bayonet connector is engaged with the second collar of the first bayonet connector, a passageway exists between the cavity of the statue and the internal portion of the pump housing. The base supports the bowl and has a cavity therein, an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface has an opening extending therethrough and the lower surface rests on a support surface. The second bayonet connector is for removably connecting the bowl and the base. The second bayonet connector includes a first collar rigidly disposed in the opening in the bowl and a second collar rigidly disposed in the opening extending through the upper surface of the base. The first collar of the second bayonet connector is engageable with the second collar of the second bayonet connector. The second bayonet connector has a passage therethrough so that, when the first collar of the second bayonet connector is engaged with the second collar of the second bayonet connector, a passageway exists between the internal portion of the pump housing and the cavity of the base. The tube extends through the opening in the bowl, wherein, when the statue is connected to the pump housing via the first bayonet connector and the bowl is connected to the base via the second bayonet connector, the tube extends between the cavity of the statue and the cavity of the base and the tube is capable of providing a passageway for the power cord of the pump from the pump housing into the cavity of the base. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded partial cross-sectional side view of a fountain of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a partial transverse cross-sectional view of a fountain of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a pictorial view of a modular or bayonet-type connector of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of a modular or bayonet-type connector of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom view of a modular or bayonet-type connector of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed herein in terms of modular or bayonet-type connectors for fountains, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and are not meant to limit its scope in any way. 
   The present invention provides a new and advantageous connector that allows interconnecting sections of a fountain to be assembled using few, if any, hand tools. The present invention also provides an interconnection structure for sections of a fountain that allow the sections to be readily engageable and disengageable from one another. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded partial cross-sectional side view of a fountain of the present invention. A pump  10  is provided having a power cord  12  for supplying electrical power to the pump  10 . The fountain has a statue  14 , which has a cavity  16  therein and a lower surface  18 . The statue  14  has an opening  20  extending through the lower surface  18  into the cavity  16 . 
   The fountain of the present invention also has a bowl  22  with a curved upper surface  24  defining a concave portion  26  for storing water and a lower surface  28 , the bowl further having an opening  30  extending through the lower surface and the curved upper surface  24 . A pump housing  32 , for supporting the statue  14  and for containing the pump  10 , has a wall  34  with an inner surface  36 . The wall is connected to and extends from the curved upper surface  24  of the bowl  22 . The pump housing  32  further has a top  38  with an inner surface  40 . The inner surface  40  of the top  38 , the inner surface  36  of the wall  34 , and the curved upper surface  24  of the bowl  22  define an interior portion  42  of the pump housing  32 . The top  38  of the pump housing  32  has an opening  44  extending therethrough for access to the interior portion  42  of the pump housing  32 . The pump housing  32  is disposed on the curved upper surface  24  of the bowl  22  so that the opening  30  in the bowl  22  allows access to the interior portion  42  of the pump housing  32 . 
   A first bayonet connector  46 , made up of a first collar  48  and a second collar  50 , is used to removably connect the statue  14  and the pump housing  32 . The first collar  48  of the first bayonet connector  46  is rigidly disposed in the opening  20  extending through the lower surface  18  of the statue  14 . The second collar  50  of the first bayonet connector  46  is rigidly disposed in the opening  44  extending through the top  38  of the pump housing  32 . The first collar  48  of the first bayonet connector  46  is engageable with the second collar  50  of the first bayonet connector  46 . The first bayonet connector  46  has a passage therethrough so that, when the first collar  48  of the first bayonet connector  46  is engaged with the second collar  50  of the first bayonet connector  46 , a passageway  51 , see  FIGS. 3 and 4 , exists between the cavity  16  of the statue  14  and the interior portion  42  of the pump housing  32 . 
   The fountain has a base  52  for supporting the bowl  22  and which has a cavity  54  within. The base  52  further has an upper surface  56  and a lower surface  58 . The upper surface  56  has an opening  60  extending therethrough. The lower surface  58  is for resting on a support surface  62 . A second bayonet connector  64  is made up of a first collar  66 , which is rigidly disposed in the opening  30  in the bowl  22 , and a second collar  68 , which is rigidly disposed in the opening  60  extending through the upper surface  56  of the base  52 . The first collar  66  of the second bayonet connector  64  is engageable with the second collar  68  of the second bayonet connector  64  to fix the bowl  22  to the base  52 . When the first collar  66  of the second bayonet connector  64  is engaged with the second collar  68  of the second bayonet connector  64 , a passageway  70 , see  FIGS. 3 and 4 , exists between the interior portion  42  of the pump housing  32  and the cavity  54  in the base  52 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a partial cross-sectional side view of a fountain of the present invention. Now referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the fountain is assembled, a tube  72  extends through the passageway between the pump housing  32  and the base  52 , so that when the statue  14  is connected to the pump housing  32  via the first bayonet connector  46  and the bowl  22  is connected to the base  52  via the second bayonet connector  64 , the tube  72  extends between the cavity  16  of the statue  14  and cavity  54  of the base  52 . The tube  72  is capable of providing a passageway for the electrical cord  12  of the pump  10 , as well as other elements, from the pump housing  22  into the cavity  54  of the base  52 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , which illustrate various views a modular or bayonet-type connector of the present invention, the modular or bayonet-type connector includes a collar  48 ,  50 ,  66  and  68  having a first collar portion (the top portion of  48 ,  50 ,  66  and  68  shown in FIGS.  3  and  4 ), a second collar portion (the middle portion of  48 ,  50 ,  66  and  68  shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 ), a third collar portion (the bottom portion of  48 ,  50 ,  66  and  68  shown in FIG.  5 ), two ears  100  and  102 , two flanges  104  and  106  and at least two mounting tabs  110 . The first collar portion has a first outside diameter  112  and a first inside diameter  114 . The second collar portion is disposed between the first collar portion and the third collar portion and has the first outside diameter  112  and a second inside diameter  116 , the second inside diameter  116  being smaller than the first inside diameter  114 . The third collar portion has a second outside diameter  118 ,  FIG. 5 , and the second inside diameter  116 , the second outside diameter  118  being smaller than the first outside diameter  112 . The two ears  100  and  102  oppose one another, each ear  100  and  102  extending from the second collar portion through the first collar portion and above the first collar portion, each ear  100  and  102  disposed between the first inside diameter  114  and the second inside diameter  116 . The two flanges  104  and  106  oppose one another, each flange  104  and  106  extends inwardly from the first collar portion to form a channel with the second collar portion. The at least two mounting tabs  110  extend outwardly from the third collar portion and are approximately equally spaced from one another. 
   The present invention also provides a modular connector system including a first collar and a second collar. Each collar is the same as described in the previous paragraph. The first collar is engageable with the second collar by engaging the ears  100  and  102  of the first collar with the flanges  104  and  106  of the second collar and the ears  100  and  102  of the second collar with the flanges  104  and  106  of the first collar. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the bayonet s collars  48 ,  50 ,  66 , and  68  are equivalent; that is, they have identical structures. Thus, the following description of the first collar  48  and the second collar  50  of the first bayonet connector  46  applies equally to the first collar  66  and the second collar  68  of the second bayonet connector  64 . In this embodiment, each of the first collar  48  and second collar  50  s of the first bayonet connector  46  has a first ear  100  and a second ear  102 . Each of the collars  48  and  50  also has a first flange  104  and a second flange  106 . When the first collar  48  is mated to the second collar  50  and the first collar  48  is rotated with respect to the second collar  50  about a common, central axis  108 , the first ear  100  of the first collar  48  engages with the first flange  104  of the second collar  50 , and the second ear  102  of the first collar  48  engages with the second flange  106  of the second collar  50 . Further, the first ear  100  of the second collar  50  engages with the first flange  104  of the first collar  48 , and the second ear  102  engages with the second flange  106  of the first collar  48 . In his way, the two s collars  48  and  50  engage each other and become fixed with respect to each other. 
   Also, as can be seen, the first ear  100  of the first collar  48  can engage with the second flange  106  of the second collar  50 , and so forth, as, in this embodiment, either ear of one collar of a connector is capable of being engaged with either flange of the other collar of the connector. 
   Accordingly, the present invention is a placement, for example, a fountain, having a modular, bayonet-type connector which is used to interconnect sections of the placement. In the case of a fountain, the invention has a pump for circulating water in the fountain and two or more sections that are, in a preferred embodiment, interconnected with a bayonet-type connector. 
   Now referring back to  FIG. 1 , to assemble the sections of such a fountain, an area (support surface  62 ) is located which is flat and suitable for the fountain. The base column  52  of the fountain is placed in the selected area (support surface  62 ), the bowl  22  of the fountain is placed onto the base  52  such that the two collars  66  and  68  of the bayonet-type connector  64  (one in the base  52  and one in the bowl  22 ) are mated. The bowl  22  is rotated with respect to the base  52  of the fountain to interconnect the bowl  22  and the base  52 . The pump  10  is placed in the pump housing  32  which is disposed in the fountain bowl  22  and the power cord  12  for the pump  10  is routed through the tube  72  which, when the fountain is assembled, provides a passageway from the statue  14  into the base  52 . The statue  14  is then placed onto the pump housing  32  so that the collars  48  and  50  of the bayonet-type connector  46  (one in the pump housing  32  and one in the statue  14 ) are mated. The statue  14  is rotated with respect to the pump housing  32  (and therefore the bowl  22 ) to interconnect the statue  14  and the pump housing/bowl ( 32  and  22 ). Tubing is attached to the pump discharge port as required for the fountain, water is added to the bowl, and electricity is supplied to the pump. 
   An embodiment having different types of bayonet connectors, or having one bayonet connector and another quick-connect connector of another type, is within the scope of the present invention. 
   The scope of the present invention also encompasses a fountain wherein no statue is present, thus having all the features shown in  FIG. 1  except the statue  14  and the first bayonet connector  46 . In this embodiment, it is possible for the pump housing  22  to have a solid top with no opening  44  in the top  38 , as shown in FIG.  1 . Further, it is within the scope of the present invention for either the base  52  and bowl  22 , or the statue  14 , pump housing  32 , and bowl  22  to be made as a one piece structure, so that one of either the first bayonet connector  46  or the second bayonet connector  64  is not needed. 
   The scope of the present invention also includes a placement other than a fountain, in which portions of the placement are interconnected via one or more bayonet connectors. In addition, connectors other than bayonet-type connectors, which are quick-type connectors needing few or no tools to engage and which are used to interconnect portions of a placement, are within the scope of the present invention. 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to a presently preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications, alternatives, variations, etc., may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.