Frame assembly

A frame assembly includes upper and lower frame units, four vertical frame rods, four pairs of top and bottom female connectors, eight male connectors, and first and second bolts. Each frame unit includes four rectangularly-arranged horizontal frame rods. Each female connector interconnects an adjacent pair of the horizontal frame rods, and includes two horizontal tenons engaging respectively the adjacent pair of the horizontal frame rods. The male connectors are connected respectively to opposite ends of the vertical frame rods. Each male connector includes a vertical tenon engaging a respective one of the opposite ends of the vertical frame rods, and an engaging block mating with a respective one of the female connectors. The first and second bolts are for securing releasably and respectively the female connectors to the male connectors.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese application No. 099119667, filed on Jun. 17, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a storage device, more particularly to a frame assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a power distribution box is used to retain electrical equipments, and comprises a frame assembly and a plurality of cover plates mounted on the frame assembly. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,062,664 and 5,806,946 disclose a kind of conventional frame assembly comprising a plurality of corner joints. Each corner joint interconnects an adjacent pair of horizontally-extended frame rods and a vertically-extended frame rod. However, due to difficulties in assembling the corner joints and the frame rods, the conventional frame assembly is generally assembled before delivery to a consumer, thus resulting in relatively high storage and transport costs.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,034 B1 discloses another conventional frame assembly comprising rectangularly-arranged upper and lower horizontal frame rod units, a plurality of hollow vertical frame rods having opposite end portions formed with screw holes, a plurality of tenons, and a plurality of bolts. The tenons are provided respectively on corner portions of the upper and lower horizontal frame rod units and are formed respectively with a plurality of threaded holes that correspond respectively to the screw holes of the vertical frame rods. The bolts extend respectively through the screw holes of the vertical frame rods and engage respectively and threadedly the threaded holes of the tenons for securing the vertical frame rods to the horizontal frame rod units. However, since the tenons are welded to the horizontal frame rod units, and since each of the screws hole is formed in a relatively thin segment of a respective one of the end portions of the vertical frame rods, engaging strength between the vertical frame rods and the tenons is relatively weak.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a frame assembly that is easy to assemble and that has a relatively high structural strength.

Accordingly, a frame assembly of the present invention comprises an upper frame unit, a lower frame unit, a vertical frame unit, four top female connectors, four bottom female connectors, eight male connectors, and a plurality of first and second bolts. The upper frame unit includes four rectangularly-arranged horizontal frame rods. The lower frame unit is spaced apart from the upper frame unit in a vertical direction and includes four rectangularly-arranged horizontal frame rods. The vertical frame unit includes four vertical frame rods. Each of the vertical frame rods extends between the upper and lower frame units and has opposite ends in the vertical direction. Each of the top female connectors interconnects an adjacent pair of the horizontal frame rods of the upper frame unit. Each of the bottom female connectors interconnects an adjacent pair of the horizontal frame rods of the lower frame unit. Each of the top and bottom female connectors includes two horizontal tenons that engage respectively the adjacent pair of the horizontal frame rods of the corresponding one of the upper and lower frame units, a connecting wall that interconnects the horizontal tenons and that is formed with a horizontal threaded hole, and an end wail that is formed with a vertical through hole. The end wall of each of the top female connectors is connected to a top end of the connecting wall of a corresponding one of the top female connectors. The end wall of each of the bottom female connectors is connected to a bottom end of the connecting wall of a corresponding one of the bottom female connectors. The end wall of each of the top and bottom female connectors cooperates with the connecting wall of the corresponding one of the top and bottom female connectors to define a receiving space therebetween.

The male connectors are connected respectively to the opposite ends of the vertical frame rods. Each of the male connectors includes a vertical tenon that engages a respective one of the opposite ends of the vertical frame rods, and an engaging block that is connected to the vertical tenon, that is received in the receiving space of a respective one of the female connectors, and that is formed with a vertical threaded hole corresponding in position to the vertical through hole of the end wall of the respective one of the top and bottom female connectors, and a horizontal through hole corresponding in position to the horizontal threaded hole of the connecting wall of the respective one of the top and bottom female connectors. The first and second bolts are for securing releasably the top and bottom female connectors to the respective one of the male connectors. The first bolts extend vertically and respectively through the vertical through holes of the top and bottom female connectors and engage threadedly and respectively the vertical threaded holes of the male connectors. The second bolts extend horizontally and respectively through the horizontal through holes of the male connectors and engage threadedly and respectively the horizontal threaded holes of the top and bottom female connectors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a frame assembly according to the present invention is shown. The frame assembly includes an upper frame unit1, a lower frame unit2, a vertical frame unit3, four pairs of top and bottom female connectors4, eight male connectors5, and a plurality of first and second bolts6,6′. The frame assembly is adapted to be provided on a base seat8and mounted with a plurality of cover plates7for storage of electrical equipments.

Further referring toFIG. 3, the upper frame unit1includes four rectangularly-arranged horizontal frame rods11. Each of the horizontal frame rods11of the upper frame unit1includes a hollow rod body111, a vertical wing plate112extending upwardly from the rod body111, and a horizontal wing plate113connected to the rod body111and extending horizontally away from an opposite one of the horizontal frame rods11of the upper frame unit1.

The lower frame unit2is spaced apart from and structurally symmetrical to the upper frame unit1in a vertical direction (Z) and includes four rectangularly-arranged horizontal frame rods21. Each of the horizontal frame rods21of the lower frame unit2includes a hollow rod body211, a vertical wing plate212extending downwardly from the rod body211, and a horizontal wing plate213connected to the rod body211and extending horizontally away from an opposite one of the horizontal frame rods21of the lower frame unit2.

The vertical frame unit3includes four vertical frame rods31extending between the upper and lower frame units1,2. Each of the vertical frame rods31includes a hollow rod body311having opposite open ends in the vertical direction (Z), a first wing plate312, and a second wing plate313. For each vertical frame rod31, the first wing plate312is connected to the rod body311and extends away from an opposite one of the vertical frame rods31in a first horizontal direction (X) that is transverse to the vertical direction (Z). The second wing plate313is connected to the rod body311and extends away from an opposite one of the vertical frame rods31in a second horizontal direction (Y) that is transverse to the vertical direction (Z) and the first horizontal direction (X).

Each of the top and bottom female connectors4includes two horizontal tenons41that engage respectively an adjacent pair of the horizontal frame rods11,21of a corresponding one of the upper and lower frame units1,2, a connecting wall42that interconnects the horizontal tenons41and that is formed with a horizontal threaded hole44, and an end wall43that is connected to the connecting wall42and that is formed with a vertical through hole45. The rod body111of each horizontal frame rod11of the upper frame unit1has opposite open ends, each engaging one of the horizontal tenons41of a respective one of the top female connectors4. The rod body211of each horizontal frame rod21of the lower frame unit2has opposite open ends, each engaging one of the horizontal tenons41of a respective one of the bottom female connectors4. The end wall43of each of the top female connectors4is connected to a top end of the connecting wall42of a corresponding one of the top female connectors4. The end wall43of each of the bottom female connectors4is connected to a bottom end of the connecting wall42of a corresponding one of the bottom female connectors4. The end wall43of each of the top and bottom female connectors4cooperates with the connecting wall42of the corresponding one of the top and bottom female connectors4to define a receiving space40therebetween.

The connecting wall42of each of the top and bottom female connectors4has an inverted L-shaped configuration, and has two side portions421transverse to each other and connected respectively to the horizontal tenons41of a corresponding one of the top and bottom female connectors4, and a joint portion422disposed between the side portions421. The horizontal threaded hole44of each of the top and bottom female connectors4is formed in the joint portion422of the corresponding one of the top and bottom female connectors4.

The male connectors5are connected respectively to the opposite ends of the vertical frame rods31. Each of the male connectors5includes a vertical tenon51that engages a respective one of the opposite ends of the vertical frame rods31, and an engaging block52that is connected to the vertical tenon51, and that is received in the receiving space40of a respective one of the top and bottom female connectors4. The opposite ends of each of vertical frame rods31engage respectively the vertical tenons51of an adjacent pair of the male connector5that correspond in position to each other in the vertical direction (Z). The engaging block32of each male connectors5is formed with a vertical threaded hole53corresponding in position to the vertical through hole45of the end wall43of the respective one of the top and bottom female connectors4, and a horizontal through hole54corresponding in position to the horizontal threaded hole44of the connecting wall42of the respective one of the top and bottom female connectors4. The engaging block52of each of the male connectors5is received in the respective receiving space40and is positioned by the end wall43of the respective female connector4so as to prevent movement of the engaging block52in the vertical direction (Z). Each engaging block52has two side portions521transverse to each other and abutting respectively against the side portions421of the connecting wall42of the respective one of the top and bottom female connectors4, and a joint portion522(seeFIG. 4) disposed between the side portions521. The horizontal through hole54of each of the male connectors5is formed in the joint portion522of the engaging block52of the corresponding one of the male connectors5.

Further referring to PIG.5, the first bolts6extend vertically and respectively through the vertical through holes45of the top and bottom female connectors4in the vertical direction (Z) and engage threadedly, releasably, and respectively the vertical threaded holes53of the male connectors S. The second bolts6′ extend horizontally and respectively through the horizontal through holes54of the male connectors5and engage threadedly, releasably, and respectively the horizontal threaded holes44of the top and bottom female connectors4. Therefore, the top and bottom female connectors4are secured releasably to the respective one of the male connectors5by the first and second bolts6,6′. In this embodiment, each of the first bolts6provided on the top female connectors4is configured to have a ring portion on an upper end thereof so that the frame assembly can be hung when desired. Moreover, since each combination of a male connector5and a corresponding top or bottom female connector4is designed to engage the corresponding horizontal frame rods11,21and the corresponding vertical frame rod31, and since each combination of the male connector5and the corresponding top or bottom female connector4can be simply secured releasably to each other through the first and second bolts6,6′, the frame assembly of the present invention can be assembled at a user's side, thereby resulting in a relatively low cost of storage and transport.

Referring back toFIG. 3, and further referring toFIG. 4, each of the male connectors5further includes an L-shaped waterproof leg55that is coupled to the first and second wing plates312,313of a respective one of the vertical frame rods31at a corresponding one of the opposite ends thereof, an L-shaped waterproof strip57that is attached to the L-shaped waterproof leg55, and an L-shaped waterproof flange56that extends horizontally from the L-shaped waterproof leg55. In this embodiment, the waterproof strip57is made of a foam material. Each of the top and bottom female connectors4further includes an L-shaped waterproof leg46that has two leg segments transverse to each other and corresponding respectively in position to the horizontal wing plates113,213of the adjacent pair of horizontal frame rods11,21, and that is coupled to the L-shaped waterproof leg55of the respective one of the male connectors5, such that each waterproof strip57is clamped between the L-shaped waterproof leg55of the corresponding one of the male connectors5and the L-shaped waterproof leg46of the respective one of the top and bottom female connectors4. By virtue of the L-shaped waterproof legs55, the L-shaped waterproof flanges56and the waterproof strips57, the electrical equipments disposed in the frame assembly can be well shielded from water.

Preferably, the engaging block52of each of the male connectors5is further formed with an auxiliary engaging protrusion58. The connecting wall42of each of the top and bottom female connectors4is further formed with an auxiliary engaging recess47engaging the auxiliary engaging protrusion58of the respective one of the male connectors5.

To sum up, the advantages of the present invention areas follows. Since the top and bottom female connectors4and the male connectors5interconnect the upper and lower frame units1,2and the vertical frame unit3through horizontal tenons41and vertical tenons51, and since the engaging block52of each male connector5is positioned in the first and second horizontal directions (X, Y) by the side portions421of the connecting wall42of the respective one of the top and bottom female connectors4, and is positioned in the vertical direction (Z) by the end wall43of the respective female connector4, engaging strength between the upper and lower horizontal frame units1,2and the vertical frame unit3is thus enhanced.

Moreover, through the engagement between each auxiliary engaging protrusion58of the male connectors5and the respective auxiliary engaging recess47of the top and bottom female connectors4, each combination of the male connector5and the corresponding top or bottom female connector4can bear a relatively large shearing force applied on the end wall43of the top or bottom female connector4and the corresponding second bolt6′, thereby further enhancing the engaging strength between the male connector5and the corresponding top or bottom female connector4.