Abstract:
A ringpost is disclosed. The ringpost includes an outer member and an inner member secured within the outer member. The outer member has a rib along an interior surface, and the inner member has a groove along an exterior surface that receives the rib. The outer member rotates about the inner member after the inner member is secured within the outer member. A ringpost assembly is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/449,238, filed on Feb. 21, 2003, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a ringpost assembly and, more particularly, a ringpost assembly comprising a plurality of two-piece, stackable ringposts, each having a free-spinning hub. 
   Ringposts have been utilized for wire bundle management in aircraft, marine, automotive and other electronic products. For example, Nylon Molding Corporation&#39;s RP series ringposts provide one to six levels of wiring on one rack or support structure, and can accommodate bundles up to 1¼ inch in diameter. The RP1700 ringpost comprises a single ringpost without a screw. The RP1703 and RP1704 ringposts comprise a standard size hex head screw insert molded into a single and double ringpost, respectively, along with a steel socket which is also insert molded. However, none of the prior ringposts, including the Nylon Molding Corporation ringposts, allow a hub to freely rotate about a fastener after the ringpost has been torqued down into a mounting structure. Moreover, none of the prior ringposts provide for self-alignment when multiple ringposts are vertically stacked. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It would be desirable to provide a ringpost having a fastener snap-fitted within a hub, while still allowing the hub to rotate freely about the fastener after the ringpost has been torqued down into a mounting structure. 
   It would also be desirable to provide a plurality of stackable ringposts that vertically self-align. 
   A ringpost is disclosed. The ringpost includes an outer member and an inner member secured within the outer member. The outer member has a rib along an interior surface, and the inner member has a groove along an exterior surface that receives the rib. The outer member rotates about the inner member after the inner member is secured within the outer member. 
   Preferably, the outer member is a hub and the inner member is a threaded fastener. The fastener is snap-fitted within the hub. 
   Preferably, the inner member has a shoulder extending beyond a bottom end of the outer member when the inner member is secured within the outer member. 
   Preferably, the outer member has a plurality of rungs equidistantly spaced thereabout. 
   Preferably, the outer member has four notches adjacent a first end thereof, and four fingers adjacent a second end thereof. The fingers are vertically aligned with the notches. 
   Preferably, a sleeve circumscribes the notches. 
   A ringpost assembly is also disclosed. The ringpost assembly includes a first ringpost and a second ringpost secured to the first ringpost. The first ringpost has a first outer member and a first inner member secured therein. The first outer member has a plurality of notches adjacent a first end thereof. The second ringpost has a second outer member and a second inner member secured therein. The second outer member has a plurality of fingers adjacent a first end thereof. The first ringpost notches receive the second ringpost fingers to self-align the first ringpost and the second ringpost. 
   Preferably, a third ringpost is secured to the second ringpost. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a top front perspective view of a ringpost assembly of the present invention, shown having two cable ties for securing various size wire bundles therein; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the ringpost assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top front perspective view of the first ringpost utilized in the ringpost assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom front perspective view of the first ringpost utilized in the ringpost assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded top perspective view of the ringpost of  FIG. 3 , shown positioned above a first ringpost secured to a mounting structure; 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the ringpost of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along lines  8 - 8  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of a section of  FIG. 5 , showing the second ringpost aligned with the first ringpost; 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of a section of  FIG. 5 , showing the second ringpost before it is aligned with the first ringpost; 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  13 - 13  of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  14 - 14  of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 15  is an enlarged view of a section of  FIG. 14 ; 
       FIG. 16  is a top front perspective view of a ringpost assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 17  is a top front perspective view of the first ringpost utilized in the ringpost assembly of  FIG. 16 ; 
       FIG. 18  is a bottom front perspective view of the first ringpost utilized in the ringpost assembly of  FIG. 16 ; and 
       FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  19 - 19  of  FIG. 16 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The illustrated embodiments of the invention are directed to a ringpost assembly comprising a plurality of two-piece, stackable ringposts, each having a free-spinning hub.  FIGS. 1-15  are directed to a ringpost assembly  20 , and  FIGS. 16-19  are directed to a ringpost assembly  120 . 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show a fully assembled ringpost assembly  20 . Ringpost assembly  20  includes a mounting structure  22  having a base  24 , a first ringpost  26 , a second ringpost  28 , a third ringpost  30 , a first cable tie  32 , a first wire bundle  34 , a second cable tie  36  and a second wire bundle  38 . Preferably, first ringpost  26 , second ringpost  28  and third ringpost  30  are substantially identical. Moreover, first cable tie  32  and second cable tie  36  are Panduit CONTOUR-TY® cable ties. It is likewise contemplated that ringpost assembly  20  may include any number of stackable ringposts. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 2 , first cable tie  32  secures first wire bundle  34  to one rung of second ringpost  28 , and second cable tie  36  secures second wire bundle  38  to one rung of second ringpost  28  and one rung of third ringpost  30 . Preferably, when securing large wire bundles to ringpost assembly  20 , the cable tie should pass through one rung on each of two adjacent ringposts. Moreover, when securing small wire bundles to ringpost assembly  20 , the cable tie should only pass through one rung on one ringpost. Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , first wire bundle  34  is an example of a small wire bundle, and second wire bundle  38  is an example of a large wire bundle. It is likewise contemplated that ringpost assembly  20  may include any number of cable ties and wire bundles. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  show first ringpost  26  prior to attachment to mounting structure  22 , and  FIG. 5  shows first ringpost  26  after attachment to mounting structure  22 . First ringpost  26  includes a fastener  40  snap-fitted within a hub  42 . Preferably, fastener  40  is a threaded fastener made of titanium, and hub  42  is made of plastic. The titanium fastener  40  is lighter than a fastener having a steel socket and a titanium stud and, thus, provides a weight advantage over existing ringposts. Similarly, each of second ringpost  28  and third ringpost  30  includes a fastener snap-fitted within a hub. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , hub  42  includes four notches  44 , four rungs  46 , a rib  48  and four fingers  50 . Hub  42  has a helical geometry  43  between notches  44  to facilitate self-alignment of second ringpost  28  to first ringpost  26 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Hub  42  also has a helical geometry  49  between fingers  50 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Notches  44  and fingers  50  are separated from each other with helical geometry  43  and  49 , respectively, and the pitch of helical geometry  43 ,  49  is greater than the pitch of the threads on fastener  40 . The mating helixes ensure engagement and alignment of the notches and fingers and, thus, automatically align the rungs of the stacked ringposts. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 12 , notches  44  are vertically centered within rungs  46 , which allows a cable tie to shield the wire bundles from notches  44 . Moreover, hub  42  includes a sleeve  51  positioned around notches  44  to prevent exposing any sharp edges at the top side of hub  42 , as best seen in  FIG. 3 . Although hub  42  is shown in  FIG. 6  having four rungs  46 , it is likewise contemplated that hub  42  may have any number of rungs  46 . 
   As best seen in  FIG. 7 , fastener  40  has a head  52  which retains hub  42 , and head  52  has a hex pocket  54  for receiving an alien head tool (not shown) utilized to tighten first ringpost  26  to mounting structure  22 . Head  52  is positioned below sleeve  51 . An aperture  56  runs down the primary axis of fastener  40 , and fastener  40  has internal threads  58  to facilitate engagement with a stud  60  of a fastener  62  protruding from second ringpost  28 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 13-15 , rib  48  is molded into the inside diameter of hub  42 , and fastener  40  has a groove  64  for capturing rib  48 . Shoulder  66  of fastener  40  may extend just below the bottom of hub  42 , as best seen in  FIG. 14 , so as to allow rotation of hub  42  after fastener  40  is torqued down to mounting structure  22 . Alternatively, shoulder  66  may be even with the bottom of hub  42 , as best seen in  FIG. 15 , while still allowing rotation of hub  42  after fastener  40  is torqued down to mounting structure  22 . 
   In operation, fastener  40  is snap-fitted within hub  42 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , first ringpost  26  is torqued down until it is secured within mounting structure  22 . After first ringpost  26  has been secured to mounting structure  22 , hub  42  is free-spinning about fastener  40 . Subsequently, as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , second ringpost  28  is positioned above first ringpost  26 , and second ringpost  28  is threaded into first ringpost  26 , as best seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . The allen head tool is inserted into hex pocket  68  of second ringpost  28  and, as second ringpost  28  is torqued down, self-alignment fingers  70  of second ringpost  28  are received within notches  44  of first ringpost  26 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . After second ringpost  28  has been secured to first ringpost  26 , hub  72  is free-spinning about fastener  62 . 
   The notch and finger configuration allows hub  72  to spin about fastener  62  in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction, while retaining self-alignment between first ringpost  26  and second ringpost  28 . Finally, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , third ringpost  30  is secured to second ringpost  28 . After third ringpost  30  is secured to second ringpost  28 , hub  74  is free-spinning about fastener  76 . Additional ringposts can be stacked on the assembly. Regardless of the number of stackable ringposts utilized, their respective rungs will self-align upon assembly, and remain free-spinning as a unit. 
   The second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 16-19 . The ringpost assembly  120  is similar to ringpost assembly  20 , except that ringpost assembly  120  does not possess the self-alignment feature of ringpost assembly  20 . First ringpost  126  is dimensionally similar to Nylon Molding Corporation&#39;s RP series ringposts, thus allowing first ringpost  126  to be interchangeable with the RP series ringposts. 
     FIG. 16  shows a partially assembled ringpost assembly  120 . Ringpost assembly  120  includes a mounting structure  122  having a base  124 , a first ringpost  126  and a second ringpost  128 . Preferably, first ringpost  126  and second ringpost  128  are substantially identical. It is likewise contemplated that ringpost assembly  120  may include any number of stackable ringposts. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 19 , first ringpost  126  includes a fastener  140  snap-fitted within a hub  142 . Preferably, fastener  140  is a threaded fastener made of titanium, and hub  142  is made of plastic. The titanium fastener  140  is lighter than a fastener having a steel socket and a titanium stud and, thus, provides a weight advantage over existing ringposts. Similarly, second ringpost  128  includes a fastener  162  snap-fitted within a hub  172 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 15-19 , hub  142  includes four rungs  146  and a rib  148 . As best seen in  FIG. 19 , rib  148  is molded into the inside diameter of hub  142 , and fastener  140  has a groove  164  for capturing rib  148 . Although hub  142  is shown in  FIGS. 16-18  having four rungs  146 , it is likewise contemplated that hub  142  may have any number of rungs  146 . 
   As best seen in  FIG. 16 , fastener  140  has a head  152  which retains hub  142 , and head  152  has a hex pocket  154  for receiving an alien head tool (not shown) utilized to tighten first ringpost  126  to mounting structure  122 . As shown in  FIG. 19 , fastener  140  extends just beyond the top end of hub  142 , to ensure second ringpost  128  engages fastener  140  instead of hub  142 . 
   In operation, fastener  140  is snap-fitted within hub  142 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , first ringpost  126  is torqued down until it is secured within mounting structure  122 . After first ringpost  126  has been secured to mounting structure  122 , hub  142  is free-spinning about fastener  140 . Subsequently, second ringpost  128  is secured to first ringpost  126 . The alien head tool is inserted into hex pocket  168  of second ringpost  128 , and second ringpost  128  is torqued down until the bottom end of fastener  162  contacts the top end of fastener  140 , as shown in  FIG. 19 . After second ringpost  128  has been secured to first ringpost  126 , hub  142  and hub  172  are independently free-spinning. The ease of rotation allows for simple operator alignment of the rungs. Additional ringposts can be stacked on the assembly. 
   The disclosed invention provides a ringpost assembly comprising a plurality of two-piece, stackable ringposts, each having a free-spinning hub. It should be noted that the above-described and illustrated embodiments and preferred embodiments of the invention are not an exhaustive listing of the forms such a ringpost assembly in accordance with the invention might take; rather, they serve as exemplary and illustrative of embodiments of the invention as presently understood. By way of example, and without limitation, a ringpost assembly having more than three stackable ringposts is contemplated to be within the scope of the invention. Many other forms of the invention are believed to exist.