Abstract:
A connector assembly to fasten two members. The connector assembly includes an elongate fastener with an end for insertion into one of the members and a transverse aperture having at least one countersunk surface with an apex substantially aligned coaxially with the transverse aperture. The connector assembly also includes a grub screw insertable into the other member along a transverse axis substantially at the predetermined spacing from the shaped end. The connector assembly further includes a nipple formed onto one of the grub screw, the nipple being placeable into the transverse aperture for movement down the countersunk surface towards the apex thereof. The fastener moves with respect to the other member and brings the two fastened members closer together. The connector assembly also includes a housing for positioning the grub screw into the transverse aperture of the fastener, the housing having opposing apertures to allow the fastener to pass therethrough.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/865,301, filed Jul. 29, 2010, and titled “A CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY”, which is the national phase application corresponding to International Application PCT No. AU2009/000107, filed Jan. 30, 2009 and amended on Dec. 24, 2009, which claims the priority of Australian Application No. 2008200436, filed on Jan. 30, 2008. The subject matter of these related applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to fasteners and fastening assemblies for furniture, bench tops, cabinets, beams and the like. Reference will be made in the specification to connecting furniture parts and bench tops but this is by way of example only and the invention is not limited to these examples. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Connecting two different furniture parts is often difficult as nails and screws do not provide a clean and aesthetically pleasing finish. Furthermore there is often a small gap or space between the two furniture parts and it is difficult to obtain an abutting connection. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative connector assembly that overcomes one or more of the above mentioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect the invention broadly resides in a connector assembly to fasten two members, one of said members having a shaped end, the connector including 
         [0006]    an elongate fastener with an end for insertion into one of the members and a transverse aperture formed at a predetermined spacing from said end, said transverse aperture has at least one countersunk surface with an apex substantially aligned coaxially with said transverse aperture; 
         [0007]    a grub screw insertable into the other member along a transverse-axis substantially at said predetermined spacing from the shaped end; 
         [0008]    a nipple formed onto one end of the grub screw wherein the nipple may be placed into the transverse aperture for movement down the countersunk surface towards the apex thereof and whereby the fastener moves with respect to the other member and brings the two fastened members closer together. 
         [0009]    Preferably the nipple is screw threaded. 
         [0010]    The fastener preferably has a screw threaded end. 
         [0011]    The counter sunk surface of the transverse aperture is preferably shaped to allow the nipple to slide downward further into the transverse aperture. The side of the transverse aperture is preferably shaped at a downward incline from the periphery towards the center of the aperture. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment there is a housing for the positioning of the nipple into the transverse aperture of the fastener. The housing preferably has opposing apertures in the side of the housing to allow the fastener to pass there through. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment the connector assembly includes one or more brackets that serve to maintain the position of the member without being dislodged or withdrawn. The one or more brackets are preferably curved plates. 
         [0014]    In another aspect the invention broadly resides in a connector assembly for connecting a first member to a second member, the second member has a preformed cavity and a preformed aperture, the preformed aperture is positioned substantially at 90 degrees to the preformed cavity and opens to the preformed cavity, the connector assembly including 
         [0015]    an elongate fastener with a first end fixable to the first member and a second end positionable in the preformed cavity of the second member, the second end has a fastener aperture with a countersunk peripheral surface on at least one side; and 
         [0016]    a screw threaded nipple that is positionable in the preformed aperture of the second member and beatable in the fastener aperture wherein in Use the second end of the fastener is positioned in the preformed cavity with the fastener aperture with the countersunk peripheral surface aligned with the preformed aperture so that the countersunk peripheral surface is exposed through the preformed aperture and is contacted when the nipple is screwed and as the nipple moves down the countersunk surface to substantially center the nipple in the fastener aperture and the elongate fastener and hence the first member moves closer to the second member. 
         [0017]    The first and second members may be furniture parts, cabinet parts and the like and can be made of wood; particle board, paper board, chip board, honeycomb board and the like; and plastic. 
         [0018]    Preferably the fastener is positioned so that a portion of the countersunk peripheral surface that is distal to the first member is exposed through the preformed aperture and’ is contacted when the nipple is screwed into the fastener. 
         [0019]    Preferably, the elongate fastener is a screw threaded fastener and the first end has a screw thread. 
         [0020]    The second end of the elongate fastener preferably has a countersunk surface about the periphery of the fastener aperture on both sides of the elongate fastener. 
         [0021]    The fastener aperture preferably has a narrowed portion formed by opposing peripheral countersunk surfaces of the fastener aperture and that spaces apart the two countersunk surfaces. 
         [0022]    Preferably, the second end of the elongate fastener has a fastener cavity for accommodating a screw driver head or an Allen key. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the elongate fastener is a one-part fastener wherein the first end is integrally formed with the second end. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment, the elongate fastener is a two-part fastener wherein the first end is formed by a first fastener part and the second end is formed by a separate second fastener part. Preferably the elongate fastener is a two-part fastener where the first end is formed by a first fastener part and the second end is formed by a separate second fastener part and the parts are connectable by a screw threaded connection. The first fastener part preferably has a screw threaded portion at one end and a screw threaded projection located at an opposed end. The second fastener part preferably has a fastener recess to receive the screw threaded projection. The fastener recess, preferably has an inner screw threads that is complementary to the screw thread of the screw threaded projection. 
         [0025]    The screw threaded nipple preferably has a cylindrical portion with a screw thread and a conical-like portion. 
         [0026]    The conical-like portion preferably has a blunt tip. 
         [0027]    Preferably the screw threaded nipple has a collar portion between the cylindrical portion and the conical-like portion. 
         [0028]    The nipple preferably can be tightened or loosened by use of a screw driver head or an Allen key fitted into a tool recess at its end. 
         [0029]    The screw threaded nipple preferably is supported within a nipple housing when the connector assembly is assembled. The nipple housing preferably has a housing cavity surrounded by a substantially cylindrical side wall that has two opposing apertures for accommodating the fastener. 
         [0030]    The nipple housing has a base wall in one embodiment and does not have a base wall in another embodiment. In one embodiment, there is a base wall that has an internal housing recess for accommodating the tip of the screw threaded nipple. In another embodiment, there is a base wall with a base aperture for seating the tip of the screw threaded nipple. 
         [0031]    Preferably, the inner surface of the side wall has a screw thread. The screw thread of the inner surface can preferably engage the screw thread of the screw threaded nipple. 
         [0032]    In, another aspect the invention broadly resides in a method of using a connector assembly as described above to connect a first member to a second member, the second member has a preformed cavity and a preformed aperture, the preformed aperture is positioned substantially at 90 degrees to the preformed cavity and opens to the preformed cavity, the method including 
         [0033]    fixing the first end of the elongate fastener to the first member; 
         [0034]    positioning the second end of the elongate fastener in the preformed cavity of the second member wherein the fastener aperture with a countersunk peripheral surface on at least one side surface is aligned with the preformed aperture so that the countersunk peripheral surface is exposed through the preformed aperture and contacted when the nipple is screwed; and 
         [0035]    a screw threaded nipple that is positionable in the preformed aperture of the second member and locatable in the fastener aperture wherein in use 
         [0036]    screwing the screw threaded nipple to substantially center the nipple in the fastener aperture, whereby the nipple moves down the countersunk surface to substantially center the nipple in the fastener aperture and the elongate fastener and hence the first member moves closer to the second member. 
         [0037]    The method in another embodiment includes the step of positioning the nipple housing in the preformed aperture of the second member whereby the two housing apertures open to the preformed cavity and passing the fastener through the apertures of the housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0038]    In order that the present invention can be more readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein: 
           [0039]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a connector assembly for connecting two furniture parts together according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic top plan view of a one-part screw threaded fastener of the connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic side view of the screw threaded fastener as shown in  FIG. 2 , where the phantom lines show the side edges of a fastener aperture;  FIG. 4A  is a diagrammatic top view of a countersunk surface of the fastener aperture as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4B  is a diagrammatic part cross-sectional view of the fastener aperture shown in  FIG. 4A ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic end view of the screw threaded fastener as shown in  FIG. 2 , where the phantom lines show the side edges of a fastener aperture; 
           [0043]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view of a screw threaded nipple of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0044]      FIG. 7A  is a diagrammatic partial view of the connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 1  showing the screw threaded nipple positioned on the upper countersunk surface of the screw threaded fastener and  FIG. 7B  is a diagrammatic partial view of the connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 7A  showing the screw threaded nipple positioned in the fastener aperture; 
           [0045]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a connector assembly for connecting two furniture parts together according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0046]      FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic view of a two-part screw threaded fastener of the connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0047]      FIG. 10  is a diagrammatic view cross-sectional view of a connector assembly for connecting two furniture parts together according to a third embodiment of the invention; 
           [0048]      FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic view of ‘a nipple housing of the connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0049]      FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic side view of the nipple housing as shown in  FIG. 11  showing the screw threaded nipple in phantom lines in the nipple housing; 
           [0050]      FIG. 13  is a diagrammatic view cross-sectional view of a connector assembly for connecting two furniture parts together according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0051]      FIG. 14  is a diagrammatic view of an alternate nipple housing that does not have a base wall. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0052]    With respect to  FIGS. 1 to 7 , there is shown a connector assembly  20  for connecting a first furniture part  22  to a second furniture part  23 . The connector assembly  20  is a two component connector assembly with a one-part screw threaded fastener  24  and a screw threaded nipple  25 . 
         [0053]    The screw threaded fastener  24  has a first end portion  27  with screw threads and a second end portion  28  with a fastener aperture  29 . The fastener aperture  29  has countersunk peripheral surfaces  30 ,  31  about the fastener aperture  29  and on opposing sides of the fastener  24 . The fastener aperture  29  has a constricted portion  32  formed between the opposing countersunk peripheral surfaces  30 ,  31 . 
         [0054]    The screw threaded nipple  25  has a cylindrical portion  33  and a conical-like portion  34 . The cylindrical portion  33  has an outer surface with screw threads  35  and a tool recess  36  at the free end of the cylindrical portion  33  to accommodate an Allen key for tightening or loosening the nipple  25 . 
         [0055]    The interaction between the screw threaded fastener  24  and the screw threaded nipple  25  to connect the first furniture part  22  to the second furniture part  23  will now be described. 
         [0056]    The second furniture part  23  has a preformed elongate cavity that can accommodate the second end portion  28  of the screw threaded fastener  24 . The second furniture part  23  also has a preformed aperture that can accommodate the screw threaded nipple  25 . The preformed aperture is positioned substantially at 90 degrees to the preformed cavity and opens to the preformed cavity. 
         [0057]    In order to connect the first furniture part  22  to the second furniture part  23 , the first end portion  27  of the screw threaded fastener  24  is fixed to the first furniture part  22  whereas the second end portion  28  is positioned in the preformed cavity: The second end portion  28  is positioned whereby the fastener aperture  29  is aligned with the preformed aperture and the portion of the countersunk peripheral surface  30  distal from the end of the second furniture part  23  is exposed for contact by the screwed nipple  25 . The presence of two countersunk peripheral surfaces  30 ,  31  facilitates alignment as half a turn of the fastener  24  will present and expose a countersunk peripheral surface  30 ,  31  as described above. With fasteners that have only one countersunk peripheral surface adjustment requires a full turn. 
         [0058]    The first furniture part  22  is connected to the second furniture part  23  by screwing the screw threaded nipple  25  into the second furniture part  23  via the preformed aperture. The following steps occur in sequential order when the screw threaded nipple  25  is screwed into the second furniture part  23 . 
         [0059]    Firstly, the screw threaded nipple  25  is positioned on the upper countersunk surface  30  with the tip of the conical-like portion  34  near an outer edge  41  that is furthermost spaced from the first furniture part  22 . This is shown in  FIG. 7A . Secondly, the screw threaded nipple  25  is screwed into the second furniture part  23  to substantially center the screw threaded nipple  25  in the fastener aperture  29 . This is shown in  FIG. 7B . 
         [0060]    As the screw threaded nipple  25  is screwed into the second furniture part  23 , the position of the tip of the conical-like portion  34  changes from the outer edge  41  of the countersunk surface  30  to the center of the fastener aperture  29 . 
         [0061]    The downward movement of the nipple  25  moves the fastener  24  fixed to the first furniture part  22  so that the furniture parts  23 ,  22  move closer. As the screw threaded nipple  25  is screwed into furniture part  23  so that the conical-like portion  34  is substantially in the center of the fastener aperture  29 , the furniture parts  22 ,  23  abut. The tip of the nipple  25  penetrates into the space on the other side of the fastener  24  in the preformed cavity. The nipple is screwed in and is countersunk to provide a neat and aesthetic finish. 
         [0062]    With respect to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , there is shown a three component connector assembly  45  for connecting a first furniture part  46  to a second furniture part  47 . The connector assembly  45  has a two-part screw threaded fastener  48  and a screw threaded nipple  49 . The connector assembly  45  is similar to the connector assembly  20  except that the screw threaded fastener  48  has a first fastener part  50  that is separate from a second fastener part  51 . The first fastener part  50  has screw threads  52  at one end and a screw threaded projection  53  at an opposed end. The second fastener part  51  has a fastener recess with a complementary screw thread for engaging the screw thread of the screw threaded projection  53 . The second fastener part  51  also has a fastener aperture  55  with two countersunk surfaces  56 ,  57 . 
         [0063]    The connector assembly  45  can be used to connect a first furniture part  46  and a second furniture part  47  in a way similar to that described above for the connector assembly  20 . The difference in connecting the two furniture parts  46 ,  47  with the connector assembly  45  is that the second fastener part  51  is attached to the first fastener part  50  through the screw threaded projection  53 . During the assembling two furniture parts  46 ,  47  the first fastener part  50  is fixed to the first furniture part  46 . The second fastener part  51  is screwed onto the screw threaded projection  53  and positioned in a preformed cavity of the second furniture part  47 . The screw threaded projection  53  enables the second fastener part  51  to be rotated about the first fastener part  50 . The second fastener part  51  can therefore be conveniently adjusted to align the fastener aperture  55  with the preformed aperture of the second furniture part  47  whereby one of the countersunk surfaces  56 ,  57  is exposed for contact by the nipple  49 . 
         [0064]    The screw threaded nipple  49  is fixed to the second furniture part  47  in a manner similar to that described above for the screw threaded nipple  25 . 
         [0065]    With respect to  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 , there is shown a four component connector assembly  61  for connecting a first furniture part  62  to a second furniture part  63 . The connector assembly  61  has a two-part screw threaded fastener  65 , a screw threaded nipple  66  and a nipple housing  67 . The screw threaded fastener  65  has a fastener aperture  60  with two countersunk peripheral surfaces about the fastener aperture  60 . The connector assembly  61  is similar to the connector assembly  45  described above except that the screw threaded nipple  66  is supported within the nipple housing  67  when the connector assembly  61  is assembled. 
         [0066]    The nipple housing  67  is cylindrical in shape with an arcuate side wall  69  and a base wall  70 . The side wall  69  has two housing apertures  72 ,  73  on opposed sides of the side wall  69 . The inner surface of the side wall  69  has a screw thread  74  that can engage the screw thread of the screw threaded nipple  66 . The internal surface of the base wall  70  has a housing recess  75  for accommodating the tip  76  of the screw threaded nipple  66 . 
         [0067]    The connection of the first furniture part  62  to the second furniture part  63  using the connector assembly  61  involves steps similar to those described above for connector assembly  45 . The difference in connecting the two furniture parts  62 ,  63  with the connector assembly  61  is that the nipple housing  67  is positioned in a preformed aperture of the second furniture part  63  before the screw threaded fastener  65  is positioned in the second furniture part  63 . The nipple housing  67  is positioned in the preformed aperture of the second furniture part  63  whereby the two housing apertures  72 ,  73  open to the preformed cavity. The screw threaded fastener  65  is then positioned and aligned in the preformed cavity of the second furniture part  63 . The nipple housing  67  is positioned in the preformed aperture of the second furniture part  63  to enable the screw threaded fastener  65  to pass through the two housing apertures  72 ,  73  and align the fastener aperture  60  within the housing cavity  68 . When the connector assembly  61  is assembled and the two furniture parts  62 ,  63  are connected to each other, the screw threaded nipple  66  is screwed to the nipple housing  67  and positioned substantially in the center of the fastener aperture  60  of the screw threaded fastener  65 . This is shown in  FIGS. 10 and 12 . 
         [0068]    With respect to  FIG. 13 , there is shown a three component connector assembly  80  for connecting a first furniture part  85  to a second furniture part  86 . The connector assembly  80  has a one-part screw threaded fastener  81 , a screw threaded nipple  82  and a nipple housing  83 . The connector assembly  80  is similar to the connector assembly  61  described above except that the screw threaded fastener  81  is a one-part instead of a two-part screw threaded fastener. The screw threaded fastener  81  is similar to the screw threaded fastener  24  of the connector assembly  20  described above. 
         [0069]    The connection of the first furniture part  85  to the second furniture part  86  involves steps similar to those described above for connector assembly  61 . 
         [0070]      FIG. 14  shows an alternate nipple housing which is similar to those previously described except that there is no base wall. The alternate nipple housing  90  is substantially cylindrical with an internal threaded surface  91  and opposing side wall apertures  92 . 
       Advantages 
       [0071]    The advantages of the preferred embodiments of the connector assembly include that they have relatively few parts and provide a tight and aesthetically pleasing finish. The connection formed by the connector assembly has the advantage that it relies on both longitudinal and lateral forces thereby making it difficult to dislodge the connection. 
       VARIATIONS 
       [0072]    It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth. 
         [0073]    Throughout the description and claims this specification the word “comprise” and variations of that word such as “comprises” and “comprising”, are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.