Patent Publication Number: US-2003226329-A1

Title: Three dimensional adapter element for interconnecting a metal stud to a further and angularly extending stud

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates generally to adapter or interconnecting type elements for use in connecting building framing members. More particularly, the present invention discloses a three dimensionally shaped adapter element particularly suited for interconnecting an extending end of a conventionally configured metal stud to a further and angularly extending stud, this further ideally being a wood stud as well as potentially a further metal stud.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] The prior art is well documented with examples building and framing construction, such further typically include the use of either conventional wooden or metal studs. Unlike wooden studs, steel studs are extruded or otherwise formed to include a substantially rectangular profile in cross section and further include one extending side in which a pair of flat edges extend in a desired and spaced apart fashion along the substantial length of the steel stud.  
       [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,176, issued to Hunt, teaches a combination (typically “C” or “U” shaped) metal and composite stud. In relevant part, an insert is disclosed (see FIGS. 4 and 5) is constructed of a softer material and located at strategically placed points on the stud. The softer materials are disclosed as including such as wood, composite materials, plastic or fiberglass combinations. Pointed fastening devices such as nails and/or screws are disclosed for fastening other structural components to the stud such as wall panels and other commonly used materials. Nails are also disclosed as being used at the blocking points of the stud and screws where there is no blocking.  
       [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,121, issued to DeFrancesco et al., teaches the use of an insert provided for a metal stud, the insert being sized and configured to be snugly but slidably received within the stud. The insert further discloses an elongate slot defined in each side wall and which is located so as to allow fasteners to secure a sheet of covering material to the stud without interfering with the ability of the insert to move longitudinally with respect to the stud, such as in the event of a three dimensionally shaped adapter element particularly suited for interconnecting an extending end of a conventionally configured metal stud to a further and angularly extending stud, this further ideally being a wood stud as well as potentially a further metal stud.  
       [0007] overloading.  
       [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,859, issued to Horton, teaches a metal wall stud in the shape of an elongated open channel having pre-punched nail or screw holes and pre-punched passageways for electrical or plumbing facilities. Of relevant note, and referring in particular to FIG. 7, a variant of the stud wall design is shown in which the wall stud is connected to a wooden bottom plate. Particular note is also made of the side by side tabs  35  extending from the bottom of the metal stud and including apertures defined therein for securing to a top surface of the wooden stud.  
       [0009] Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,848, issued to Deffet, teaches a similar variation of a metal stud which is usable as a replacement for vertical wood studs in the framing of walls or partitions. The metal stud  10  also includes similar extending tabs  36  for securing to the associated and lower-most horizontally extending members (see at  32 ). The remaining references represent the balance of the relevant art and are worth going through.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0010] The present invention is a three dimensionally shaped adapter element particularly suited for interconnecting an extending end of a conventionally configured metal stud to a further and angularly extending stud, this further ideally being a wood stud as well as potentially a further metal stud. The present invention is further an improvement over prior art adapting or interconnecting elements for securing a first steel stud to a second stud in that it provides both an improved configuration for effectuating securing to the further extending stud, combined with ability to effectively secure the angularly extending and interconnecting end of the associated steel stud.  
       [0011] The insert includes a three dimensional configuration defining, in cross section, a substantially rectangular configuration and including first, second, third and fourth interconnected sides, a top and a bottom. A plurality of recessed surfaces are defined in association with the insert top and in order to facilitate the installation of fasteners adapted to secure the adapter element to a selected face of the first stud. The insert is typically constructed from a material such as a plastic, plastic composite, nylon, or polymerized composition and which exhibits the necessary properties of strength and resiliency, as well as the ability to receive in engaging fashion therethrough fasteners such as mounting screws.  
       [0012] In a first preferred embodiment, the recessed surfaces further define a three dimensionally configured and concave shaped recess within the top of the insert. In a secondary embodiment, the recessed surfaces are further defined as first, second and third planar and angularly inward and downward extending surfaces, these extending from associated first, second and third sides of the insert. The inwardly recessed top according to this further embodiment also extends in interconnecting fashion with the recessed boundaries defined by said first, second and third extending surfaces and to facilitate installation of fasteners for securing to the face of the first extending stud.  
       [0013] An additional plurality of fasteners are also adapted to engage the angularly extending end of the metal stud both over and to the interconnecting sides of the insert and upon the metal stud being slidably engaged over the insert. The first stud typically also has an elongate extending length with a specified cross sectional shape, a further interconnecting face of the first stud receiving in abutting and elongate extending fashion a length of trim fascia. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014] Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed descriptions, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:  
     [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the three dimensionally shaped adapter element according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 2 is an exploded environmental view, also in perspective, and illustrating the manner in which the adapter element is secured to an extending facing side of a wooden stud and in turn is seatingly received by an extending end of a further angularly extending metal stud prior to application of fasteners;  
     [0017]FIG. 3 is a cutaway view taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2 and illustrating in cross section the manner in which the steel stud is secured to the insertingly received adapter element;  
     [0018]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the three dimensionally shaped adapter element according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
     [0019]FIG. 5 is an exploded environmental view, also in perspective, and illustrating the manner in which the adapter element shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4 is secured to an extending facing side of a steel stud and in turn is seatingly received by an extending end of a further angularly extending metal stud prior to application of fasteners. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0020] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a three dimensionally shaped adapter element is illustrated at  10  for use in securing a first extending stud  12  to an extending end of a second and angularly disposed stud  14 . As described previously, the studs are typically provided as both conventional wooden extending studs (see at  12 ), as well as metal studs (see at  14 ). It is a desired advantage of the present invention to be able to interchangeably utilize steel studs with both wooden studs as well as additional steel studs in a unique manner and in order to cut down on material costs as well as to maximize the application of the material properties particular to both wooden and steel studs.  
     [0021] As is further well known, the wooden studs  12  typically include an elongate extending length and a solid rectangular cross section with extending and interconnected side faces  16  and  18  and edge faces  20  and  22  and which further terminate in extending end faces (see also at  24  in FIG. 2). The steel studs  14  are also conventionally known to include an extruded or otherwise formed construction also exhibiting a substantially rectangular and internally hollowed profile in cross section with three extending and interconnecting sides  26 ,  28  and  30 , as well as a pair of flat edges  32  and  34  extending in inward and opposing fashion from extending ends of the sides  28  and  30  and defining substantially a fourth extending side of the steel stud. As with the wooden stud  12 , the steel stud  14  terminates at opposite extending ends, one of which is illustrated at  36  in the partial view in FIG. 2.  
     [0022] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the adapter element  10  includes a three dimensional configuration defining, in cross section, a substantially rectangular configuration and including first  38 , second  40 , third  42  and fourth  44  interconnected sides, a top  46  and a bottom  48 . The insert is typically constructed from a material such as a plastic, plastic composite, nylon, or polymerized composition and which exhibits the necessary properties of strength and resiliency, as well as the ability to receive in engaging fashion therethrough fasteners such as mounting screws. The advantage of constructing the insert from such a synthetic material is the ability to quickly and inexpensively manufacture the insert according to a specified set of dimensions, it being further understood that the insert is also capable of being constructed of other suitable materials, both synthetic and man made, so long as the required dimensions and suitable recessing of the top is accommodating for installation.  
     [0023] A plurality of recessed surfaces are defined in association with the insert top  46  and in order to facilitate the installation of fasteners, see at  50  and  52  in FIGS. 2 and 3, are adapted to secure the adapter element  10  to selected face  16  of the first stud wooden stud  12 . In the preferred embodiment, the recessed surfaces are further defined as a three dimensionally configured and concave shaped recess defined within the top  46  of the insert  10 . In particular, and as best shown in FIG. 1, the concave recess includes arcuate and curved side walls, see at  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60 , which correspond to sides  38 ,  40 ,  42  and  44 , as well as a recessed bottom wall  62  into which are inserted the fasteners  50  and  52 .  
     [0024] Referring again to FIG. 2, additional pluralities of fasteners  64 ,  66 ,  68  and  70  are adapted to engage the metal stud  14  proximate its extending end  36  and upon the metal stud being slidably engaged over the opposing, abutting and corresponding sides  38 ,  40 ,  42  and  44  of the insert  10 . Specifically, it is desired that the dimensioning of the rectangular sides of the insert are sufficiently close to the interior open channel defined by the metal stud  14  and so that a fairly tight fit is established prior to the application of the plurality of fasteners  64 ,  66 ,  68  and  70 . The extending sides  38 - 44  of the insert  10  further define adequate shouldering support to prevent the extending metal stud  14  from bending or buckling in use, such as during the assembly of either stand alone or load bearing walls. As is shown FIG. 2, the interconnecting edge face  20  of the first wooden stud  12  likewise exhibits an elongate extending length and so that a length of trim fascia  72  may be secured thereto. Although not shown, it is typically understood that a layer of a wallboard or wallcovering material (such as commercially known as “drywall”) may be applied over the edge face  20  and prior to application of other elements, such as the trim fascia  72 .  
     [0025] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, an adapter element  74  is illustrated according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The adapter element  74  again includes a three dimensional configuration defining, in cross section, a substantially rectangular configuration and including first  76 , second  78 , third  80  and fourth  82  interconnected sides, a top  84  and a bottom  86 . The insert is once again typically constructed from a material such as a plastic, plastic composite, nylon, or polymerized composition and which exhibits the necessary properties of strength and resiliency, as well as the ability to receive in engaging fashion therethrough fasteners such as mounting screws.  
     [0026] In the secondary embodiment, the recessed surfaces are further defined as first  88 , second  90  and third  92  planar and angularly inward and downward extending surfaces, these extending from the associated first  78 , second  80  and third  82  sides of the insert  74 . The inwardly recessed top  84  according to this further embodiment also extends in interconnecting fashion with the recessed boundaries, see at  94 ,  96  and  98  respectively, defined by the first  88 , second  90  and third  92  extending surfaces and to facilitate installation of the pluralities of fasteners, e.g. at  64 ,  66 ,  68  and  70  as again shown in FIG. 5, for securing the insert  74  to the first stud.  
     [0027] As further shown in FIG. 5, the first stud in this instance may, alternatively to a wooden stud, be a first steel stud  24 ′ having a substantially rectangular and internally hollowed profile in cross section with three extending and interconnecting sides  26 ′,  28 ′ and  30 ′, as well as a pair of flat edges  32 ′ and  34 ′ extending in inward and opposing fashion from extending ends of the sides  28 ′ and  30 ′ and defining substantially a fourth extending side of the steel stud. Again, the steel stud  14 ′ terminates at opposite extending ends, one of which is illustrated at  36 ′ in the partial view in FIG. 2 and further showing the insert  74  engaged upon the facing side  26 ′.  
     [0028] The second angularly extending and interconnecting steel stud is shown at  14 ″ and, consistent with the explanation given in the detailed description of the first preferred embodiment, is slidingly inserted and engaged over the associated sides  76 ,  78 ,  80  and  82  of the insert  74 . Reference is made to associated sides  26 ″,  28 ″ and  30 ″, as well as extending flat edges  32 ″ and  34 ″ for seatingly engaging over the insert sides  76 - 82  and prior to engaging the pluralities of fasteners again shown at  64 - 70 .  
     [0029] Having described my invention, additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims. In particular, it is understood that, in addition to typical wall framing constructions, the adapter element of the present invention can also be utilized with angularly disposed and extending studs arranged in both perpendicular floor construction arrangements, as well as angular ceiling installation applications. It is also understood that the shape and configuration of the adapter insert can additionally be modified to any other configuration and in which a suitable recessing is defined in its top for facilitating the installation of the mounting fasteners and for engaging the insert to the selected extending face of the first stud prior to angularly extending engagement of the associated end of the second steel stud.