Patent Publication Number: US-11655671-B2

Title: Connecting assembly, door guardrail and fence

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 202121327526.2, filed on 15 Jun. 2021, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure relates to the field of barriers, and more particularly, to a connecting assembly, a door guardrail and a fence. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As everyone knows, people arrange door guardrails at certain entrances and exits to restrict animals or children from entering and leaving certain areas. 
     Existing door guardrail is generally provided with one set of transverse locking device between a door frame and a guardrail door body, the transverse locking device includes a transverse slot arranged on one side wall of the door frame and a transverse pin arranged on a free side wall of the guardrail door body, the transverse pin is correspondingly inserted into the transverse slot, so that a relative position between the door frame and the guardrail door body is locked. When the transverse pin is withdrawn from the transverse slot, the door guardrail can be opened. Although the above door guardrail is capable of restricting children or animals from entering certain areas, it is easy for children to push the transverse pin out of the transverse slot to unlock the door guardrail, so that the door guardrail is not safe enough. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the existing technology. For this purpose, a first aspect of the disclosure provides a connecting assembly, which enables connection between a first connector and a second connector firmer. 
     A second aspect of the disclosure provides a door guardrail, which uses the above connecting assembly, so that the door guardrail is not easy for children to open, thus improving a safety performance of the door guardrail. 
     A third aspect of the disclosure provides a fence, which uses the above connecting assembly, so that connection between two adjacent fence plates is firmer. 
     The following technical solutions are used in the disclosure to solve the above technical problems. 
     The connecting assembly according to some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure includes a first connector; a second connector; a transverse locking device, the transverse locking device includes a transverse slot and a transverse pin which are capable of being matched and clamped with each other, the transverse pin is movably arranged on the second connector or the first connector, the transverse slot is correspondingly arranged on the first connector or the second connector, and the transverse pin is movable along a transverse direction to insert into or withdraw from the transverse slot; and a longitudinal locking device arranged between the first connector and the second connector, wherein the longitudinal locking device is capable of limiting relative movement of the first connector and the second connector in a transverse direction. 
     The connecting assembly according to some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure has the advantages as follows. By arranging the transverse locking device and the longitudinal locking device between the first connector and the second connector, the first connector and the second connector can be doubly locked by the transverse locking device and the longitudinal locking device, so that connection between the first connector and the second connector is firmer. Moreover, locking between the first connector and the second connector is not easy for children to release, so that connection between the first connector and the second connector is effective and reliable, and safety is ensured. In addition, the first connector and the second connector are locked by the transverse locking device and the longitudinal locking device in a transverse direction and a longitudinal direction respectively, so that the first connector and the second connector are locked in a stereoscopic manner, thus having a better locking effect. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, the longitudinal locking device includes a longitudinal slot and a longitudinal pin which are capable of being matched and clamped with each other. The longitudinal pin is movably mounted on the first connector or the second connector, the longitudinal slot is correspondingly arranged on the second connector or the first connector. The longitudinal pin is movable along a longitudinal direction to insert into or withdraw from the longitudinal slot. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, a lower portion of one end of the first connector close to the second connector is provided with a connecting portion extending and protruding outwardly. The longitudinal slot is formed on an upper surface of the connecting portion and an opening of the longitudinal slot faces upwardly, the longitudinal pin is movably mounted at one end of the second connector close to the first connector. The longitudinal pin is movable from top to bottom along a longitudinal direction to insert into the longitudinal slot, or the longitudinal pin is movable from bottom to top along a longitudinal direction to withdraw from the longitudinal slot. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, a lower portion of one end of the first connector close to the second connector is provided with a connecting portion extending and protruding outwardly. The longitudinal slot is formed on a lower surface of the connecting portion and an opening of the longitudinal slot faces downwardly, the longitudinal pin is movably mounted at one end of the second connector close to the first connector. The longitudinal pin is movable from bottom to top along a longitudinal direction to insert into the longitudinal slot, or the longitudinal pin is movable from top to bottom along a longitudinal direction to withdraw from the longitudinal slot. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, one end of the second connector close to the first connector is internally provided with an accommodating cavity, an opening communicated with the accommodating cavity is provided on an upper surface or a lower surface of the second connector, and the longitudinal pin is movably mounted inside the accommodating cavity. The accommodating cavity is internally provided with an elastic member for driving one end of the longitudinal pin to pass through the opening and extend out of the accommodating cavity. A guiding inclined plane is arranged between the connecting portion and the longitudinal pin for guiding the longitudinal pin to move towards inside of the accommodating cavity, the guiding inclined plane is formed on the connecting portion or formed on the longitudinal pin. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, a clamping block is arranged on an outside wall of the longitudinal pin within the accommodating cavity. The elastic member is a compression spring sleeved around a peripheral wall of the longitudinal pin. One end of the compression spring is configured to abut against the clamping block, and the other end of the compression spring is configured to abut against an inner wall of the accommodating cavity. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, the transverse slot is formed at one end of the first connector close to the second connector. One end of the second connector close to the first connector is provided with a cavity, and a side wall of the cavity is provided with a notch facing the transverse slot. The transverse pin is movably mounted in the cavity, and the transverse pin is insertable into the transverse slot by passing through the notch. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, a side wall of the second connector is provided with a strip-shaped slot communicated with the cavity. 
     In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, the transverse pin is connected with a connecting rod, and one end of the connecting rod is arranged to pass through the strip-shaped slot and be connected with a driving sheet located outside the cavity. 
     The door guardrail according to some embodiments of the second aspect of the disclosure includes a door frame and a guardrail door body hinged on one side wall of the door frame, the above connecting assembly is arranged between the guardrail door body and the door frame. 
     The door guardrail according to some embodiments of the second aspect of the disclosure has the beneficial effects as follows. By using the above connecting assembly between the guardrail door body and the door frame, the guardrail door body and the door frame can be doubly locked, and it is difficult for children to unlock, thus being safe and reliable. Moreover, the guardrail door body and the door frame can be locked in a stereoscopic manner by the connecting assembly, so that connection between the guardrail door body and the door frame is firmer and more reliable. 
     The fence according to some embodiments of the third aspect of the disclosure includes at least two fence plates, the above connecting assembly is arranged between two adjacent fence plates. 
     The connecting assembly according to some embodiments of the third aspect of the disclosure has the beneficial effects as follows. By connecting two adjacent fence plates with the above connecting assembly, two adjacent fence plates can be doubly locked, and it is difficult for children to unlock, thus being safe and reliable. Moreover, two adjacent fence plates can be locked in a stereoscopic manner by the above connecting assembly, so that connection between two adjacent fence plates is firmer and more reliable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure is further described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of an appearance of a connecting assembly according to some embodiments of a first aspect of the disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an internal structure when a transverse locking device and a longitudinal locking device are both in a locked state in the connecting assembly shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of an internal structure when the transverse locking device is in an unlocked state and the longitudinal locking device is in a locked state in the connecting assembly shown in  FIG.  1   ; and 
         FIG.  4    is an exploded view of an internal structure when the transverse locking device and the longitudinal locking device are both in an unlocked state in the connecting assembly shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This part will describe the specific embodiments of the disclosure in detail, and the preferred embodiments of the disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are used to supplement the description of the text in the specification with the graphs, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and the overall technical solution of the disclosure, but the accompanying drawings cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the disclosure. 
     In the description of the disclosure, it should be understood that the orientation or position relationship indicated by the terms up, down, front, rear, left, right, and the like is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, it is only for the convenience of description of the disclosure and simplification of the description, and it is not to indicate or imply that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation, and be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms shall not be understood as limiting the disclosure. 
     In the description of the present disclosure, the meaning of “several” is one or more, the meaning of “a plurality of” is two or more, “greater than”, “less than”, “more than”, etc. are to be understood to exclude the given figure, and “above”, “below”, “within”, etc. are understood to include the given figure. If “first” and “second”, etc. are referred to, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and shall not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the number of the indicated technical features or implying the sequence of the indicated technical features. 
     In the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly defined, the words such as “set”, “install”, and “connect” should be understood in a broad sense, and those skilled in the art can determine the specific meanings of the above words in the present disclosure in a rational way in combination with the specific contents of the technical solutions. 
     With reference to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  4   , a connecting assembly according to some embodiments of a first aspect of the disclosure includes a first connector  100  and a second connector  200  which are independent of each other, which means that the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  may be separated from each other. At least one transverse locking device is arranged between the first connector  100  and the second connector  200 , and it can be understood that two, three or more transverse locking devices may also be provided, which may be determined according to actual needs. The transverse locking device is configured for limiting relative movement of the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  along a longitudinal direction. 
     The transverse locking device mainly includes a transverse slot  310  and a transverse pin  320  which are capable of being matched and clamped with each other. The transverse pin  320  is movably mounted on the second connector  200  or the first connector  100 , and the transverse slot  310  is correspondingly arranged on the first connector  100  or the second connector  200 . In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, the transverse slot  310  is formed at one end of the first connector  100  close to the second connector  200 , an opening of the transverse slot  310  faces the second connector  200 , and one end of the second connector  200  close to the first connector  100  is provided with a cavity  230 . A side wall of the cavity  230  is provided with a notch  231  facing the transverse slot  310 , and the transverse pin  320  is movably mounted in the cavity  230 . In a process that the transverse pin  320  moves towards to the first connector  100  along a transverse direction, the transverse pin  320  is capable of passing through the notch  231  and being correspondingly inserted into the transverse slot  310 . In a process that the transverse pin  320  moves away from the first connector  100  in a transverse direction, the transverse pin  320  is capable of being withdrawn from the transverse slot  310 . 
     In order to facilitate a user to push the transverse pin  320  to move, a side wall of the second connector  200  is provided with a strip-shaped groove  240  communicated with the cavity  230 . In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, the transverse pin  320  is connected with a connecting rod  321 , and one end of the connecting rod  321  passes through the strip-shaped slot  240  and is connected with a driving sheet  322  located outside the cavity  230 . When the user drives the driving sheet  322  to move, the transverse pin  320  may be driven to reciprocate along a transverse direction. 
     At least one longitudinal locking device is arranged between the first connector  100  and the second connector  200 , and it is conceivable that, according to actual needs, two, three or more longitudinal locking devices may also be arranged between the first connector  100  and the second connector  200 . In some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, a locking direction of the longitudinal locking device is perpendicular to a locking direction of the transverse locking device. The longitudinal locking device is capable of limiting relative movement of the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  in a transverse direction. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2    to  FIG.  4   , in order to make a structure of the connecting assembly simpler, in some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, the longitudinal locking device mainly includes a longitudinal slot  410  and a longitudinal pin  420  which are capable of being matched and clamped with each other, the longitudinal pin  420  is movably mounted on the first connector  100  or the second connector  200 , the longitudinal slot  410  is correspondingly arranged on the second connector  200  or the first connector  100 , and the longitudinal pin  420  is movable along a longitudinal direction to insert into or withdraw from the longitudinal slot  410 . 
     In order to simplify a structure of the longitudinal locking device, in some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, a lower portion of one end of the first connector  100  close to the second connector  200  is provided with a connecting portion  110  extending and protruding outwardly, the longitudinal slot  410  is formed on an upper surface of the connecting portion  110  and an opening of the longitudinal slot  410  faces upwardly, the longitudinal pin  420  is movably mounted at one end of the second connector  200  close to the first connector  100 , the longitudinal pin  420  is movable from top to bottom along a longitudinal direction to insert into the longitudinal slot  410 , or the longitudinal pin  420  is movable from bottom to top along a longitudinal direction to withdraw from the longitudinal slot  410 . 
     Certainly, it is conceivable that the longitudinal slot  410  may also be formed on a lower surface of the connecting portion  110  and an opening of the longitudinal slot  410  faces downwardly, the longitudinal pin  420  is movably mounted at one end of the second connector  200  close to the first connector  100 . In this case, the longitudinal pin  420  is movable from bottom to top along a longitudinal direction to insert into the longitudinal slot  410 , or the longitudinal pin  420  is movable from top to bottom along a longitudinal direction to withdraw from the longitudinal slot  410 . The details may be determined according to actual needs. 
     It can be understood that the longitudinal locking device may also use other structures besides the above structure. For example, the longitudinal locking device may include two clamping hooks (not shown in the drawings) which may be matched and clamped with each other, the two clamping hooks are correspondingly arranged on outside walls of the first connector  100  and the second connector  200 . When the two clamping hooks are hooked with each other, the longitudinal locking device locks the first connector  100  and the second connector  200 , and at the moment, the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  cannot move relatively in a transverse direction. 
     With reference to  FIG.  1   , in order to facilitate driving the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  to move relatively in a longitudinal direction, the second connector  200  is provided with a handle hole  250  which is convenient for holding. The user can easily apply a force to the second connector  200  by holding the handle hole  250 , and drive the second connector  200  to move relative to the first connector  100  along a longitudinal direction. 
     By arranging the transverse locking device and the longitudinal locking device between the first connector  100  and the second connector  200 , when the transverse locking device and the longitudinal locking device are both locked, the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  cannot move relatively in both longitudinal direction and transverse direction, so that connection between the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  is more effective and reliable. 
     If the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  need to be separated, the user may push the transverse pin  320  to move away from the first connector  100  in a transverse direction first, and the transverse pin  320  is withdrawn from the transverse slot  310  to release a locking effect of the transverse locking device. At the moment, the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  are movable to separate relatively in a longitudinal direction, and then the user pushes the first connector  100  or the second connector  200  to move along a longitudinal direction, so that the longitudinal pin  420  may move along a longitudinal direction and be withdrawn from the longitudinal slot  410 , thus unlocking the longitudinal locking device. At the moment, the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  are movable to separate relatively along a transverse direction. 
     Further, in order to better mount the longitudinal pin  420  on the second connector  200 , specifically, one end of the second connector  200  close to the first connector  100  is internally provided with an accommodating cavity  210 , the upper surface or the lower surface of the second connector  200  is provided with an opening  220  communicated with the accommodating cavity  210 , and the longitudinal pin  420  is movably mounted inside the accommodating cavity. The accommodating cavity  210  is internally provided with an elastic member (not shown in the drawings) for driving one end of the longitudinal pin  420  to pass through the opening  220  and extend out of the accommodating cavity  210 . A guiding inclined plane  500  is arranged between the connecting portion  110  and the longitudinal pin  420  for guiding the longitudinal pin  420  to move towards inside of the accommodating cavity  210 , and the guiding inclined plane  500  is formed on the connecting portion  110  or formed on the longitudinal pin  420 . By using the above structure, in a process that the longitudinal pin  420  is contacted with the guiding inclined plane  500 , the guiding inclined plane  500  may apply a force to the longitudinal pin  420  and make the longitudinal pin move towards inside of the accommodating cavity  210 , so that the longitudinal pin  420  may not interfere with relative movement and overlapping of the first connector  100  and the second connector  200 . When the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  are moved to align the longitudinal pin  420  with the longitudinal slot  410 , the longitudinal pin  420  is automatically inserted into the longitudinal slot  410  under driving of the elastic member, so that automatic locking of the longitudinal locking device is completed, thus being simple and convenient. 
     In order to further simplify the structure of the longitudinal locking device, in some embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure, a clamping block  421  located inside the accommodating cavity  210  is arranged on an outside wall of the longitudinal pin  420 . The elastic member is a compression spring (not shown in the drawings) sleeved around a peripheral wall of the longitudinal pin  420 , and one end of the compression spring abuts against the clamping block  421 , and the other end of the compression spring abuts against an inner wall of the accommodating cavity  210 . By using the above structure, the compression spring can automatically drive the longitudinal pin  420  to pass through the opening  220  and extend out of the accommodating cavity  210 . 
     It can be understood that the above elastic member may also be set to be a rubber pad (not shown in the drawings), one end of the rubber pad abuts against an inner wall of the accommodating cavity  210 , and the other end of the rubber pad abuts against an end portion of the longitudinal pin  420  facing the inner wall of the accommodating cavity  210 . By using the above structure, the rubber pad can drive the longitudinal pin  420  to automatically pass through the opening  220  and extend out of the accommodating cavity  210 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  4   , a door guardrail according to some embodiments of a second aspect of the disclosure includes a door frame (not shown in the drawings) and a guardrail door body (not shown in the drawings) hinged on one side wall of the door frame, wherein the above connecting assembly is arranged between the guardrail door body and the door frame. Specifically, one of the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  is arranged on the door frame, and the other is arranged on the guardrail door body. By using the above connecting assembly between the guardrail door body and the door frame, the guardrail door body and the door frame can be doubly locked, and it is difficult for children to unlock, thus being safe and reliable. Moreover, the guardrail door body and the door frame can be locked in a stereoscopic manner by the connecting assembly, so that connection between the guardrail door body and the door frame is firmer and more reliable. 
     With reference to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  4   , a fence according to some embodiments of a third aspect of the disclosure includes at least two fence plates (not shown in the drawings), and it can be understood that three, four or more fence plates may also be provided, which may be specifically determined according to actual needs. The above connecting assembly is arranged between two adjacent fence plates. Specifically, one of the first connector  100  and the second connector  200  is arranged on one of the fence plates, and the other is arranged on the other adjacent fence plate. By connecting two adjacent fence plates with the above connecting assembly, the two fence plates can be doubly locked, and it is difficult for children to unlock, thus being safe and reliable. Moreover, two fence plates can be locked in a stereoscopic manner by the above connecting assembly, so that connection between two fence plates is firmer and more reliable. 
     The embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings above, but the disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes may also be made within the knowledge scope of those of ordinary skills in the art without departing from the purpose of the disclosure.