Patent Publication Number: US-10767373-B2

Title: Leveling coating structure with quick installation and removal

Description:
PRIOR ART 
     Patent Application No. PCT/IT2008/000065 describes a mounting and dismounting system for wooden slats on a base frame. The removable connection between the wooden slats and the base frame is made by clamps or T-clips. Each T-clip has a rotating stem in a bushing with inserts, the bushing passing through the base frame and ending with a radial extension to abut the bottom of the base frame. The T-clip also has a head to engage a groove formed on the sides of the wooden slat. The head of the T-clip has a butterfly-shaped recess in which a T-shaped key can be inserted to rotate the head of the T-clip in one or another direction and create an engagement or disengagement between the wooden slat and the base frame. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a leveling structure with quick installation and removal. 
     In the above-mentioned PCT application, the base frame is made of strips of wood, in which shaped holes are formed so as to receive the bushing mentioned above. 
     This should create a stable connection between the strips of wood and the wooden slats, which are arranged orthogonal to the parallel wooden slats and form a covering. 
     However, it has been seen that a coating structure according to the patent application mentioned above has some drawbacks. In the strips of wood, precise seats must be formed to accommodate the bushings of the T-clips. Strips of wood are not stable over time, being subject to deformations due to thermal variations and humidity. The T-clips of the coating structure do not block in a reliable way the wooden slats to the strips of wood of the base frame. Moreover, the coating structure described in the above-mentioned PCT application cannot be leveled with respect to a base surface upon which it is applied. This drawback is particularly relevant when the coating structure is applied to an irregular base surface. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. 
     In particular, an object of the invention is to provide, for a coating structure of the aforementioned type, a base frame that is stable over time and convenient to apply. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a reliable connection between the base frame and the covering slats. 
     A further object of the invention is to create a readily releasable engagement between connecting elements and slats in a surface coating structure in order to quickly install and remove the slats. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to make leveling the coating structure with respect to the base surface to which it is applied. 
     These and other objects and advantages are achieved by a leveling, fast-mounting and quick-release coating structure as defined in the main claim and the dependent claims thereof attached to this description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description, by referring to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a coating structure according to the present invention when applied to a vertical wall; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are partial end views of the coating structure shown in  FIG. 1  in two successive positions in mounting a slat to the base frame; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged scale view of an end portion of the coating structure in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a base frame section of the coating structure according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an end of the section in  FIG. 5  in an enlarged scale; 
         FIG. 7  is an end view of two sections as those in  FIG. 6  previously to be flanked; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of end of two sections such as those in  FIG. 7 , side-by-side and complete with clips; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective end view of a base frame section having a stop element of a slat; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective end view of a base frame section to which a plug is applied: 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a clip head with a stem according to a first variant; 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the clip head in  FIG. 11  with the addition of the indication of its rotation angle; 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded perspective view of a first clip bushing variant for the coating structure according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is an end view of a base frame section and a second clip variant; 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded perspective view of the section and clip in  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a view of the section and clip in  FIG. 14  complete with leveling element in a contracted position and with a first hexagonal male key for rotating the clip head; 
         FIG. 17  is a central cross-section of the section and clip in  FIG. 16  rotated by 90°; 
         FIG. 18  is a view of the section and clip in  FIG. 15  complete with an extended positioning element and a second hexagonal male key for rotating the leveling element; and 
         FIG. 19  is a central cross-sectional view of the section and clip in  FIG. 18  rotated by 90°. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference should be made to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , which are a perspective view of a coating structure  1  according to the present invention and partial end views thereof, respectively, with two successive positions in mounting a slat to the base frame. 
     The coating structure  1  is shown applied to a vertical wall V, but, although not shown, it is also applicable on horizontal surfaces. 
     In general, the coating structure  1  has a plurality of parallel sections  2 , a plurality of clamps or clips  3 , and a succession of slats  4 . 
     As in the prior art, the plurality of parallel sections  2 , forming a base frame on the base surface of the support plane represented by the vertical wall V, is provided with a plurality of through holes for receiving the corresponding plurality of clips  3 , which is capable of blocking the succession of slats  4 . This is shown in  FIG. 4 , which is an enlarged scale view of an end portion of the coating structure  1 . A clip head  25 , described in greater detail below, is inserted in a lateral groove  40  of a slat  4  of the succession of slats. The slats  4  are known and will not be further described. 
     According to the invention, the section  2 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , but also in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , which are its perspective views, is made of light alloy with a C cross-section. 
     The C cross-section of the section  2  has a core  5  supporting the slats, core  5  in which a plurality of through holes  6  and wings  7 ,  8  are formed, whose free ends are the bottom of the section. 
     The core  5  of the section  2  has a central depression  9  in which the through holes  6  are formed at regular distances. 
     The wings  7 ,  8  of the section  2  have C-shaped facing recesses  10 ,  11 . The recesses  10 ,  11  are intended for inserting screws  12  for applying an end cap  13  to the section  2 . This is shown in  FIG. 10  which is a perspective view of the end of a base frame section  2 . 
     Returning to  FIG. 6 , the wings  7 ,  8  terminate at the bottom with inverted U-shaped supporting feet  14 ,  15 . The supporting foot  14  extends with an orthogonal portion  16  towards the inside of the section  2 , and with an L-shaped angular portion  17  to the outside of the section  2 . The other supporting foot  15  extends with a first orthogonal portion  18  towards the inside of the section  2 , and with a second orthogonal portion  19  towards the outside. The second orthogonal portion  19  continues in a third orthogonal portion  20  upwards to allow a side-by-side joining of a section  2  with another. 
     This is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , which are an end view of two sections  2  before being flanked and an end perspective view of two sections respectively, as shown in  FIG. 7 , being side-by-side and complete with clip  3 . Indeed, in the views of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the L-shaped angular portion  17  has a lower extension downwards than shown in  FIG. 6 . However, the function is the same: to allow the insertion of the L-shaped angular portion  17  of the first section  2  in the groove formed in the second section  2  by the supporting foot  15 , by the second orthogonal  19  outwardly and by the third orthogonal portion  20  upwards. 
     This side-by-side jointing of two sections  2  is useful when only one slat or, mostly, when a succession of slats  4  terminates with its end over a base frame section  2 . In this case, in fact, only one section  2  would not be enough to cantilever support two consecutive slats. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 9  which is an end perspective view of a base frame section  2  to which a useful accessory for the coating structure according to the present invention is applied. The accessory in question is an abutting element  21  with a Z-shaped profile having a lower portion  22  provided with a pair of holes  23  for fixing the abutting element  21  on the outer surface of the core  5  of the base frame section  2  by screws (not shown). Further, the abutting element  21  has an upper portion  24  adapted to fit into the lateral groove  40  of a slat  4 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . Thus, an end slat of the coating is properly retained. 
     As mentioned above, a plurality of clamps or, more simply, clips  3  connects the base frame sections  2  of the coating structure with the succession of slats  4 . 
     Reference is made now to  FIGS. 11 to 13 , which are a perspective view of a head with stem of a clip, a top perspective view of the clip head with indication of its angle of rotation, and an exploded perspective view of a first variant of the clip bushing. 
     Each clip  3  has a head  25  with stem  26  and a bushing  27  with inserts  28 . The stem  26 , which is orthogonal to the head  25 , is inserted into the through hole  6  ( FIG. 5 ) of the base frame section  2 . The stem  26  is held rotatably by the inserts  28  within the cylindrical wall  29  of the bushing  27 . Below, the inserts  28  are slightly beveled to facilitate their insertion into the cylindrical wall  29 . They are flared above in order to facilitate the connection with the stem  26 . 
     The bushing  27  abuts, by its circular plate  30  extending beyond the cylindrical wall  29 , with the inverted U-shaped supporting feet  14 ,  15  and corresponding orthogonal portion  16 , first orthogonal portion  18  and second orthogonal portion  19 , opposite to the head  25  of the clip  3 . 
     The rotatable engagement between the stem  26  and the inserts  28  is obtained in a known way by means of corresponding ridges and grooves, not marked by reference numerals, in the stem  26  and in the inserts  28 . The head  25  of the clip  3  is prismatic with a rectangular plant that is beveled in opposite vertices  31  to allow a rotation of the head  25  of the clip  3  of only 90° in the engagement with the lateral groove  40  of the slat  4  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The indication of this constraint to the rotation of the head  25  with its stem  26  is shown in  FIG. 12 , wherein the head  25  is shown as rotated of about 45°, i.e. intermediate between the engagement position with the slat  4  for its locking and a free position. 
     The rotation of the head  25  is obtained, as known, by the engagement of a T-key (not shown) with a butterfly-shaped recess  32  formed in the top of the head  25 . 
     According to the invention, centrally made in the head  25  is a first hexagonal hole  33  for a hexagonal male key. 
     In addition, the clip head  25  is laterally provided with a projection  14  like a downward facing arrow tip to display the head position with respect to the lateral groove  40  of the slat  4 . 
     Further, according to the invention, the stem  26  of the clip head  25  is provided with a central hole  35 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , in the bushing  27 , coaxially to the stem  26  of the head  25 , a pin  36  is provided internally to the cylindrical wall  29  suitable to fit into the central hole  35  of the stem  26  of the head  25 . The pin  36  inserted in the stem  26  has a retaining effect which makes the presence of the two inserts  28  not indispensable. 
     Now, reference is made to  FIGS. 14 and 15  which are a side view and an exploded perspective view of the clip in its second variant. As will be seen later, this second variant of the clip can be used, in combination with a threaded foot, to adjust the level of the coating structure relative to the base surface of its support plane. 
     Unlike the first variant shown in  FIGS. 11 to 13 , whose reference numerals are used for indicating similar components, in the second variant shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the clip  301  has a head  250  with stem  260  and a bushing  270  with inserts  280 . The stem  260  is inserted into the through hole  6  of the base frame section  2 . 
     The stem  260  is held rotatably by the inserts  280  within the cylindrical wall  290  of the bushing  270 . It is noted that the inserts  280  are slightly beveled at the bottom to facilitate their insertion into the cylindrical wall  290 . They are flared above to facilitate connection with the stem  260 . 
     The bushing  270  abuts, by its circular plate  300  extending beyond the cylindrical wall  290 , with the inverted U-shaped supporting feet  14 ,  15  and corresponding orthogonal portion  16 , first orthogonal portion  18  and second orthogonal portion  19 , opposite to the head  250  of the clip  301 . 
     According to the second variant, an internally threaded sleeve  360  is provided inside the cylindrical wall  290  of the bushing  270 . Although not shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the circular plate  300  of bushing  270  is centrally perforated as shown in  FIGS. 16 to 19 , which are views and cross-sections of the section and of the clip complete with a leveling member  41  in a contracted position and with a first hexagonal male key for the rotation of the clip head, and respectively with a second hexagonal male key for the rotation of the leveling member  41 . The leveling member  41  comprises a foot  37  and a corresponding threaded stem  38 . 
     The circular plate  300  is provided with a hole  39  so that the threaded stem  38  of the leveling member  41  can pass through the bushing  270  and screw to the threaded sleeve  360  therein. The threaded stem  38  has a lowered hexagonal upper seat  42  to allow the insertion from the top of a hexagonal male key CH 2 , shown in  FIG. 18 . 
     In the operation of the clip  301  for locking the slats  4  as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , a hexagonal male key CH 1  is used that engages the hexagonal seat  33  already shown in  FIG. 12 . Thus, the rotation of the head is obtained  250  of the clip  301  for engaging the lateral groove  40  of a slat  4 . 
     Instead, in the operation of the clip  301  for adjusting the coating structure level as shown in  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the hexagonal male key CH 2  is used that engages the lowered hexagonal upper seat  42  shown in  FIG. 17 . In this way, the threaded stem  38  of the foot  37  is rotated, and therefore the raising and lowering of the latter according to the need for adjusting the level of the coating structure according to the present invention is achieved. Such an adjustment can also be made with the installed coating structure.