Patent Abstract:
A first extruded molding and a second extruded molding combined to form an extruded molding set, the moldings joined in a mechanical interlocking manner, the first extruding molding having a release flange and the second extruded molding having a recessed portion that together define a release channel, whereby the first and second molding may be disconnected by inserting a pry tool into the release channel to release the mechanical interlock.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of extruded moldings, typically composed of aluminum or other material of similar properties, and more particularly relates to extruded molding sets that are utilized for joining vertically oriented panels and doors, such as found for example in shower enclosures. 
     When joining panels, doors and the like in a side-by-side planar or angled manner, it is known to utilize elongated molding sets, usually produced by extrusion. The molding sets are paired extruded members that connect to each other longitudinally. One elongated extruded member is joined to a panel member and the other extruded member is joined to a second panel or a door. Each of the extruded members is provided with a connection base configured to receive and retain the panel or the door, usually in conjunction with mechanical fasteners. The free sides of the extruded members are configured to mate or interconnect with each other, preferably without the need for mechanical fasteners, bonding or like means, with the interconnection being longitudinally extensive. With the extruded members respectively joined to the panel and door, the panel and door are positioned adjacent to each other and the extruded members are interlocked to combine the two extruded members into a relatively rigid vertical supporting and connecting means for the panel and door. 
     An example of an extruded molding set as described above is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,856,771 to Guidos et al. The extruded molding set shown in this patent comprises a pair of extruded moldings that are provided with two interconnecting means, a pivoting engagement interconnection and a mechanical locking interconnection, whereby the two moldings are first mated at the engagement interconnection, then one molding is pivoted to connect the mechanical interlocking connection, thereby securing the moldings to each other. A problem with this and similar constructions is that once the moldings are interlocked there is no easy way to disconnect the moldings, which would be desirable for example in order to replace a panel or door, which are often composed of glass, or to remove a panel or door to provide a temporary large access opening, for example. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an extruded molding set intended and adapted for use with panels or doors, the set being structured to mechanically interlock together without the necessity of additional mechanical fasteners, wherein the set comprises structure which allows the extruded molding set to be easily and readily disconnected if desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is an extruded molding set adapted for use with panels, doors or similar members, referred to hereinafter generally and collectively as panels, whereby the panels can be connected to each other in a side-by-side planar or angled orientation, the molding set comprising a pair of elongated extruded moldings, each molding structured to receive and retain a panel, and the moldings configured so as to longitudinally mate in interlocking manner. The first extruded member comprises a panel connection base adapted to retain a first panel, a first front face, a first rear face, a pivot flange member disposed on the free end of the first front face, a tongue member extending interiorly from the first rear face, and a release flange member extending laterally. The second extruded member comprises a panel connection base to retain a second panel, a second front face, a second rear face, a pivot channel member adapted to receive the pivot flange member, a locking channel member to receive the tongue member, and a recessed portion. With this construction, with the extruded members connected to the panels, the pivot flange member of the first extruded member is mated with the pivot channel member of the second extruded member. The extruded members are then pivoted together such that the tongue member of the first extruded member mates with the locking channel member of the second extruded member, thereby interlocking the extruded member set. The combination of the release flange member of the first extruded member and the recessed portion of the second extruded member defines a release channel sufficiently sized to allow for insertion of a pry tool such that the tongue member of the first extruded member can be removed from the locking channel member of the second extruded member, thereby disconnecting the extruded member set. 
     Alternatively presented, the invention is an extruded molding set comprising a first extruded molding comprising a first panel connection base, a first front face extending from said first panel connection base, a first rear face extending from said first panel connection base, a pivot flange member disposed on said first front face, and a tongue member and a release flange member disposed on said first rear face; a second extruded member comprising a second panel connection base, a second front face extending from said second panel connection base, a second rear face extending from said second panel connection base, a pivot channel member disposed on said second front face, and an internal flange, a locking channel member and a recessed portion disposed on said second rear face; said pivot flange member received by said pivot channel member in a manner whereby said first and second extruded members are pivotable relative to each other; said tongue member received by said locking channel member in a manner whereby said first and second extruded members are mechanically interlocked together; the combination of said release flange and said recessed portion defining a release channel adapted to receive a pry tool therein, whereby said tongue member may be leveraged from said locking channel member to disconnect said first and second extruded members. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a prior art extruded molding set. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of another prior art extruded molding set. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the extruded molding set shown prior to interlocking. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3  shown in the interlocked position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, the invention will now be described in detail with regard for the best mode and the preferred embodiment(s). The drawings are provided as required for illustrative purposes and not intended to be limiting. The term “panel” as used herein shall be taken to refer to and include panels, doors or similar members, such as for example glass shower enclosure panels and doors. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate prior art embodiments of extruded molding sets adapted for connecting panels to each other in a manner similar to the manner of this invention but without the release structure. Each of the extruded molding sets in the figures show a first extruded molding  101  connected to and retaining a first panel  102  and a second extruded molding  105  connected to and retaining a second panel  106 . The two extruding moldings connect in interlocking manner through the combination of a pivoting engagement assembly  103  and a locking assembly  104 . The extruded members  101  and  105  are joined together by first aligning or mating the pivoting engagement assembly  103 . One of the extruded members  101  or  105  is then rotated such that the locking assembly  104  snaps together. Once interconnected, the extruded members  101  and  104  cannot easily be separated. 
     A preferred embodiment of the extruded molding set of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The extruded molding set comprises a first extruded molding  10  and a second extruded molding  20 . The moldings  10  and  20  are preferably composed of aluminum, but may be composed of any material possessing similar properties, such as other metals or rigid plastics. The moldings  10  and  20  are elongated members with the extended dimension defining a longitudinal direction. Each of the moldings  10  and  20  is adapted to receive and retain, or looked at another way, to be mountable onto the edge of a panel member  30 / 31 . The moldings  10  and  20  may be joined to the panel edges in any known manner, such as for example by utilizing mechanical fasteners, mechanical interlocking or bonding compositions. As illustrated, first extruded molding  10  comprises a first panel connection base  11  suitable for connection to a fixed first panel  30 , and second extruded molding  20  comprises a second panel connection base  21  suitable for connection for example to a pivoting second panel member  31 , e.g., a door. The particular configurations of the panel connection bases  11  and  21  are not critical to the invention, and other known configurations, such as those panel connection bases shown in the illustrated prior art sets, may be substituted for the configurations in the illustrations without departing from the functionality of the invention. The sides of the moldings  10  and  20  opposite the panel connection bases  11  and  21  and extending away from panels  30  and  31  are configured as shown to be generally open. 
     The first extruded member  10  comprises a first front face  12  and a first rear face  13 , both of which extend away from the first panel connection base  11 . A longitudinally elongated pivot flange member  14  is disposed on the free edge of the first front face  12 , i.e., the edge not connected to the first panel connection base  11 . The pivot flange member  14  is preferably generally triangular or rounded in cross-section and extends toward the interior of the first extruded member  10 . A longitudinally elongated tongue or rail member  15  is positioned on the interior of the first rear face  12  and extends inwardly. A longitudinally elongated release flange member  16  is disposed on the free edge of the first rear face  12  at the junction with and extending beyond the tongue member  15 , the release flange  16  extending generally laterally. 
     The second extruded member  20  comprises a second front face  22  and a second rear face  23 . A longitudinally elongated pivot channel member  25  is disposed on the free edge of the second front face  22 , the pivot channel member  25  facing outwardly. The pivot channel member  25  is configured to receive and retain the pivot flange member  14  of the first extruded member  10  in a stable and relatively secure manner after the extruded members  10  and  20  are interconnected, in a manner which allows the extruded members  10  and  20  to be pivoted relative to each other during the interlocking operation. Thus, the mating sides of the pivot channel member  25  and the pivot flange member  14  will correspond or match, such that for a generally triangular pivot flange member  14  the receiving side of the pivot channel member  25  will be generally triangular, and for a generally curved pivot flange member  14  the receiving side of the pivot channel member  25  will be correspondingly curved. The second extruded member  20  further comprises a longitudinally elongated locking channel member  26  positioned on second rear face  23 , the locking channel member  26  configured to receive and retain the tongue member  15  of the first extruded member  10 . An internal flange  24  on the second rear face  23  extends generally laterally beyond the locking channel member  26  away from the second panel connection base  21 . The second rear face  23  further comprises a recessed shoulder or portion  27  disposed on the opposite side of the locking channel member  26  from the internal flange member  24 . 
     The extruded members  10  and  20  are interlocked by first aligning and mating the pivot flange member  14  and the pivot channel member  25 , such that the pivot flange member  14  is positioned and received within the concave side of the pivot channel member  25 . At this stage the extruded members  10  and  20  are oriented in a slightly open combination. As one or both of the extruded members  10  and  20  are pivoted together, the tongue member  15  of the first extruded member  10  encounters the internal flange  24  of the second extruded member  20 , as seen in  FIG. 3 . Continued pivoting causes the first rear face  13  to be biased outwardly relative to the first panel connection base  11  such that when the tongue member  15  slides along the internal flange  24  and becomes aligned with the locking channel member  26 , the tongue member  15  and first rear face  13  snap forward. The tongue member  15  is now received and retained by the locking channel member  26  and the internal flange  24  abuts the rear of the first rear face  13 . With the tongue member  15  seated in the locking channel member  26 , the pivot flange member  14  of the first extruded member  10  is fully seated within the pivot channel member  25 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The extruded members  10  and  20  and their attached panels  30  and  31  are now connected in a fixed manner. 
     In the interlocked position, the release flange member  16  of the first extruded member  10  extends past the locking channel member  26  so as to reside adjacent but separated from the recessed portion  27  of the second extruded member  20 . The combination of the release flange member  16  and the recessed portion  27  define a longitudinally elongated release channel  28 . With this structure, the extruded members  10  and  20  can be separated by inserted a pry member or tool, such as the flat blade of a screwdriver for example, into the release channel  28 . The pry member is used to leverage the tongue member  15  out of the locking channel member  26  so that the extruded members  10  and  20  can then be pivoted apart and separated. 
     It is understood that equivalents and substitutions for certain elements set forth above may be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art, and therefore the true scope and definition of the invention is to be as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8