Abstract:
The present invention describes a joiner including at least one engaging member, a screw threaded shaft passing through the engaging member, at least one nut threadably engaging the shaft, a first gear member adapted to receive the screw threaded shaft, a second gear member positioned to interengage with the first gear member and having a tool engaging means, both the first gear member and second gear member being located substantially within the engaging member whereby a turning of the second gear with a standard tool fitting, facilitates a tightening of the joiner and wherein the first engaging member further includes a securing means to pivotally hold the first gear member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a joiner or joining assembly for use in joining one article to another. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Joiners and joining assemblies used to securely fasten countertops and other large panel items are known. For example, WO 03/035992 describes a novel joiner arrangement that is capable of providing the required fastening forces to provide a clamping effect between the joined articles. There is however known to be a number of considerable difficulties in applying equivalent clamping forces to articles that do not have the same surface area as that of a flat bench top, such as chairs, tables and her such furniture in which the clamping means has to be integrated within the structural member, be it an arm of a chair or the leg of a bed to its frame. Such joining is required most often in what is referred to as “flat-pack” or “knock-down” furniture, in which the furniture is provided to the end consumer in a disassembled arrangement, thus requiring some limited assembly by the purchaser. The joiners typically used in such “flat-pack” applications are connectors that either employ a traditional hex head fastener that has to be tightened by using an open ended spanner or an Allen key connector. 
         [0003]    The hex head connector is particularly complicated for users in that due to the restrictive opening within which the hex head is located only allows for limited movement of the hex head by the open ended spanner such that with each turn of the open ended spanner the hex head is rotated only a small distance of its diameter and so requires substantial turning to effect proper tightening and clamping. This can take significant time and cause considerable frustration to the person assembling the item. In addition, the smaller the size of the connector and the accompanying hex head, the smaller then will be the access hole for the open ended spanner. This limitation of size then impacts upon the conditions in which such connections can be employed successfully. 
         [0004]    Other types of commonly used connecting bolts for “flat-pack” applications or other situations requiring the joining of two articles, employs connectors having either a cam arrangement or an Allen key operated tightening assembly. There are known to be certain deficiencies with each of these types of connectors including the narrow range of clamping forces provided and the complexity in initial flitting of the components into the furniture or articles to be joined together. 
         [0005]    It is has now been found by the present inventor that an improved joiner and joining assembly can be provided in which the joiner is capable of being of a relatively small size compared to that currently available so that it can be utilised in many different applications and provides for an ease of assembly and use. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a joiner that is relatively small in size and is convenient to install. 
         [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide a joiner that is capable of applying clamping forces to the articles to be joined. 
         [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least substantially ameliorate, the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art. 
         [0009]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taking in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    According to the present invention, although this should not be seen as limiting the invention in any way, there is provided a joiner including at least one engaging member, a screw threaded shaft passing through the engaging member, at least one nut threadably engaging the shaft, a first gear member adapted to receive the screw threaded shaft, a second gear member captivity held within a slot within the engaging member and positioned to interengage with the first gear member and having a tool engaging means, both the first gear member and second gear member being located substantially within the engaging member whereby a turning of the second gear facilitates a tightening of the joiner and wherein the at least one engaging member further includes at least one securing means to captively hold the first gear member to allow rotation thereof. 
         [0011]    With the engaging member securing the first gear by a securing means that allows rotation of the first gear, this then also holds the second gear in place so as to also allow relative rotation of the second gear within the engaging member. 
         [0012]    In preference, the first and second gears are spur gears. 
         [0013]    In preference, the second gear holds the first gear in place within the slot. 
         [0014]    In preference, the securing means on the engaging member is a slot adapted to receive the first gear member. 
         [0015]    In preference, the slot is integral with the engaging member. 
         [0016]    In preference, the securing means is a retaining member positioned on the engaging member. 
         [0017]    In preference, the retaining member projects into a recess adapted to or shaped to receive the first gear and upon insertion of the first gear into the first gear recess, the retaining member will hold the first gear in place so as to allow rotation of the first gear. 
         [0018]    In preference, the second gear is located in a second gear recess. 
         [0019]    In preference, the engaging member has an aperture thereon substantially perpendicular to the tool engaging means of the second gear member so as to allow access to the tool engaging means. 
         [0020]    In preference, the tool engaging means is an aperture shaped to receive a tool bit. 
         [0021]    In preference, the teeth profile of the first and second gear members is rounded so as to provide a point to point contact between the first and second gears. 
         [0022]    In preference, the tooth face of the first and second gears is a spherical surface. 
         [0023]    In preference, the tooth face of the first and second gear members is a is spherical segment. 
         [0024]    In preference, the tooth face is a concave section. 
         [0025]    In preference, the tool engaging means is an aperture shaped to receive an Allen key. 
         [0026]    In preference, the first gear member has a periphery flange. 
         [0027]    In preference, the first gear member has a hub extension. 
         [0028]    In preference, the hub extension has a face that abuts at least a section of the first gear member recess in the engaging member. 
         [0029]    In preference, the first and second gear members are made from a composite plastic/glass material. 
         [0030]    In preference, the engaging member is arcuate shaped to nest within a cavity within an article to be joined to another. 
         [0031]    In preference, the first gear member has its teeth aligned so that they are facing in the direction of the body of the shaft. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0032]    By way of example, an employment of the invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0033]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a joiner according to a first embodiment of the invention, 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  is a side sectional view through B-B in  FIG. 1 , showing the internal gearing arrangement, 
           [0035]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the joiner of  FIG. 1 , is  FIG. 4  is a side sectional view through C-C in  FIG. 3 , 
           [0036]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a first gear member, 
           [0037]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the second gear member, 
           [0038]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the second gear member, 
           [0039]      FIG. 8  is a side sectional view through D-D in  FIG. 7 , 
           [0040]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a joiner according to a second embodiment of the invention, 
           [0041]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the joiner of  FIG. 9  with the holding means and first gear member removed, 
           [0042]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the holding means that slots within the joiner as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0043]    The joiner  10  of  FIG. 1  has an engaging member  12  being of a substantially circular shape about its diameter, a first gear member  15  located within a first recess  17  and a second gear member  19  located within a second recess  20 . 
         [0044]    The first gear member  15  frusto conical back end  22  and a face  24  with the teeth  26  positioned thereon. The hub  28  of the first gear member  15  extends beyond a first tooth top  30  to give a hub extension  32 . The hub  28  has an aperture  34  running there through and the internal face of the aperture  34  is screw threaded to receive a shaft. 
         [0045]    For purposes of clarity, the shaft that engages with the aperture  34  is not shown, but it would be clear to those skilled in the art the shape and purpose of such a shaft. 
         [0046]    The first gear member  15  circumventral band  38  having beveled ends  38  and  40 . The beveled end  40 , adjacent to the face  24  is shaped to mirror substantially the inner face  42  of the first recess  17 . Additionally, the face  44  of hub extension  32  is similarly shaped to match the inner platform face  46  of the first recess  17 . 
         [0047]    In this way then the first gear member  15  is shaped so as to fit within the first recess  17  in a substantially complementary fashion such that the first gear member  15  is still relatively free to rotate about its axis  48 . 
         [0048]    The second gear member  19  has an aperture  50  for receiving a tip of a tool of complimentary shape. The face  52  of the second gear member  19  has teeth  54  thereon and the circumferential band  56  of the second gear member  19  has a beveled face  68  and an arcuate edge  60 . 
         [0049]    The teeth  54  of the second gear member  19  have a tooth face  62  that has a spherical surface traveling substantially the first length of the addendum. As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , for example, the resultant tooth face  62  has a profile that results in reduced or minimal contact of the tooth  54  with the inner face  70  of the second recess  20  and the hub face  64  of the hub  63  is approximately parallel with the tooth top  64 . In this manner then there is minimal friction between the second gear member  19  and the inner face  70 . 
         [0050]    The first gear member  15  also has teeth  70  of a spherical shape. The teeth  70  extend from the gear face  24  and the hub  28  both in the plane of the gear axis and the plane of rotational being the plane perpendicular to the gear axis  72 . In this manner then each tooth top  76  provides only a minimal contact area to the inner face  78  so that rotation of the first gear member  15  about its axis of rotation provides minimal resistance. When this particular tooth shaped  70  is compared to that of conventional gearing which typically has a flat top surface with a relatively sharp tooth chamfer, that being the level between the end of the tooth surface, this can then lead to the gear teeth digging into the inner surface  78  that it is pushing against. By employing the substantially spherical shaped teeth  70 , substantial pressure can still be applied by the first gear member  15  against the inner face  78  without significant reduction in performance. 
         [0051]    Additionally, the first gear  15  has a hub extension  32  with a face  44  shaped to compliment the inner faced platform  46  of the first recess  17  so that again any pressure applied by the first gear member  15  to the first recess  17  will be evenly distributed across a larger surface area. 
         [0052]    The first gear member  15  also holds the second gear member  19  in place by the urging of the teeth  26  of the first gear member  15  against the teeth  54  of the second gear member  19 . What will of course be appreciated immediately by those skilled in this particular art is that due to the particular shape of both the first and second gear members respectively there will be a minimal contact area between each of the gear members. The joiner  10  further has a retaining tab  80 , that is suitably flexible to allow insertion of the first gear member  15  into the first recess  17  thus forcing the retaining tab  80  away from the first recess  17  such that the retaining tabs  80  ride over the beveled end  40  and the circumventral band  36  to then hold the first gear  16  in place. This then of course holds the second gear member  19  in place. 
         [0053]    Upon a tightening of the joiner  10  a tool tip is placed within the aperture  82  of the engaging member  12  so that the tool tip is able to fit snuggly within the aperture  50  of the first gear member  19  so that when the tool tip is rotated the second gear member  19  also rotates and the gear teeth  54  of the second gear member mesh and interact with the teeth  26  of the first gear member  15  to effect the rotation of the first gear member  15  about axis  48  to effect a tightening of an engaged shaft passing through the hub  28 . The aperture  50  could be shaped to receive any conventional drive head such as a Philips head or flat headed screw driver but perhaps most useful is an Allen key shape. 
         [0054]    In an alternative embodiment as shown in  FIG. 9 , the second gear member is held in place by insertion of the second gear member  100  into a slot  105  that secures the second gear member  100  whilst still allowing it to rotate about its axis. The slot  105  is shaped to provide a nesting fit of the second gear member  100  and may be either integral with the engaging member  101  or formed as a separate part that is inserted itself into the engaging member  101 . 
         [0055]    The retaining means  102  has inclined inner surfaces  107  and  109  shaped to compliment the frusto conical shaped face of the back end  22  of the first gear member  15 .  FIG. 10  shows the joiner with the retaining section  102  removed. 
         [0056]    The extending members  115  nest within the complimentary shaped openings  120  to captivity hold the first gear member in place, the inner surface  125  of  102  so shaped to contour that of the back end  22  of the first gear member  100 . 
         [0057]    Accordingly, a threaded shaft can be inserted into the first gear member  100  so as to engage such. The other end of the treaded shaft can be either fitted with a nut or can be affixed to a section of furniture to be joined thereto, such that the first joining element is in a separate section of furniture. Then, once engaged, the first gear member can be rotated by relative rotation of the second gear member by rotating a suitable shaped tool tip inserted in the aperture within the second gear member so as to effect a tightening of the joiner. 
         [0058]    Other mounting methods for the first gear member may be utilized other than those mentioned here, without necessarily departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0059]    The joiner  10  is constructed from a suitably resilient material, preferably being a glass/plastics composite tolerable of forces and pressures appropriate to manufacturing industries, such as furniture construction, using techniques such as metal injection moulding (MIM), or cast molding so as to produce such intricate, relatively miniature, gear shapes and angles. 
         [0060]    From the above then it is clear to see that the current invention now provides for a joiner  10  that can be made in a neat compact shape suitable for use in a number of industries where end to end joining is required, such as flat-pack furniture, and that a user can quickly and effectively tighten the joiner  10  by use of standard, conventional tool shapes, such as an Allen key either manually or by power tool. Thin then results in a greater reduced time and effort of construction whilst providing high clamping forces, 
         [0061]    Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but it is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.