Pergola
A pergola includes: a plurality of posts; two opposite tie beams supported on the posts; and a plurality of rafters spaced apart from each other and supported on the tie beams, each of the rafters including a first segment, a second segment, and a connecting unit interconnecting the first segment and the second segment. The connecting unit includes a first end cap and a second end cap. The first end cap is secured in the first segment and is formed with a retaining hole. The second end cap is secured in the second segment and is formed with a protrusion which engages releasably the retaining hole in the first end cap.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pergola, more particularly to a pergola that is convenient to transport and store.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pergola used in a garden is usually made from wood or cement, and needs a lot of manpower and mechanical equipments during construction thereof. To solve this problem, a pergola which can be assembled by a consumer and which is constituted by a plurality of posts and a plurality of rafters formed by plastics molding techniques has been proposed. However, the posts and rafters formed by molding plastics have a poor resistance to weather changes, and the rafters have a relatively long length, which has an adverse effect on transport and storage.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a pergola that has a high resistance to weather changes and that is convenient to transport and store.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a pergola that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art.
According to this invention, a pergola includes: a plurality of posts; two opposite tie beams supported on the posts; and a plurality of rafters spaced apart from each other and supported on the tie beams. Each of the rafters includes a first segment, a second segment, and a connecting unit interconnecting the first segment and the second segment. The connecting unit includes a first end cap and a second end cap. The first end cap is secured in the first segment and is formed with a retaining hole. The second end cap is secured in the second segment and is formed with a protrusion which engages releasably the retaining hole in the first end cap.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSOther features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
Referring to
Each of the protrusions 326 on the end face 323 of the second end cap 322 of the first connecting unit 33 has a head portion 328 with a first diameter and a rod portion 327 with a second diameter smaller than the first diameter of the head portion 328. Each of the retaining holes 316 in the end face 313 of the first end cap 312 of the first connecting unit 33 has a first section 317 with a diameter larger than the first diameter of the head portion 328 of the protrusion 326, and a second section 318 extending from the first section 317 and having a diameter smaller than the first diameter of the head portion 328 of each of the protrusions 326 and larger than the second diameter of the rod portion 327 of each of the protrusions 326. Each of the first segment 31 and the second segment 32 of each of the rafters 3 has a notch 315, 325 for insertion of a respective one of the tie beams 4 thereinto. Preferably, each of the rafters 3 further includes a first sleeve 34.
During disassembly, the first end cap 312 is disengaged from the second end cap 322 so as to separate the first segment 31 from the second segment 32, thereby resulting in a decrease in the length of each of the rafters 3.
During assembly, as shown in
It should be noted here that the manner of connecting the first, second, and third segments should not be limited to the preferred embodiments, and can be varied as long as the connecting object is achieved. For example, threading connection can be used in this invention.
Since each of the rafters 3 is divided into at least two segments in the preferred embodiments, transport and storage of the pergola is relatively convenient. Moreover, the rafters 3 are made from a metal material and have superior resistance to weather changes over those made from a plastics material.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent arrangements.
Claims
1. A pergola comprising:
- a plurality of posts;
- two opposite tie beams supported on said posts; and
- a plurality of rafters spaced apart from each other and supported on said tie beams, each of said rafters including a first segment, a second segment, and a first connecting unit interconnecting said first segment and said second segment, said first connecting unit including a first end cap and a second end cap, said first end cap being secured in said first segment and being formed with a retaining hole, said second end cap being secured in said second segment and being formed with a protrusion which engages releasably said retaining hole in said first end cap.
2. The pergola of claim 1, wherein each of said rafters further includes a first sleeve which is sleeved on the respective one of said rafters at a position where said first connecting unit is located.
3. The pergola of claim 1, wherein said protrusion of said second end cap of said first connecting unit has a head portion with a first diameter and a rod portion with a second diameter smaller than said first diameter of said head portion, said retaining hole in said first end cap of said first connecting unit having a first section with a diameter larger than said first diameter of said head portion of said protrusion, and a second section extending from said first section and having a diameter smaller than said first diameter of said head portion of said protrusion and larger than said second diameter of said rod portion of said protrusion.
4. The pergola of claim 1, wherein each of said first segment and said second segment of each of said rafters has a notch for insertion of a respective one of said tie beams thereinto.
5. The pergola of claim 4, wherein each of said rafters further includes a third segment and a second connecting unit interconnecting said third segment and said first segment, said second connecting unit including a third end cap and a fourth end cap, said third end cap being secured in said first segment and being formed with a retaining hole, said fourth end cap being secured in said third segment and being formed with a protrusion which engages releasably said retaining hole in said third end cap of said second connecting unit.
6. The pergola of claim 5, wherein each of said rafters further includes a second sleeve which is sleeved on the respective one of said rafters at a position where said second connecting unit is located.
7. The pergola of claim 5, wherein said protrusion of said fourth end cap of said second connecting unit has a head portion with a first diameter and a rod portion with a second diameter smaller than said first diameter of said head portion of said protrusion of said fourth end cap of said second connecting unit, said retaining hole in said third end cap of said second connecting unit having a third section with a diameter larger than said first diameter of said head portion of said protrusion of said fourth end cap of said second connecting unit, and a fourth section extending from said third section and having a diameter smaller than said first diameter of said head portion of said protrusion of said fourth end cap of said second connecting unit and larger than said second diameter of said rod portion of said protrusion of said fourth end cap of said second connecting unit.
8. The pergola of claim 5, wherein each of said first segment and said third segment of each of said rafters has a notch for insertion of a respective one of said tie beams thereinto.
9. The pergola of claim 5, wherein each of said first segment, said second segment, and said third segment of each of said rafters is in the form of a hollow metal column, said hollow metal column of said first segment having two open ends, each of said hollow metal columns of said second segment and said third segment having an open end, each of said first, second, third, and fourth end caps being fittingly received in said open end of said hollow metal columns of a respective one of said first, second, and third segments.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 4, 2006
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2007
Inventor: Chuen-Jong Tseng (Chiayi Hsien)
Application Number: 11/397,752
International Classification: E04B 1/34 (20060101);