FIXATIVE DEVICE FOR DECORATIVE FINIAL
A fixative device for a decorative finial capable of being press fit onto a picket or post includes a pair of contact tabs arranged to bridge across a bend or corner formed by the inner surface of the free end of a tubular picket or post. A fit may be provided by a channel and protrusion or o-ring. A plurality of contact tabs, each having two contact surfaces may accommodate manufacturing defects and variations in the wall thickness of tubular, extruded posts.
Latest Weldon Industries, Inc. Patents:
The field relates to decorative finials.
BACKGROUNDDecorative finials are known that are press fit onto tubular posts. However, irregularities in the wall thickness of commercially available tubular posts makes press fittings unreliable resulting in loose or displaced finials. An improved, yet inexpensive and easy to fix finial that overcomes this disadvantage is a long standing and unresolved need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA device for fixing a decorative finial on a tubular post has a tubular portion shaped to fit on and/or in the top of a tubular post. A tubular post, having various cross sections shaped as square, rectangular, triangular, round and other cross sectional shapes, are well known in the art. The tubular portion extends downwardly from an end wall, the end wall at least partially closing a first end of the tubular portion, a second end of the tubular portion being open, whereby the tubular end of the tubular post is insertable over or within a tubular post. The tubular portion is defined, for example, by four walls and four corners, two of the four walls form a first corner and the other two walls form another of the four corners opposite of the first of the four corners.
A corner tab is proximally disposed at the first corner, having two contact surface joined by a member extending outwardly from a portion of the end wall. A gap is defined between each of the two contact surfaces and the tubular portion of the device. The corner tab extends diagonally across the corner, and a second corner tab is proximally disposed to a second corner opposite of the first corner tab and the first corner. The contact surfaces are proximally located to walls, defining a gap between each of the contact surfaces and the walls defining a corner of a substantially polygonal tubular extension from the bottom of the finial, for example.
The wall of the tubular portion of the finial and contact surfaces on opposite sides of the contact tabs define a gap having a width. The gap width may vary along the length of the contact surfaces extending from the bottom of the finial or may be constant. For example, gap width is chosen to allow the contact surfaces of the contact tab to make contact with the inner walls of a tubular post.
For example, two contact tabs disposed diagonally across opposite corners of a tubular post with a square or rectangular cross section have four contact surfaces, which are capable of contacting each of the four sides of the inner tubular wall of the post, providing a press fit fitting. In one alternative example, a tubular wall is omitted from the finial, and contact tabs are used to press fit the finial in the open tubular end of the post. Regardless, the contact tabs may be substantially rigid or may be designed to be at least somewhat flexible. For example, the thickness of the contact tab may be selected such that the elastic modulus and stiffness of the material accommodates some variation in the thickness of the tubular wall of the post, when a decorative finial is fitted on the end of the tubular post. The contact surfaces may be narrower at one portion along the contact surface, such as at the base of the contact tab or at a point between the base and the free end of the contact tab, allowing for an elastic pinching of the wall of the tubular post between the outer surface of the tubular portion of the decorative finial and the contact surfaces.
In another example, contact tabs may be disposed diagonally at each corner of a triangular, square or rectangular cross sectional shape. One advantage of diagonally positioned contact tabs is that redundancy is provided, when more than two tabs are provided. Another advantage is that the width of one or more of the contact tabs or the position of one or more of the contact tabs may be varied compared to one or more of the other contact tabs, such that two or more different wall thicknesses of tubular posts may be accommodated with a single decorative finial.
For example, a first pair of tabs, each having a base, may be disposed diagonally across opposite corners of a the tubular portion of a decorative finial at a first base-to-base distance, and a second pair of tabs disposed rotationally ninety degrees from the first pair of tabs may be disposed at a second base-to-base distance less than the first base-to-base distance. The gap defined between contact surfaces of the first pair of tabs and a tubular portion of the decorative finial is narrower than the gap defined between the contact surfaces of the second pair of tabs and the tubular portion. The first pair of tabs, having a narrower gap width, may be used to secure the decorative finial to posts having comparatively thin walls, while the second pair of tabs, having a wider gap width may be used for posts having thicker walls.
For example, the first pair of tabs, having a narrower gap width, may be designed to break off when a post with a thicker wall is encountered, or a user may use a screw driver or other prying device to break them off, leaving only the tabs with the wider gap width.
One advantage of a fixative using corner tabs is that each corner tab provides two contact surfaces, which may contact two different walls of a tubular post. Another advantage is that a single pair of corner tabs in opposite corners of a post having a square or rectangular cross section is sufficient to secure the decorative finial on the post. Yet another advantage is that a decorative finial may be fixed in place by corner tabs without the need for any tubular portion extending outwardly from the bottom of the decorative finial. A plurality of corner tabs may be pinched within the cavity formed by an open tubular end of a post, fixing the decorative finial on the post by a press fit. Yet another advantage is that the corner tabs may be made of a substantially rigid material, such as metal or a stiff polymer, yet may also provide some elasticity based on a material's elastic modulus and the thickness and design of the corner tabs. Thus, the decorative finial may be positively clamped in place by the elastic and compression forces acting on the corner tabs.
Still another advantage is that additional tabs may be added to improve retention and to provide damage tolerance, if one or more tabs is broken or defective. Yet another advantage is that tubular posts having substantially different wall thicknesses may be accommodated using a single decorative finial with tabs having a plurality of gap widths. Still yet another advantage is accommodating tubular posts having substantial irregularities in wall thickness using the fixative device. Yet another advantage is accommodating tubular posts with substantial irregularities in the wall thickness at corners, because the contact surfaces of the tabs avoid contact of the diagonally disposed tabs with the walls at the corners.
The drawings describe some examples of the features of a fixative device for a decorative finial.
Numbered labels identify exemplary features in the drawings. The same numbers are used in multiple drawings to show the same or similar features in the drawings.
Now referring to
In the example of
In the example of
In the example of
In the example of
Yet another example of corner tabs 62, having contact surfaces 64, 66 are shown in
Now referring to
Other cross sectional geometries, such as triangular (3-sided) tubes (not shown) and tubes having 5 or more sides (not shown) may be fixed using corner tabs according to the examples already disclosed. A gap width may be established between an inner wall of a tubular member, of any cross section, and contact surfaces of a plurality of corner tabs. The gap width may vary from smaller at the base to larger at the free end of the tab, for example. Alternatively, a portion of the contact surface may extend outwardly creating a restriction between an intermediate portion of the contact surface and the inner surface of the tubular wall. In another alternative, the inner surface of the tubular wall 15, 85 may have an indent or channel 95 formed that may accommodate a protrusion (not shown) or an original (not shown), which may have a shape capable of being accommodated by as the channel 95. The protrusion may be applied or integrally formed on the exterior portion of the end of the post, such that a snap fit results, when the protrusion engages the indent or channel 95.
Claims
1. A device for fixing a bottom end of a decorative finial on a post having a tubular, open end, the device comprising:
- a first corner tab extending from the bottom end of the decorative finial; and
- a second corner tab extending from the bottom end of the decorative finial, disposed on an opposite side of the decorative finial from the first corner tab;
- wherein the first corner tab and the second corner tab each comprise a member having a first contact surface on a first side of the member and a second contact surface on a second side of the member opposite of the first contact surface, such that each of the first contact surface and the second contact surface of each of the first corner tab and the second corner tab are capable of engaging an inner surface of the open end of the post, the first contact surface of each of the first corner tab and the second corner tab making contact on one side of a corner in the open end of the post and the second contact surface making contact on the other side of the corner opposite of the first contact surface, securing the device on the post, when the device is fitted on the end of the post.
2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a tubular portion extending outwardly from the bottom end of the decorative finial and being disposed such that the tubular portion defines a gap between the tubular portion and each of the first contact surface and the second contact surface of each of the first corner tab and the second corner tab.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the tubular portion is shaped as a square or a rectangle, having four sides and four corners, for fitting over the open end of the post, a first corner of the four corners is opposite of a second corner of the first corners, the first corner tab being disposed diagonally across the first corner, and the second corner tab being disposed diagonally across the second corner.
4. The device of claim 3, further comprising at least one additional corner tab, extending from the bottom of the decorative finial, and each of the at least one additional corner tabs being disposed diagonally across one additional corner of the four corners other than the first corner and the second corner.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one additional corner tab comprises a third corner tab and a fourth corner tab, opposite of the third corner tab and disposed diagonally across a fourth corner of the tubular portion.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the gap between the tubular portion of the device and each of the first contact surface and the second contact surface of each of the first corner tab and the second corner tab has a minimum gap width substantially less than a minimum gap width of the a gap between the tubular portion of the device and each of the first contact surface and second contact surface of each of the third corner tab and the fourth corner tab.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the distance between the first contact surface of the first corner tab and the first contact surface of the second corner tab is greater than the distance between the first contact surface of the third corner tab and the first contact surface of the fourth corner tab.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein the member of each of the first corner tab and the second corner tab has a first minimum width defined at the narrowest point between the first contact surface and the second contact surface of each of the first corner tab and the second corner tab, and the first minimum width is greater than a second minimum width defined at the narrowest point between the first contact surface and the second contact surface of each of the third corner tab and the fourth corner tab.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 16, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 16, 2008
Applicant: Weldon Industries, Inc. (Tampa, FL)
Inventors: Mark Weldon (Tampa, FL), Raymond Eland (Hudson, FL)
Application Number: 11/735,636
International Classification: E04C 2/38 (20060101);