BALUSTER STRUCTURE OF HANDRAIL

Abstract

A baluster structure of handrail includes a steel-bar threaded central post, which is circumferentially enclosed by a plastic jacket and a plastic decorative portion. The steel-bar threaded central post has top and bottom respectively forming first and second joint sections. The second joint section is mounted to a stairway and the first joint section is mounted to an underside of the handrail to form a baluster. The threads of the upper and lower sections and the thread-free middle section of the steel-bar threaded central post are enclosed by the integrally formed plastic jacket and plastic decorative portion, whereby the plastic jacket and the plastic decorative portion are rotatably fixed. The baluster is mounted to the stairway to support a handrail. The baluster is of greater strength, does not deform and bend, is safe and corrosion resistant, has an extended life span, and is environmentally conservative.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the technical field of baluster of handrail, and in particular to a socket structure that is thermally fusible through application of ultrasonic wave for easy realization of machine-based automatic assembling.

2. The Related Arts

Conventional handrails comprise balusters that are generally made of wood. The growth of woods takes time and the consumption of wood material for furniture and buildings of human society is great, far exceeding the natural supply of wood. This generally leads to a rapid increase of cost of wood due to lacking of supply. Further, poor quality timbers might be used, such as woods of reforestation that has not fully grown, for example pines, or scrap laminated or jointed boards, to make furniture or to construct a building, of which the durability and quality are generally poor.

Further, if the amount of wood logging is far beyond that cultivated, the environment of the Earth is affected and the global warming gas increases to cause abnormal weather of the Earth. Further, once local forests have been consumed up, import of wood is an alternative, which is subjected to taxation and other unfavorable conditions. For example, the raw materials may be taxed several times higher than that of the half-finished products. These force the manufacturers to finish the production in the site where the raw materials are supplied and then export the finished products. This is unfavorable to the manufacturers to make products in a more flexible way according to the change of market.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the attached drawings, balusters must be made with natural timber to ensure sufficient rigidity and good products of baluster may then be available. Due to the decreasing amount of original forests and the shortage of timber supply, the market of wood is now fully of wooden materials of poor quality, of which some are made by simply jointing or combining wooden pieces to form a “composite” timber 50 that is composed of multiple layers glued together. A steel material 51 that is of a length of 7 cm is set in the bottom of the composite timber 50. In a high humidity area, such as Taiwan, the composite timber 50 is easily damaged. Other materials used to make balusters are reforestation wood. The reforestation wood is generally not of sufficient rigidity and cannot be used to make good quality balusters. All these lead to a difficult of supply of wooden materials of sufficient quality and interruption of supply often results.

It is thus desired to provide a novel structure of baluster that overcome the above discussed problems of wooden baluster.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention provides a baluster structure of handrail, which comprises a steel-bar threaded central post circumferentially enclosed by a plastic decorative portion and a plastic jacket, whereby the baluster is of greater strength, does not deform and bend, is safe and corrosion resistant, has an extended life span, and is environmentally conservative. The coarse threads of the upper and lower sections and the thread-free middle section of the steel-bar threaded central post are enclosed by integrally formed plastic jacket and plastic decorative portion, so that the plastic jacket and the plastic decorative portion are rotatably fixed.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a baluster structure of handrail, which comprises a steel-bar threaded central post, which comprises coarse threads formed on upper and lower sections and a thread-free middle section that are circumferentially enclosed by a plastic jacket and a plastic decorative portion. The steel-bar threaded central post has a top end forming a first joint section. The steel-bar threaded central post has a bottom end forming a second joint section. The second joint section is mounted to a stairway and the first joint section is mounted to an underside of the handrail to form a baluster. The threads of the upper and lower sections and the thread-free middle section of the steel-bar threaded central post are enclosed by the integrally formed plastic jacket and plastic decorative portion so as to be securely coupled to the plastic jacket and the plastic decorative portion, whereby the plastic jacket and the plastic decorative portion are rotatably fixed. Multiple balusters are mounted to the stairway to support a handrail. The baluster is of greater strength, does not deform and bend, is safe and corrosion resistant, has an extended life span, and is environmentally conservative.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional baluster made of composite timber including a 7 cm steel member at the bottom thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of a steel-bar threaded central post;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a baluster according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the baluster according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the baluster according to the embodiment of the present invention mounted to a stairway tread and a handrail;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an application of the baluster according to the embodiment of the present invention to a stairway handrail;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a baluster according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the baluster according to said another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an application of the baluster according to said another embodiment of the present invention to a stairway handrail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 2-6, the present invention provides a baluster structure of handrail. The baluster structure comprises various components that will be described as follows.

A steel-bar threaded central post 10 is formed as a one-piece upright elongate bar. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a top end forming a first joint section 11. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a bottom end forming a second joint section 12. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has an outer circumferential surface comprising upper and lower sections 10b, 10c each integrally forming a coarse thread 13 and a middle section 10a between the upper and lower sections and forming no thread.

A plastic decorative portion 20 is structured to form a decoration having a number of (such as four) curved patterns. The coarse threads 13 of the upper and lower sections 10b, 10c of the steel-bar threaded central post 10 and the thread-free middle section 10a are circumferentially enclosed by a shaped plastic jacket 21 that is integrally formed with the plastic decorative portion 20 that comprises the four curved patterns to form a baluster 1 according to the present invention. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 is securely bonded to the plastic jacket 21 and the plastic decorative portion 20 by means of the integrally formed plastic jacket 21 that circumferentially encloses the coarse threads 13 of the upper and lower sections 10b, 10c and the thread-free middle section 10a and the plastic decorative portion 20, whereby the plastic jacket 21 and the plastic decorative portion 20 are not rotatable. The second joint section 12 of the steel-bar threaded central post 10 is mounted to a stairway tread 30 and the first joint section 11 if the steel-bar threaded central post 10 is mounted to an underside 41 of a handrail 40. A plurality of balusters 1 of such a structure is mounted to the stairway to support the handrail 40 thereof thereby constructing a stairway handrail assembly 100. Further, the baluster 1 comprises a steel-bar threaded central post 10 therein to provide bending-resistant strength and also comprises an aesthetic outside appearance constituted by the plastic decorative portion 20. Thus, the baluster 1 has an improved strength, does not bend, is safe and corrosion resistant, has an extended life span and is environmentally conservative.

In the baluster structure of handrail, the first joint section 11 of the steel-bar threaded central post 10 is mounted by a first jointing structure 111 to the handrail 40. The first jointing structure 111 comprises bonding with adhesives.

In the baluster structure of handrail, the first joint section 11 of the steel-bar threaded central post 10 is mounted by a first jointing structure 111 to the handrail 40. The first jointing structure 111 comprises coupling with a latch pin.

In the baluster structure of handrail, the second joint section 12 is mounted by a second jointing structure 121 to the stairway tread 30. The second jointing structure 121 comprises bonding with adhesives.

In the baluster structure of handrail, the second joint section 12 is mounted by a second jointing structure 121 to the stairway tread 30. The second jointing structure 121 comprises bonding with concrete.

In the baluster structure of handrail, the second joint section 12 is mounted by a second jointing structure 121 to the stairway tread 30. The second jointing structure 121 comprises an expansion bolt fixed in the stairway tread 30.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in the baluster structure of handrail, the second joint section 12 comprises a cylindrical joint section 12. The cylindrical joint section 12 has an outer circumference on which an exposed thread 122 is formed. The exposed thread 122 allows the steel-bar threaded central post 10 to be securely coupled without being driven by an external torque applied thereto to rotate.

Referring to FIG. 4, the baluster 1 comprises a steel-bar threaded central post 10. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 is formed as a one-piece upright elongate bar. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a top end forming a first joint section 11. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a bottom end forming a second joint section 12. A plastic decorative portion 20 is provided. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 is circumferentially enclosed by a molded plastic jacket 21 that is integrally connected with the plastic decorative portion 20.

Referring to FIG. 5, the drawing shows that the first joint section 11 of the steel-bar threaded central post 10 of the baluster 1 is mounted by a first jointing structure 111 to a handrail 40 and the first joint section 11 of the steel-bar threaded central post 10 of the baluster 1 is coupled by a second jointing structure 121 to a stairway tread 30.

Referring to FIGS. 7-9, the present invention provides a baluster structure of handrail. The baluster structure comprises various components that will be described as follows.

A steel-bar threaded central post 10 is formed as a one-piece upright elongate bar. The elongate steel-bar threaded central post 10 has an outer circumferential surface comprising upper and lower sections 10b, 10c each integrally forming a coarse thread 13 and a middle section 10a between the upper and lower sections and forming no thread. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a top end forming a first joint section 11. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a bottom end forming a second joint section 12. A plastic decorative portion 20 is structured to form a decoration having a cylindrical shape having curves. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 is circumferentially enclosed by a shaped plastic jacket 21 that is integrally formed with the curved cylindrical plastic decorative portion 20 to form a baluster 1 according to the present invention. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 is securely bonded to the plastic jacket 21 and the plastic decorative portion 20 by means of the integrally formed plastic jacket 21 that circumferentially encloses the coarse threads 13 of the upper and lower sections 10b, 10c and the thread-free middle section 10a and the plastic decorative portion 20, whereby the plastic jacket 21 and the plastic decorative portion 20 are not rotatable. The second joint section 12 of the steel-bar threaded central post 10 is mounted to a stairway tread 30 and the first joint section 11 if the steel-bar threaded central post 10 is mounted to an underside 41 of a handrail 40. A plurality of balusters 1 of such a structure is mounted to the stairway to support the handrail 40 thereof thereby constructing a stairway handrail assembly 100. Further, the baluster 1 comprises a steel-bar threaded central post therein to provide bending-resistant strength and also comprises an aesthetic outside appearance constituted by the plastic decorative portion. Thus, the baluster 1 has an improved strength, does not bend, is safe and corrosion resistant, has an extended life span and is environmentally conservative.

Referring to FIG. 8, the drawing shows that the steel-bar threaded central post 10 is circumferentially enclosed by the integrally formed plastic jacket 21 and plastic decorative portion 20. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a top forming a first joint section 11. The steel-bar threaded central post 10 has a bottom forming a second joint section 12.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A baluster structure of a handrail, comprising:

a steel-bar threaded central post, which is formed as a one-piece upright elongate bar, the steel-bar threaded central post having a top end forming a first joint section, the steel-bar threaded central post having a bottom end forming a second joint section, the steel-bar threaded central post having upper and lower sections of an outer circumferential surface each forming a thread and a middle section forming no thread; and

a plastic enclosure portion, the threads of the upper and lower sections and the thread-free middle section of the steel-bar threaded central post being completely circumferentially enclosed by a plastic jacket that is integrally formed with the plastic enclosure portion in such a way that the threads of the upper and lower sections of the steel-bar threaded central post are embedded in and in tight engagement with the plastic jacket to have the plastic jacket and the plastic decorative portion rotatably fixed to the steel-bar threaded central post.

2. The baluster structure of handrail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first joint section of the steel-bar threaded central post is mounted by a first jointing structure to the handrail and the first jointing structure comprises bonding with adhesives.

3. (canceled)

4. The baluster structure of handrail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second joint section is mounted by a second jointing structure to a stairway tread and the second jointing structure comprises bonding with adhesives.

5. The baluster structure of handrail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second joint section is mounted by a second jointing structure to a stairway tread and the second jointing structure comprises bonding with concrete.

6. (canceled)

7. The baluster structure of handrail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second joint section comprises a cylindrical joint section, which has an outer circumference on which an exposed thread is formed.