CONNECTION FITTINGS FOR A TRANSPORTABLE SHELTER
An exemplary connection fitting for a frame for a transportable shelter includes a female connection fitting configured to be attached to a first interconnecting member of the frame, and a male connection fitting configured to be attached to a second interconnecting member of the frame. The female connection fitting includes a base and a channel extending through the base, and the male connection fitting includes a base and an extension extending from the base. When the female connection fitting is attached to the first interconnecting member and the male connection fitting is attached to the second interconnecting member, the extension of the male connection fitting is inserted into the channel of the female connection fitting to connect the first interconnecting member to the second interconnecting member.
The present invention relates generally to connection fittings for a transportable shelter and methods for using connecting connection fittings for a transportable shelter.
BACKGROUNDTransportable shelters (e.g., a tent) are used in various situations. For example, a person may use a tent to go camping. In another example, military personnel often use transportable shelters for training or when stationed in a foreign country.
Transportable shelters often include various frame members that are configured to be connected together on site to create a frame for the transportable shelter. The frame members may be metal beams or tubes, and the frame members often include connection fittings that are configured to attach to the connection fittings of other frame members.
Most transportable shelters utilize an insert-connection system in which ends of frame members that have a smaller diameter (e.g., swage ends) are slid into the receiving end of another frame member. The connections in an insert-connection system are most commonly secured using a pinning system, which is comprised of a series of holes drilled into the frame members. The holes on the small diameter end of a frame member align with the holes of a receiving end of another frame member, such that a fastener can be placed into the holes of both the small diameter end and the receiving end of the frame member to connect the frame members to each other and prevent the small diameter end of a frame member from sliding out of a receiving end of another frame member. Transportable shelters utilizing an insert-connection system and a pinning system are often made from metals, requiring extrusions that have a swaged end or end connection to create the insert. In addition, the holes for the pinning system often requires drilling during fabrication of the frame members.
SUMMARYAn exemplary connection fitting for a frame of a transportable shelter includes a female connection fitting configured to be attached to a first interconnecting member of the frame, and a male connection fitting configured to be attached to a second interconnecting member of the frame. The female connection fitting includes a base and a channel extending through the base, and the male connection fitting includes a base and an extension extending from the base. When the female connection fitting is attached to the first interconnecting member and the male connection fitting is attached to the second interconnecting member, the extension of the male connection fitting is inserted into the channel of the female connection fitting to connect the first interconnecting member to the second interconnecting member.
An exemplary frame for a transportable shelter includes a first base member, a second base member, and a plurality of structural members. Each of the structural members includes a first end that is connectable to the first base member and a second end that is connectable to the second base member. In addition, each of the structural members includes at least two interconnecting members that extend between the first end and the second end of the structural member, in which the first interconnectable member is connectable to the second interconnecting member by a connection fitting. The connection fitting includes a female connection fitting and a male connection fitting. The female connection fitting is attached to the first interconnecting member and has a base and a channel extending through the base. The male connection fitting is attached to the second interconnecting member and has a base and an extension extending from the base. The extension of the male connection fitting is inserted into the channel of the female connection fitting to connect the first interconnecting member to the second interconnecting member.
Another exemplary embodiment of a connection fitting for a frame of a transportable shelter includes a crown connection fitting and a female connection fitting. The crown connection fitting has a base and a plurality of extensions extending from the base. The female connection fitting is configured to be attached to a beam member of the frame and has a base and a channel extending through the base. When the beam member is attached to the female connection fitting, the channel of the female connection fitting is placed over an extension of the crown connection fitting to connect the beam member to the crown connection fitting.
Transportable shelters can be designed with various interconnectable members that are connected to create a frame of the shelter. A commonality of attachment methods is used to ease the difficulty of the connecting the interconnectable members during installation of the frame. Factors such as the speed and ease-of-use related to the connections greatly lengthen or reduce the overall installation time required due to the large amount of points that need to be connected. There exists a need for a standard structural support connection that is easy to use and fast, and that is also a secure connection that can endure the stresses associated with a long-term installation.
The connection fitting of the present application utilizes a dovetail design. The connection fitting has several advantages over current connections between members of a frame for a transportable shelter. For example, the insert-connection systems used by most transportable shelters allows for a small amount of movement or “give” in each connection between the frame members, which allows a smaller diameter end of a frame member to be slid into the receiving end of another frame member. As several connections between frame members exist for a frame of a transportable shelter, this amount of movement or “give” increases exponentially with each additional connection that is made for a transportable shelter. This movement in the connections reduces the stability of the frame for the transportable shelter. In contrast, the dovetail style fitting allows for a stable connection point, which, of its own volition, creates a connection that is less likely to disconnect on its own over time. This stable connection is partly due to the reduction of the angles of movement. That is, the stable connection is partly due to limiting the movement between the extension of a male connection fitting and the channel of female connection fitting. In addition, in various embodiments, the dovetail design can be used with fasteners (e.g., screws, pins, bolts, etc.), in which the bulk of the stresses created at the joint to be handled by the dovetail connection, rather than the fasteners. By using the dovetail connection, there will be negligible movement or “give” between frame members, which causes less stress to be applied to the fasteners.
Current transportable shelters utilizing insert-connection systems are made from metals and require extrusions that have a swaged end or end connection to create the insert for the frame members. The extruded members are difficult to transport and store when made to lengths for medium to large size structures. In addition, each end of the extruded frame members also require drilling for the pinning system holes, which requires the frame members to be manipulated multiple times during fabrication. In contrast, the connection fitting of the present application can be created using Computer Numerical Control (“CNC”) manufacturing, forging, casting, 3D printing, additive manufacturing. The disclosed connection fitting can also be made from extruded metals (e.g., aluminum, steel, composites, etc.) The connection fitting can be manufactured to a length where a length of the connection fitting corresponds to the height of the frame member to which the connection fitting will be attached. Once at length, the connection fitting can be machined/drilled in accordance with the desired dimensions for any channels, extensions, protrusions, apertures, or openings of the connection fitting. The above-mentioned manufacturing method makes it easy to manufacture the connection fittings to the specifications desired by a user.
Current transportable shelters utilizing insert-connection systems are less than ideal when a frame that has been designed has any sort of curvature to the frame members (e.g., Quonset huts, hoop structures, etc.) For such structures, the small diameter ends of the frame members tend not to have the same curvature as the receiving ends of the frame members, which makes it difficult to connect the frame members, and provides more stress to the pins supporting the connections between the frame members. As mentioned above, the manufacturing of the connection fitting disclosed in the present application makes it easy to manufacture the connection fittings to the specifications desired by a user, which makes it more advantageous than frame members having curvatures that do not match each other. In addition, frame members utilizing the disclosed connection fitting can be connected quickly and easily by inserting an extension of a male connection fitting into a channel of a female connection fitting and securing the extension in the channel with a fastener. The male and female connection fittings are prevented from over-extending or over-sliding by the connection of the connection fittings to the frame member. For example, when the frame member is an I-beam, the connection fittings are prevented from over-extending or over-sliding by the top flange of the beam).
In addition, for transportable shelters utilizing insert-connection systems, the entire frame is secured through the use of pins only, which means the breakage of a pin or a removal of a pin can result in the imminent failure of the frame because there is no additional force keeping the frame members together (without the installation of a shelter fabric or additional complete anchoring systems). As mentioned above, the dovetail design of the disclosed connection fitting allows the bulk of the stresses created at the joint to be handled by the dovetail connection, rather than the fasteners. By using the dovetail connection, there will be negligible movement or “give” between frame members, which causes less stress to be applied to the fasteners and less chance of failure of the frame due to failure of the fastener.
Prior to discussing the various embodiments, a review of the definitions of some exemplary terms used throughout the disclosure is appropriate. Both singular and plural forms of all terms fall within each meaning.
As described herein, when a frame for a transportable shelter is described as having “structural members,” “base members,” “interconnecting members,” and “purlins,” such terms are used to describe various members for the frame. Such terms, however, shall not be limited to the specific embodiments of the structures being described as “structural members,” “base members,” “interconnecting members,” or “purlins.” The terms “structural members,” “base members,” interconnecting members,” “purlins,” and any other similar term shall take any suitable meaning for describing a member, component, portion, or element of a frame for a transportable shelter.
As described herein, when one or more members are described as being connected, joined, affixed, coupled, attached, or otherwise interconnected, such interconnection may be direct as between the members or may be indirect such as through the use of one or more intermediary members. Also, as described herein, reference to a “member,” “component,” “element,” or “portion” shall not be limited to a single structural member, component, purlin or portion, but can include an assembly of components, members, purlins, or portion.
In the embodiments discussed herein, the connection fittings of the present application are described for use with a frame for a transportable shelter. However, the connection fittings of the present application can be used in a variety of different applications. The present application provides multiple embodiments of connection fittings and frames for transportable shelters. Any feature or combination of features from each of the embodiments can be used with features or combinations of features of other embodiments.
The general inventive concepts of the present application will now be described by referencing the following exemplary embodiments. The description with reference to the following exemplary embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any way, and the terms used in the claims have their full ordinary meaning.
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The frame 100 includes a plurality of bays 110a-f, in which each bay 110 includes an adjacent pair of the structural members 106a-g that are attached by the first base member 102, the second base member 104, and a plurality of purlins 108. In the embodiment shown in
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Each of the interconnecting members 212a-f can connect to the base members 102, 104 or another interconnecting member using a dovetail connection fitting 800 (
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In the illustrated embodiment, a first channel 304a of the female connection fitting 300 is attached to an interconnecting member 212a-f (
The embodiment of the female connection fitting 300 shown in
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In the illustrated embodiment, the extension 614 has a width H at a connection 630 between the extension and the base 602, and the width of the extension increases to a maximum width Z that is larger than the width H. In certain embodiments, the portion of the extension having a width H is configured to align with the portion of a channel 304a-c (
The embodiment of the male connection fitting 600 shown in
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The female connection fitting 300 is attached to a flange 809 of the first interconnecting member 801 by aligning the apertures 308 of the female connection fitting (as shown in
The male connection fitting 600 is attached to a flange 811 of the second interconnecting member 803 by aligning the apertures 626 of the male connection fitting (as shown in
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While the illustrated embodiments show members for a frame being connected to other members of the frame using a dovetail connection fitting 800, it should be understood that some connections between members of a frame can also be made using alternative types of connections. For example, in some embodiments, the hinge assemblies described in U.S. application Ser. No. 15/489,047 can be used to connect some members of a frame to each other, and the dovetail connection fitting 800 can be used to connect other members of the frame to each other. In one embodiment, referring to
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While the illustrated embodiment shows a crown connection fitting 1101 having extensions 1114 that are connectable to a female connection fitting 1103, it should be understood that the crown fitting could include a plurality of channels that are connectable to male connection fittings having extensions that are configured to be disposed within the channels of the crown connection fitting.
While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the inventions may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein, all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts and features of the inventions—such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, devices and components, alternatives as to form, fit and function, and so on-may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present inventions, even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein.
Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the inventions may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present disclosure; however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges only if so expressly stated.
While various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific invention, the inventions instead being set forth in the appended claims. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated.
Claims
1. A connection fitting for a frame of a transportable shelter, the frame including a plurality of interconnecting members, in which a first interconnecting member of the plurality of interconnecting members is connectable to a second interconnecting member of the plurality of interconnecting members, the connection fitting comprising:
- a female connection fitting configured to be attached to the first interconnecting member, the female connection fitting having a base and a channel extending through the base;
- a male connection fitting configured to be attached to the second interconnecting member, the male connection fitting having a base and an extension extending from the base;
- wherein, when the female connection fitting is attached to the first interconnecting member and the male connection fitting is attached to the second interconnecting member, the extension of the male connection fitting is inserted into the channel of the female connection fitting to connect the first interconnecting member to the second interconnecting member.
2. The connection fitting according to claim 1, wherein the female connection fitting further comprises a second channel extending through the base.
3. The connection fitting according to claim 1, wherein the female connection fitting further comprises one or more apertures for attaching the female connection fitting to the first interconnecting member, and wherein the apertures of the female connection fitting are configured to align with one or more openings of the first interconnecting member such that the female connection fitting is configured to be attached to the first interconnecting member by placing a fastener through an aperture of the one or more apertures and through an aligned opening of the one or more openings.
4. The connection fitting according to claim 1, wherein the male connection fitting further comprises one or more apertures for attaching the male connection fitting to the second interconnecting member, and wherein the apertures of the male connection fitting are configured to align with one or more openings of the second interconnecting member such that the male connection fitting is configured to be attached to the second interconnecting member by placing a fastener through an aperture of the one or more apertures and through an aligned opening of the one or more openings.
5. The connection fitting according to claim 1, wherein the channel of the female connection fitting comprises an inlet having a first width and a wider portion having a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width.
6. The connection fitting according to claim 5, wherein the extension of the male connection fitting comprises a connection portion having a third width and a wider portion having a fourth width, wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width, and wherein the fourth width of the wider portion of the male connection fitting is greater than the first width of the inlet of the female connection portion.
7. The connection fitting according to claim 3, wherein the female connection fitting includes one or more securing openings that intersect the one or more apertures of the female connection fitting, wherein the securing openings are configured to receive a securing fastener for securing the female connection fitting to the first interconnecting member.
8. The connection fitting according to claim 4, wherein the male connection fitting includes one or more securing openings that intersect the one or more apertures of the male connection fitting, wherein the securing openings are configured to receive a securing fastener for securing the male connection fitting to the second interconnecting member.
9. The connection fitting according to claim 1, wherein the female connection fitting includes one or more first connection openings that extend through the channel, wherein the male connection fitting includes one or more second connection openings that extend through the extension, and wherein the first connection openings of the female connection fitting are aligned with the second connection openings of the male connection fitting when the extension of the male connection fitting is disposed in the channel of the female connection fitting such that a connection fastener can be placed through the first connection openings and second connection openings to secure the female connection fitting to the male connection fitting.
10. The connection fitting according to claim 1, wherein the female connection fitting further comprises a first protrusion that is configured to engage a web of the first interconnecting member, and wherein the male connection fitting further comprises a second protrusion that is configured to engage a web of the second interconnecting member.
11. A frame for a transportable shelter, the frame comprising:
- a first base member;
- a second base member;
- a plurality of structural members, each structural member comprising: a first end that is connectable to the first base member; a second end that is connectable to the second base member; and at least two interconnecting members that extend between the first end and the second end of the structural member, wherein the first interconnecting member is connectable to the second interconnecting member by a connection fitting, the connection fitting comprising: a female connection fitting attached to the first interconnecting member, the female connection fitting having a base and a channel extending through the base; a male connection fitting attached to the second interconnecting member, the male connection fitting having a base and an extension extending from the base; wherein the extension of the male connection fitting is inserted into the channel of the female connection fitting to connect the first interconnecting member to the second interconnecting member.
12. The frame according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of purlins that are configured to connect one structural member to another structural member.
13. The frame according to claim 12, wherein the female connection fitting comprises a second channel extending through the base of the female connection fitting, wherein a first purlin of the plurality of purlins comprises a male connection fitting, and wherein the male connection fitting of the first purlin is inserted into the second channel of the female connection fitting to attach the first purlin to the first interconnecting member.
14. The frame according to claim 13, wherein the female connection fitting comprises a third channel extending through the base of the female connection fitting, where a second purlin of the plurality of purlins comprises a male connection fitting, and wherein the male connection fitting of the second purlin is inserted into the third channel of the female connection fitting to attach the second purlin to the first interconnecting member.
15. The frame according to claim 11, wherein the female connection fitting further comprises one or more apertures for attaching the female connection fitting to the first interconnecting member, and wherein the apertures of the female connection fitting are configured to align with one or more openings of the first interconnecting member such that the female connection fitting is configured to be attached to the second interconnecting member by placing a fastener through an aperture of the one or more apertures and through an aligned opening of the one or more openings.
16. The frame according to claim 11, wherein the male connection fitting further comprises one or more apertures for attaching the male connection fitting to the second interconnecting member, and wherein the apertures of the male connection fitting are configured to align with one or more openings of the second interconnecting member such that the male connection fitting is configured to be attached to the second interconnecting member by placing a fastener through an aperture of the one or more apertures and through an aligned opening of the one or more openings.
17. The frame according to claim 11, wherein the channel of the female connection fitting comprises an inlet having a first width and a wider portion having a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width.
18. The frame according to claim 17, wherein the extension of the male connection fitting comprises a connection portion having a third width and a wider portion having a fourth width, wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width, and wherein the fourth width of the wider portion of the male connection fitting is greater than the first width of the inlet of the female connection fitting.
19. The frame according to claim 15, wherein the female connection fitting includes one or more securing openings that intersect the one or more apertures of the female connection fitting, wherein the securing openings are configured to receive a securing fastener for securing the female connection fitting to the first interconnecting member.
20. The frame according to claim 16, wherein the male connection fitting includes one or more securing openings that intersect the one or more apertures of the male connection fitting, wherein the securing openings are configured to receive a securing fastener for securing the male connection fitting to the second interconnecting member.
21. The frame according to claim 11, wherein the female connection fitting includes one or more first connection openings that extend through the channel, wherein the male connection fitting includes one or more second connection openings that extend through the extension, and wherein the first connection openings of the female connection fitting are aligned with the second connection openings of the male connection fitting when the extension of the male connection fitting is disposed in the channel of the female connection fitting such that a connection fastener can be placed through the first connection openings and second connection openings to secure the female connection fitting to the male connection fitting.
22. The frame according to claim 11, wherein the first interconnecting member is an I-beam having a first web and first opposing flanges, and wherein the second interconnecting member is an I-beam having a second web and second opposing flanges, wherein the female connection fitting further comprises a first protrusion that is configured to engage the first web of the first interconnecting member when the female connection fitting is attached to the first interconnecting member, and wherein the male connection fitting further comprises a second protrusion that is configured to engage the second web of the second interconnecting member when the male connection fitting is attached to the second interconnecting member.
23. A connection fitting for a frame of a transportable shelter, the frame including a plurality of beam members, the connection fitting comprising:
- a crown connection fitting having a base and a plurality of extensions extending from the base;
- a female connection fitting configured to be attached to a beam member of the frame, the female connection fitting having a base and a channel extending through the base;
- wherein the channel of the female connection fitting is placed over an extension of the plurality of extensions of the crown connection fitting to connect the beam member to the crown connection fitting.
24. The connection fitting according to claim 23, wherein the female connection fitting further comprises one or more apertures for attaching the female connection fitting to the beam member, and wherein the apertures of the female connection fitting are configured to align with one or more openings in the beam member such that the female connection fitting is configured to be attached to the beam member by placing a fastener through an aperture of the one or more apertures and through an aligned opening of the one or more openings.
25. The connection fitting according to claim 23, wherein the channel of the female connection fitting comprises an inlet having a first width and a wider portion having a second width, wherein the second width is greater than the first width.
26. The connection fitting according to claim 25, wherein the extension of the crown connection fitting comprises a connection portion having a third width and a wider portion having a fourth width, wherein the fourth width is greater than the third width, and wherein the fourth width of the wider portion of the crown connection fitting is greater than the first width of the inlet of the female connection fitting.
27. The connection fitting according to claim 23, wherein the female connection fitting includes one or more first connection openings that extend through the channel, wherein the extension of the crown connection fitting includes one or more second connection openings that extend through the extension, and wherein the first connection openings of the female connection fitting are aligned with the second connection openings of the extension of the crown connection fitting when the extension is disposed in the channel of the female connection fitting such that a connection fastener can be placed through the first connection openings and second connection openings to secure the female connection fitting to the crown connection fitting.
28. The connection fitting according to claim 23, wherein an angle of a top surface of the base of the female connection fitting relative to a top surface of the base of the crown connection fitting when the female connection fitting is attached to the crown connection fitting is movable.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 24, 2017
Publication Date: Apr 25, 2019
Inventors: Jeffrey L. Grieshop (Celina, OH), Eric F. Dues (Ostrander, OH), Gabriel D. Lehman (Celina, OH)
Application Number: 15/792,254