Flange adapter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10100973-B2
Application number	US-201715597982-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A flange adapter can include a plurality of walls, with at least one wall being an overlapping wall. The overlapping wall can include multiple layers formed from overlapping folded sections extending from at least two other walls, or from overlapping extensions of at least two other walls. The overlapping wall can receive a fastener through the multiple layers to secure a support structure to the flange adapter. A main body of the flange adapter, including the plurality of walls, can be integrally formed from a single-piece of material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flange adapter to attach an object to a support structure, for use with one or more fasteners, the flange adapter comprising:
a main body that includes a back wall, a first side wall extending away from the back wall, a second side wall extending away from the back wall, and a top wall extending between the back wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall;
the top wall including:
a first layer that includes a first folded section extending from the back wall of the main body; and
a second layer that includes a second folded section extending from the first side wall and a third folded section extending from the second side wall, the second layer at least partly overlapping with the first layer along the top wall; and

a set of apertures that extend through the first and second layers of the top wall, the set of apertures being configured to receive the one or more fasteners in order for the one or more fasteners to urge the support structure into engagement with at least one of the first and second side walls.

2. The flange adapter of claim 1 , wherein the main body, including the back wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, and the top wall is a single integrally formed component.

3. The flange adapter of claim 2 , wherein the main body is a stamped component.

4. The flange adapter of claim 1 , wherein the set of apertures includes two first-layer apertures in the first folded section, and a second-layer aperture in each of the second and third folded sections; and
the first-layer and second-layer apertures being configured to receive a respective one of the one or more fasteners through each of the second and third folded sections, to urge the support structure into engagement with the at least one of the first and second side walls.

5. The flange adapter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first slot extending into the first side wall; and
a second slot extending into the second side wall;
wherein, to secure the flange adapter to the support structure, the first slot and the second slot at least partly receive the support structure, and the one or more fasteners engages a first side of the support structure to urge a second side of the support structure into engagement with inner walls of the first and second slots.

6. The flange adapter of claim 5 , wherein the first slot and the second slot extend from respective open ends to respective closed ends in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the back tall.

7. The flange adapter of claim 6 , wherein the back wall includes an attachment aperture for attaching the object to the flange adapter.

8. The flange adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is an inner layer of the top wall, and the second layer is an outer layer of the top wall.

9. The flange adapter of claim 8 , the set of apertures includes a threaded aperture through the first layer, and a non-threaded aperture through the second layer.

10. The flange adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first layer is an outer layer of the top wall, and the second layer is an inner layer of the top wall.

11. The flange adapter of claim 10 , wherein the set of apertures includes a threaded aperture through the second layer, and a non-threaded aperture through the first layer.

12. A flange adapter to attach an object to a support structure, for use in combination with at least one fastener, the flange adapter comprising:
an integrally formed, stamped main body that includes:
a first wall configured to engage the support structure;
a second wall with a second-wall opening to secure the object to the flange adapter; and
a third wall formed, at least in part, from an extension of the first wall and an extension of the second wall;

the extension of the first wall forming a first layer of the third wall;
the extension of the second wall forming a second layer of the third wall that overlaps with the first layer of the third wall; and
the first and second layers of the third wall being configured to receive the at least one fastener therethrough, to secure the support structure to the flange adapter.

13. The flange adapter of claim 12 , wherein the first wall includes a slot that extends substantially in parallel with the third wall, the slot being configured to at least partly receive the support structure.

14. The flange adapter of claim 13 , wherein the slot extends substantially perpendicularly to the second wall.

15. The flange adapter of claim 12 , wherein the first wall, not including the extension of the first wall, is substantially perpendicular to the second wall and the third wall; and
wherein the second wall, not including the extension of the second wall, is substantially perpendicular to the first wall and the third wall.

16. The flange adapter of claim 12 , wherein the extension of the first wall forms an outer layer of the third wall, and the extension of the second wall forms an inner layer of the third wall.

17. The flange adapter of claim 12 , wherein the at least one fastener extends through a threaded aperture in the second layer of the third wall and a non-threaded aperture in the first layer of the third wall.

18. The flange adapter of claim 12 , further comprising:
a fourth wall configured to engage the support structure;
wherein the third wall is further formed by an extension of the fourth wall that overlaps with the extension of the second wall.

19. The flange adapter of claim 18 , wherein the extension of the fourth wall does not overlap with the extension of the first wall.

20. A method of forming a flange adapter to attach an object to a support structure using a fastener, the method comprising:
providing a single-piece blank;
forming a first aperture in a first portion of the single-piece blank;
forming a second aperture in a second portion of the single-piece blank;
forming a first slot and a second slot in the single-piece blank; and
bending the single-piece blank to form the flange adapter, with the bending:
aligning the first and second slots, so that the first and second slots are configured to simultaneously receive the support structure;
causing a first part of the first portion to be form a back wall of the flange adapter;
causing a first part of the second portion to form a side wall of the flange adapter that is substantially perpendicular to the back wall; and
causing a second part the first portion of the single-piece blank to overlap with a second part the second portion of the single-piece blank and thereby align the first and second apertures, so that the first and second apertures are configured to simultaneously receive the fastener to secure the support structure within the first and second slots.

Assignees

• Erico Int Corp

Inventors

• Anderson Scott

Classifications

• F16B7/185

  with a node element · CPC title

• F16B5/0685

  Joining sheets or plates to strips or bars (F16B5/0692 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16M13/022 Primary

  repositionable · CPC title

• F16L3/24

  with special member for attachment to profiled girders · CPC title

• F16M13/02 Primary

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title