Interface for mounting interchangable components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11085184-B2
Application number	US-201515026566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2015
Priority date	Feb 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

An interface for mounting interchangeable components and systems and methods implementing the same, including reconfigurable modular wall systems having a plurality of different types of interchangeable wall modules with different types of compatible connection components, each connection component being configured to align with another connection component at an interface to form an interface connection for securing the connection components together with one or more universal connection interface members. The interface is configured for on-demand reconfiguration without laborious alteration to aspects of the walls system, modules, and components thereof. Reconfiguration of modules is facilitated by removing the universal connection interface member from the interface connection, thereby releasing the attachment mechanism and allowing rearrangement of the module(s). Replacement of the universal connection interface member secures the reconfigured modules in place in the rearranged wall system.

First claim

We claim:

1. A modular connection component configured to be reversibly secured to one or more additional modular connection components at an attachment interface to form a modular structure, the modular connection component comprising:
at least one interface element configured to be aligned with a corresponding interface element of a second modular connection component, the aligned interface element forming at least one channel being adapted to receive at least one connection interface component configured to reversibly secure the modular connection component and the second modular connection components together at the attachment interface;
wherein:
the at least one interface element comprises a c-shaped interface channel configured to align with and face another c-shaped interface channel such that edges of the c-shaped interface channel and the other c-shaped interface channel are registered when the modular connection component is reversibly secured to the second modular connection component at the attachment interface;
the at least one connection interface component comprises a plurality of channel engagement arms extending from members of an x-shaped body, the plurality of channel engagement arms being parallel to one another and nonparallel to the members of the x-shaped body, and the at least one connection interface component remains identically sized and shaped from a first end of the at least one connection interface component to an opposing second end of the at least one connection interface component that extends longitudinally from the first end of the at least one connection interface component;
the c-shaped interface channel of the at least one interface element is configured to receive at least two channel engagement arms extending from the members of the x-shaped body of the at least one connection interface component; and
the modular connection component comprises a first end and an opposing second end, the at least one channel extending longitudinally at least partially between the first end of the modular connection component and the opposing second end of the modular connection component.

2. The modular connection component of claim 1 wherein:
the modular connection component comprises an elongated support member extending longitudinally at least partially between the first end of the modular connection component and the opposing second end of the modular connection component;
the support member has a rigid or semi-rigid configuration; and
the at least one interface element is disposed on a first side of the support member.

3. The modular connection component of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one interface element comprises opposing first and second interface elements; and
each of the opposing first and second interface elements is:
configured to be aligned with the corresponding interface element of the second modular connection component; and
adapted to receive the at least one connection interface component when aligned with the corresponding interface element of the second modular connection component.

4. The modular connection component of claim 3 , wherein each of the opposing first and second interface elements when aligned with the corresponding interface element of the second modular connection component form a channel extending longitudinally at least partially between the first end of the modular connection component and the opposing second end of the modular connection component.

5. The modular connection component of claim 2 , wherein:
the elongated support member further comprises at least one channel member extending longitudinally at least partially between the first end of the modular connection component and the opposing second end of the modular connection component; and
the at least one channel member is configured to be aligned with a corresponding channel member of the second modular connection component to form at least one receiving channel at the attachment interface when the modular connection component is attached to the second modular connection component.

6. The modular connection component of claim 5 , wherein:
the at least one receiving channel comprises an opening disposed between the respective channel members of the attached modular connection component and second modular connection component; and
the at least one channel member extends longitudinally at least partially across an outer side edge of the attached modular connection component and second modular connection component.

7. The modular connection component of claim 6 , wherein the at least one receiving channel is adapted for receiving at least one insert.

8. The modular connection component of claim 7 , wherein the at least one insert is selected from the group consisting of a cantilever, a sealing element, and a lighting element.

9. The modular connection component of claim 2 , wherein the elongated support member has a substantially uniform cross-sectional design between the first end of the modular connection component and the opposing second end of the modular connection component.

10. The modular connection component of claim 2 , wherein the elongated support member further comprises at least one tile receiving element.

11. The modular connection component of claim 10 , wherein the at least one tile receiving element comprises a channel.

12. The modular connection component of claim 11 , wherein the channel is recessed into a surface of the elongated support member.

13. The modular connection component of claim 11 , wherein the channel extends from a surface of the elongated support member, the surface comprising one or more protruding channel members extending therefrom.

14. The modular connection component of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the modular connection component or the second modular connection component comprises a tile attachment member comprising an elongated portion and a distal arrowhead portion, wherein a tile attachment element is configured to attach at least one tile to the tile attachment member.

15. A set of modular connection components, comprising:
a first modular connection component; and
at least a second modular connection component;
wherein:
the second modular connection component is configured to be reversibly secured to the first modular connection component at an attachment interface to form a modular structure;
the first and second modular connection components each have at least one interface element;
the at least one interface element of the first modular connection component is configured to be aligned with and face the at least one interface element of the second modular connection component to form at least one interface connection element; and
the at least one interface connection element is adapted to receive at least two channel engagement arms extending from members of an x-shaped body of a connection interface component to thereby reversibly secure the first and second modular connection components together at the attachment interface, the at least two channel engagement arms being parallel to one another and nonparallel to the members of the x-shaped body.

16. The set of modular connection components of claim 15 , wherein:
the at least one interface element of the first modular connection component and the at least one interface element of the second modular connection component align at the attachment interface to form an interface channel; and
the interface channel is configured to receive the at least one x-shaped connection interface component to reversibly secure the first component to the second

Assignees

• Dirtt Environmental Solutions

Inventors

• Gosling Geoff
• Smed Mogens F
• Harris Patrick John

Classifications

• E04B1/6162

  the connection made by an additional locking key · CPC title

• E04B2002/7462

  using resilient connectors, e.g. clips · CPC title

• E04B2/7457

  with wallboards attached to the outer faces of the posts, parallel to the partition (E04B2/7459 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04B2/7424

  Glazing details · CPC title

• E04B2/7425 Primary

  Details of connection of panels (E04B2/7427 takes precedence) · CPC title