Coupling assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9598121-B2
Application number	US-201414268509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	May 2, 2014
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

A coupling assembly includes a mounting bracket including a first mounting wall and a second mounting wall coupled to the first mounting wall. The coupling assembly further includes a connection bracket including a first connection wall, a second connection wall, and a third connection wall interconnecting the first and second connection walls. The connection bracket defines a first bracket opening extending through the first connection wall and a second bracket opening extending through the second connection wall. The coupling assembly further includes a flange extending from the second mounting wall. The flange extends through the connection bracket via the first and second bracket openings. The coupling assembly further includes a fastener extending through the third connection wall and the flange such that the mounting bracket is coupled to the connection bracket.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coupling assembly, comprising:
a mounting bracket including a first mounting wall and a second mounting wall coupled to the first mounting wall;
a connection bracket including a first connection wall, a second connection wall, and a third connection wall interconnecting the first and second connection walls, the connection bracket defining a first bracket opening extending through the first connection wall and a second bracket opening extending through the second connection wall;
a flange extending from the second mounting wall, the flange extending through the connection bracket via the first and second bracket openings; and
a fastener extending through the third connection wall and the flange such that the mounting bracket is coupled to the connection bracket.

2. The coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a first fastener, and the coupling assembly further includes a second fastener coupled to the flange, and the second fastener mates with the first fastener to couple the flange to the connection bracket.

3. The coupling assembly of claim 2 , wherein the connection bracket defines a third bracket opening extending through the third connection wall, and the first fastener extends through the third bracket opening.

4. The coupling assembly of claim 3 , wherein the flange defines a flange opening, and the first fastener extends through the flange opening.

5. The coupling assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second fastener is substantially aligned with the flange opening in order to allow the first fastener to pass through the flange opening and mate with the second fastener.

6. The coupling assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first fastener is at least partly disposed between the first and second connection walls.

7. The coupling assembly of claim 5 , wherein the second fastener is directly coupled to the flange, and the first fastener extends through the second fastener.

8. The coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second connection walls are substantially parallel to each other, and the third connection wall is substantially perpendicular to the first and second connection walls.

9. The coupling assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first connection wall, the second connection wall, and the third connection wall are coupled to each other such that the connection bracket has a substantially U-shape.

10. The coupling assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first mounting wall is substantially perpendicular to the second mounting wall, and the flange is substantially parallel to the first mounting wall.

11. The coupling assembly of claim 10 , wherein the flange is integrally formed with the second mounting wall such that the flange and the second mounting wall jointly form a one-piece structure.

12. The coupling assembly of claim 10 , wherein the flange is a discrete component coupled to the mounting bracket.

13. The coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes a flange body, the flange body has a first flange surface and a second flange surface opposite the first flange surface, the first flange surface faces the first mounting wall, the second flange surface faces away from the first mounting wall, the flange defines a flange opening extending through the flange body such that the flange opening extends through the first flange surface and the second flange surface, and the flange opening partially receives the fastener such that the fastener extends through the flange body, the first flange surface, and the second flange surface.

14. The coupling assembly of claim 13 , wherein the flange body, the first flange surface, and the second flange surface are elongated along a same direction such that the flange body, the first flange surface, and the second flange surface are parallel to one another.

15. The coupling assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a rib directly interconnecting the first connection wall and the second connecting wall, wherein the rib is elongated along the same direction as the flange body, the first flange surface, and the second flange surface.

16. The coupling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spring clip and a screw, wherein the spring clip defines a threaded hole, the flange includes a first flange wall, a second flange wall, and a third flange wall directly interconnecting the first flange wall and the second flange wall, the third flange wall has a U-shape, the flange defines at least one flange opening extending through the first flange wall, the second flange wall extends through the first connection wall and the second connection wall through the first bracket opening and the second bracket opening, the first flange wall and the third flange wall are disposed outside the connection bracket, the spring clip is snapped directly to the first flange wall, the mounting bracket defines a screw opening extending through the second mounting wall, the screw opening partially receives the screw, the threaded hole partially receives the screw, and the screw opening and the threaded hole are aligned to allow the screw to extend through the threaded hole and the screw opening.

17. The coupling assembly of claim 16 , wherein the at least one flange opening is a first flange opening, the threaded hole is a first threaded hole, the spring clip is a first spring clip, the coupling assembly further includes a second spring clip, the second spring clip defines a second threaded hole, the flange defines a second flange opening extending through the second flange wall, the connection bracket defines a third bracket opening extending through the third connection wall, the third bracket opening partially receives the fastener, the second threaded hole partially receives the fastener, the third bracket opening and the second threaded hole are aligned to allow the fastener to extend through the second threaded hole and the third bracket opening.

18. The coupling assembly of claim 17 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a raised section extending from the first mounting wall, the raised section is obliquely angled relative to the first mounting wall and the second mounting wall, and the mounting bracket defines a support receiving opening extending into the raised section.

19. The coupling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flange is cantilevered from the second mounting wall.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Pulleyblank Mark

Classifications

• F16B9/026

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F16B9/02

  Detachable connections {(F16B9/05 – F16B9/09 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B62D33/0207

  Connections of movable or detachable racks or stanchions to platforms · CPC title

• B62D33/02 Primary

  Platforms; Open load compartments {(flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08)} · CPC title

• F16B9/09

  rods and flat surfaces interengaging by projections and mating sockets · CPC title